Co-Payment Assistance Available to Kidney and Colorectal Cancer Patients

March 4, 2010

March is both Kidney Cancer Awareness Month and National Colorectal Cancer Awareness MonthThe CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation provides up to $10,000 per year in co-payment assistance to eligible individuals facing either diagnosis.

CancerCare has responded to the needs of people facing kidney cancer by hosting Connect Education Workshops that offer information about research and treatment in kidney cancer.

Informative kidney cancer publications are also available in our ever-expanding online reading room.

To learn about treatment updates for colorectal cancer, listen to our most recent Connect Education Workshop, Emerging Treatments for Colorectal Cancer: What’s New?

Other Connect Education Workshops have explored colorectal cancer topics such as improved treatment options through clinical trials and updates on genetic testing for recurrence.

Additionally, this month’s Ask CancerCare column gives you an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about coping with colorectal cancer.

For more resources on these cancers, visit the diagnoses pages on our website. 

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Brain Tumor Survivor Chronicles Journey With Help And Hope

March 3, 2010

Our friend Johnny Cathcart stopped by our offices last week to share his story with us. Johnny, a two-time brain cancer survivor, details his story in the touching and hilarious Hotpants: A Memoir

The critically-acclaimed memoir traces Johnny’s journey from his unassuming adolescence through the struggle of his life, and ultimately examines the power of optimism, humor and hope. Hotpants: A Memoir is available for purchase through Amazon, and we encourage you to visit Johnny’s website and view his demo reel here.

To learn about the latest in brain tumor research, please register for our upcoming Connect Education Workshop Brain Tumors: Current Treatments and Hope for the Future.

Learn more about CancerCare’s free, professional support services for people with brain cancer and their loved ones.

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1000 Cranes of Hope

December 14, 2009

The ancient Japanese tradition of senbazuru promises that a person who folds 1000 origami cranes will be granted a wish, such as long life or recovery from illness.

Boston-based Millennium Pharmaceuticals, owned by the Japanese pharmaceutical, The Takeda Company, recently launched a website honoring the senbazuru tradition, where people facing cancer–patients, caregivers, loved ones–can express their hopes and wishes for the New Year. Each message of hope posted at the site is represented by a bird-shaped paper figurine.

 Millennium Pharmaceuticals is a funder of CancerCare’s Door to Door program, which provides financial assistance to cover transportation costs for people undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma.

Leave your wish at 1000 Cranes of Hope.com (the site is free but log-in registration is required). For every wish left at the site, Millennium will make a donation to a healthcare-related charity.

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1st Annual Young Survivors’ Wellness Night in NYC

October 23, 2009

YSC and Young AdultThe Young Survival Coalition and the CancerCare Young Adult Program present a special wellness night for young adult cancer survivors between the ages of 20 – 39 years.  Dedicate a few hours to focusing on your well-being through yoga, connecting with other survivors, and the creative arts.  Walk away from the night with exercises to continue building a healthy mind/body relationship along with the tools you need to envision a life after cancer.  Light refreshments will be served!

WHEN:
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
(Yoga begins promptly at 6:00 pm)
Bring your own bath or beach towel

PROGRAM:
Vanessa Watson, RYT
Yoga Instructor, Laughing Lotus
Yoga ~ 6:00-6:45 pm

Julie Larson, LCSW
Program Director, CancerCare Young Adult Program
Reflective Discussion ~ 6:45-7:00 pm

Paisley Stowe
Creativity Counseling, Holistic Wellness & Skin Care Counseling, Licensed Esthetician & Reiki Practitioner
Creative Arts ~ 7:00-8:00 pm

LOCATION:
CancerCare Main Office
275 Seventh Avenue, 22nd Floor
(Between 25th & 26th Streets)

This program is free, but space is limited and reservations are required

To RSVP:
Melissa Snyder – msnyder@youngsurvival.org or (646) 257-3025
OR
Julie Larson – jlarson@cancercare.org or (212) 712-6173

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Emotional Support for Cancer Survivors

July 31, 2009

People with cancer who have survived at least five years are much more likely to show signs of psychological distress than people who have never been diagnosed, according to new research from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and highlighted in a recent article in MedPageToday. The research found that of  those individuals in serious distress, only one-third had sought help from a mental health professional, and nearly one-fifth cited the cost of such services as an obstacle to seeking care.

CancerCare offers free individual counseling and support groups for people with cancer, and all services are provided by professional oncology social workers. These services are available in person, over the phone and online.

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New Book Helps People Cope with Chemobrain

July 28, 2009

Your Brain After Chemo: A Practical Guide to Lifting the Fog and Getting Back Your Focus (Da Capo Press, 2009) draws on the latest scientific research on chemobrain and on post-treatment survivor stories to present a clearer picture of what chemobrain is and how people experiencing it can cope.

Co-authored by Idelle Davidson, an award-winning health and medicine journalist; and UCLA’s Dan Silverman, MD, PhD, Your Brain After Chemo gives readers practical tips for coping with fatigue, inattention, poor concentration and other chemobrain symptoms; it also lists organizations, websites and other resources that can help.

Also see  CancerCare’s Chemobrain Information Series, for more information. These fact sheets cover cognitive problems after chemotherapy, how to talk to your doctor about chemobrain, ways to improve your concentration, and techniques for sharpening your memory.

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Strengthening the Spirit

July 17, 2009

In the July 10 issue of Oncology Times, Cynthia Washam discusses the recent National Cancer Institute study Spirituality in Cancer Care, which says that only 1% of cancer outpatients reported that their physician asked about spiritual needs.

“By avoiding discussion of faith, clinicians deny cancer patients a service that not only brings comfort, but may enhance their quality of life,” says Washam, who cites oncology experts encouraging physicians to take the lead in broaching the topic with their patients.

Tools like the “Faith, Importance/Influence, Community and Address Spiritual History” (FICA) can help physicians assess a patients needs in these areas quickly and easily.

Educational materials such as CancerCare’s fact sheet, “Strengthening the Spirit” are available to help patients interested in developing and strengthening their spirituality as a way to cope.

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