Note: The contents of this blog are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or substitute for professional care. For medical emergencies, dial 911!
Experience Project is launching a new online cancer support network , The Cancer Support Project, on October 1st, 2007.
Experience Project is built around dynamic groups of users who come onto the platform, share narratives and personal stories about their life experiences, and then connect with others who are going through the same experiences. Experience Project will never ask for your name; you can keep your identity completely private while meeting new friends who can understand you.
The central goal of The Cancer Support Project is to provide a hub for emotional and psychological support for all experiences involving cancer, including experiences as a survivor or a caregiver, something that is not currently widely addressed as many sites focus on sharing information regarding therapies. The Experience Project will also be launching a Facebook application within The Cancer Support Project to enable people to show their support and raise cancer awareness via Facebook, MySpace, blogs and web pages.
The Cancer Support Projectwill be launching on October 1st, but you can check it out now. I know I will be checking it out for sure!The Cancer Support Project is located here.
I was trained months ago to serve as a Reach to Recovery volunteer for the American Cancer Society (ACS). My purpose: to meet face-to-face with women facing breast cancer, to offer them some measure of comfort, to help them manage their overwhelming emotions, to provide them with information and resources, to impart hope during a time of fear and uncertainty.
For months, I had not been called upon to meet with anyone in my community. I'd like to think this is a good thing -- a sign of decreasing breast cancer cases perhaps -- but I tend to believe it stems from a hesitancy to ask for help or a lack of knowledge about this support program. Regardless, I got my first call last week. And I made my first visit. And these are my first impressions of my first encounter as a Reach to Recovery volunteer.
The Reach to Recovery program operates on the premise of matching like-cancer survivors. I was matched with a young woman -- she is 31; I am 37, although my diagnosis came at age 34 -- and each of us was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. We both had surgery, both have young children, both feel a little sad that because of cancer, we likely won't have more children. We connected. We bonded. For a little more than one hour, we were in the same boat. Together, we tackled rough waters.
How will chemotherapy change my body? What are the survival rates for my type of cancer? How often should I get tests done?
A new cancer diagnosis can mean countless new questions.
Bring your worried mind to a informative show on the five steps you can take to deal with a new cancer diagnosis. The Young Survival Coaltion will help you think through decisions about everything from protecting your fertility to getting a second opinion and paying for treatment. You'll learn day-to-day coping techniques, become more aware of the resources available to you and feel more confident as you become a more aware and more empowered patient.
The guest experts will answers questions from the audience.
Ever wonder where your money goes when you make a charitable cancer contribution? Well, here's the lowdown on how the Susan G. Komen Foundation spends their donated funds.
For 25 years, this world's largest and most progressive grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists has allocated 33 percent of all dollars for research and awards, and 29 percent for education. Fifteen percent of donations are spent on screening, eight percent on fundraising, and eight percent on administration. Finally, seven percent goes towards treatment.
Komen professionals say they are extremely careful about how they spend the dollars entrusted to their care. And that makes me happy.
Join Living Beyond Breast Cancer for the next national teleconference, Bone Health After Breast Cancer, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Tuesday, September 11.
Adam Brufsky, MD, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, will give an overview of the topic of bone health for women after breast cancer diagnosis, including:
Causes of bone loss
How to measure bone health
How breast cancer treatment impacts bone loss
Strategies for monitoring bone health before and after treatment
Using exercise, fitness and supplements to keep bones strong
Join Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) for their next national teleconference, Follow-up Testing: What You Need to Know, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Thursday, August 16. Virginia F. Borges, MD, of the University of Colorado Health Science Center, will answer your questions about follow-up testing after initial treatment, including:
An overview of follow-up testing guidelines and insights into future tests
Uses or limitations of screening tests
Emotional impact of follow-up testing
Routine follow-up tests for other health matters affected by treatment
Creating a plan to monitor your overall health
The role of follow-up tests for women with advanced (metastatic) breast cancer
Dr. Borges is an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Health Science Center. She specializes in the treatment of breast cancer, and her research interests include the study of new biologic therapies for breast cancer, development of cancer vaccines and improving the quality of life for people affected by breast cancer. In addition to her clinical practice and research efforts, Dr. Borges volunteers as a medical facilitator for Casting for Recovery.
After the presentation, Dr. Borges will answer questions
Rise Above It (RAI) is a non-profit organization that helps young adults battling cancer. The strength in spirit of its founder, Colin O'Donoghue, guides RAI in its efforts. As a friend, teacher and coach, Colin deeply enriched the lives of others.
RAI continues this practice with the same enthusiasm and vigor he brought to every aspect of his life. Colin always believed that enjoying life and embracing a positive attitude were essential components of happiness. Using this principle as inspiration, RAI devises fun and positive events that raise money to accomplish its primary objective: to provide meaningful support to young cancer patients.
This is achieved by hosting fund-raising events designed to provide eligible recipients with additional resources. Using the proceeds from these events, RAI board members solicit cases to provide grants and personal consultation to individuals and families with immediate needs in their fight against cancer. Through financial assistance and personal attention, RAI strives to instill a positive attitude within its recipients, thus allowing them to live each day with faith and a fighting spirit.
The Lori Arquilla Anderson Foundation for Brain Cancer is promoting awareness of the life threatening effects of brain tumors, advocating on the behalf of cancer patients and raising funds for medical research. LAAF is dedicated to making a difference towards finding a cure.
You can read more about Lori's diagnoses, treatments and cancer journey here. Sadly Lori passed away on July 4, 2005. She was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme, one of the most deadly brain cancers.
This organization keeps Lori's memory alive and reminds us also to -- live, love and laaf.
Marcia, the creator of MyLifeLine, has a dream: To make a difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families. A cancer survivor herself, she understands what it means to be diagnosed, undergo treatments -- and still be present and available to the questions of concerned family members and friends.
At age 27, Marcia was diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer. To say it was unexpected is an understatement of vast proportions! At the time of the diagnosis, she was living in Chicago and working as a flight attendant for American Airlines. She went from flying the friendly skies to a complete hysterectomy, followed by 6 months of chemotherapy. One clear memory is the spiritual support she received from family and friends. "For that I am eternally grateful," she says.
MyLifeLine.org is a nonprofit organization that encourages cancer patients and survivors to create free, customized websites. Their mission is to empower patients to build an online support community of family and friends to foster connection, inspiration, and healing.
Worklife doesn't stop once you've been diagnosed with cancer. Many women have to--and want to--work during and after treatment. Cancer and Careers offers information and tools to help working women manage their battle with cancer as effectively as they manage the rest of their lives.
One great tool on the website is the paperwork section where you can find many guides including help with insurance issues, disability, financial assistance, legal assistance, health insurance and your legal rights in the workplace.
Make sure you take advantage of the Charts/Checklists section. It is amazing that cancer can actually seem like another job. Keeping your life organized with appointment logs, treatment charts and drug logs can really make life easier.
There are also many other resources on this website including emotional support, inner strength and taking charge tips.
C is for Cupid is a dating service for people whose lives have been affected by cancer. Founded by survivors, their goal is to provide a comfortable and confidential environment for members to connect with compatible singles and friends.
How does it work?
Registered members make a profile that can be viewed by other members and you can browse other member's profiles and chose to communicate through a private mailbox on the website. When you have a message C is for Cupid will send a notice to your registered email that you have mail.
Your email and personal information remains confidential unless you choose to share it. Only those who have registered and have been approved can fully participate in the website.
To learn more about C is for Cupid and read some frequently asked questions go here.
H.E.A.R.D. stands for Hemangioedothelioma, Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma (EHE), And Related vascular Disorders.
It is a support group established in 2004 to help these rare diseases. Hemangioendothelioma (HE) is the name for a composite group of vascular cancers, which can involve soft tissue, bone, skin, liver, lymph nodes and/or the lungs.
Due to the rarity of Hemangioendothelioma, it is preferable for patients to seek a sarcoma specialist for treatment.
There are only about twenty cases diagnosed each year of HE. The H.E.A.R.D support group has been able to locate about 120 people around the world who have this disease.
The members of this unique group tell us on the website:
Have you been thinking about lung cancer and longing for the most reliable facts and figures on this number one cancer killer? If so, you're in luck because the National Lung Cancer Partnership has just released a new and free resource called Living With a Diagnosis of Lung Cancer. The booklet features basic questions about what a lung cancer diagnosis means.
"When people hear the words, 'You have lung cancer,' their mind starts racing, and they hear or remember very little of what comes next," said Dr. Joan Schiller, M.D., president of the National Lung Cancer Partnership. "Even in this age of the Internet with information at your fingertips, patients and their families often don't know what to ask or are intimidated about doing so. This booklet was designed to be an easy-to-read resource for many of the initial questions people might have, from what kinds of doctors will be treating you to whether or not a clinical trial is right for you."
Patients can access this resource online, where other links to additional resources are available.
Living Beyond Breast Cancer will hold a free teleconference, Follow-up Testing: What You Need to Know, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Thursday, August 16.
Speaker Virginia F. Borges, MD, will discuss follow-up testing after initial treatment, including follow-up testing guidelines, insights into future tests, the uses or limitations of screening tests and the emotional impact of follow-up testing. She also will explain the need for routine follow-up for other treatment-related health matters, creating a plan to monitor overall health and the role of follow-up tests for women with advanced (metastatic) breast cancer.
Dr. Borges is an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Health Science Center. Dr. Borges specializes in the treatment of breast cancer and her research interests include the study of new biologic therapies for breast cancer, development of cancer vaccines and improving the quality of life of people affected by breast cancer. In addition to her clinical practice and research efforts, Dr. Borges volunteers as a medical facilitator for Casting for Recovery.
This free program will feature a presentation by the speaker and a 45-minute question-and-answer session with participants. Participants can listen over the phone or use their computer.
To register, visit Living Beyond Breast Cancer's website at www.lbbc.org or call (610) 645-4567
Food has the power to bring people together but does it have the power to heal to? The Cancer Project thinks so, and The Food for Life Nutrition and Cooking Class Series is proof. Cancer survivors are brought together in a series of cooking classes, designed to teach healthy eating habits and bring survivors together to form friendships and share stories ... and recipes. Learning how to cook, and cook healthfully, is something that can encourage healthy habits for years to come, so I think this is a great idea.
The classes are designed by physicians, nutritionists and dietitians. To find one in your area, click here.
Experience Project is launching a new online cancer support network , The Cancer Support Project, on October 1st, 2007.
I was trained months ago to serve as a 
When: Tuesday, August 21, 2007, 7 p.m. Eastern (4 p.m. Pacific) 
Ever wonder where your money goes when you make a charitable cancer contribution? Well, here's the lowdown on how the 
Join 
Rise Above It 
The 
Worklife doesn't stop once you've been diagnosed with cancer. Many women have to--and want to--work during and after treatment. 
C is for Cupid
H.E.A.R.D. stands for Hemangioedothelioma, Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma (EHE), And Related vascular Disorders.
Have you been thinking about lung cancer and longing for the most reliable facts and figures on this number one cancer killer? If so, you're in luck because the 
Living Beyond Breast Cancer will hold a free teleconference, Follow-up Testing: What You Need to Know, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Thursday, August 16. 
Food has the power to bring people together but does it have the power to heal to? The Cancer Project thinks so, and The Food for Life Nutrition and Cooking Class Series is proof. Cancer survivors are brought together in a series of cooking classes, designed to teach healthy eating habits and bring survivors together to form friendships and share stories ... and recipes. Learning how to cook, and cook healthfully, is something that can encourage healthy habits for years to come, so I think this is a great idea. 
