Category: cancer

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AutoLITT Barnes-Jewish brain tumor cancer cancer management Cleveland Clinic laser interstitial thermal therapy Monteris Smilow Cancer Center University Hospitals Case Medical Center

Can Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy Treat Inoperable Brain Cancer?

If you know anyone who has ever had brain cancer or cared for a brain cancer patient, you know this is a very tough situation. Depending on the type of tumor, the prognosis is often very pessimistic.

Lasers have been used to treat cancers since the seventies, but brain surgery is always risky. The idea of using heat to “cook” a tumor is not something people find easy to embrace. Is this changing with the AutoLITT system developed by Monteris, a Canadian company?

This technology is being used to treat gioblastomas and other difficult-to-treat brain cancers, especially helpful for high-risk patients. It’s minimally invasive and pain-free. Many patients are up and walking less than 24 hours after treatment.

This new treatment for brain tumors was approved for use in 2009. There are reportedly almost a dozen hospitals in the country that currently offer the technology. Among them are the Smilow Cancer Center (Yale-New Haven), the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

Monteris just secured $9 million in new financing, offering hope to many cancer families that their loved ones may have access to the AutoLITT treatment. As more and more doctors are trained to use the system, patients will have more and better options, even when their brain tumors are untreatable by more conventional means.

If you or a loved one have a brain tumor that has not been successfully treated, AutoLITT may make a difference in cancer management. Some patients may gain only six months, while others gain years. It’s not always easy to predict the success rate. Sometimes hanging in there means you live to fight another day. When the tide turns, it’s important to be there and take advantage of the opportunities. The good times are what help you to ride out the bad. That’s what cancer management is all about — part hope, part patient advocacy, part persistence. Quality of life is always important, and the AutoLITT system seems to work with that concept.

If you feel that you or your loved one can benefit from treatment, don’t hesitate to find out more. Tackle the issue head on and get the facts. It may or may not fit the needs of your family situation, but if it does, it’s worth considering when all else has failed.

If you want more information about Monteris and its AutoLITT system, check out their website:
http://www.monteris.com/

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If you would like more help as a cancer caregiver, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides

If you would like a free copy of my ebooks in popular formats, visit my Smashwords pages:
The Practical Caregiver’s Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love
The Practical Caregiver’s Guide to Caregiver Support: How to Help Yourself

These are also available at Amazon, Baker and Taylor, Barnes and Noble, Diesel, Kobo, and Sony.

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cancer complications hope remission Robin Gibb Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Titanic Requiem

When Hope Fades

The hardest thing about cancer is when hope fades, when over time, there are so many complications it becomes almost impossible to stay in the battle.

Cancer can be a very tough foe. Sometimes it’s exhausting to do what is necessary to live. It’s like you’re always running in place and getting nowhere. But when you start running backwards, it’s heartbreaking, because you know you are falling behind, with no way to catch up.

I read a news report the other day about Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, in a coma after battling what the press speculates is liver and colon cancer. What makes this most heart-wrenching is that  he declared himself cancer-free in March of 2012, after he said tests showed no signs of the disease. Over time, Robin Gibb has been like most cancer patients, running back and forth to the hospital for treatments and for medical emergencies. This time, the news doesn’t look good. Pneumonia is complicating his already precarious health situation.

It comes on the heels of the premiere of his latest musical endeavor, “The Titanic Requiem”, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, written for the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Too ill to attend its premiere, it is a piece he worked on through his illness with his son, Robin-John. Like many cancer patients, having a goal to meet seems to have helped him cope.

When I was in high school, I scored my first super 8mm art film with The Bee Gees’ tune, “The First of May”. I recall lots of apple blossoms and sunlight in my shots. It was the first time I ever learned how to splice and edit film. Years later, I danced the night away under the sparkle of a disco ball, as the Bee Gees sang “Staying Alive”. I once even saw them in concert in Passaic, NJ. For me, the Bee Gees were a part of the good times and bad times in my life, a way to recall the memories through song.

Celebrities are often larger-than-life characters, never quite real, but when they get cancer, they become very human. That’s because those of us who have loved ones with the disease, or who have lost loved ones, know the toll on the human heart. Cancer is the great uniter. We understand the struggle, so we offer our hopes and prayers to our brothers and sisters, even those we don’t know.

Cancer sometimes creates so many obstacles that it is almost impossible for the body to make progress. Sometimes, just when you think you have the disease licked, just when you think things are turning around, those complications turn everything upside down and you get slammed into a brick wall. That’s when the soul starts to give up, to say enough is enough.

I’ve known cancer patients through the years. Some were supposed to be just fine and they suddenly succumbed to the complications of the disease. Others, who were expected to die, somehow managed to survive. It’s not always easy to predict the course of cancer on the body. Sometimes there are vulnerabilities that don’t show up on a scan or x-ray. Sometimes things happen over which we have no control.

Hope is very often the first casualty in the battle with cancer. When hope fades, things seem to quickly spiral out of control, crashing down around our feet. That’s because we need hope to find the courage and inner strength to fight cancer.

Sometimes we find hope in the strangest of places — in the words of a stranger, in a sunbeam streaming through a window, or within the heart, in a moment of sudden clarity, when we know whatever happens, it happens for the best. We’ve done all we can and it’s time to let go and let God take the helm. It’s that sense of peace that we so desperately need. That’s the sound of love rising up, reminding us that we are not alone, that there are people who love us, whom we love, enriching our lives through the darkest of days. Where there is love, there is hope that whatever happens, we will get through it as we need to get through it. Seek the peace within the heart. That truly is the music in every soul, and every soul has a song. For Robin Gibb and every other cancer patient struggling, I wish you hope, courage, peace.

UPDATE: As of April 24, 2012, the media reported that Robin Gibb awakened from his coma and was communicating with his family. Still frail, diagnosed as having advanced colorectal cancer, the singer has vowed to perform again. He’s not ready to give up or give in. Who knows? He may yet elbow that fat lady off the stage!

For more help with your cancer or home hospice caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides

For a free download of my ebook, The Practical Caregiver’s Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110999

For a free download of my ebook, The Practical Caregiver’s Guide to Home Hospice Care: How to Help Someone You Love, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/111015

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cancer children's books Joelle Pauporte Light One Little Candle Sara Cody

I CHALLENGE YOU TO “LIGHT ONE LITTLE CANDLE” — Books for Cancer Families

I’m going to come right out and admit it. I’m a big believer in reading books with kids. To me, it’s one of life’s sweetest opportunities to bond, and I have long been an advocate. That’s why I want to thank Fox CT’s Sara Cody for sharing “Light One Little Candle”: http://www.ctnow.com/lifestyle/parenting/mommy-minute/hc-mommy-minute-20120305,0,5817847.story

To me, “Light One Little Candle” is the ultimate gift to cancer families. When Joelle Pauporté was being treated for aggressive breast cancer, she read to her 4-year-old daughter not only as an activity they could share on days when Joelle had little energy and stamina in reserve, but as a way of building memories between a dying mother and a child who would need to remember the amazing woman who loved her. Dr. Pauporté was a psychiatrist by training and a loving mother by nature. She wanted to build a library for her daughter that could be treasured long after her death.

Joelle got started on her dream of “Light One Little Candle”. The goal was to make new books available to cancer families at cancer centers, books that could be lovingly inscribed. Her circle of friends and family have continued this program since her passing in 2005 at the age of 36. Currently, there are 14 cancer centers in CA, CT, ME, MD, MA, NJ, NY, and UT. Fourteen? That hardly seems like enough.

One of the saddest experiences I had when I was working with children was meeting kids who had never heard a Mother Goose rhyme, never known the beauty of “Good Night, Moon”, never laughed or cried or sighed over a good book while snuggled by a parent. No child should ever grow up without a “good night story”. It’s that last few minutes of the day when we are about to enter Dreamland. It’s important for children to know that they are safe, they are loved and protected from things that go bump in the night.

Reading aloud isn’t just for the younger kids. Learning to listen is an auditory skill that must be practiced as a child learns to process information. Long after the pictures disappear from the page, adults can still read with their kids. It’s a great opportunity to talk about a story, to imagine how it all turns out in the end.

I also know how hard it can be for cancer families to find positive ways to bond when a loved one is going through cancer treatment. Very often, kids get the short end of the stick when a parent, grandparent, or even a sibling is being treated. If you’ve spent any time at a cancer center, you know there’s a lot of sitting around and waiting. There’s a lot of stress and distress. When you need a little relief, reading to a child can be a magical way to relax and release all that tension. Reading is as rewarding an activity for adult as it is for a child. Carving out little moments for reading is good therapy for all. We need to feel close to those we love, even when cancer comes between us. We need the chance to put the disease aside and just be together.

The beauty of books is that they can be a very soothing experience. Sure, you can sit on a sofa and read. But you can also cuddle in bed, shoulder to shoulder, enjoying picture books or chapter books. The imaginary world comes alive with a good book, even through cancer treatment. And it’s okay to invite others to the reading. You can take turns making the pages of a book come alive.

In a loved one’s arms, a child feels safe, protected, and most of all loved. But is it not also true that when we read, when we see those trusting eyes looking up at us, we have purpose in life? We are motivated to do better, to be better when children rely on us. We appreciate the joy they share with us when they are happy. A child’s giggle is contagious. Its pure innocence invites us to put aside the adult world and find our inner kids again, if only for a little while.

I challenge you to start your own chapter of “Light One Little Candle” at your cancer center. So many times, friends and relatives don’t know how to help cancer families. This is a great opportunity to get people in the community involved. It’s a great way to support your local bookstore, too. (But feel free to order online — I don’t really care how you purchase a new book. Just do it.) One book. One new book for a child who needs to build memories. Do it for Joelle, because she had the dream. Do it for your neighbor down the street, who has a rare blood cancer, or for the little girl in your son’s fourth grade class, whose Daddy is battling brain cancer. Do it because you love books. Do it because you survived cancer. Do it in memory of someone you lost to cancer. One book. One child. One family bonding despite cancer’s tight grip. Memories that will last a lifetime.

www.lightonelittlecandle.org

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A Special Note to Book Lovers: This is “Read an Ebook Week” — March 4-10, 2012

Smashwords, an independent publisher of more than 85,000 ebooks, is currently promoting free and discounted ebooks to celebrate. You can visit the special catalogue and find books to download during this week. Pick a category. Whether you want knitting directions, jokes, romance, or mystery, you can find it here. (A word of caution — if you are a fuddy-duddy like me, put the adult filter on, so you can skip the erotic books….):
http://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1

As always, my Practical Caregiver Guides to Cancer, Home Hospice, and Basic Care are available for free at my Smashwords page. I am also an author of fiction. My Practical Caregiver Capers feature caregivers and those they love in “who-dunnits”. My Bodacious Baby Boomer Escapades feature characters who are older, wiser, and not ready for the rocking chair. This week, you can read all of my books for free. Use the coupon for each title and get reading!
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/practicalcaregiver

For more help with your cancer caregiving, visit my website:
www.practicalcaregiverguides.com


Categories
cancer cancer retreat caregiver caregiver education Stowe Stowe Weekend of Hope Vermont

SAVE THE DATE — 12TH ANNUAL STOWE WEEKEND OF HOPE IS COMING UP!

If you or a loved one has been touched by cancer, you may be interested in the 12th Annual Stowe Weekend of Hope. It’s a big, happy festival of people who have or have survived cancer and the families who love them. Save the date, because it’s coming up May 4-6, 2012:
http://www.stowehope.org/

Why am I telling you about this event? Because I think having the chance to rub elbows with fellow survivors, to have access to fun, education, and Vermont can be a healthy thing.

What can you expect from the Stowe Weekend of Hope? First-time cancer attendees receive complimentary accommodations. There are discounts for returning participants. Throughout the weekend, you can choose from more than 40 medical and supportive care seminars presented by renown New England physicians and practitioners; wellness and creativity sessions; intensive workshops by cancer type; an  inspirational ecumenical candlelight service; and opening and closing ceremonies.

Best part? The setting. In the winter season, Stowe is a beehive of activities. It offers fine food, shopping, and recreational activities in a charming mountain village setting. That’s great if you’re a snow bunny and you’re swooshing down the hills like Hannah Kearney. But Vermont isn’t just for skiers. My favorite times in Vermont were had during the warmer months. There is something wonderful in those verdant hills. You can enjoy the fresh air and the many wonderful opportunities to hike, to walk, or just to sit and kick back in a place where the people are hard-working, friendly, and down-to-earth.

There are organized events throughout the weekend, including a dance party with the Ross Livermore Band, a “lantern tour” of Stowe, complete with ghost stories, and even a marathon. You’ll find yourself going to events all over the village, and you’ll have the chance to try out the best of Stowe’s restaurants on your “free time”. You can wander the streets in search of that perfect bite. How delicious is that?

You may even want to extend your visit in Stowe to take in some of the many other fun activities that abound in the Green Mountain State. There is the Farm at Morrison’s Corner, the Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory (Ice cream? Count me in!), Gregg Hill Gardens, and the West Branch Gallery and Sculpture Park. You can go hiking in one of the nearby state parks, play some golf, do some fly fishing, even work out on a bungee trampoline. There’s also the Cabot Creamery Cooperative, which makes award-winning cheeses, Greek yogurt, and other dairy products in nearby Cabot, Vermont (Greek yogurt is often recommended as a great food for cancer patients — full of protein, easy to digest, and packing good, healthy calories).

Vermont is the quintessential family-friendly place to be. You and your kids can find adventures and educational opportunities at every energy level, even when there are serious restrictions due to health issues. Maybe that’s why the Stowe Weekend of Hope is such a great opportunity for cancer survivors and their families. You will be among friends, people who understand and support the challenges cancer presents. It’s like a big hug for your soul.

If you would like more help with your cancer caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
www.practicalcaregiverguides.com

If you would like a free copy of “The Practical Caregiver’s Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love” in popular ebook formats, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110999

Categories
cancer cancer management cancer treatment caregiver caregiver education Caris Life Sciences early diagnosis mycancer.com oncologist oncology radiology

CARIS’S CANCER TECHNOLOGIES PERSONALIZE TREATMENT

One of the most impressive women I ever met when my mother was undergoing cancer treatment was a lady who had survived two decades with the disease. How did she do it? She paid attention to her body. She got to the point where she could tell when the cancer was spreading or returning. She went in search of cancer treatment. She was not content to just accept it as her fate in life. Her husband was a supportive partner as she endured, managed, and directed her own cancer care. Why does this matter? I learned a lot from her that day as we talked in the chemotherapy room. She knew life is precious, that we are here to live life and to love. One moment in time can change a life for the better or for the worse. When we hesitate, when we accept the status quo without question, we are victims of our fate. When we accept the opportunity to learn what we can about cancer, when we begin to embrace the opportunities provided by emerging technologies, we help our loved ones to manage the disease better. Don’t close your eyes and look away because your loved one has cancer. Be proactive. Become aware of what’s available and what it can do for you and your loved one.

I’m a big believer in using technology to attack cancer and knock it out of the loop. Caris Life Sciences has a new program for cancer patients that enables better, smarter treatment:

http://www.mycancer.com/biopsy

Caris even has a checklist of questions to ask the oncologist, so that you and your love one better understand the type of cancer and the options for treatments. The idea is to individualize the cancer in order to provide the best treatment for the specific situation.

Anyone who has ever had cancer or cared for someone with cancer knows that it can be tough to withstand the rigors of treatment. Sometimes that’s harder than the cancer itself. With a more personalized treatment plan, unnecessary guesswork goes out the window. Cancer treatment is no longer “one-size-fits-all”. When oncologists and hematologists can see markers in blood that indicate cancer long before it shows up on a scan, that’s a head start on cutting cancer off at the pass. The sooner you know, the sooner you or your loved one can be treated. That means less treatment because it’s more effective at catching the cancer earlier.

One of the hardest things for cancer patients is to hope when things look bad. If your loved one has late stage cancer, you might be tempted to give up and give in. Would it help you to know that a new study showed that even late-stage cancer patients increased their survival rate by almost 30% using molecular profiling? That means that 3 out of 10 late-stage cancer patients thrived by using this technology. Three more people now live who would have died without the technology.

Any good cancer caregiver knows that working with a loved one’s radiology, oncology, and surgical team is imperative in keeping him or her healthier. It’s always important to be able to discuss the cancer and the options, because the better you and your loved one understand cancer, the better you and your loved one can manage the disease. And the better the cancer is managed, the better life will be for the whole family.

For more help with cancer caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
www.practicalcaregiverguides.com

For a free copy of “The Practical Caregiver’s Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love” in popular ebook formats, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/110999

Categories
cancer Dr. Mel Goldstein Dr. Mel's Connecticut Climate Book The Idiot's Guide to Weather

DR. MEL GOLDSTEIN

Dr. Mel Goldstein passed away on January 18,2012. The much loved weather forecaster was a Connecticut fixture for many years. There was nothing he seemed to love more than wild weather. Even when his home was devastated by Hurricane Irene, Dr. Mel did not rage against the wind.

Why am I telling you about Dr. Mel? While his death is a loss for his family, friends, and TV viewers, his life has been a gift to the world. Ever passionate, ever inspiring, Dr. Mel received a diagnosis of melanoma sixteen years ago. He was supposed to die. He could have died. He might have died. But Dr. Mel was not your average cancer patient, and that’s what you need to know about him.

Not only did Dr. Mel go on and survive that melanoma, he didn’t quit there. He wrote “The Idiot’s Guide to Weather” and “Dr. Mel’s Connecticut Climate Book”, donating proceeds to cancer research. He took that diagnosis and defied it to the best of his ability.

Maybe it was his love of weather that inspired him to overcome the odds. Whether it was a massive blizzard, a powerful electrical storm, or a shore-wrecking hurricane, Dr. Mel was fascinated by nature’s power, and he always brought that passion to his weather forecasts. He seemed to respect Mother Nature while still understanding the impact of her devastating blows for those unfortunate enough to be in a storm’s path.

What Connecticut loved best about Dr. Mel was his genuine enthusiasm for all things weather. Sincere, smart, and savvy — that was Dr. Mel Goldstein. He was the antithesis of the usual TV weather man, and you could tell that just by looking at him. This was not a slick guy in an Armani suit, reading a teleprompter, with perfect teeth and Hollywood hair, worrying about the November ratings. Dr. Mel was more like your high school science teacher, down-to-earth and real, slightly geeky because he never met a storm he didn’t love. He had a life-long romance with the science of weather and he wanted you to love it every bit as much as he did. I suspect his wife, Arlene, didn’t resent his other mistress, Mother Nature. They seemed to fit together as a couple, and when she spoke about her husband, she was not just his loyal caregiver. She was his biggest cheerleader.

It was that genuineness and sincerity that viewers in Connecticut loved about Dr. Mel. He was a real human being, with a real human heart. It was hard not to love this piano-playing man. He was like no other. He was Dr. Mel.

As his family and friends mourn the loss of the man himself, Connecticut mourns the loss of a beloved weatherman. But the world mourns the loss of an inspiration for cancer patients. He was more than his disease. It did not define him as a man. He lived his life to the best of his ability under difficult conditions, continuing to embrace opportunities to pursue the things he enjoyed. He saw a storm and knew that when the worst was over, there would be sunshine again, even if there wasn’t a rainbow with a pot of gold. He sowed the seeds of hope for every cancer family and encouraged us to believe that it’s never over until the fat lady sings. The fat lady sang on January 18, 2012. But even after she finished the last note of her aria, it was not truly over, for we will keep the sweetness of Dr. Mel’s song in our memories. His legacy will live on in cancer research and in the hearts of those whose lives he touched by being a passionate and compassionate man.

For more help with your cancer caregiving, visit The Practical Caregiver Guides:
http://www.practicalcaregiverguides.com/

For a free downloadable copy of my ebook, “The Practical Caregiver’s Guide to Cancer Care: How to Help Someone You Love”, visit my Smashwords page:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/practicalcaregiver

Categories
cancer cancer advice cancer treatment caregiver caregiver education Kathy McGonigal oncology

INTERVIEW: KATHY MCGONIGAL, ONCOLOGY NURSE

In honor of National Family Caregiver Month, I’ve invited Kathy McGonigal, an oncology-certified nurse with almost 20 years of experience to answer some questions. My goal is to help cancer caregivers do a better job of helping their loved ones manage the disease as much as is possible.

 Sara:
 Hi, Kathy. I’m so glad you could join us. I really value your experience as an oncology nurse.  Let me ask you this. If you could give one piece of advice to caregivers at the start of treatment for their loved ones, what would that be?

 Kathy:
 It’s hard to give just one but I would say take care of “you”. This is the most difficult for the caregiver to understand. They feel like they have to be everything to their loved one all the time. Let others help you. Admit when you are overwhelmed. Taking a break is important. Eat healthy and get a lot of rest.

Sara:
So, so true. It really is critical that we take care of ourselves, so we can be there for the people we love. What the most common mistake you’ve seen caregivers make in taking care of loved ones with cancer? Is there more than one way to overcome this?

Kathy:
When patients hear the word cancer, everything changes. Most patients want to talk about their fears. Listen. Really listen. Instead of the usual “Don’t talk like that” or “Everything will be fine”, it is important to acknowledge their fears. It is also okay for you to tell them you are afraid too. Once words are spoken out loud, some of the fear disappears.

Sara:
I think listening is probably the best tool a caregiver can have in the caregiver tool box. It helps you to recognize when there’s a serious problem and to get the right help from your cancer treatment team. And a caregiver who is a good listener makes a cancer patient feel much more connected. It’s scary enough to hear the word, “cancer”, so knowing you have good support can make it all a little less lonely. How important is it for cancer families to understand the type of cancer their loved ones have and to understand the treatment that’s being given? Does it make a difference?

Kathy:
Families who understand the disease their loved one is suffering from is very important. You will be getting a lot of advice from other cancer survivors and caregivers. Not all cancer is created equal. Knowing what you are dealing with allows you to help make educated decisions and make reachable goals. The more educated you are, the less afraid you are.

Sara:
I think that’s really true about getting advice from other cancer survivors and caregivers. I met some amazing people during my mom’s treatments, and having the chance to talk to them about their experiences really helped me to do a better job in caring for my mom. One issue that seems to come up a lot with cancer patients is eating. Nutrition is often an important element in helping cancer patients get through the rigors of treatment. Do you have a good tip for feeding a reluctant patient?

Kathy:
Eating is important but it can also be a source of frustration between caregivers and patients. Feeding an illness is something we have all learned from our mothers. The patient knows how important it is to eat but it is not always possible. Think about how you feel when you are ill before you try and “force” your loved one to eat. Let the patient go. Make sure there are a lot of simple nutrient rich foods on hand. Cook simple so the smells are not overwhelming.  Don’t make the patient feel like you are monitoring everything they eat or not eat. It will cause too much anxiety. The patient will eat when they can. Leave it up to the doctors and nurses to address nutrition.

Sara:
Ah, what could be more annoying than the Food Police? How true. That’s a good point, too, about the cooking smells, especially if your loved one doesn’t already feel well. Reaching out to the medical team for help is good, solid advice, Kathy. As an experienced oncology nurse, you’re working on the front lines and I’m sure you’ve seen a lot over the years. Dealing with cancer can be stressful on a daily basis. A lot of cancer caregivers become overwhelmed. Do you have your own favorite ways of dealing with stress when you’ve had a tough week at work?

Kathy:
Wow, that’s a hard one and it is sometimes very difficult. I try to apply everything I learn from my patients into my personal life. I try to take nothing for granted. No matter how long you live, it is always not long enough. As stressful as my job can be, I have been privileged and honored to be invited into the lives of my patients at what might be the most vulnerable time of life. They have all enriched my life in ways most people do not get to experience. It is amazing to watch the human spirit take over. If you are a caregiver, you too will learn that while the patient says they couldn’t get through it without you, you will be the one who gets the biggest gift of all. You make it possible for your loved one to fight.

Sara:
What a great point to make to caregivers. I’ve seen that time and time again. Caregivers are the wind beneath a loved one’s wings and yet we’re the ones who benefit when we really make an effort to give the right kind of support for those we love. It changes lives, especially our own. Thank you so much, Kathy, for sharing your insight and wisdom. I know caregivers will be inspired by your words.

Contact:
Kathy McGonigal
kathymcgonigal@gmail.com

Categories
cancer caregiver caregiver support Macmillan Cancer Support World's Biggest Coffee Morning

HOW THE MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT DOES COFFEE

The world’s biggest coffee morning — how wonderful is that? Who doesn’t like a cup of coffee and some schmoozing?

I know that health care in the UK is very different from in the US. There are charitable trusts to financially support cancer programs. What I love about UK cancer groups is that they make a huge push to bring it home to the people. Not only do they make the public more aware of their programs, they offer great connectivity between cancer patients and the rest of the world, the so-called “normal” population:

http://coffee.macmillan.org.uk/Home.aspx

Here’s a little secret about events like this. They feel good. They feel human. They serve a real purpose, because they involve something we all enjoy doing — socializing over coffee. It’s part public awareness campaign, part fundraiser, and lots of fun. Not everyone can run a 5K or walk for a cause. But who can’t sit down with friends and neighbors for a cup of coffee? It’s so people-friendly.

The truth is there is nothing fun about cancer. It stinks. It changes families. It changes lives. It changes the people who have the disease. But when we connect on a human level and we reach out to share, that’s when communities form. That’s when support becomes real. “I’ve been there. Let me share with you the tricks I used to get through it.”

A lot of people shy away from support groups. Sometimes emotions are just too raw, too close to the surface. People don’t want to think about their feelings, let alone talk about them. That’s why events like the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning make sense. It’s about coming together in a fun way to deal with a nasty disease. Hats off to the Macmillan Cancer Support people. This is a brilliant idea.

If you’re a cancer caregiver, and you need tips and advice on helping your loved one, visit:

The Practical Caregiver Guides

Categories
cancer cancer management cancer treatment caregiver caregiver education GE Healthcare Is My Cancer Different

LAUNCHING “IS MY CANCER DIFFERENT” — CAN IT HELP YOU?

I’m a big believer in managing cancer by proactive effort. The more caregivers and cancer patients ask for information, the more they learn about it, the better the result. I’ve talked to a lot of people over the years and I am always surprised when I find out how many missed opportunities there are. Whether I am talking to a cancer widow who had no inkling that her husband’s cancer situation was so dire, or a new caregiver who doesn’t realize how important nutrition is for cancer survival, it strikes me that cancer education is critical to cancer management.

Sometimes the biggest obstacle for cancer patients and their families is that they are afraid to learn the truth. They hold back and hold it in, terrified to ask. Don’t be afraid to dip your big toe into the water. Don’t be afraid to get wet. Get yourself into the ocean of information about cancer. Learn to swim. The more you know about cancer, the better the outcome. Every cancer is different, just as every patient is different. It’s not a one-size-fits-all situation, so being able to target the kind of cancer, the stage it’s at, and the overall health of the individual patient means a better chance to manage the cancer. Generic cancer treatment often means the side effects overwhelm the patient, creating more problems than are solved. An individualized treatment plan takes into account the actual needs of the patient and works to insure that his or her health is better preserved. When an oncologist really seeks to understand a patient’s specific cancer situation, the outcome will be improved.

GE Healthcare just launched a new health initiative designed to help cancer patients ask, “Is my cancer different?” Why is this question so critical? Not every cancer responds to normal cancer protocols of treatment. Not every cancer patient does well with every cancer drug. Molecular level diagnostics can make a difference in outcome. This allows the oncologist to individualize the cancer treatment. The goal is to utilize molecular level diagnostics to better fit individual needs.

As a cancer caregiver, one of the most important jobs you have is to understand that the right treatment can make all the difference in the world. You want your loved one to have a fighting chance. The smarter the fight, the better the outcome. Sometimes surviving that extra day in better shape allows a cancer patient a window of opportunity to move forward towards a cure. With cancer, there are never any guarantees, but you can and you should always advocate for the best treatment available for your loved one’s cancer.

What does “Is My Cancer Different?” offer? This is a cancer education website. You can see patient-friendly informational videos. You can learn about new developments in cancer treatments. You can begin to understand that the better managed cancer is, the longer your loved one can not only live with cancer, but thrive. More birthdays, more joy, more laughter, more adventures, more life.

If you would like more information on “Is My Cancer Different?”, check out their link:
http://www.IsMyCancerDifferent.com/