Tag Archives: survivor

Cancer News Roundup

Welcome to the June cancer news roundup, we’ve got everything from new studies to profiles of some pretty awesome people. So grab your readers if you need ‘em and let’s get going.

A special visit

Luke Eck, a two-year-old with clear cell sarcoma of the kidney, has been undergoing chemotherapy for awhile now and during treatment one of his favorite pastimes is watching the firetrucks pass by.

So some of the staff at the office noticed his obsession with the trucks and reached out to the local fire department. From there they were able to surprise him and let him see a fire truck up close and personal.

Fighting until the end

An Iowa teen’s story is picking up national attention after she fought and completed her goal of graduating high school after her diagnosis.  Allison Cress graduated from Dubuque Hempstead High School on June 3 and passed away on June 5.

According to her obituary, “Allison brought a smile to your face and always kept a positive attitude during her fight with cancer. She was able to have a “Make A Wish” trip to Paris and London.”

Pup with a list

A cancer diagnosis can cause some to take a hard look at their life and break out a bucket list, and while this guy wasn’t the one writing the list he was the one taking part in some pretty cool stuff.

This golden pooch named Mr. Molson has been checking things off including being a police officer for a day and even getting married.

Have you or a family member with a cancer diagnosis done anything bucket list worthy recently? Let us know in the comments.

Three-time survivor

While at a camp for children with cancer and their siblings Joey Renick met someone who eventually would become his wife. This story from People magazine highlights the story of Joey and Caylee and how after three battles with cancer they finally tied the knot.

“I knew he was the one, because being in the hospital with him for so long and seeing him sick, I thought to myself, ‘If I can do this for him and we’re only dating, I can do this forever,’ ” says Caylee. “He inspires me so much, despite everything he’s been through he looks at the bright side of life and his will to live and survive and do more with his life is so strong.”

Check out the full story to see the inspirational couple.

Summer is here!

Now with the heat index climbing about 100 degrees and the sun shining brightly we’ll leave you with some tips from the American Cancer Society on skin cancer prevention and early detection.

Some simple tips from the ACS include using the phrase “slip slop slap and wrap” meaning four quick things.

  • Slip on a shirt.
  • Slop on sunscreen.
  • Slap on a hat.
  • Wrap on sunglasses to protect the eyes and skin around them.

 

Running for a cause

The charity 5k has exploded in the last decade with races popping up all over to support a designated charity. Cancer organizations have seen a big boost from those, and according to Running in the USA there are almost 500 5k races in the state of Iowa each year!

Are you a runner or a walker? Either one it doesn’t really matter as the goal is to get people signed up and moving towards the finish line.

There’s a few cancer related charities that have races coming up in the next few months and if you want to be a runner now is the perfect time to start training as the weather heats up.

Here are a few (and sorry if we missed your race) races that will be happening this summer in the Quad Cities area:

Relay for Life – Iowa Cancer Specialists happily sponsors the Quad Cities Relay for Life that is just two weeks away! The event from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. will feature cancer survivors and community members raising money. While not a 5k, this event goes towards raising money for the American Cancer Society.

Carol M. Guthrie Memorial 5K Run/Walk – The Carol M. Gurthrie Memorial 5k will be taking place in Anawan, Illinois this year and will proceeds will benefit the Samuels family. The Samuels have a 6-year-old daughter with Leukemia and the money will go towards helping that family.

Walk Out Cancer – The 5k and kids fun run will take place in Savanna, Illinois (just a hour drive from the Quad Cities) on September 16. The race costs $20 with funds going towards the American Cancer Society. This one is a bit away so it’ll give you time to get your conditioning up!

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure – This one is just over a month away on June 10th and raises money for the Komen foundation. Their website states they have raised nearly $20,000 towards their $100,000 goal this year. You can participate as an individual or get some people together to raise money!

So now that you’ve registered for a race you need a plan to get yourself in gear and in shape before the race. If you’re an inexperienced runner the Couch to 5k program is an easy way to slip into running a 5k, search the App Store on your phone and there will be plenty of apps to choose from as you start.

If you already consider yourself fit, a fun way to keep that way is the Zombies, Run! App that can be downloaded on either Apple or Android phones. Here is a link to their website where it explains that with 200 missions to choose from you’ll always have something new to work with. The jist of the game is that it will guide you through periods of fast and slow as the storyline changes.

Good luck!

The epic benefits of storytelling

Evidence is accumulating in favor of a surprising form of therapy—storytelling. Cancer survivor stories are scattered across the Internet, and the more narrative elements the story includes, the more benefits are seen in the storyteller.

Telling your story is a way of taking back control. Enhance this feeling of agency by ditching the “you” in your story. Using the second-person “you” when telling your story is an unconscious distancing mechanism used to put space between you and your cancer. Own your story. Instead of, “You lose your breath the moment you realize how close you are to death,” say, “I lost my breath the moment I realized how close I was to death.” This is the story of your life. Don’t let cancer take that from you, too.

Sharing is caring. Telling the story of your cancer experience provides a social framework for both you and those supporting you. Evidence shows that narrative practice enables people to better understand what others are going through. Sharing your story with those who care about you will give them something they can respond to—and it will prepare you to understand what they are feeling, as well.

Your story is important to your treatment. Your individual experience contains clues to what is going on inside your body that can help with proper diagnoses. Keeping the details of that experience to yourself robs your doctors and caretakers of the chance to treat you to the best of their ability and with the full extent of their knowledge. Telling your story allows small details to surface that might have gone unnoticed otherwise.

Putting your experience into words can be difficult both technically and emotionally, but it gets easier with practice. Don’t be silent—your life is worth sharing, for your benefit and that of those around you.