Cancer

By Dawn Heiderscheidt Undergoing chemotherapy can have a two-fold effect on the body. While it can slow or stop the cancer, it can also cause unintended consequences such as  neuropathy of limbs. Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) is a sensory peripheral neuropathy that can affect one or both hands or feet and is often referred to

Just eight days before she gave birth to her first child, 33-year-old Brega van Vugt noticed something strange going on with her left breast. The young mother, who lives in Melbourne, was in the shower one day when she noticed a lump in her breast. Brega believed the lump and discomfort was probably just a

After breast cancer, your body is different and the impacts of your treatment can continue to change the way you feel. You may look into lifestyle changes that could help you bounce back bit by bit. One good option may be some good old fashioned soccer. Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark, the University

It’s been a decade since e-cigarettes first gained popularity in the UK. Since then, the types of devices available and the number of people using them has risen sharply. And as the popularity levels of e-cigarettes grew, so did the debate around them. The big selling point for e-cigarettes is they’re a way to help

A British Royal Marine has just successfully run five marathons in five days — but not as an athletic challenge or a way to test his strength. Mike Francis ran over 100 miles in hopes of raising money for his younger sister’s metastatic breast cancer treatment. Justine Jianikos is just 30 years old, and has

Just before Christmas, Rebecca Broughton was told that her triple-negative breast cancer, which she’d been battling since she was 18 weeks pregnant with her second child, had metastasized and spread to her brain. She’d been through hours of difficult treatments, but it had not been enough to save her life. The disease is very likely

Different patients respond differently to different types of treatments, which is completely normal. But it sucks putting time, money, and effort into a treatment that may or may not do the job—especially if you’re trying to keep your cancer from spreading or recurring. Most breast tumors have a high level of estrogen receptors, making them

Roughly three in ten uninsured Americans say they’ve gone without needed healthcare in the past year. While that may not be surprising, can issues like this face people with insurance, as well? A new study says they might. Researchers from The Ohio State University interviewed 50 women at high risk of developing breast cancer and

This year, the UK will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference, an opportunity for heads of state, climate experts and negotiators to come together to agree on coordinated action to tackle climate change. Climate change is here and it’s not slowing down. In 2020, a study revealed that the Amazon is racing towards the

I remember times in my life when everything seemed totally overwhelming. I just did not know what to do. Life felt like it had kicked the breath totally out of me. Have you experienced those kinds of difficult periods? Sometimes they come around loss … of job, of health, of a precious person. Sometimes they

Eating a balanced and nutritious diet is key to staying healthy, but recent research shows that one particular type of food may be just what the doctor ordered to keep a wide variety of different types of cancers at bay. The study, conducted by researchers at Penn State and published in Advances in Nutrition, involved

Quality of life is an important metric doctors and patients consider throughout cancer treatment. Often, there can be concern that the treatment may do more harm than good. A new study looked at the necessity of certain treatments for breast cancer patients over 70 and found that they may not be all that beneficial. Researchers

Last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced an ambitious plan: to create a ‘cervical cancer-free future’. The potential reward is huge. If we succeed, cervical cancer will become the first cancer to be ‘eliminated’ on this scale. But right now, around the world, someone dies every 2 minutes from cervical cancer, with lower resource

Do you have a favorite flower? It is very difficult for me to choose a favorite, for there is such a vast array of floral beauty! I must say, though, that I am perhaps drawn most to the sunflower. What an amazingly stunning flower. They are unusually tall for a flower, some growing to as

The PillCam is used in colon capsule endoscopies to help diagnose bowel cancer. Credit: Medtronic A disposable camera that’s small enough to swallow and powerful enough to help rule out bowel cancer. And it could be coming to a clinic near you. Last month, NHS England announced a pilot programme that will offer some people

One of the most unique and useful innovations in the breast care industry hails from India, where 2,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed per day, 1,200 of which are already late-stage cancers. Stage 1 breast cancer has a 10-year survival rate of 75 percent, but stage 4 breast cancer only has a 5 percent

“How can I reduce my risk of cancer?” Over 40,000 people in the UK Google that or something similar each year. But despite thousands of us turning to the web for answers, it’s something many don’t feel comfortable talking about.But we want to change that. Around 1 in 2 people in the UK will be

Regular weekly exercise has long been encouraged to remain in optimum health, as well as to help lessen the severity of certain illnesses. A new study has found that it may also help improve immune system response in women with breast cancer. A team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School looked

Breast cancer affects one in eight women in the world, and causes a death every 13 minutes. according to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, There are two major breast cancer risk factors that cannot controlled: getting older and being a woman. However, early screening has been shown to reduce breast cancer deaths as those with

There’s a lot that’s unpleasant about having breast cancer, but one of the hardest things for many patients is how much time they have to spend at the hospital undergoing treatment. But hopefully, that’s all about to change for many patients. Typically, when a breast cancer patient undergoes chemotherapy infusions, it can take up to

by Dawn Heiderscheidt, MOT, OTR/L, ECHM April is Occupational Therapy  Month! In order to celebrate this profession, it’s important to understand WHAT an Occupational Therapist (OT) is and how they connect to oncology. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) defines OT as “the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things

A hugging machine from a student so that she could still get affection during the COVID-19 pandemic. A massive parade in front of her school to encourage her. That’s how much Keri Stromski’s Long Island community loved and appreciated her. The 48-year-old Aquebogue Elementary School kindergarten teacher inspired many as she lived with metastatic breast

Why is Ho’oponopono powerful? Throughout human history, we have been divided by distance, language, cultural and religious beliefs, class, and economic hierarchy. Whenever someone comes up with a perspective there seems to always be someone else there with an opposing opinion. To me, the power of Ho’oponopono comes, in large part, from the fact that

A cancer diagnosis can derail anyone’s life. When you start your treatment, your entire lifestyle needs to change to accommodate it. Everyone deals with these adjustments in their own way, and while some are eager to return to their “normal” life, others welcome the change and adjustment in priorities. For this aspiring Olympic athlete, her

It has long been understood that the placenta is a very different organ to the rest of the body. But no-one knew quite how different. Last month, a fascinating piece of research shed light on the unique genetic structure of the placenta, revealing a level of detail that’s never before been seen. Researchers based at

by Betty Roggenkamp, BFA, MSHC Imagine being between the ages of 15 – 39 and hearing the three words “you have cancer.” It happens to approximately 90,000 people in the United States every year. Right when life can be quite busy learning to adult or taking on the world of grownup responsibilities, you get slammed

Twelve-year-old Michigan resident Kyla Charles loves her basketball. In fact, at her young age, she’s already been playing in tournaments for several years. Though she’s only a preteen, she’s also had to witness her mom battle breast cancer. The seventh grader has decided to combine her passion for hoops and experience with her mom to

There are many reasons why people work to spread breast cancer awareness. In part, it’s to honor and remember those who have fought this disease and those who have died from it. It’s also about fundraising for important research and the search for a cure. And of course, it’s also an important way to remind