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Lymphland International Lymphedema Online
March 2, 2011 - NBC29Cancer's Dirty Little Secret - NBC 29 News –
It's sometimes referred to as cancer's dirty little secret. Lymphedema is a lifelong condition that can strike
patients after cancer treatment. Carla Harris was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in 2009.
Treatment included radiation and surgery. When she heard about lymphedema she didn't think the
sometimes painful condition would happen to her.
"It was mentioned as one of the possible, rare, unlikely side effects of surgery," Harris said.
Two months after surgery she was diagnosed with lymphedema and now faces a life long battle. She's prone
to infection from bug bites and sunburn and has to be careful of change in altitude or physical activity that
may cause her to swell.
"It affects every minute of my day from getting dressed in the morning and putting on my compression
garments to what I can lift. Whether I can lift my children," Harris said.
Lymphedema is when fluid builds up in the arms, legs or torso. This can happen after lymphnodes are
removed or damaged from cancer treatment. In breast cancer patients often times lymphnodes are removed
in the arm.
Cyndi Stabenow is an Occupational Therapist and Certified Lymphedema Therapist at UVA HealthSouth in
Charlottesville and said there's no cure but Lymphedema can be controlled.
"This is a condition that needs to be managed so that fluid build-up doesn't continue to go on," Stabenow
said.
Treatment includes fitting patients with compression bandages, garments and special massage therapy.
"It's a process that can take sometimes the intensiveness of it maybe five days a week or two or three weeks
maybe three times a week after that," Stabenow said.
People with lymphedema have to be diligent about their care so the swelling stays under control.
March 2, 2011 - Facts about lymphedema - The Republic –
What is lymphedema?
The lymphatic system collects and flushes out bacteria, viruses and waste products from the body through
infection-fighting cells in the lymph nodes. If nodes are removed, fluid builds up, causing pain and swelling.
What helps
Light exercise, to keep fluid moving; massage; compression sleeves or stockings to force fluid out of the
affected limb.
Research
The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., is participating in an investigation of the use of liposuction
to remove fat cells from lymphedema patients so fluid can't collect as easily. So far, a 70 percent reduction
in symptoms has been reported. Among the research subjects is Cheri Wetzel. "I'm back into regular
clothing, have full use of the arm and no discomfort,'' she said. "I still have lymphedema, but it's not to any
degree what it was."
Moffitt is seeking additional funding for more research, estimated to cost $15,000 per participant.
"Lymphedema can pop up 20 years after breast-cancer surgery, so we'll need to continue finding ways to
treat it," says Moffitt's Dr. Christine Laronga.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service http://www.scrippsnews.com)
March 2, 2011 - Lymphedema Depot Addresses Hand Swelling - Wire Service Canada (press release) –
Lymphedema of the hand is troubling and difficult to treat. Lymphedema Depot offers the Solaris
compression glove, in both Caresia and Tribute styles, to control hand swelling.
March 2011, St. Catharines, Ontario
For many lymphedema patients hand swelling is a particular concern. In lymphedema, there is chronic
swelling, usually of a limb. In cases of breast cancer where multiple procedures have compromised the
ability of the lymphatic system to drain the arm of excess fluid, arm swelling often results. Having arm
swelling does not guarantee that you will experience hand swelling, but if the arm is swollen there is a risk
that the hand will swell, too. Once hand swelling begins it can often be difficult to control. The back of the
hand can be a problem as there is relatively low tissue pressure there and it will easily fill with fluid. Finger
swelling, when it occurs, can be uncomfortable and disturbing and equally difficult to manage.
Caresia Glove bandage liners are excellent for those who have hand and/or finger swelling. Every Caresia
Glove has individual finger spacers to provide comfortable, non-binding compression. Many therapists
recommend this glove for their post-surgical hand patients and patients with arthritis or lymphedema. It is
designed to be worn while you sleep, effectively cradling the affected hand and fingers with mild
compression and stimulating the lymphatic system to mobilize fluid away from the saturated area.
Depending on the nature of the edema, the fingers may not swell, while the back of the hand does swell.
Where finger swelling is not a serious problem and more functional mobility of the hand is desired, the
Caresia is available in a gauntlet style which stops at the knuckles, leaving the fingers free.
The Caresia glove is the standard-sized version of the Solaris Tribute glove. The Caresia is available in
small, medium and large while the Tribute is custom made for those who need a more precise fit.
As with all Solaris directional-flow products, foam chips address tissue thickening, and quilted channels help
guide fluid away from affected areas. Caresia offers a simple, safe and effective way to eliminate bulky and
troublesome hand bandaging, and is easy to care for – simply wash and dry on permanent press settings in
your home laundry machines as often as needed.
Lymphedema Depot and Solaris both strive for continuous improvement to make the management of
lymphedema less complex, more effective, and ultimately easier for patients.
For more information, visit http://www.LymphedemaDepot.com
March 3, 2011 - Hallmark Health Cancer Center opens lymphedema clinic - Medford Transcript –
At Hallmark Health System, the patient always comes first. The local healthcare organization is continually
looking for ways to improve patients’ experience and achieve excellence each and every day.
With that goal in mind, Hallmark Health System recently opened a lymphedema clinic at the Hallmark Health
Cancer Center in Stoneham. The clinic will be staffed by a certified lymphedema specialist that will provide
lymphedema treatment and physical therapy to patients that need it.
Lymphedema refers to the swelling of various body parts including the arms, legs and face. It is a common
side effect among patients that have had their lymph nodes removed due to cancer.
Hallmark Health’s certified lymphedema specialist will work one-on-one with patients to treat their
lymphedema through compression bandaging, manual lymphatic drainage and exercise. They will also
address fatigue and other side effects that result from cancer treatment.
The new clinic will provide patients with yet another advanced level of service as well as make scheduling
appointments easier and more convenient for patients. With all of their appointments under one roof patients
can focus on what’s important, completing treatment and getting back on their feet.
The Hallmark Health Cancer Center has been honored by highly distinguished organizations such as the
American College of Surgeons (ACOS), which recognized the Center for high quality programs. It received
approval with commendations following a site visit where ACOS examined cancer registry data, attended a
tumor board meeting, toured the Center and reviewed more than 50 patient records. The approval allows
the Center to continue its designation as a “Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program.”
Copyright 2011 Medford Transcript. Some rights reserved
March 3, 2011 - Center educates women on risk with national lymphedema awareness day - Aiken
Standard (subscription) – by ROB NOVIT -
When Peggy Wojtowicz was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1994, she went through a regimen of
chemotherapy and radiation and had 22 lymph nodes removed.
Her doctor mentioned at the time that the surgery and radiation potentially could lead to a condition called
secondary lymphedema - a serious fluid buildup caused by damage to the lymphatic system.
Today Wojtowicz has become an advocate to educate women about lymphedema, after she contracted it in
1999.
Hitchcock Healthcare, which has an occupational therapist certified in treating the disease, is promoting a
national lymphedema awareness day on Sunday.
An Aiken resident since 1985, Wojtowicz has remained cancer-free.
For five years after her treatment, she avoided lifting heavy weights and, other than a slight swelling in her left
arm, had no other symptoms that would indicate lymphedema.
In 1999, the symptoms arrived almost overnight.
"My arm was red and swollen to twice its normal size, and I got cellulitis," Wojtowicz said. "That's the most
dangerous thing and can be life-threatening within a matter of hours, as the infection can become systemic. It
was terrifying and very painful."
Not long before, Wojtowicz had taken an international flight for a church mission trip. She was not aware at
the time that an extended change in air pressure can trigger lymphedema.
Wojtowicz visited her doctor and got immediate treatment from an occupational therapist in Augusta.
For the past three years, she has seen Hitchcock occupational therapist Holly Shurtleff for periodic therapy.
A staffer at Hitchcock for the past 20 years, Shurtleff used to refer lymphedema patients to a Spartanburg
facility. Hitchcock executives recognized a need for services on-site and sent Shurtleff to a training program
to become certified to assist patients with that condition.
As with any newly-diagnosed person with lymphedema, Wojtowicz spent three weeks with an occupational
therapist, getting compression bandages and learning how to change them every 24 hours.
"I also provide them a daily massage if needed to stimulate the lymphatic system," said Shurtleff. "The
purpose is to decrease the girth of the extremity to as normal as possible - in this case, the left arm."
Wojtowicz also wears a compression garment during the day. While she sleeps, she uses a ReidSleeve,
which is designed to offer gentle compression that meets the patient's specific needs.
"I also continue manual massage, and Holly is always there for me for all kinds of answers to my questions,"
said Wojtowicz. "The other thing I've done is exercise. I was afraid to do it at first, but now I do isometrics,
yoga and Pilates, and free-weights, using my arm in moderation. I've maintained a healthy weight, and I still
come to Hitchcock once a year for measurements and management."
People can be born with lymphedema, Wojtowicz said.
For those who have had breast cancer, there is hope, she said.
Survivors should educate themselves as much as they can about lymphedema, and there are many sources
online.
Early detection is important, and a Hitchcock pamphlet warns of symptoms such as swelling of an extremity,
a "full" sensation, frequent infections, limited movement of limbs and swelling that prevents the wearing of a
ring or watch.
"Lymphedema doesn't have to stop life," said Tasha Savage, Hitchcock's director of marketing and
development. "We want to make sure that people have as much independence as they can. They don't have
to stop doing what they love to do."
With her protective garment in place and bringing along IV antibiotics, Wojtowicz traveled on mission trips
in 2006 and 2009 to the Central African Republic, where she worked with orphaned children.
"I was thrilled to go overseas, and I thank the Lord for all of this," she said. "I'd rather not be a poster child
for lymphedema, but this is something God has entrusted me with. If somebody else can benefit from my
experience, I can share it with them."
Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.
March 3, 2011 - Group sheds light on chronic condition - Prince Albert Daily Herald – by Shannon Lacroix
–
A chronic condition, rarely heard of and hard to diagnose, will be getting some attention Sunday.
Members of the Saskatchewan Lymphovenous Learning Association (SLLA) have declared March 6
Lymphedema Awareness Day. The focus will be on bringing to light the condition that can be mistaken for a
heart or kidney condition or being overweight according to Barbara Lauterbach, education chairperson of
the SLLA.
The lymph system is spread across the body and helps clean the system by producing lymph fluid that picks
up waste and brings it to different nodes. From the nodes the waste goes to the circulatory system, which
brings it to the kidneys and liver so they can get rid of it.
Lymphedema is what someone experiences when the lymph fluid is not being absorbed back into the body
Lauterbach explained. The condition causes swelling the in the area where the system is damaged, which can
eventually lead to open sores. Lauterbach, who has the condition herself, noted that diagnosis is vital to stop
the condition from getting to that point.
“The sooner you get it diagnosed, the quicker treatment starts, the less pain and the less time it takes for you
to get to a point where you can function again,” she explained.
March 4, 2011 - 'That Was Then' - Royal Oak Daily Tribune
This is for a specific meeting that has now passed (March 10)
March 6, 2011, - Mountain Medicine: Occupational therapists can help cancer patients - Arizona Daily Sun
MICKIE TOUTANT –
One of the most common side effects associated with cancer treatments is the feeling of being fatigued.
This feeling can affect many aspects of a person's life. It may affect an individual's mood or emotions, or the
ability to do usual daily activities, and it can affect the time they are able to spend with family and friends or
their ability to perform their job.
Fortunately for those battling fatigue due to cancer treatments, there are specific programs and services
available that address a person's physical recovery.
It is extremely important for individuals with cancer to maintain at least a minimal level of exercise and
activity. Doing so assists them in staying physically and emotionally strong and healthy and contributes to
their overall sense of well being. Even small amounts (three to 10 minutes) of exercise a few times a day can
be very beneficial.
Additionally, it is imperative that those battling cancer, continue to perform their typical daily activities as
much as possible. Although it may be tempting to just let things go for a while, daily activities help the
individual to maintain energy levels, physical strength and range of motion. Of course, some days are better
than others, but the goal is to keep moving.
When surgery is necessary to remove a lump or tumor, such as lumpectomy or mastectomy, often there is a
loss in range of motion and increase in pain, not to mention scar tissue forming and the skin feeling sensitive
and tight. Additionally, swelling may also occur around the surgery area causing a condition called
lymphedema.
Lymphedema most often is seen in the arm and under-arm areas of breast cancer patients. The condition
can be very painful and even debilitating. Patients with this condition can work with occupational therapists
who are specially trained to treat lymphedema to minimize the effects. OTs can offer education, lymphedema
management, specific exercises and pressure sleeves, all of which can be used to help relieve and even avoid
this condition.
In addition to surgery, cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, medication regimes and stress
can cause fatigue and limit day-to-day activity tolerance. Occupational therapists can address concepts such
as activity modification, self pacing, simplifying daily activities and strategies for energy restoration. All these
can help minimize the impact of cancer treatments on the individual.
Focusing on physical treatments and recovery is just one part of the journey -- emotional support and
recovery also are extremely important. Support, encouragement and reassurance are a key part of
rehabilitation therapy.
Those battling cancer should remember they do not have to do everything for themselves. Save energy for
the things that bring joy to your life and the things that are most important.
If you currently are undergoing treatments for cancer, the Cancer Centers of Northern Arizona Healthcare
and Flagstaff Medical Center would like to offer a complimentary session to address an individual's cancer
fatigue and course for rehabilitation. These services are provided by a licensed occupational therapist that
specializes in cancer rehabilitation. For more information on this complimentary program, call FMC's
Therapy Services at 773-2125.
Mickie Toutant, O.T., occupational therapist in Flagstaff Medical Center's Therapy Services, specializes in
neuro therapy, hand therapy and working with cancer survivors. Is there a health topic you'd like to know
more about? Please write to Mountain Medicine, c/o FMC Public Relations, 1200 N. Beaver St., Flagstaff,
AZ 86001, or visit FlagstaffMedicalCenter.com.
March 7, 2011 - New Range of Compression Stocking From SocksforLegs - BigNews.biz (press release)
–
BigNews.Biz - Mar 07,2011 - Limb swelling and other such diseases are a persistent problem for a
considerable number of people. There are certain things that can help you reduce limb swelling and avoid
other problems like leg swelling, venous insufficiency, varicose veins, lower and upper extremity
lymphedema and other kinds of edemas.
SocksforLegs is a part of a renowned family owned medical supply store with over 30 years of experience.
They have been offering wide varieties of even some hard to find medical equipment that also includes
compression stocking. Recently they have launched their new range of compression stockings that can be
very effective against limb swelling. They have just boost their existing product line and included some great
compression stocking from the top makers like Jobst, Sigvaris, Juzo and medi. SockforLegs has been
created with the very aim of providing their customers with all kinds of varieties, colors, sizes and brands
that they dream about.
The www is replete with sources offering almost all kinds of information on different kinds of compression
garments and their designs. People looking for reliable information on compression stocking and other such
stuff can also make the most of that source and get their desired information without putting them into any
trouble.
The wide range of compression stocking available at StockforLegs can make it easier to find the stuff quite
according to your different requirements. The nice thing is that whatever they show at their website is also
available in stocks. They are carrying thousands of compression products from almost all renowned brands
and even some hard to find products and stocking can be easily found from that source. They are offering
product ranges from brands like Juzzo, Jobst, Sigvaris and Medi. The new ranges of compression stockings
from different brands can definitely make it easier for you to choose compression stocking quite according
to your needs.
March 7, 2011 - Phase 3 Randomized Breast Cancer Lymph Node Study Likely to be Practice-Changing -
Cancer Network – By Anna Azvolinsky –
Axillary lymph node dissections (ALND) remain the standard of care for breast cancer patients that have
sentinel lymph node metastases. This is based on a meta-analysis of breast cancer patients showing that
locally controlling breast cancer via lymph node dissection improved disease patient survival. However, the
procedure carries the risk of serious complications such as infection, lymphedema, and seroma. Sentinel
lymph node dissection (SLND) was developed to decrease these risks while still accurately staging lymph
nodes.
Micrograph showing a lymph node invaded by ductal breast carcinoma and with extranodal extension of
tumor. Courtesy of Nephron, Wikimedia Commons
Whether ALND affects overall survival in breast cancer with SNL metastasis or whether SNLD alone is
sufficient is now addressed in a randomized, multi-center, Phase 3 non-inferiority trial published in a
February edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (doi: 10.1001/jama.2011.90). The
study of state I or IIA breast cancer patients began in 1999, enrolling 891 patients who were randomized 1:
1 to receive either SLND followed by ALND or SLND alone. Both groups had a lumpectomy (the removal
of the tumor) and adjuvant systemic treatment. The study was funded and designed by the American College
of Surgeons Oncology Group in collaboration with the National Institute on Cancer.
The median number of lymph nodes removed in the ALND group was 17 compared with 2 in the SLND
group. The adjuvant systemic therapies received by both groups were comparable: 96% and 97% of the
ALND and SLND patients, respectively, received similar adjuvant therapies. The majority of patients
received whole-breast radiation therapy. Age, stage of cancer, and tumor size did not vary significantly
between the two groups.
ALND does not increase survival
The use of SLND compared to ALND was not statistically inferior in terms of overall survival (P=0.008).
The 5-year overall survival rates were 92.5% and 91.8% in the SLND-alone compared to the ALND
group. Likewise, disease-free survival did not vary between the groups. Morbidity, however, was much
higher in the ALND group: the rate of wound infections, axillary seromas, and lymphedema were all
significantly more frequent.
The authors attributed the overall high frequency of good outcomes on improved breast cancer management
including better imaging, more detailed pathological evaluation, and improved surgical and radiation
approaches.
Study Implications
The trial results suggest that women may be exposed to morbidity due to ALND with no meaningful
improvement in overall survival, including for women classified as high-risk (estrogen and progesterone(Drug
information on progesterone) receptor negative patients). The limitations of the study, as cited by the
authors, is a failure to achieve a target accrual of 1900 patients as well as a potential randomization
imbalance that favored the SLND-only cohort. Additionally, the patient follow-up was approximately 6
years and a longer-term follow-up would be beneficial, as early-stage breast cancer can reoccur at 10 to 15
years after diagnosis.
According to this randomized Phase 3 trial, knowing the number of nodes containing metastases by ALND
does not change recommendations for systematic therapy decisions and is obtained at the cost of higher
morbidity from surgery, including pain, limited range of motion, and lymphedema.
As Gary Lyman, MD, professor of medicine and Chair of the ASCO Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
Guideline Panel pointed out in an ASCO editorial in response to the publication, the data will likely change
physician practice for early stage disease. However, he cautioned that the study results do not apply to early-
stage patients with high risk for reoccurrence including those with three or more positive sentinel lymph
nodes, larger tumors, or those who received preoperative chemotherapy
March 8, 2011 - Y exercise program helps cancer survivors regain strength - MyCentralJersey.com (blog)
– by BOB MAKIN -
EDISON — Carol Weiss, a breast-cancer survivor, sometimes suffers from lymphedema, tissue swelling
caused by a blockage of the lymph nodes, which, in turn, is caused by the cancer. Longing to exercise but
afraid to injure her swollen arm, Weiss was thrilled to hear that the Livestrong at the Y small-group exercise
program not only was customized for cancer survivors but also for those dealing with lymphedema.
The township resident recently graduated with 13 other survivors from the latest Livestrong class at the
Edison YMCA.
The 12-week program is offered for free to cancer survivors through cycling great Lance Armstrong's
Livestrong Foundation at all branches of the YMCA of Metuchen-Edison-Woodbridge-South Amboy, as
well as the Somerset Hills YMCA in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards.
In Edison, participants meet twice weekly for strength training, cardio work and yoga.
"They know how to guide you to do what you need and how to do it safely," said Weiss, who now manages
lymphedema through exercise.
Before addressing a multi-purpose room full of Livestrong graduates past, present and future and their
families, Lexy Anderson, the Edison branch's associate executive and wellness director, described the
program as life-changing.
The family of a recently-deceased graduate was so grateful for the program's impact that they asked that
donations be made to Livestrong at the Y, Anderson said.
"These fragile people are not sure how they're going to respond to physical activity," she said. "But they
grow in such a short period of time and get their life back. They begin to feel stronger."
The Feb. 17 graduation marked the Edison branch's fifth since the program was launched a year and a half
ago, Anderson said.
Halfway through the program, participants are provided with a free three-month membership to the Y, as
well as free monthly yoga sessions for life. Half of the Livestrong graduates said they plan to join the Y in
order to keep working out with each other and to get help from their team of four exercise instructors.
"I think what I got most out of it was the camaraderie," Weiss said.
"We all seemed to really meld," said Johanna Minucci, a breast-cancer survivor from Edison. "We made a
nice group."
Weiss continued, "I think we are also a lot more confident now. We want to keep going so that we will feel
better."
Expansion of the Edison branch will begin in the spring and be completed in the fall, Anderson said. The
Livestrong at the Y program will expand with it, she said.
Sue Tadros, a breast cancer survivor from the township, said she was looking forward to the next class (that
started yesterday).
"I want to get my energy back," Tadros said. "From what I've seen, I think this really can help."
The cancer survivors are not the only ones who benefited from the program. By getting to work with such a
specialized population, the trainers grow professionally, said Tim Marshall, one of the program's four
instructors.
Livestrong at the Y inspired Marshall, 25, of Highland Park, to write his master's thesis about cancer
survivors overcoming exercise barriers.
"A one-pound weight may seem very light, but a cancer survivor doesn't recover from exercise in the same
way," said Marshall, who soon will receive a master's in exercise science from Kean University in Union.
"It's a challenge to create a program that won't make them so sore that they can't function," he continued.
"The purpose of the program is for them to function outside. They should have more energy than when they
walked through the door. And all of them do. They feel reinvigorated, ready to be active again, even if
they're going through chemo. We had one who was going through chemo. She would come in really tired,
but she would leave with more energy and a better quality of life."
March 8, 2011 Mather Hospital's Lymphedema Treatment Center Names Roger Geldert of Bay Shore
Patient of the Year – NewsLI
(Port Jefferson, N.Y.) – Roger Geldert of Bay Shore had tried everything to find out what was causing the
blisters and fluid buildup in his legs. It wasn’t until Mr. Geldert, 46, was sent to Mather’s Wound Care
Center in Melville that he was diagnosed as having Lymphedema. He was immediately referred to Mather’s
Lymphedema Treatment Center in Port Jefferson.
Almost a year after his diagnosis, Mr. Geldert was honored by Mather for his extraordinary commitment to
his treatment in recognition of National Lymphedema Awareness “D” Day on March 6. “D” Day a special
day set aside by the National Lymphedema Network to honor inspirational lymphedema patients who have
contributed to the community or who have shown great courage in their struggle with disease.
“We wanted to honor him and his wife, Michelle, for really stepping up to the plate and exemplifying what
lymphedema treatment is all about,” said Anne Babcock, a lymphedema therapist at Mather. Babcock said
treatment for lymphedema is time consuming and requires commitment on the part of the patient to be
successful.
Geldert credited the staff of the Lymphedema Treatment Center for helping him manage his condition, and
Michael Petersen, MD, Medical Director of Mather Hospital’s Wound Care Center, with diagnosing his
illness and also treating a related non-healing wound.
Lymphedema is a swelling of the body’s soft tissue, usually in an extremity, caused by an accumulation of
proteins, cells and water. Usually, these proteins, along with excess cells and water, are carried away by our
circulatory or lymph systems. Lymphedema occurs when these systems are damaged. Although,
Lymphedema is a chronic condition, it can be managed with proper care and treatment.
An adjunct of the Physical Therapy Department, the Lymphedema Treatment Center at Mather is one of the
largest hospital-based programs in the northeast. In 2010, Mather’s eight certified Lymphedema therapists
provided for more than 2,100 patient visits. The program also offers the only Lymphedema support group in
Suffolk County. Treatment is provided by Mather Hospital’s Department of Physical Therapy.
Geldert said that he was so pleased with his treatment at Mather that when he decided to have weight loss
surgery, he selected Mather’s Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. His procedure is scheduled for later
this month.
John T. Mather Memorial Hospital is an acute 248-bed, non-profit community hospital dedicated to
providing a wide spectrum of high quality healthcare services to Suffolk County residents, showing
compassion and respect and treating each patient in the manner we would wish for our loved ones.
For more information on the Lymphedema Treatment Center call 631-686-7648 or online at www.
matherhospital.org.
March 9, 2011 - Andersen Jones Lands New Breast Cancer Clients - SunHerald.com –
Get error code 404 when click on this link
March 9, 2011 - Heart failure can cause feet to swell - Payson Roundup –
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Please explain why I have to take my shoes off late every day because my feet
and ankles have swollen and don’t fit into the shoes. I flop around in slippers without heels. In the morning,
after a night’s sleep, my feet are back to normal. I am 77 and take no medicines. — K.M.
ANSWER: I can’t give you an unequivocal response because there are numerous causes of foot and ankle
swelling.
The medical name for such swelling is edema. Even in relatively healthy people, it occurs if people sit or
stand for any length of time. Gravity pulls fluid out of the circulation, and it accumulates in the feet and
ankles. This is especially true at older ages, when the circulatory system becomes somewhat leaky.
For this kind of swelling, the solution is to elevate the legs when sitting. The most effective elevation is raising
the legs above heart level, something that can be done only by lying down with pillows propping up the legs.
Getting up and moving about is another way to prevent fluid accumulation in the feet.
Heart failure is a more serious cause of such swelling. When the heart’s pumping action becomes feeble,
fluid escapes from blood vessels and again accumulates in the ankles and feet. Kidney disease with retention
of body fluid is another cause of edema. Liver disease does the same.
Another condition called lymphedema produces the same picture. Lymph is fluid that normally escapes the
circulation to percolate around tissues and organs to provide nourishment and to wash away germs. Small
vessels called lymphatics vacuum up this fluid and return it to the circulation. Anything that disrupts
lymphatics can lead to ankle/foot swelling. An old infection and surgery are two such disruptors.
Since ankle and foot swelling is a sign of many urgent medical conditions, don’t fool around with this. See
your family doctor.
The booklet on edema and lymphedema clearly describe these conditions and their treatment. Readers can
obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue — No. 106W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a
check or money order for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please
allow four weeks for delivery
March 10, 2011 - Lymphedema awareness making headway - Lac du Bonnet Leader – By Lory Mitton –
Last Sunday was recognized by 43 Manitoban municipalities and by Minister of Health, Theresa Oswald, as
Lymphedema Awareness Day.
"I'm ecstatic, I think that's just awesome!" Kim Avanthay said about the participation of the province and so
many communities. Having received only 55 responses to the 100 requests she made that the day be
recognized, Avanthay says their could be even more who acknowledged the important day.
"Hopefully this is a step forward," she said. "Lymphedema needs more awareness not only among those
who suffer from it but among health care officials as well."
Avanthay has seen a good response to efforts made to promote the day.
"My first contact came after the Lac du Bonnet Leader was posted on the web. I received an email from the
UK offering me information and assistance in finding a Canadian supplier for a product that is being used in
the UK for lymphedema treatment."
A lady in rural Manitoba also contacted Avanthay after coming across an article in the Selkirk Journal about
lymphedema.
"She has suffered with severe lymphedema and aside from diagnosis, has not received any care," Avanthay
told the Leader.
Four students from Lac du Bonnet Senior School — Jazlyn Johnston, Jessie Weir, Kaylin Champagne, and
Justina Bruchanski — wanted to help raise awareness of lymphedema.
Partnering with the Fair Trade Action Committee at Centennial School, they decided to sell ice cream
sundaes for $3 on Friday at Centennial where Austin Avanthay, who lives with lymphedema, goes to school.
Most of the students purchased a sundae and together the students raised $517.25.
"We like to do stuff like this," Johnston said about the fundraiser. The four girls did a similar event in
December and collected canned goods and money for the food bank.
"I can't believe that they would just do something like that," Avanthay said about the student initiative.
Her efforts to raise awareness for lymphedema this year were also met by an invitation to speak about
Lymphedema in April at Pinawa Secondary School.
Avanthay's message:
"Lymphedema is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid that causes swelling in arms, legs or other areas of the
body and it effects both men, women and children. The swelling caused by lymphedema can lead to severe
infection or loss of the use of limbs. Patients suffering from lymphedema must endure physical discomfort
and disfigurement and cope with distress caused by these symptoms.
"The single largest group of people who get lymphedema are cancer patients. Recent studies have indicated
that patients that have had lymph nodes surgically removed or treated with radiation are at a higher risk of
developing lymphedema. According to Canadian Cancer Society, as of January 1, 2005, 723,000 people in
Canada have been diagnosed with cancer in the previous 10 years.
"No drug or effective surgical treatment for lymphedema currently exists and research in all areas of
lymphedema has been notably limited.
"Lymphedema, which has no cure and can occur at anytime, has a severe financial, physical, and
psychological impact on patients."
For more information on lymphedema, Avanthay can be reached at kimavant@mts.net.
March 11, 2011 - Lymphedema Depot: We Care For Your Feet Too - Wire Service Canada (press
release) –
Everybody likes to have comfortable feet. Solaris Caresia Footwear and legwear were designed for the
management of lymphedema and diabetic feet. As it turns out, they make tired feet more comfortable too.
March 2011
Lymphedema Depot sells products for the management of lymphedema. However, those products have
other uses, too. Wherever swelling occurs and for whatever reason, Solaris quilted directional flow garments
can help to resolve it.
Solaris Caresia Footwear are a good example. The Caresia Footwear consists of something often referred
to as “booties.” They fit over your feet and come up just high enough to cover most people’s ankles. They
are quilted into channels and those channels are filled with medical-grade chipped foam. They are made
from a soft high-tech material, which is breathable, wickable and thermo-releasing. The foot and ankle are
completely surrounded by soft fabric and cushioned by medical grade foam.
Caresia Footwear were originally designed for patients with diabetic feet. However, many people have been
finding these “booties” to be not only comfortable but therapeutic. Feet tend to swell toward the end of the
day, and many people have mildly swollen ankles after a day on their feet. With the Caresia Footwear on
your feet in the evening hours, your feet receive a treatment that increases micro- circulation and treats mild
swelling. Your feet can feel refreshed and renewed. The Caresia footwear are so comfortable they are
sometimes worn on airplane flights to relieve restless feet and to reduce swelling.
Caresia also comes in a knee high model that is perfect for people suffering from chronic venous
insufficiency, a condition where the blood in the lower legs cannot be completely pumped back from the
lower extremities. The same combination of soft, high tech fabric and medical grade chipped foam massage
the feet and legs and support the venous and lymphatic systems to create a more dynamic and healthful
environment for the legs.
While these garments were originally designed for patients with diabetes, lymphedema and venous
insufficiency we find that they are being purchased more generally by people with tired, achy and mildly
swollen feet and legs. In fact, this past year a few people told us that they gave these to their mothers for
Christmas, and their mothers loved them!
To learn more about Caresia foot and leg wear visit the Lymphedema Depot website at :
http://www.lymphedemadepot.com/products/solaris/caresia/selections/foot/
http://www.lymphedemadepot.com/products/solaris/caresia/selections/belowknee/
Contact: info@LymphedemaDepot.com
March 15, 2011 - Tickets now on-sale for 2011 Stylin' Against Breast Cancer - Aledo Times Record –
Bettendorf, Iowa —
The Trinity Health Foundation is now accepting reservations for the 2011 Stylin’ Against Breast Cancer.
Trinity Health Foundation, in partnership with Always a Woman, Midwest Hope and Healing, The American
Cancer Society, the Trinity Cancer Center and women who do not represent an organization but who are
advocates of breast health and survivors, organize the events each year to raise funds for projects that
benefit local breast cancer survivors and promote education about breast cancer and breast health.
On Wednesday, April 20, the group will host a wine and cheese party from 6:30-9 p.m., at the Quad-
CitiesWaterfront Convention Center, 2021 State St., Bettendorf. New this year is Penguins Entertainment
who will provide “dueling pianos” during the event. The party will also include a raffle as well as light hors d’
oeuvres and wine served by area men who have a personal connection to someone diagnosed with breast
cancer. Tickets for the wine and cheese party are $20 per person with a reservation or $25 at the door.
Groups of 20 or more will receive 20 free raffle tickets.
The second winner of the Roxanne Kramer Award will be honored during the sixth annual Stylin’ against
Breast Cancer luncheon and fashion show that features local breast cancer survivors modeling clothing from
area stores on Thursday, April 21, also at the Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center. Doors open at
11 a.m. with the luncheon beginning at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $25 per person.
A combo ticket for admission to both events is also available for $40. One hundred percent of the proceeds
from both events benefit stay in the Quad-Cities area to fund projects that help local breast cancer patients
and promote education about breast cancer and breast health. To reserve tickets, call the Trinity Health
Foundation at (309) 764-7610 or visit www.trinityhealthfoundation.com.
About the Roxanne Kramer Award
The Roxanne Kramer Award is an annual honor to be given to an outstanding individual(s), organization or
business that has tirelessly contributed to the quality of life of breast cancer survivors and which through
deed, word and ongoing advocacy, has helped educate the community about breast cancer and breast
health.
Kramer, a breast cancer survivor herself, owns “Always a Woman” boutique in Moline and co-founded the
Quad City Breast Cancer & Lymphedema Support Group.
Copyright 2011 Aledo Times Record. Some rights reserved
March 15, 2011 - Lymph node study may change treatment of breast cancer - ABC Action News – By:
Linda Hurtado
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Marion Mage is a concert pianist whose music overflows into many areas of her
life. So when she learned she had breast cancer and may have to have lymph nodes under her arm removed,
she said, "My biggest concern was that it would affect my arm."
Surgeons have been removing lymph nodes from under the arms of breast cancer patients for 100 years,
believing it would keep the cancer from spreading, and thereby prolong a woman's life.
But removing all lymph nodes often results in debilitating side effects.
Doctor Peter Blumecranz is a breast surgeon at Morton Plant Hospital’s Breast Care Center. “The biggest
and worst of that is lymphedema. That's swelling of the arm. It can get big and swollen and can stay that way
the rest of your life. Unfortunately, there is no way to fix it if you have it."
Marion would, “Pray every day, ‘Please God, just don't let that happen to me.’ Because at that point,
playing was my livelihood."
But Dr. Blumencranz, Marion’s surgeon, was involved in a study to see if removing all of a woman's lymph
nodes had any advantage. The study, eventually published in the Journal of the American Medical
Association, included Marion and around 1,000 others over five years.
The women in the study had surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Some had lymph nodes
removed, others did not. Dr. Blumencranz says, “It turns out reoccurrence under arms and overall survival
from their breast cancer were identical whether you had other nodes removed or not. This is practice-
changing. That's why it so important. This flies in the face of all prior teachings and changes the way we
manage breast cancer."
Dr. Blumencranz took out five of Marion's lymph nodes because cancer had spread to the first two but he
left the rest. But she says, “I've had a cousin who had almost the same exact surgery two years later, not in
this state. Cancer showed up in two or three of her lymph nodes and they just took all of them and she's
having all kinds of problems with the swelling of her arm, the lymph fluid. In hindsight, we are very glad we
were part of this study."
Because after one month of recovery, Marion has had no side effects at all.
March 15, 2011 – Study reveals lymph node removal surgery useless for many breast cancer patients – by:
David Gutierrez (NaturalNews)
The common practice of removing the lymph nodes of breast cancer patients does nothing to reduce the rate
of cancer recurrence, according to a study conducted by researchers from the John Wayne Cancer Institute
and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
In about one-third of breast cancer cases, the cancer spreads to one or more lymph nodes in the body. In
these cases, doctors normally recommend surgical removal of the lymph nodes in the armpits, regardless of
whether the cancer has spread to those particular nodes or not. This surgery is meant to reduce the risk of
cancer recurrence, but it is painful and leads to a more difficult recovery. In addition, many women whose
lymph nodes have been removed suffer from complications such as infection and a chronic, disabling
swelling in the arms called lymphedema.
"Of the 161,000 women with breast cancer who have lymph nodes removed every year, 35 to 40 percent
develop lymphedema," writes Phyllis A. Balch in the book Prescription for Herbal Healing.
"If a tumor and the adjacent lymph nodes are removed, the natural drainage of lymphatic fluid through that
area is blocked. Fluid accumulates and becomes stagnant in the tissues of the limb closest to the obstruction.
The limb may then swell to several times its normal size. Lymphedema is made even worse by recurrence of
cancer, as tumors attract sodium and cause fluid retention."
In the current study, researchers compared women who had been treated for breast cancer at 115 different
locations across the United States. All participants had cancer that had spread to lymph nodes but no
further, and had relatively small tumors (classified as T1 or T2). The researchers found no significant
difference in cancer recurrence rates between the 445 women whose lymph nodes had been removed and
the 446 women whose lymph nodes had been left in place.
Based on the new study, as many as 70 percent of women who have lymph node removal recommended
may now opt to forego the surgery, said Gary Lyman of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
"This is good news," Lyman said. "It's a substantial number of women."
March 17, 2011 - DCH Opens New Breast Care Center - Eagle 99.3 FM WSCH –
(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - The new Breast Care Center at Dearborn County Hospital is now open. Located
adjacent to the hospital in Suite 120 of the Dearborn County Hospital Professional Building, the DCH
Breast Care Center melds state of the art healthcare with the feel and personalized service found in upscale
salons or boutique hotels.
Beyond the lovely furnishings and attentive personnel, however, is a healthcare facility comprised of the
latest imaging technology and staffed by General Surgeons, Oncologists, a Plastic-Reconstructive Surgeon,
Radiologists, a Nurse Navigator/Family Nurse Practitioner, Radiologic Technologists and a Social Service
Consultant.
“The Breast Care Center is designed to be a positive, welcoming place. Its purpose is to encompass all
aspects of breast health,” noted Kelly Ferreira, DCH Breast Care Center Nurse Navigator/Family Nurse
Practitioner. “Our intent is for the Center to be a site for routine breast health and advanced diagnostic and
clinical services, as well as for education, reference and support.”
Featured in the Center are two new, state of the art digital mammography units. These units provide the
latest technology for both screening and diagnostic mammography and stereotactic biopsy.
“Everyone who comes to DCH for a screening or diagnostic mammogram utilizes the Breast Care Center,”
continued Mrs. Ferreira. “While our emphasis is on total breast health, the vast majority of individuals who
come to the Breast Care Center will visit for a clinical breast exam and/or a screening mammogram. For
those individuals who require additional care, the Center is able to offer a full complement of services.”
The Center offers comprehensive breast care ranging from screening and diagnostic mammography to the
coordination of advanced diagnostic, therapeutic, surgical and/or reconstructive procedures and related
support services. In cooperation with the individual’s personal physician, advanced care is provided under
the direction of General Surgeons Dr. Shannon Davis, Dr. Mark McAndrew and Dr. Michael McAndrew,
who are members of the American Society of Breast Surgeons.
Procedures performed in the DCH Breast Care Center include clinical breast exams; screening and
diagnostic digital mammography; pre-operative needle localizations; cyst aspirations and stereotactic core
biopsies. Physician consultations with General Surgeons, a Plastic-Reconstructive Surgeon, Oncologists and
Radiologists are also available in the Center, as is coordination for in-hospital procedures such as breast
MRI or diagnostic ultrasound.
“As the Center’s Nurse Navigator/Family Nurse Practitioner, my job is to answer questions and provide
breast health information to all individuals, however, my primary function is to assist patients who have an
abnormal mammogram or those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Under the direction of their surgeon, I work with the patient as requested, to help coordinate specific
portions or all aspects of their continuing care. My work may be as simple as scheduling an appointment for
a breast MRI or as detailed as helping to coordinate the ongoing plan of care for a person newly diagnosed
with breast cancer. It all depends upon the clinical needs of the patient and the type and degree of assistance
the individual desires,” she explained.
“While much of my work deals with the patient’s immediate clinical issues, I am also available to assist with
non-medical problems which could impede proper or timely treatment. Sometimes issues such as
transportation or lack of financial resources cause patients to delay follow-up diagnostic procedures or even
treatment.”
The Breast Care Center is also available to assist breast cancer patients and breast cancer survivors with
other services including the acquisition of wigs and headwear; breast prostheses; lymphedema compression
garments and personal care products.
“In my position as the Center’s Nurse Navigator, my focus is to offer support to the individual and to help
guide them through their diagnostic testing and when necessary, their treatment and recovery,” Mrs. Ferreira
added.
“A diagnosis of cancer or a potential diagnosis of cancer is very frightening. It not only affects an individual’s
immediate plans but can have an effect on how they view life. My job is to help alleviate some of their
anxiety, fears or stress and to assist them in maintaining a positive outlook. I let them know that they are not
alone in dealing with their illness and I help to serve as their advocate. Together we can sort out the
complexities of their clinical care so they can devote more of their time and energy to getting well.”
Physicians and physician practices working in coordination with the DCH Breast Care Center include Dr.
Shannon Davis, Dr. Mark McAndrew and Dr. Michael McAndrew of Dearborn County Surgery; Dr. Mary
Albers, Dr. Kurt Leuenberger, Dr. John Sacco and Dr. Louis Schroder of Oncology/Hematology Care; Dr.
Thomas Jackson of Southern Indiana Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery and Dr. John Botsford, Dr. James Cole,
Dr. William Drew and Dr. Kyung Noh of River Valley Imaging.
March 20, 2011 - Celebrating a 9-Year Cancerversary From Breast Cancer - About - News & Issues –
By Pam Stephan –
Today is my 9-year Cancerversary! On March 20, 2002 I was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, and
one year to the day later, I was given the all-clear. That diagnosis and the year in treatment for breast cancer
changed me in many ways. The whole experience was a very hard teacher - but the lessons have stuck with
me. For the last 5 years through this site, I've had the chance to pass along many of the things I've learned
during treatment and survival. I've continued learning about dealing with breast cancer - and many of my
readers have taught me from their own wisdom. The more we know, the better we can fight this cancer, and
perhaps someday, it will be totally preventable.
At first, I did not expect to survive breast cancer - everyone I had known with that diagnosis had suffered
and died. My husband's mother Nancy had fought it - twice - for 6 years, but we eventually lost her, in
1980. Treatments have improved since then, as have diagnostic procedures and imaging technology.
Patients have become more empowered - we get to choose between a mastectomy and a lumpectomy -
instead of leaving that up our surgeons. In the past, many women went in for a breast biopsy and didn't
know if they would wake up with, or without breasts! Before the widespread adoption of sentinel node
biopsy, many women endured a full axillary dissection (nasty term!) and then suffered a lifetime of arm
lymphedema. Now the practice of having almost all your lymph nodes removed to be tested for metastasis is
fading - thank goodness!
Best of all, more and more of us are becoming breast cancer survivors. In fact, the National Cancer Institute
says that there are about 2.5 million of us living 5 or more years after being diagnosed with breast cancer. In
addition, we survive longer than previous generations did.
So how did I celebrate? Just by doing normal things - went to church, made lunch at home, did some
yardwork, and played with our little dogs. All of these things are nice, everyday occupations - and I am so
happy to still be around to enjoy them! I had my 85-year old father and my wonderful husband to spend the
day with, and then had internet time with my sister. Such moments I no longer take for granted. I am not
grateful that I had breast cancer - so that's not what I celebrate. It is survival and endurance I enjoy, and
that's what I am thankful for today.
March 20, 2011 - Study supports less-aggressive lymph node surgery for some breast cancer patients - By
Jan Jarvis –
For women with small breast cancer tumors, removing just a few lymph nodes from under the arm instead of
several could be just as effective as more extensive surgery, a recent study has found.
If the data hold up, the less-invasive approach could spare some women from further surgery to remove
lymph nodes and the problems that sometimes go with it, such as lymphedema, which causes fluid retention
and tissue swelling.
Numbness, a decrease in the range motion and pain can also occur.
"Most women are pretty happy when I can tell them that we don't have to do as extensive auxiliary surgery,"
said Dr. Mary Brian, a breast surgeon with Texas Oncology.
But it's not that simple.
"The less you do the better it is for the patient," she said. "But you don't want to do the wrong thing and
leave cancer behind."
The study, published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that
for women with breast tumors less than 2 inches in diameter the survival rate was the same whether only two
lymph nodes were removed or multiple nodes were taken out.
All 891 women in the study had small tumors and cancer cells in no more than two lymph nodes. A sentinel
lymph node biopsy was used to detect any cancer cells. The procedure involves injecting dye in the tumor to
see which lymph nodes it travels to.
After the surgery, the pathologist examined the lymph nodes over multiple days. The study helps address the
question of what to do if there's a very small amount of cancer found after the patient has left the hospital.
"If there's a tiny drop of cancer in the lymph nodes, no more surgery is acceptable," Brian said. "The study
showed that there is no improvement in survival by doing more."
The study flies in the face of the longtime practice of aggressively treating cancer by removing at least 10
lymph nodes.
But the trend has been shifting toward performing less surgery, and the study may prompt more doctors to
follow suit.
Going into surgery last fall, Kathy Reich, 49, knew a sentinel node biopsy would be performed, and she
hoped she would be spared more aggressive surgery.
"If it had been negative, my doctor would have made the decision at that time never to take out any lymph
nodes," she said. "But I did have more nodes involved."
She underwent a more aggressive surgery.
March 20, 2011 - The PINK Album – A Musical Celebration of Courage and Hope To Benefit The Maine
Breast Cancer Coalition - PR Web –
PATCO Construction, Inc. of Sanford Maine to serve as Executive Producer on an unprecedented CD
featuring Maine's most talented female singer songwriters. Veteran performers, Grammy nominees, and
rising stars unite to make life a little easier for Maine women (and men) battling breast cancer.
PATCO Construction, Inc. of Sanford, Maine, will serve as Executive Producer on an unprecedented CD
featuring Maine's most talented female singer songwriters. Veteran performers, Grammy nominees, and
rising stars unite to make life a little easier for Maine women (and men) battling breast cancer.
PATCO Construction, Inc of Sanford, Maine is a company on a mission. Family owned for over 26 years,
and a leader in the States residential and commercial building industry, PATCO understands that they have a
responsibility to give back to the community. Because so many families – including those of PATCO
employees – are touched by breast cancer, they chose to help provide financial support to The Maine
Breast Cancer Coalition Support Service Fund (MBCC).
Mark and Greg Patterson, co-owners of PATCO, like the fact that the Fund provides assistance directly to
Maine residents. “It helps cover the costs of items not taken care of by insurance companies”, said Mark.
“It’s also used to help defray costs for individuals who may be under insured.” According to MBCC
President Pam Sirois, the fund has covered mammograms and ultrasound, hospital bills, physician bills, bras
and prostheses, wigs, prescriptions, lymphedema therapy and compression garments, genetic testing,
transportation costs, as well as temporary living expenses for people in active breast cancer treatment.
In 2008 PATCO launched the first in a series of campaigns on behalf of the MBCC. "The Pink Key
Project" pledged a donation for every contract, residential or commercial, signed that year. This campaign
was just the beginning of PATCO’s passionate commitment to the cause. To date PATCO has contributed
nearly $20,000 to the Support Service Fund.
This year, PATCO is serving as Executive Producer on "The Pink Album," scheduled for release October 1
to coincide with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. An unprecedented two CD collection, the
project will bring together, for the very first time, over two dozen of Maine’s most talented female
performers. Among those participating are artists such as Cindy Bullens, Kate Schrock, Anne Clark, Sara
Cox, and Women In Harmony. These veteran performers, rising stars, and Grammy nominees – some of
whom have shared the stage with such legends as Elton John and Johnny Cash - will be contributing tracks
they’ve selected specifically for this musical tribute. The album's producer, Con Fullam, has a long history in
the music business and is perhaps best known locally as the composer of "The Maine Christmas Song" and
the driving force behind "The Amazing Music of Mainers," a fundraiser to help end hunger in Maine.
The official kick-off for "The Pink Album" will be held on Wednesday, March 23 at SPACE Gallery, 538
Congress Street, Portland, Maine from 12:30 to 2:00 PM. Members of the public are welcome. During this
event proceeds from the 2010 PATCO and New England Building Materials "Kitchens That Care"
promotion, will be presented to representatives of The Maine Breast Cancer Coalition by Mark Patterson of
PATCO and Joy Martel of NEMB.
March 21, 2011 - This Way Up: Breast cancer survivors pull together on a boat - By Art Carey –
In his new book, The Social Animal, David Brooks makes a strong case for connection, community, and
group participation. According to one study he cites, joining a group that meets even just once a month
produces the same happiness gain as doubling your income.
That assertion came to mind the other night as I listened to Tobi Goldberg Maguire give an impromptu thank-
you speech to the women on her dragon boat team.
It was 10 years to the day since her mastectomy, Maguire announced. Seven years ago, she joined the
team, and six weeks after that, her sister died.
Maguire, of Melrose Park, recalled the consoling words of a teammate: "I'm sorry to hear about your sister,
but you have a whole boatload of new sisters here."
They call themselves Hope Afloat, a name both inspired and inspiring because the 40 or so women who
paddle for the team are all breast-cancer survivors. This is the team's 10th anniversary, and over the years it
has included women ranging in age from the late 20s to mid-70s, of all shapes and sizes, all levels of physical
condition and athletic ability.
That was evident on a recent evening as a couple of dozen members of the team practiced in the new paddle
pool at Main Line Health & Fitness in Bryn Mawr.
"Push with the legs, pull with the core!" exhorted their coach, Robin Parker, 57, of Plymouth Meeting.
"Crunch down and remember your exit. It's just as important as the catch."
The women plunged their paddles into the churning water and pulled hard, seeking to move in unison as they
increased power and pace. Some looked fierce and seemed fueled by anger. A few vocalized each stroke
with a grunt, like a pro tennis player swatting a tremendous forehand.
"They're tough broads," said Meg Fasy, 46, of Society Hill, a three-time cancer survivor who recently joined
the team. "Everybody is really welcoming, but at the same time, very competitive. These women have been
through a lot, and nothing stops them."
Dragon boat racing, with roots in ancient China, is increasingly popular in the United States. Philadelphia
hosts two big events, the Independence Dragon Boat Regatta in June and the International Dragon Boat
Festival in October.
Breast-cancer survivors began flocking to the sport after Don McKenzie, a Canadian physician and exercise
scientist, proved in the '90s that it was not only unharmful but also beneficial. Previously, such women had
been told to avoid strenuous upper-body exercise, for fear it might cause or aggravate lymphedema, a
painful swelling of the limbs.
In Vancouver in 2005, at the first regatta exclusively for breast-cancer survivors, Hope Afloat beat all the U.
S. teams and placed second overall.
Hope Afloat has traveled also to Italy and Australia and will take part this summer in the Pan Am Games in
Florida.
Practice on the Schuylkill begins in April, and before the season ends in November, the team typically vies in
four to six regattas. This year, the paddle pool, which opened in January and is billed as unique in the United
States, has given the team a jump.
March 23, 2011 - Integrating Bevacizumab, Everolimus, and Lapatinib into Current … – Medscape
A pilot study of vascular endothelial growth factor inhibition with bevacizumab in patients with lymphedema
following breast cancer treatment. ...
Sorry Tina, this one you need to be a member of something to access it
March 25, 2011 - Elizabeth Taylor: Beautiful Mutant - Slate Magazine – By Roxanne Palmer –
The late Elizabeth Taylor was widely known for her violet eyes—so much so that she named her newest
fragrance after them. I was slightly crushed, then, to discover that, by most official accounts, Taylor's eyes
were actually a deep blue that appeared purple when enhanced by lighting and makeup. (Truly violet eyes
occur only in albinos.)
While she might not have had bona fide purple eyes, as anyone who saw Elizabeth Taylor onscreen knows,
they were still arresting: large, liquid, and framed by a thick fringe of eyelashes. With respect to those
eyelashes, Taylor apparently hit the jackpot, genetically. According to biographer J. Randy Tarborelli, just
after her birth, Taylor's parents were ushered into the doctor's office and told that their newborn daughter
had a mutation:
"Well, that sounded just awful," the girl's mother later recall[ed], "a mutation. But, when he explained that her
eyes had double rows of eyelashes, I thought, well, now, that doesn't sound so terrible at all."
Double rows of eyelashes are usually the result of a mutation at FOXC2, a gene that influences all kinds of
tissue development in embryos. FOXC2 mutations are thought to be responsible for, among other things,
lymphedema-distichiasis syndrome, a hereditary disease that can cause disorders of the lymphatic system in
addition to double eyelashes.
The eyelash mutation isn't always as cosmetically enhancing as Taylor's turned out to be—the extra
eyelashes can sometimes grow inward and damage the cornea. And it turns out that 7 percent of people
with lymphedema-distichiasis syndrome also suffer from congenital heart disease. Taylor herself had a
history of heart problems—in 2009, Taylor underwent surgery to repair a "leaky valve", and her death on
Wednesday was attributed to congestive heart failure.
The late actor Richard Burton, who accounted for two of Taylor's eight marriages, was oddly dismissiveof
her beauty, saying that she had a double chin, an overdeveloped chest, and short legs. But, he conceded,
"she has wonderful eyes."
Special thanks to Dr. Janet Sparrow and Dr. Stephen Tsang from the Ophthalmology Department at
Columbia University, and to makeup artist Elias Gutierrez.
Photograph of Elizabeth Taylor courtesy of Getty Images.
March 25, 2011 - New Technology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia Aids Surgeons With Early
Detection of Lymphedemain Breast Cancer Patients – Newswise –
Early Detection and Intervention May Prevent Disabling Complication of Breast Cancer Surgery
Newswise — NEW YORK (March 24, 2011) -- Breast cancer specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian
Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center are offering patients new ways to detect early signs of
lymphedema, a common side effect of breast cancer surgery that causes painful, debilitating and disfiguring
swelling in the arms following removal of lymph nodes.
As many as 30 percent of women who have breast cancer surgery with lymph node removal will develop
lymphedema. Radiation treatment increases this risk to as high as 50 percent. While it is possible to arrest
the condition through physical therapy and bandaging, there is no cure.
"Just as we've used early detection to improve breast cancer survival, we are using early detection to reduce
women's risk for developing lymphedema,"says
Dr. Sheldon Feldman, the Vivian L. Milstein Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at Columbia University
College of Physicians and Surgeons and chief of breast surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian
Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.
Dr. Feldman and his colleagues at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia are employing a technique called
bioimpedence spectroscopy to help them identify the earliest onset of lymphedema. An FDA-approved
device called L-DEX (ImpediMed Inc.) uses a mild electrical current to measure minute changes in
extracellular fluid, allowing for a diagnosis of lymphedema by the physician well before any swelling is
noticeable. "By catching it early, we can reverse the process and prevent unnecessary pain, embarrassment,
debilitation and risk of infection,"says Dr. Feldman.
Alongside its clinical use, the bioimpedence technique is also being used in research to better understand
which patients are most at risk for lymphedema and whether the condition always progressively worsens, or
if it can naturally correct itself over time. Other studies will investigate the common belief that lymphedema is
negatively affected by air travel and weight training.
Another method of reducing risk for lymphedema is a technique called "reverse arm mapping.""The lymph
nodes that drain the arm are sometimes removed during breast cancer surgery because they're situated
within the armpit (axilla) in the same area as the lymph nodes that relate to the breast. With reverse arm
mapping, we inject dye into the patient's arm to differentiate the two kinds of lymph nodes. This allows the
surgeon to avoid removing any nodes related to arm drainage while still accurately identifying the sentinel
nodes, which are important for breast cancer evaluation and treatment,"says Dr. Feldman. "This should
reduce the risk of developing lymphedema.”
Arm mapping is part of a larger trend toward reducing or eliminating the need to remove a woman's lymph
nodes -- thereby reducing the incidence of lymphedema. Beginning in the 1990s, sentinel node biopsy used
dye injected into the breast to target the sentinel lymph node, the gatekeeper to the axilla and the one most
at risk for cancer spread. Today, the latest research indicates that fewer patients need any lymph nodes
removed than previously thought. Even if the sentinel node is shown to be positive, patients with early-stage
breast cancer who are treated with lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation may not need to have any
further lymph nodes removed.
For more information, patients may call (866) NYP-NEWS.
Columbia University Medical Center
Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, pre-clinical and clinical
research, in medical and health sciences education, and in patient care. The Medical Center trains future
leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists,
and nurses at the College of Physicians & Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of
Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Established in 1767, Columbia's College of Physicians
and Surgeons was the first institution in the country to grant the M.D. degree and is now among the most
selective medical schools in the country. Columbia University Medical Center is home to the largest medical
research enterprise in New York City and state and one of the largest in the United States. For more
information, please visit www.cumc.columbia.edu.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, based in New York City, is the nation's largest not-for-profit, non-
sectarian hospital, with 2,353 beds. The Hospital has more than 2 million inpatient and outpatient visits in a
year, including more than 220,000 visits to its emergency departments -- more than any other area hospital.
NewYork-Presbyterian provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of
medicine at five major centers: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-
Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley
Children's Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian/The Allen Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian
Hospital/Westchester Division. One of the most comprehensive health care institutions in the world, the
Hospital is committed to excellence in patient care, research, education and community service. NewYork-
Presbyterian is the #1 hospital in the New York metropolitan area and is consistently ranked among the best
academic medical institutions in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report. The Hospital has
academic affiliations with two of the nation's leading medical colleges: Weill Cornell Medical College and
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. For more information, visit www.nyp.org.
March 25, 2011 - The Benefits Of Liposuction On Breast Cancer Patients - Bay Net –
The Benefits Of Liposuction On Breast Cancer Patients
Reconstructive plastic surgery is often a necessity for breast cancer survivors. Insurance companies will
normally pay for reconstructive plastic surgery procedures that have been linked to a medical illness but will
not cover certain procedures that are still considered cosmetic. One such procedure is liposuction.
Insurance companies view liposuction as a strictly elective procedure that is used to remove fat deposits for
cosmetic improvement. New research is starting to discover that liposuction can offer help for breast cancer
patients that have developed secondary medical conditions from their cancer treatments. The most
prominent illness that is linked to breast cancer treatment is Lymphedema.
Lymphedema occurs when the lymph nodes near the breasts and upper arms are removed due to the
presence of cancerous cells. Once the lymph nodes are removed from the upper arms, the lymphatic fluid is
trapped with no way to be purged from the body. The excess lymphatic fluid is absorbed into the
surrounding fat cells. This process results in the painful condition called Lymphedema. Symptoms of
Lymphedema include: severely swollen arms, numbness of the arms, heaviness and poor mobility.
Both traditional liposuction and
smart liposuction have proven to be very effective treatments in reducing the effects of Lymphedema.
Removing excess fat cells in the upper arm region decreases the amount of swelling that is associated with
this medical condition. Currently Insurance companies refuse to acknowledge the benefits of liposuction as a
treatment to Lymphedema.
Liposuction cost can range anywhere from $12,000 to $17,000. Without insurance coverage, patients are
often left to pay for these procedures out of pocket. The medical community is currently doing case studies
to prove that both regular and laser liposuction can help improve the quality of life in breast cancer survivors.
However, these medical case studies can take several years to complete. Patients who are currently
suffering from Lymphedema have no other options to cover the liposuction cost other than paying the entire
fee upfront or borrowing in the form of a medical loan.
The health benefits associated with liposuction in regards to Lymphedema are worth the costs of the
procedure. Many patients have reported relief of the swelling and regained use of the affected limbs. Until
the medical community can prove to the insurance companies that liposuction can be a medical necessity,
there are other financial options available to patients who wish to use liposuction as a means to relieve
Lymphedema.
www.liposuctioncost.com/smart-liposuction
www.liposuctioncost.com/
March 27, 2011 - Good Deeds, March 27 - Omaha World-Herald –
The following are fundraisers, donations and other charitable events or opportunities happening in the
Midlands. E-mail your information about good deeds to connect@owh.com or call 402-444-1040.
Help for colleague, wife, mother: The Immanuel Medical Center community has organized a Saturday
fundraiser for the family of one of its own. Rachel Stotler Clasemann, a lymphedema therapist at Immanuel,
sustained a severe brain injury in a Jan. 10 traffic accident and is at Immanuel Rehabilitation Center. Her
husband, Jon Clasemann, and their sons, Jacob and Nathan, live in Papillion. The pancake breakfast and
silent auction will be from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Columbkille Catholic Church, 200 E.
Sixth St. in Papillion. The cost is $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 2 to 12. T-shirts also will be sold for
$10 each. Jacob and Nathan designed the shirts.
TeamMates: Tuesday will be TeamMates Day at Runza. All 75 Runza restaurants will donate 10 percent of
Tuesday’s proceeds to benefit local TeamMates chapters.
Bowling for Recovery: Community Alliance will host a Bowling for Recovery fundraiser Thursday at
Sempeck’s Bowling and Entertainment, 20902 Cumberland Drive in the Elkhorn area. Form a team, join a
team or sponsor a bowler in support of those with mental illness. Visit www.community-alliance.org and
click on the events tab to learn more, register or donate. The first bowling session will start at 5 p.m. For
$15, you get two hours of bowling, pizza and pop.
Reaching out: Creighton University social work students will offer information at the Heart Ministry Center,
2222 Binney St., to help attendees connect with Nebraska services. The students will be there from 10 a.m.
to noon Friday. Among the topics to be addressed are applying for Medicaid, Title XX and other state
programs; healthy eating and good nutrition; budget matters; and information to help in applying for jobs and
services.
Grease the griddle: The Waffle Man will be in action Friday to raise funds for the American Cancer Society’
s Relay For Life of Cass County. Kris’ Krew is putting on the all-you-can-eat Belgian waffle event from 5 p.
m. to 7:30 p.m. at Conestoga Elementary School in Murray, Neb. Cost: $6 per person but free for ages 4
and younger.
Kicking cancer: Zeta Tau Alpha, a sorority at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, will host its annual
Kick Out Cancer kickball tournament beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday in Elmwood Park. Proceeds go for
breast cancer education and awareness. Teams of eight to 10 members each can register with Sarahbeth
Averill at 402-201-5734 or saverill@unomaha.edu. Registration costs $65. Watching the tournament is free
and open to the public.
Polka time: The Polka America Corp. has organized a Saturday and April 3 fundraiser to benefit polka
music promotions and college scholarships. Four bands will perform. Concessions will be available for
purchase. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. both days at the Starlite Ballroom in Wahoo, Neb. Admission is
$10 Saturday and $8 April 3. Tickets available at the door only.
Just a reminder: Boy Scouts will attach door hangers Saturday to alert residents that Scouting for Food’s
pickup of nonperishable items will be April 9.
Benefit for Campfire USA: A tailgating event before the April 3 Creighton University versus University of
Portland baseball game will raise money for the Midlands Council of Campfire USA, a nonprofit that works
with children. The fundraiser will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the McGloin parking lot in front of the
stadium. A “Wing Fling” lunch will include wings, vegetables, chips, desserts and soda for $5. Sponsoring
the lunch is the CU chapter of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority.
Dodgeball: Sigma Kappa Sorority at the University of Nebraska at Omaha will host a dodgeball tournament
to raise money for Alzheimer’s research. The tournament will begin at noon April 9 at UNO’s pep bowl and
the Health Physical Education and Recreation Building. Teams of six to eight players will play 20-minute
games. Teams must have two women on the court during play time. Registration is $5 per player. E-mail
Samantha Mancuso at smancuso@unomaha.edu to register.
There he is: The Fremont (Neb.) Area Habitat for Humanity Mr. Habitat Pageant 2011 will be April 16 at
Midland University’s Hopkins Arena in Fremont. Five men will compete in several categories, including
fundraising. The event is open to the public. Visit www.fremonthabitat.org to purchase tickets, $45, or to
make a donation.
Prosthetics: Step Global, a Nebraska-based charity, refits unneeded prosthetics for its charity therapy work
in Nicaragua. Both monetary donations and prosthetics that are no longer needed are accepted. Step Global’
s website, www.stepglobal.org, has information about donating. For more information, call Jacob Keough at
402-614-7321.
Biking for housing: Anne Troyer — a native of Shickley, Neb., and a student at Goshen College in Indiana
— will pedal 3,600 miles from Seattle to Washington, D.C., to raise awareness and support for the Fuller
Center for Housing, a nonprofit Christian housing ministry. The ride will start June 10 and end Aug. 14. Her
fundraising goal is $3,600. To help sponsor her ride, e-mail her at troyeranne@gmail.com or visit www.
fullercenter.org/bikeadventure.
Still time to give: The Twin Rivers YMCA in Valley, Neb., has surpassed previous years’ fundraising efforts
and added more than $70,000 to its Strong Kids Campaign funding for the next year. The fundraising effort
will end Thursday for the entire YMCA of Greater Omaha Area locations. Additional donations are
welcome through the Twin Rivers YMCA or online at www.metroymca.org, click on Opportunities.
Helping the sisters: A week ago, 264 guests joined the Notre Dame Sisters at Omaha Roncalli High School
to celebrate their 100-year ministry in the United States and to honor Sister Marilyn Ross, executive director
of Holy Name Housing. The fundraiser grossed $40,000 for the ministries of the Notre Dame Sisters and
featured a silent auction and raffle.
Compiled by Sue Story Truax
March 27, 2011 - Breast biopsy may be first step in cancer battle - Pueblo Chieftain – By DR. CARL
BARTECCHI –
Q: I just found out that I have an abnormal mammogram, and a biopsy is recommended. What will happen
to me?
A: For help with this sensitive question, I consulted Louis Balizet, M.D., a medical oncologist at the Rocky
Mountain Cancer Center. Here is his answer:
When radiologists read mammograms, they place the results in one of five categories ranging from totally
normal to very suspicious for cancer. Your mammogram is abnormal enough that biopsy is recommended
(Category 4 or 5).
Breast biopsies are usually done using a special type of mammogram, which allows the radiologist to see the
abnormality —frequently only a tiny cluster of white dots, or microcalcifications — in three dimensions.
After local anesthesia, he places a small needle in the middle of the abnormality and takes one or several
samples. These samples are then reviewed by a pathologist, who determines if cancer is present. If he finds
cancer, he then performs a number of other studies on the biopsy specimen to determine how aggressive it
might be, and what medicines might be helpful in treatment. Approximately 20 percent of Category 4
mammograms come back positive on biopsy; almost all Category 5 ones do.
Obviously this is a scary time for any woman; it is very upsetting to go from feeling perfectly normal one day
to worrying about harboring a potentially fatal cancer the next. If your biopsy comes back positive, it is
important to remember three things: (1) Most women with breast cancer are cured; (2) the overwhelming
majority of women whose breast cancer is discovered by mammogram, without a lump that they can feel,
are cured; and (3) mastectomy is rarely needed in the treatment of breast cancer.
If the biopsy does come back positive, your primary care provider will refer you to a surgeon, who will
perform a lumpectomy —removal of a relatively small portion of the breast surrounding the original biopsy
site. This will be sent to the pathologist, who will determine the size of the cancer (usually a fraction of an
inch) and whether a rim of normal tissue surrounds the cancer (in medical terms, whether the “margins are
clear.”) The surgeon may also suggest removing a “sentinel node” — a lymph node under the armpit that is
first in line to collect cancer cells if any decide to migrate in that direction. The incisions for these procedures
are usually only a few inches in length.
These days we rarely proceed to remove any more lymph nodes under the armpit, even if the sentinel node
is positive — research has shown that next to nothing is gained by doing any more. The value of finding out if
the sentinel node is positive is to guide subsequent use of medical therapy; it is done more to get information
about the way the cancer is likely to behave than to treat it. These and other discoveries have virtually
eliminated the “fat arm” (lymphedema) that women experienced in the past as a consequence of surgery to
remove lymph nodes under the armpit.
At this point we are about halfway through treatment for the breast cancer. Even if all the cancer seen on the
mammogram has been removed, with negative margins, there is still a good chance that there is (invisible)
cancer left in the breast. Eradicating this, while still keeping the breast intact and looking as close to normal
as possible, is the job of the next specialist you will see— the radiation oncologist. He will use X-rays —
invisible but deadly to any remaining cancer — delivered in small daily doses for three to five weeks to the
entire breast. This treatment is painless but, toward the end, you might develop a “sunburn” on the breast
that usually goes away in one to two weeks. Radiation therapy after lumpectomy virtually guarantees that
cancer will not return in the breast. It is natural at this stage for you to feel that therapy should be done —
the cancer in the breast has been removed, and, for good measure, the entire breast has been irradiated.
However, there remains one critical element of therapy— medical or “systemic” therapy. In fact, it is this
portion of therapy which has made the treatment of breast cancer more likely to be curative than in the past.
We know that women who die from breast cancer die from cancer cells that have escaped beyond the
breast before the diagnosis is made, then grow months to years later in other parts of the body (metastatic
cancer). All the treatment in the world, if directed only at the breast, will not touch these cells. Fortunately,
there is a large selection of medicines that do attack these cells, wherever they may be. To decide about
whether they are needed, and if so, which ones, you will meet yet another member of the breast cancer
treatment team — a medical oncologist. To guide his decision the medical oncologist turns to the information
given by the pathologist: How big is the tumor? Is it influenced by female hormones? Is it driven by other
growth factors? Is the sentinel node positive? Sometimes, to further refine the selection of anti-cancer
medicines, he will order an additional study on the biopsy material that can actually measure the activity of
16 cancer-promoting genes. Armed with this information, the medical oncologist can recommend a regimen
of medical treatment tailored to the characteristics of your individual cancer, as well as to your individual
overall health status. This regimen could be as simple as a once-daily pill for five years, or as complicated as
a five-drug cocktail including intravenous chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy, when needed, is by far the most difficult part of breast cancer treatment. It can entail the
placement (by a surgeon or radiologist) of a “port” to facilitate frequent intravenous injections; it usually
causes hair loss that is temporary but still distressing; it rarely causes nausea but almost always causes
fatigue. It is recommended only when it gives a woman a significant boost in her chances of cure beyond
what they would be without it. It is the medical oncologist’s job to explain to you why additional medical
therapy might be needed, and if so, what medicines would be best and why. The medical oncologist also will
describe the possible side effects of the proposed regimen, and what steps can be taken to lessen or
eliminate them.
Breast cancer is common and the treatment is complex. But thanks to reduced use of hormone replacement
treatment and to mammograms, it is being diagnosed less frequently, and in earlier stages. Thanks to
improvement in surgical and radiation therapy techniques, disfiguring consequences of treatment are rare.
Thanks to early application of a variety of drugs, treatment is more likely to be curative.
An American woman’s chance of dying from breast cancer is 20 percent less now than it was 20 years ago,
with even more improvements likely on the horizon. If your biopsy does come back positive for breast
cancer, you will likely be cured of your disease, and your appearance should remain essentially the same.
Dr. Carl Bartecchi is an internal medicine specialist. Please submit general health questions to him via e-mail
at ckbartecchi@gmail.com.
March 28, 2011 - Breast cancer specialists offer new technology for patients to detect early-stage
lymphedema –
Breast cancer specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center are
offering patients new ways to detect early signs of lymphedema, a common side effect of breast cancer
surgery that causes painful, debilitating and disfiguring swelling in the arms following removal of lymph nodes.
As many as 30 percent of women who have breast cancer surgery with lymph node removal will develop
lymphedema. Radiation treatment increases this risk to as high as 50 percent. While it is possible to arrest
the condition through physical therapy and bandaging, there is no cure.
"Just as we've used early detection to improve breast cancer survival, we are using early detection to reduce
women's risk for developing lymphedema,"says Dr. Sheldon Feldman, the Vivian L. Milstein Associate
Professor of Clinical Surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and chief of breast
surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.
Dr. Feldman and his colleagues at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia are employing a technique called
bioimpedence spectroscopy to help them identify the earliest onset of lymphedema. An FDA-approved
device called L-DEX (ImpediMed Inc.) uses a mild electrical current to measure minute changes in
extracellular fluid, allowing for a diagnosis of lymphedema by the physician well before any swelling is
noticeable. "By catching it early, we can reverse the process and prevent unnecessary pain, embarrassment,
debilitation and risk of infection,"says Dr. Feldman.
Alongside its clinical use, the bioimpedence technique is also being used in research to better understand
which patients are most at risk for lymphedema and whether the condition always progressively worsens, or
if it can naturally correct itself over time. Other studies will investigate the common belief that lymphedema is
negatively affected by air travel and weight training.
Another method of reducing risk for lymphedema is a technique called "reverse arm mapping.""The lymph
nodes that drain the arm are sometimes removed during breast cancer surgery because they're situated
within the armpit (axilla) in the same area as the lymph nodes that relate to the breast. With reverse arm
mapping, we inject dye into the patient's arm to differentiate the two kinds of lymph nodes. This allows the
surgeon to avoid removing any nodes related to arm drainage while still accurately identifying the sentinel
nodes, which are important for breast cancer evaluation and treatment,"says Dr. Feldman. "This should
reduce the risk of developing lymphedema."
Arm mapping is part of a larger trend toward reducing or eliminating the need to remove a woman's lymph
nodes -- thereby reducing the incidence of lymphedema. Beginning in the 1990s, sentinel node biopsy used
dye injected into the breast to target the sentinel lymph node, the gatekeeper to the axilla and the one most
at risk for cancer spread. Today, the latest research indicates that fewer patients need any lymph nodes
removed than previously thought. Even if the sentinel node is shown to be positive, patients with early-stage
breast cancer who are treated with lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation may not need to have any
further lymph nodes removed.
Source: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
March 28, 2011 - $356K in grants for local breast cancer programs - Fresno Business Journal –
The Central Valley affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure has announced its award of 10 grants totaling
$356,216 to programs providing breast cancer services in the Fresno County area.
The awards will be presented in a press conference at ValleyPBS on April 1, which begins the Susan G.
Komen for the Cure fiscal year that concludes on March 31, 2012, said Sharon Johnson, executive director
of the Central Valley affiliate.
“We have identified specific, unmet breast health needs within our community and ‘filled in the gaps,’
delivering the life-saving message of early detection and providing assistance to medically-underserved
breast cancer patients and their families," Johnson said in a statement.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure is a network of 125 affiliates that bills itself as "the world's largest and most
progressive grassroots network fighting to end breast cancer forever."
The grantees include:
Association for Community Enhancement: Breast Cancer Awareness Project - $10,000
?
B-CAP will provide the nutrition education and portable exercise program in the Hispanic and Lao
communities. Designed to implement a series of discussion programs regarding risk reduction, early
detection, and treatment of breast cancers.
Centro la Familia Advocacy Services, Inc.: Cancer del Seno - $50,000
Offers a culturally and linguistically appropriate program specifically for Latinas with bilingual education,
awareness and advocacy on their behalf and screening referral resources. There are plans to reach 500
women in the following areas: Huron, Parlier, Sanger, Selma, and Reedley.
Children's Hospital Central California: Children’s Hospital Central California Breast Cancer Awareness and
Education Project - $10,143
Research indicates that young women who have received radiation as part of chemotherapy have a higher
incidence of breast cancer than the general population and need to be screened for secondary recurrences
starting as early as age 25. As a result, breast cancer awareness and education is vital to early detection of
secondary cancer conditions.
Clovis Community Medical Center-Lymphedema Clinic :Effective and Timely Treatment of Lymphedema,
Axillary Web Syndrome and Related Conditions Regardless of the Ability to Pay for Services or of Cultural
Barrier - $50,000
Program will provide treatment to underserved breast cancer survivors who have been diagnosed with
lymphedema.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center, Inc. (DHHSC): Cancer, Awareness, Recovery, and Education
(CARE) - $33,206
Provide culturally and linguistically appropriate breast cancer education to the deaf and hard of hearing.
Disability Legal Rights Center – Cancer Legal Resource Center : Guide to Navigating Breast Health Care
Options in Fresno County - $10,000
Educate those who do not have adequate information about their legal rights and options. These groups are
less likely to receive optimum health care and are more prone to experience increased stress and less
positive survivorship outcomes.
Fresno Health Consumer Center, a project of Central California Legal Services, Inc.: Breast Cancer
Education Project - $50,000
The culturally diverse staff is trained to assist families with health care access issues in their own language.
Individuals served represent an ethnically diverse clientele, with an increasing number of residents for whom
English is a second language. Will provide advocacy and educational breast cancer awareness services and
offer free mammograms for men and women in Fresno County through the administration of the $200
Challenge, funds raised from Komen Central Valley Race for the Cure.
Hinds Hospice: Palliative Care/Hospice for Breast Cancer Patients - $43,900
Financial assistance to help offset the un-reimbursed cost of care provided to the uninsured or underinsured
terminally ill breast cancer patients who are in need of Hospice Care in Fresno County.
Valley Public Television, Inc. DBA ValleyPBS : Multi-media Educational Outreach Project-$50,000
Multi-media educational outreach project for the Central Valley Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
focused on developing culturally appropriate breast health education materials for Central Valley residents.
West Fresno Health Care Coalition, Inc.: Body and Soul United - $48,967
Community-based and faith-based partnership project working with predominately African-American
churches for increasing awareness on breast health education
Thirteen specialists in Hanford recently earned accreditation for their Adventist Health/Central Valley
Network surgery center.
The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care denoted the Kings River Surgical Center as
officially certified, recognizing the outfit at the Hanford Medical Pavilion for its quality of services and its
performance based on a national standard.
“I’m very excited we received the maximum accreditation available,” said Dr. Jeffrey Csiszar, the center’s
medical director. “It reflects our commitment to the quality of care our patients receive.”
Ambulatory means “able to walk” and refers to outpatient services, or those that don’t require a hospital
stay. Surgeons at the center specialize in gastroenterology, orthopedics, podiatry, urology, gynecology,
general surgery and ear, nose and throat operations.
The surgeries are performed in a 7,000 square-foot center on the first floor of the pavilion, next to Adventist
Medical Center. The Kings River Surgical Center was designed to emphasize personalized care and faster
surgeries and recoveries.
March 28, 2011 – Sentinel Lymph Node Dissection – openPR –
openPR) - Health care professionals at the King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) work tirelessly not only
to treat cancer, but to treat the patient with cancer. Doctors are trained in the latest available techniques and
findings; employ the most recent proven methods of diagnosis, procedures and treatment; and utilize state-of-
the-art medical equipment. KHCC care is patient centric, focusing on the best interests of the patient-
aggressively attacking cancer while working to minimize side effects for the patient. Sentinel Lymph Node
Dissection (SLND) is one example of the many highly-advanced techniques offered to KHCC patients.
SLND is an effective surgical procedure for multiple types of cancer. According to Dr. Mahmoud Al
Masari, Department Chairman of Surgery at KHCC, “SLND has been the standard of patient care at the
Center in determining the spread of disease for breast cancer since 2003.” Doctors began using this
procedure because of its extreme benefits to patients, offering a much less invasive alternative, quick
recovery and fewer post-operative complications than the traditional staging method of Auxiliary Lymph
Node Dissection (ALND).
Lymph nodes are small organs grouped in the neck, underarms, chest, abdomen and groin that help the
body fight infection, clean and filter foreign cells. Although not all cancers spread in an orderly progression,
the flow of fluid from a breast tumor is predictable; it will first drain into lymph nodes under the arm. If cells
from a malignant breast tumor begin to spread, they are found trapped in an underarm lymph node closest to
the tumor before potentially spreading to other areas of the body. Doctors refer to the sentinel lymph node
as being the first lymph node fed directly from the tumor.
Years ago, breast cancer patients would undergo conventional ALND where surgeons remove most
(approximately 10-30) nodes in the armpit area to determine if cancer has spread. This intrusive procedure
has post-operative risks such as lymphedema (permanent, life-long swelling of the arm). In contrast, SLND
involves the removal of only 3-4 nodes, those suspected to be the sentinel lymph node. If the nodes are
found to be cancer-free after careful analysis, doctors determine that cancer from the breast tumor has been
contained and not spread to create any secondary tumors.
A middle-aged woman, Rania, detected her breast cancer through screening from a Jordan Breast Cancer
Program (JBCP)-sponsored campaign. Upon being diagnosed, she immediately sought treatment at KHCC,
where she underwent a concurrent lumpectomy and SLND procedure. Like countless other KHCC
patients, she is grateful that Dr. Al Masari used this method which not only assured that all cancer had been
removed, but allowed “excellent mobility” within days of the operation. She quickly resumed daily activities
with her three active children, relieved to have not endured the possible nerve damage or potential
lymphedema commonly associated with ALND. Rania credits the excellent medical care she received at
KHCC - accuracy in diagnosis, advanced procedures, cutting edge technology, and highly-skilled doctors-
for being “a cancer-free survivor” today.
Procedure
When a patient is diagnosed in the early stages of breast cancer and presents only a small malignant mass,
doctors determine in pre-operative exams if the patient is a likely candidate for SLND. If a patient meets
required prerequisites for SLND, surgeons perform the SLND procedure before beginning the patient's
lumpectomy or mastectomy to access if cancer has spread beyond the breast.
For KHCC surgeons to accurately locate the specific sentinel lymph node(s) requiring removal, patients are
injected near the tumor site with two tracers- blue dye for visual identification and a low-level radioactive
material detected via a Gamma Probe machine. With the help of the dual tracers, a specially-trained surgeon
identifies the sentinel lymph nodes. Only dye-stained nodes, nodes detected with any radioactive activity,
and any other suspicious nodes are removed for comprehensive analysis.
KHCC pathologists analyze the excised sentinel lymph nodes while surgeons concurrently perform their
patient’s lumpectomy or mastectomy. The KHCC pathology lab tests nodes by varied methods in order to
provide the most accurate results. Initially, a portion of the nodes are immediately examined during surgery
to give doctors a preliminary indication if cancer is detected. If cancer is found, an ALND is performed to
determine the extent of the cancer's spread. However, if preliminary pathology results show that cancer is
not present, it is likely that cancer has not metastasized. Pathologists perform additional laboratory tests for
verification which provide more reliable accuracy in detection but take longer to analyze. For this reason,
there is a possibility that cancer could be detected days after SLND from one of the other methods of
analysis. If cancer is identified, patients return to undergo the ALND procedure for deeper analysis.
At KHCC
The Center's overall SLND success rate is an amazing 98%, exceeding the international average. A
relentless commitment to the success of SNLD is evident in rigorous training and unparalleled,
uncompromising quality at KHCC.
Training Standard learning protocol requires SLND surgeons to perform at least 20-30 procedures where
sentinel nodes have been correctly identified in over 90% of cases. All KHCC surgeons, residents and
fellows are thoroughly trained under the watchful eye of Dr. Al Masari, an expert in the procedure, who
helped pioneer this technique in Jordan as one of the first surgeons in the region to employ SLND. Since
SLND is regularly performed at the Center, KHCC provides a learning platform for doctors in Jordan (and
the region), to gain invaluable experience by receiving significant hands-on observational training from
KHCC experienced surgeons.
Quality KHCC has always provided quality cancer care, utilizing only the latest and greatest tools and
techniques for its patients. The Center's commitment to quality has been recognized nationally and
internationally. Among the honors, the Center received accreditation from the Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) as both a general hospital in 2006 (renewed in 2009)
and a disease-specific cancer center in 2007. Additionally, in 2009, the Department of Pathology and
Laboratory Medicine of KHCC was awarded an accreditation from the College of American Pathologists
(CAP), testifying to the exceptional high quality of KHCC’s pathology and laboratory services. KHCC's lab
is the first and only lab in Jordan to achieve the high criterion set by CAP.
Statistics since 2005 indicate 335 procedures of SLND performed at KHCC. A staggering 90 of these 335
procedures were performed between 1/1/2010 to 8/2010. Dr. Al Masari credits increased public
awareness and advocacy of regular breast examinations through the JBCP, with more incidences of breast
cancer being detected at early stages. At these early stages of detection, SLND is most likely to be
performed to detect any potential spread of cancer, thereby reducing mortality.
References
Dr. Mahmoud Al-Masri, KHCC Department Chairman of Surgery
Mrs. Rania Odeh, KHCC patient
www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/lymph_node_removal...
www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/therapy/sentinel-no...
www.cancernews.com/data/Article/202.asp
www.emedicinehealth.com/sentinel_node_biopsy/article_em.htm
www.gammaprobe.com/clinical/lymphnodes
www.imaginis.com/breast-health/sentinel-lymph-node-biopsy-2
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel_lymph_node
The King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) is the only specialized cancer center in the Middle East that
treats both adult and pediatric patients. Founded in 1997, KHCC is a non-governmental, not-for-profit
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P.O.Box 1269 Al Jubeiha Amman 11941 Jordan, Tel.5300460
Monday, March 28, 2011 - Boscov's Berks Jazz Fest: Sharon Bailey battles back to the jazz limelight – By
Susan Shelly –
After a two-year battle with breast cancer and melanoma, the Bethlehem resident and Berks native reunites
with the Ladies of Jazz for a Saturday Berks Jazz Fest concert.
After nearly two years of battling breast cancer and melanoma, singer Sharon L. Bailey will return to the
stage with the Ladies of Jazz during a Boscov's Berks Jazz Fest performance Saturday in the Abraham
Lincoln Hotel.
Her return to singing is a triumph, both of the medical professionals who cared for her and Bailey's spirit,
which wavered during the intensive cancer treatments but wouldn't be broken.
"There were times when I didn't know what would happen to me," said Bailey, 54, a Berks County native
who lives in Bethlehem. "The radiation affected my throat, and I wasn't sure about being able to sing. But, I
tried to stay positive through it all. At the worst times, I would imagine myself being on stage, singing."
Singing is what Bailey does, and has done since she was 4 years old. She has been a part of the area music
scene for years, and in 2003 left her nursing job to pursue singing full time. Audiences embraced her, and
she was hired to perform at venues including the Berks Jazz Fest, Bethlehem's Musikfest, the Hotel
Bethlehem and Philadelphia clubs.
She was preparing for a show in Jenkintown, just outside of Philadelphia, in June 2009 when she discovered
a lump in her breast and was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.
"I am one who has had mammograms faithfully, and I'd had one just six months before the diagnosis," Bailey
said. "They did another mammogram and, when the doctor called me on the same day, I knew the news
was not good."
She began extensive treatment, including surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, at Lehigh Valley Hospital,
where she had worked as a nurse five years earlier. While she was being treated for breast cancer, doctors
removed some moles from Bailey's leg and discovered that she also had melanoma, a serious form of skin
cancer.
"I always say that things happen for a reason," Bailey said. "If it hadn't been for the breast cancer, we might
not have discovered the melanoma."
Today, Bailey is in complete remission from both cancers, and ecstatic to finally be getting back to her life.
She recently returned from a trip to the West Coast, where she attended her grandson's one-year birthday
party. Bailey was still undergoing chemotherapy when Steven Xavier Bailey was born prematurely on March
11, 2010, weighing a little more than 3 pounds.
"It was difficult to be so far away from my son (Erik Bailey) and his wife at the time, but I just wasn't able to
travel," Bailey said. "I was recently able to visit them in their new home and take part in his first birthday
celebration."
Feeling that she can provide valuable support and help to other women, she is looking to shift her career
focus to working with women suffering from lymphedema, a condition involving swelling of the arm or arms
that occurs in 10 to 15 percent of breast-cancer patients. And she is anticipating her return to the stage with
the Ladies of Jazz and The Last Big Band.
"I feel like it's going to be wonderful to be up there and see all those faces and have the band behind me
again," Bailey said. "There's no other feeling like that."
Suzie Ernesto and Toni Lynne, the other ladies of the group, are thrilled to have Bailey back.
"Sharon is a tough lady, and I really admire her stamina," Ernesto said. "We're happy to get together again
and offer up this performance as a tribute to a lady who's winning the fight."
Lynne, who said she and Ernesto kept in touch with Sharon via e-mail during her cancer treatments, said the
fact that Bailey is not only well again, but able to sing and perform with the group, is overwhelming.
"Just to see her strong and alive is one thing," Lynne said. "But she still sings. She can still sing. And, that is
just awesome."
Bailey is philosophical about her ordeal with cancer, and grateful to the medical staff and advancements that
enabled her recovery. While she dealt with her illness in a somewhat private manner, she feels it is important
to share her story to bring additional awareness about breast cancer and melanoma, and to serve as a
source of hope and inspiration to people who are in treatment for cancer.
"I just feel so blessed," Bailey said. "My cancer is gone, and I'm thrilled to be able to do what I can do now.
I want other people to know there's hope. I can't do everything I'd like to, but I can sing again, and I'm just
thrilled about that."
Contact Susan Shelly: life@readingeagle.com.
March 28, 2011 - Local Soldiers, Girl Scouts Display Best of Americans - Patch.com – ByAnna Renault –
Witnessing acts of bravery, generosity highlight columnist's week 'around town.'
Traveling around town is always an interesting experience.
Last Thursday, I had mixed emotions as I attended the deployment for a unit from the 175th Infantry
Regiment of Maryland’s National Guard. Eric Friesl, an usher at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, is a
member of the Towson unit that deployed 88 men. This is Friesl’s fourth deployment.
Family, friends and parishioners are wishing him all the best.
“I’m glad I have the special skills and training needed that keeps my name on the ‘available for deployment’
list,” Friesl said.
His unit left from the Towson Armory, bound for six weeks of focused training at Fort Atterbury, IN. The
training will be followed by a 12-month assignment in Egypt.
The Armory was abuzz with dignitaries, family and friends, all there to say farewell as the men departed on
their dangerous mission. It seemed a bit strange seeing the men carrying their machine guns on their shoulder,
across their back, or along their front. While it is recognized that soldiers deploy to a war zone and must use
heavy weapons, it isn’t every day you see them carrying the weapon like a backpack or a baby. The guys
admit they quickly learn that it is necessary to have hands on your weapon at all times—it becomes second
nature when in a war zone.
Days after watching soldiers ship out for an unknown mission, I had the chance to see another great group
of Americans display what makes this country great. On Saturday night, I was on hand as 16 Girl Scout
Troops came together for one of their community events at St. Clements in Rosedale.
Their focus was Kami’s Jammies, a nonprofit organization that collects new pajamas that are distributed to
children who must spend time in hospitals. Watch for more details on this type of fundraising projects.
Congrats to Girl Scout Troop #1081 for hosting the event and for collecting 112 pairs of pajamas.
At the event was Laila Lowery representing Kami’s Jammies, a program of the Casey Cares Foundation.
Laila is a second grader who attends the Friends School. Laila has Sickle-Cell Anemia, a chronic condition,
which causes severe pain when her blood cells form crescents in the blood or “sickle shapes” that cause
pain as these clumps pass through her veins and arteries.
Many other symptoms impede normal childhood activity and development. As a frequent visitor to
University Hospital, Laila understands the importance and influence receiving a gift of new jammies has for
young children who face unpleasant hospital stays.
along with book signings has made my face more recognizable.
Thank you to all who have taken the time to speak with me about my journey through both domestic
violence and cancer. Yes, there have been tough times, but know that many positive things have happened
along my life’s journey—perhaps that will have to be another book … something like Anna’s Journey: The
Rest of the Story! Would anyone be interested in things that are rather ordinary, fun, exciting, weird and
otherwise filling in the blanks of my life?
And yes, the journey is continuing as I live through cancer reactions like Lymphedema on top of a
rollercoaster ride as a newly published author.
March 29, 2011 - NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia Uses Latest Technology for Early Detection of
Lymphedema in Breast Cancer Patients - By Jyothi Shanbhag –
To offer a quick relief for Breast Cancer Patients, specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia
University Medical Center are using new methods and technology to detect early signs of lymphedema, a
common side effect of breast cancer surgery that causes painful, debilitating and disfiguring swelling in the
arms following removal of lymph nodes.
A new technique called bioimpedence spectroscopy has been implemented by Dr. Sheldon Feldman, the
Vivian L. Milstein Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and
Surgeons and chief of breast surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical
Center, and his colleagues at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia to help identify the earliest onset of
lymphedema.
“Just as we've used early detection to improve breast cancer survival, we are using early detection to reduce
women's risk for developing lymphedema,"says Feldman.
An FDA-approved device called L-DEX (ImpediMed Inc.) uses a mild electrical current to measure minute
changes in extracellular fluid, allowing for a diagnosis of lymphedema by the physician well before any
swelling is noticeable. "By catching it early, we can reverse the process and prevent unnecessary pain,
embarrassment, debilitation and risk of infection,"says Dr. Feldman.
Along with this clinical use, the bioimpedence technique is also being used in research to better understand
which patients are most at risk for lymphedema and whether the condition always progressively worsens, or
if it can naturally correct itself over time.
Other studies will investigate the common belief that lymphedema is negatively affected by air travel and
weight training. Even other methods like reverse arm mapping are used to reduce the risk of developing
lymphedema.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, based in New York City, is the nation's largest not-for-profit, non-
sectarian hospital, with more than 2 million inpatient and outpatient visits in a year, including more than
220,000 visits to its emergency departments.
March 29, 2011 - EMMC's motion for new trial in miscarriage case denied - Bangor Daily News – By
Nok-Noi Ricker –
BANGOR, Maine — U.S. District Judge John Woodcock on Monday upheld a jury’s October decision
that awarded a Millinocket woman $200,000 in a civil lawsuit against Eastern Maine Medical Center, and
he also denied the hospital’s motion for a new trial.
The decision is just another step in the appeal process, EMMC’s lawyer said in response to Woodcock’s
ruling. Lorraine Morin’s lawyer said it affirms the jury’s decision that the hospital violated the law and in so
doing directly caused her to suffer personal harm.
Morin, who was having contractions when she was discharged from EMMC on July 1, 2007, after finding
out the 16-week-old fetus she was carrying had no heartbeat, went home and delivered her dead son in the
bathroom of her Millinocket home.
She sued the hospital in U.S. District Court in Bangor, claiming that doctors violated the Emergency Medical
Treatment and Active Labor Act when they sent her home. The law prohibits a hospital from discharging a
patient who is in an emergency medical condition, which includes being pregnant and having contractions.
A jury of six women and two men issued their verdict in October after deliberating for nearly seven hours.
They awarded Morin $50,000 in compensatory damages and $150,000 in punitive damages.
Woodcock’s decision, which was filed Monday, means “the jury got it absolutely right,” said A.J. Greif,
Morin’s attorney, “and that he wasn’t going to undo seven hours of hard work by this very bright jury.”
George Schelling, EMMC’s attorney, said in an email that he was not surprised by Woodcock’s decision.
“The judgment released today in the Morin case is as expected,” he said. “The ruling clears the way for
EMMC to appeal the jury’s October 20, 2010, verdict to the federal appeals court. While EMMC’s
profound sympathies are with the Morin family, EMMC is confident the appellate court will find that EMMC
treated Mrs. Morin in keeping with national standards of care in cases of miscarriage, and that EMMC is in
full compliance with EMTALA.”
EMMC had filed a renewed motion for judgment and a motion for a new trial more than a month ago based
on three claims.
The Bangor hospital “attacks the verdict, claiming that EMTALA distinguishes between viable and non-
viable pregnancies, that the Court erred in allowing a nurse to testify as an expert, and that the trial evidence
did not sustain the verdict,” Woodcock said in his decision denying EMMC’s post-verdict motions.
The hospital asked for a new trial “because the Court did not instruct the jury that the ‘may pose a threat’
language of EMTALA depends on whether the woman in labor has any medical condition that could
interfere with the normal, natural delivery of her healthy child,” Woodcock said.
The judge responded by saying he rejected the same motion during the trial because Morin did not deliver a
healthy child, but a dead fetus, and therefore the language did not apply. He again denied the motion.
The issue about whether a veteran nurse called as a witness by the defense should have been allowed to
testify also was dealt with during the three-day trial in October, the judge said in rejecting the hospital’s
second reason for a new trial. The final assertion, that the evidence didn’t support the verdict, also was
denied by Woodcock.
The judge also denied a motion by Morin, which she filed after the October verdict, for the hospital to
change its policies regarding the discharge of women going through miscarriages.
“The Court declines to issue such an injunction because the law does not authorize it and the facts do not
support it,” Woodcock said.
Greif said his client filed the motion because “she would never want another woman to go through what she
went through. This has never been about Lorraine, and this has never been about money.”
March 30, 2011 - Uterine Cancer Treatments: Success Without Side Effects - SYS-CON Media –
SARASOTA, Fla., March 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --
Regina Baldwin was 57 and post-menopausal when she started spotting and experiencing pain during
intercourse. She was shocked when her gynecologist told her she had endometrial cancer. And she shocked
her family when she announced that she was going to a treatment center in Mexico. According to TMD, a
medical tourism research company, Baldwin was one of half a million US citizens going out of the country
for medical treatment each year.
An aerobics instructor and avid jogger, Baldwin maintained a healthy weight, had never taken estrogen or
Tamoxifen or had radiation to the pelvis. She had 3 children, and her periods had always been normal, so
she had none of the risk factors associated with endometrial cancer.
Endometrial cancer is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system. Ninety-five per cent of
uterine cancers, like Baldwin's, develop in the lining of the uterus. Sarcomas that develop in the muscle of the
uterus are very rare. In 2010, there were 43,470 new cases in the USA, most in women over 55. There
were 7,950 deaths due to endometrial cancer in that same year.
The uterus is pear shaped and located in the pelvis between the bladder and rectum. During childbearing
years, the uterine lining grows thicker each month to prepare for pregnancy. When pregnancy does not
occur, the thick bloody lining is shed through the vagina. This cycle occurs regularly until menopause.
When normal cells in the uterus begin to change and grow uncontrollably, tumors may form. The most
common symptoms of endometrial cancer are abnormal bleeding or discharge, difficulty emptying the
bladder, pain in the pelvic area, or pain during sex or urination.
Diagnosis is done by pelvic exam, ultrasound, biopsy, a pap test to see if the cancer has spread to the cervix
and labs to measure kidney function and tumor markers. Other tests may include chest X-ray, CT scans and
MRIs.
When Baldwin was presented with conventional medicine's standard treatment - surgery, chemotherapy and
radiation and hormone therapy - she began to research side effects.
Surgery usually involves removing the ovaries, fallopian tubes, part of the vagina, lymph nodes and the uterus
itself. Side effects include nausea and vomiting, loss of bladder control, constipation, loss of desire, hot
flashes, vaginal dryness and night sweats. Removing lymph nodes may cause lymphedema, a painful swelling
in the legs.
Radiation and chemotherapy causes hair loss, skin tenderness, diarrhea, vomiting, vaginal burns, infections,
exhaustion, low blood counts, mouth and lip sores, numbness in extremities, hearing loss, joint pain and
swelling.
Further research told her that when caught early, about 84% of patients live up to 5 years. The survival rate
for late stage endometrial cancer is only 10%. Faced with these dismal statistics, Baldwin told her doctor
she wanted to get a second opinion before deciding on a course of treatment. And she began to look into
alternative clinics located both in and outside of the US.
"I found many clinics in the states that offered excellent programs for detox and immun
e support, but none could offer the aggressive natural therapies that are only legal outside of the US,"
Baldwin explained.
"I learned that the cancer had been in my uterus for a long time before symptoms appeared, so I felt
comfortable taking a few weeks to look at all my options. I was not going to be rushed into a treatment that
had so many side effects. I wanted to live, and I wanted to be able to enjoy life with my children and
grandchildren."
Baldwin faxed her medical records to several clinics in Baja California, Mexico, just across the border from
San Diego, California. "I talked to the head doctor at each clinic, and they answered my questions,
suggested treatment plans and told me what I could expect. And they all told me there would be no side
effects," Baldwin said.
Eventually, Baldwin was admitted to Hope4Cancer Institute, near Rosarito Beach in Baja. "I chose this
small private clinic because they have 8 physicians on staff and they take only 10 patients at a time. And they
were the only clinic I interviewed that did not offer any chemotherapy, not even low dose chemo. The warm,
personal attention and caring staff made my stay a pleasure. The clinic is small enough that you really bond
with the other patients and their families, and I made some lifelong friends," she said.
According to Baldwin, it was her research findings on local and whole body hyperthermia treatments that
made her choose Hope4Cancer.
Dr. Antonio Jimenez, founder and medical director of Hope4Cancer Institute, uses both local and whole
body hyperthermia. "It has been scientifically proven that if you can sustain a temperature of 106 degrees
inside a tumor for one hour, the cancer cells will be destroyed," Jimenez explained. "Because malignant
tumors have poor circulation, they are more sensitive to temperature changes, and normal cells are not
affected, so the treatment has no side effects. We attribute our success to the way we combine a variety of
therapies, with an individual treatment plan for each patient. And we educate our patients, so they
understand what they need to do to regain their health and then stay healthy."
Hyperthermia has been used in Germany for over two decades. Recently the FDA approved microwave
hyperthermia for medical use in the US, but microwaves can only be used on a small area at a time, and only
penetrates a short way beneath the skin. Sound wave or radio wave hyperthermia can be used as a whole
body treatment to find and destroy cancer cells throughout the body. This type of treatment also kills
parasites, virus and fungi while stimulating the immune system. Baldwin's research confirmed that this
treatment would be safe and effective in fighting her cancer.
"My treatment was pretty intense - I was in therapy from after breakfast until dinner time, seven days a
week for two weeks," said Baldwin. "I had local and whole body hyperthermia, SonoPhoto Dynamic
Therapy, several different IVs, a vaccine, lots of detox, counseling and nutrition classes. The food was all
organic and I've learned why I need to change my eating habits. My husband was able to come with me - he
stayed in my room and attended classes and learned how to help with home therapies."
According to Baldwin, making this decision was not easy. "My parents were appalled that I was traveling to
Mexico for treatment. My kids were very supportive. My gynecologist thought I was crazy. My best friend
said she was 100% behind whatever decision I would make and that was the best thing anyone could have
said to me. I needed the people around me to respect my decision as the right one for me."
"It's been 4 years since my treatment at the clinic, and I feel confident I will remain cancer free. My test
results are still clean. I maintain a healthy diet, and stay on a maintenance program from the clinic. I think I
made the right decision."
Author Marla Manhart is a health writer affiliated with TMD Limited and is a patient advocate. She can be
reached at: marlamanhart@hotmail.com
SOURCE TMD Limited
March 30, 2011 - Lesser-known illness comes to light – StarPhoenix – By Hannah Scissons –
Having a medical condition that most people have never heard of can be frustrating — especially when one
of those people who has never heard of it is you.
Angela Connell-Furi started experiencing severe swelling in her ankles when she was 21.
"When I went to doctors and showed them, they would just say, 'Oh, yeah, there's something going on. Put
your feet up. Lose a little weight, it'll go away,' " said Connell-Furi, now 30 years old.
Working as a home-care aid made the directive to put her feet up a difficult one to follow, but she did her
best. As the years progressed, however, the swelling only got worse. Connell-Furi's legs and ankles
ballooned to such a point that she had trouble finding shoes that fit, let alone assisting her home-care clients.
Six years on, suffering from a toe infection, Connell-Furi visited a doctor who took one look at her legs, told
her it looked like primary lymphedema and referred her to a vascular specialist who confirmed that diagnosis.
"He just lifted so much weight off my shoulders when he said, 'I'm going to send you to someone who
knows,' " Connell-Furi said about the family doctor who gave her the referral.
WHAT IS LYMPHEDEMA?
Lymphedema occurs when the lymphatic vessels -part of the immune system -don't perform properly,
causing a buildup of lymph fluid.
Primary lymphedema is a rare, hereditary condition. Secondary lymphedema occurs when the lymph nodes
or vessels are damaged by things such as surgery, cancer, radiation treatment for cancer or an infection that
invades the lymph vessels.
It's a chronic condition and treatment can only slow its progression. There is no cure.
Treatment includes reducing the swelling through a process called manual lymph drainage -a massage
technique also known as complex decongestive therapy -and the use of compression garments that are
specially fitted to the patient.
Patients who are diagnosed with lymphedema in Saskatoon are referred to the outpatient physical therapy
department at Royal University Hospital to be fitted with the compression garments. Janice Block, a senior
physical therapist, said the department gets between 60 and 70 referrals every year.
"The vast majority of clients we see are people who develop lymphedema after surgery for cancer,
particularly breast cancer," Block said.
Clients who are interested in manual lymph drainage and who are approved by their doctor to get it can be
referred to therapists in the city who offer it. Evelyn Tucker receivied training in manual lymph drainage in
1993 and many of her clients have lymphedema.
"The goal of the treatment is to arrest the progression of the condition and then I would be teaching the
clients how to do selfbandaging and self-massage, making sure they're taking really good care of the skin in
that area, because it's so susceptible to infection," Tucker said.
Similar to Block, Tucker also sees many breast cancer patients who are post-mastectomy and who
developed secondary lymphedema.
"They've had treatment for cancer and now, much to their chagrin, they've developed lymphedema and . . . I
think the hardest thing for them is they dealt with the cancer and now, life-long likely, they have this," said
Tucker.
BORN WITH IT
In Connell-Furi's case, the lymphedema is primary, meaning she was born with the susceptibility to the
condition.
After her diagnosis, she was sent to Royal University Hospital to be fitted for compression garments to keep
the swelling down. It was a difficult fitting process and Connell-Furi ended up with compression garments
for her lower legs -not ideal, because her upper legs would also swell, but better than it was before.
Two years after that, her arms also started swelling. Connell-Furi now had lymphedema in all four limbs.
When she was 28, Connell-Furi reached a point where she had to face the fact that her condition made
continuing as a home-care aide impossible. She went on disability. She said it's still hard to talk about the
day she had to leave her job.
"I had to wear sunglasses because I was just bawling," she said.
Later that year, she was referred to the Foeldi Clinic in Germany, where she finally was treated by lymphatic
specialists -there are none in Canada. During her five weeks there, she received manual lymph drainage
massage twice a day and was fitted for compression garments that reached from just under her breasts
down her legs and ones for her arms that reached down to her fingertips.
She was also in exercise classes every day and her husband Trevor received massage training.
PUSHES HERSELF
Back home in Saskatoon, Connell-Furi found it very difficult to learn more about her condition, even in the
years after she finally knew what it was. Tucker, her massage therapist, told her about the Saskatchewan
Lymphovenous Learning Association (SLLA), a group that was created in 2004. ConnellFuri is now a
board member with the association.
One of the goals of the association is to increase awareness of lymphedema among both the general public
and health-care professionals. Connell-Furi tells the story of when she was in the emergency room and the
struggle she had communicating to the nurse about her condition.
"With lymphedema in your arms, you're not supposed to have a blood pressure cuff. It's like blunt trauma, it
can make your arm blow up, I'm exaggerating a bit, to six times its size. It can really make it worse," she
said.
"Nurses have fought with me. I'll explain to them why, and they just don't listen. . . . Now I have a note from
(my doctor) that I'm not to get lab work, blood pressure or an IV unless it's life-threatening. The health-care
system definitely needs more education on it."
One of the goals the SLLA had was to establish a website with links and other information on lymphedema.
Connell-Furi volunteered to do that.
"I thought, 'how hard can it be?' " she said. "It took me a good five months. I would just do a little bit every
few days, because I can only sit for so long and type for so long too."
The site went live earlier this month. It can be found at www.sasklymph.ca.
March 30, 2011 - A Regional Leader in Orthopedic Care - MD News –
The Tahoe Center for Orthopedics — with offices located in beautiful Lake Tahoe and the surrounding
areas — provides an integrated care approach in treating a wide range of orthopedic conditions. A resource
for physicians and patients, it is a regional destination for exceptional orthopedic care.
Focusing on quality and personalized care that covers the full spectrum of musculoskeletal injury and disease
states, the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics provides preventive care and wellness, surgical and nonsurgical
services and a rehabilitation program in a world-class destination.
“At the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics, our goal is to provide exceptional patient care while ensuring an
excellent patient experience,” says Michael Lewis, M.D., M.B.A., Director of the Tahoe Center for
Orthopedics. “Our top-level health care providers, including dedicated physicians, nurses and physical
therapists, exercise an integrated care approach that allows us to deliver high-quality clinical care as well as
maximize patient outcomes.”
Service lines provided to patients through the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics include, sports medicine, joint
replacement and reconstruction, spine care, hand and upper extremity care, medical imaging and
rehabilitation. Providing a true continuum of care, staff from home health and case management also work
closely with the treatment team, patients and their caregivers, creating the smoothest possible transition from
hospital to home.
“When patients are in need of musculoskeletal care, they benefit from seeing our staff of dedicated and
experienced medical professionals, including fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons and radiologists,” says
Dr. Lewis. “Other services provided to patients include care for metabolic bone disease, osteoporosis and
rheumatology.”
Advanced Medical Imaging
Radiologists at Barton Health routinely collaborate with orthopedic surgeons and physiatrists at the Tahoe
Center for Orthopedics, providing medical imaging services through a 1.5T MRI, a 64-slice CT scanner and
X-rays.
“As radiologists, we work closely with orthopedists to quickly and efficiently obtain images of the injured
body parts,” says Leonard Holmgren, M.D., radiologist on staff at Barton Health. “Primarily, we do sports
imaging, as injuries of the knee and shoulder are the most commonly seen conditions due to the popularity of
recreational sports activities such as mountain biking, skiing and rock climbing. Our goal is to provide
enhanced access to imaging and help return people to an active lifestyle as soon as possible.”
Radiologists also work with physiatrists and spine surgeons through the spine program at the Tahoe Center
for Orthopedics to help address concerns, including back pain, neck pain and other spinal conditions.
“Part of the care that we provide to spinal patients is MRI services,” says Dr. Holmgren. “However, we are
also involved in nonsurgical management of spinal pain, including epidural steroid injections and nerve root
blocks. We also perform percutaneous kyphoplasty for patients who have spinal compression fractures or
osteoporosis.”
During a percutaneous kyphoplasty procedure, a needle is injected into the damaged vertebral body. An
inflatable balloon is used to restore the vertebral body to its normal height and cement is then injected into
the space to maintain proper spine alignment.
Ensuring the Best Possible Outcome
To ensure a patient’s recovery to optimal functionality following care, rehabilitative services, including
physical, occupational, speech and aquatic therapy, are provided through Barton’s Rehabilitation Services, a
division of the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics.
“Orthopedists at the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics will refer patients who need nonoperative injury
management or rehabilitation after surgical care,” says Alan Barichievich, P.T., Director of Rehabilitation at
Barton Memorial Hospital. “Once referred, we perform a complete musculoskeletal evaluation to design a
customized treatment plan that is then communicated back to the orthopedist to enhance collaboration.”
Additional services offered through Barton’s Rehabilitation Services include a running program, mechanical
traction and aquatic therapy, hand therapy and lymphedema management. Barton Memorial Hospital
employs the only certified hand therapist on the South Shore.
The runner’s program provides footwear, orthotic assessment and video analysis to evaluate runners to help
prevent injury and help them get back into shape after injury. Many therapists employed at Barton Memorial
Hospital are avid runners themselves, so patients and physicians can rest assured that the program was
developed by trail runners and racers who understand runners’ specific needs.
“Each therapy protocol is individually customized,” says Barichievich. “We see patients of all ages from
pediatric to geriatric patients, and depending on each individual’s injury and rehabilitation goal, we develop
individualized, hands-on care.”
Enhancing the Education ?of Other Medical Professionals
For the past 20 years, the Lake Tahoe Sports Medicine fellowship, part of the Tahoe Center for
Orthopedics, has provided a sports medicine fellowship program for physicians who have completed a
residency in orthopedic surgery and are seeking additional training in the area of sports medicine. Because
Lake Tahoe is home to an array of outdoor activities, fellows are exposed to a high level of sports medicine
cases during their fellowship training. Additionally, fellows gain experience in both academic and private
practice settings.
Lake Tahoe’s Sports Medicine Fellowship Program is one of 95 programs accredited through the
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. This year-long program allows orthopedic surgeons
to gain subspecialty expertise in the area of sports medicine. Specific areas of focus include musculoskeletal
trauma of the ligaments, bones and joints.
“Through the fellowship program, training physicians become part of our orthopedic sports team and take
care of everything from evaluating patients to participating in treatment, including surgery,” says Keith
Swanson, M.D., Program Director of the Lake Tahoe Sports Medicine Fellowship Program. “Not only
does this allow us to participate in the training of another generation of physicians, but it also enhances the
care provided to our patients.”
Because the program is accredited, the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics is held to a higher standard in regards
to the level of research and care provided to patients. Active research programs are in place, and training
physicians can expect to complete more than 500 surgeries throughout the duration of the fellowship
program. Located in beautiful Lake Tahoe, the location of the center can be a draw as well. A wide variety
of recreational sports are available, and the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics is also proud to be the official
medical provider of the United States Ski and Snowboard teams.
A Community Resource
The Tahoe Center for Orthopedics strives to be a resource for patients and community physicians. Staff
work closely with referring physicians who often know their patients best, especially at the onset of care.
Referrals are accommodated in a timely fashion, and inpatient and outpatient treatments are facilitated by
staff to enhance patient convenience.
Weekly educational conferences are open to community physicians and the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics’
medical staff. Orthopedic surgeons, primary care physicians, physical therapists and radiologists generally
attend the conference, which is held at 7 a.m. on the Barton Hospital campus. At this conference, topics in
sports medicine are discussed and difficult orthopedic cases are presented, which allows for education as
well as increased collaboration among the treatment team.
Seminars for community members are also routinely held. Each program features a specific musculoskeletal
condition and includes educational information, such as wellness, treatments and symptoms. The Tahoe
Center for Orthopedics’ sports medicine staff is very involved with high school sports programs as well.
Through the Center’s preventive care and treatment, local high school sports teams have increased access to
a wide variety of medical providers, including physicians, athletic trainers and physical therapists.
“Aside from the high-quality clinical care provided, the commitment we have to our patients and our
community is what makes the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics unique,” says ?Dr. Lewis. “We are
knowledgeable and respectful of each patient’s goals and abilities and strive to individualize treatment plans
to provide ideal outcomes for every patient.”
For more information about the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics or to refer your patient, please call (877)
543-5554 or visit tahoeorthopedics.com.
March 31, 2011 - Area breast health organizations get grants - ConnectAmarillo.com powered by KVII –
by Nastassia Tamari –
AMARILLO, TEXAS -- In order to address the specific unmet breast cancer needs of the panhandle
community, the Susan G. Komen Greater Amarillo Affiliate works has handed out grants to a tune of
$285,000 dollars.
The four programs all provide breast cancer services to the panhandle area, with the goal of saving lives. "It
will provide mammograms for women who don't have insurance or who don't have the means to pay for the
deductibles. Women will put it off because there's other things in life that they put first you know as mom as
a woman," said Julie Evenson, the Radiology Director at the Moore County Hospital. "I have friends that
came in for their first screening mammogram and found cancer," continued Evenson. The Moore County
Hospital District will use the funds to provide breast cancer screening, diagnostic follow-up and surgical
treatment as well as community outreach and education to underserved women in Moore County and the
surrounding communities.
That funding will help them reach the community. "We cover the Texas and Oklahoma panhandle and it lets
us to reach all those ladies," said Terri Prescott, the Community Manager of Health Initiatives for the
Amarillo Cancer Society, a division of the American Cancer Society. It will use the funds for the Amarillo
Breast Prosthesis and Lymphedema Accessory Program. It will give the patient emotional support, a kit
containing a leisure bra, a lightweight temporary breast form, and rehabilitative exercise educational
information.
These grants will provide that detection for free. The money will go specifically to address women in the
panhandle by providing education, support, and services, even properly fitted prosthesis.
"Early detection has you know, if you can detect breast cancer early, the chances of you surviving are much
longer, it's when we don't detect breast cancer early is that the chance for cure is much less," said Aneta
Younger, the Director Diagnostics and Therapeutics at Don Harrington Cancer Center. The funds will be
used to help cover screening and diagnostic mammography, breast biopsy, breast MRI, and some treatment
regimens for medically underserved women of all ages who are not covered by other funding.
So that's why these programs are so important for those unmet needs.
"This reaches women who might never have mammogram, they will get mammograms through the grant, free
of charge," said Leticia Goodrich, Executive Director of the Amarillo Area Breast Health Coalition and
Project Director of WISE Woman. The WISE program is a "train the trainer" concept. It selects and trains
women in basic breast health practices that stress the value of screening and early detection.
To date, the Susan G. Komen organization has invested $1.3 million in the panhandle's 26 counties.
Here are the 2011-2012 Grant Programs:
American Cancer Society: $10,000
Amarillo Area Breast Health Coalition (WISE Woman): $12,000
Moore County Hospital District: $43,000
The Don & Sybil Harrington Cancer Center: $220,000
March 29, 2011 - Peterson Chiropractic introduces Power Plate technology - Ridgefield Press -
Peterson Chiropractic has incorporated advanced technology known as “vibrational therapy” to increase
circulation and rehabilitate patients quickly. Power Plates are three-dimensional vibration technology that
transmits waves of energy, activating muscle contractions between 25 and 50 times per second.
“Good for patients with osteoporosis and lymphedema, as well people looking for a challenging but painless
abdominal workout, it works so quickly that most people only spend five to 10 minutes on the machine,”
said Dr. Nick Peterson. “Patients can be treated for lower extremity rehabilitation just standing on the
Power Plate.”
Power Plate exercise improves ROM, increase bone density as well as reduces the appearance of cellulite,
Dr. Peterson said. “This type of a workout is also known as acceleration training. It was first introduced by
Russian cosmonauts to reduce the effects of zero gravity in space.”
Owner Nick Peterson, D.C. was introduced to this new machine by his son Nicholas A. Peterson, D.C.,
who attended the sports centric Life University in Atlanta where the machines were used by all athletes as
well as the coaches who wanted to stay fit without the high impact of most training regiments.
“After our patients are out of acute pain we start then on more active treatments like the Power Plate,” said
Dr. Nicholas Peterson. “It only takes a few minutes to feel the benefits of the vibrations and circulation
immediately increases into muscles and joints.”
“Many of our patients only have a few precious minutes to get a stretch and the vibration speeds a warm-up
by involving 100%o of muscle fibers.
For a free demonstration, call 203-438-9609.
April 1, 2011 - Charity's dedicated helpers improve the lives of cancer victims and their families –
MANY lives are affected by cancer. One in three of us will get the disease and countless more will feel its
impact indirectly through the suffering of loved ones.
Beyond the diagnosis and treatment at hospitals such as Good Hope, one Sutton charity has dedicated itself
to improve the lives of those affected by cancer – whether they are patients or their family and friends.
Set up a little over ten years ago, The Cancer Support Centre's (CSC) goal is to provide a haven away from
the physical and psychological effects of the disease.
When CSC started in 2000 it offered alternative therapies one day a week, as well as support for cancer
sufferers. In the first year 145 treatments were carried out at its Farthing Lane site. Last year that number
rose to 2,900, including one-to-one sessions and group therapies, everything from acupuncture to yoga, art
classes to aromatherapy, counselling and meditation.
CSC provides complementary therapies free of charge to its clients and to accommodate the expanding
need, it has recently moved to the St Giles site in Lindridge Road, on the edge of Sutton's leafy suburbs.
Here it will be open five days a week, Monday to Friday, helping thousands of people cope with the rigours
of dealing with cancer.
I met CSC's chief fund-raiser, Pat Brighton and trustee, Alan Bunn, whose wife Denise used the service for
three years before succumbing to lymphoma.
The pair were delighted to have completed the move from the charity's former site in Midland Drive in the
town centre to the St Giles' building, which St Giles uses to help people with illnesses including multiple
sclerosis, Parkinson's, lymphodema and bereavement counselling.
"With the services that St Giles offers and what we offer for cancer patients, the two organisations
complement each other," Pat said. "Anyone who has cancer can come here. Once they have been
diagnosed they are sent on their way from hospital which deals with the medical side but we offer support
beyond that. The management at St Giles has been terrific in helping us," Pat said. "St Giles contacted us
about having a supportive care centre for Sutton Coldfield last year. The more we talked about it, the more
we realised how good it would be for the local community."
Another advantage of the new venue is ground floor treatment rooms and lifts to the upper level.
"At the other place the treatment rooms were upstairs," Alan said. "Anyone who came in a wheelchair had
to make do but here it is a lot easier."
The new site is indeed in a stunning location.
Homely touches have been brought to the inside of St Giles' building.
In the talking therapy room comfy chairs are in place and pictures are ready to hang on the walls.
Sofas replace hard chairs in the main meet and greet area, which has now become CSC's library. Therapy
rooms are called Sunflower, Lavender and Poppy, the latter decked out with children's characters and soft
toys, for young clients use St Giles' children's lymphedema clinic.
A more controversial change took place at the site's entrance. "People from CSC were sensitive about "St
Giles Hospice" and we asked them to remove hospice from the sign," Alan said.
At the centre of the building is The Sanctuary room, with pictures of woodland surrounding you, chairs
carved from logs and subtle lights changing colour, creating a calming escape.
"My wife was here three years and tried everything," Alan explained. "We used to travel to Solihull for
meetings every other week as we didn't know this place existed.
"Two years after losing my wife I became involved with the charity. It has provided me with something to
give back.
"I had an email about a meeting "to discuss the future of the CSC". That was when I came on board. I didn't
know if it was going to close but in fact it was to discuss the move."
Alan has been a director for blue chip companies and his business acumen has been an important element
for the charity. The cost of providing free treatments to clients, running the building and paying for a full time
finance manager means CSC must raise £100,000 a year -or £2,000 a week.
By expanding its service from four to five days a week, the pressure on costs can only go higher.
"At the end of the day you have got to run it like a business," Alan said. "If you haven't got the funds to pay
for the services that the therapists provide, you can't do it."
By moving to St Giles site, the two charities are sharing the costs of the building but the way to pay for all
the costs is "lots of hard work".
"The Great Midlands Fun Run is our biggest fund-raiser," Pat said. "We were the second most supported
charity last year and we need lots of people to run in the Fun Run this year for us.
"We raised £10,000 last year, with £8,700 in sponsorship and the rest with Gift Aid. Anyone who runs for
us can get a free t-shirt to run in."
CSC has just recruited 20 new volunteers, bringing its total to 35. With trustees and other helpers it has
nearer to 50 unpaid staff. It has no guaranteed funding.
"We apply for grants and we have to be able to prove the benefits," Alan said. "We measure the results of
treatments here from the feedback."
Demand is ever increasing and Pat is always on the look out for more help.
"We are open five days a week and the need is there," Pat said. "This is the problem. We want to give as
many treatments as needed and since we have moved we have been pretty well fully booked. The more
treatments the more money we need."
The Cancer Support Centre is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm and can be contacted by
calling 0300 012 0245 or emailing: info@suttoncancersupport.co.uk
It's sometimes referred to as cancer's dirty little secret. Lymphedema is a lifelong condition that can strike
patients after cancer treatment. Carla Harris was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in 2009.
Treatment included radiation and surgery. When she heard about lymphedema she didn't think the
sometimes painful condition would happen to her.
"It was mentioned as one of the possible, rare, unlikely side effects of surgery," Harris said.
Two months after surgery she was diagnosed with lymphedema and now faces a life long battle. She's prone
to infection from bug bites and sunburn and has to be careful of change in altitude or physical activity that
may cause her to swell.
"It affects every minute of my day from getting dressed in the morning and putting on my compression
garments to what I can lift. Whether I can lift my children," Harris said.
Lymphedema is when fluid builds up in the arms, legs or torso. This can happen after lymphnodes are
removed or damaged from cancer treatment. In breast cancer patients often times lymphnodes are removed
in the arm.
Cyndi Stabenow is an Occupational Therapist and Certified Lymphedema Therapist at UVA HealthSouth in
Charlottesville and said there's no cure but Lymphedema can be controlled.
"This is a condition that needs to be managed so that fluid build-up doesn't continue to go on," Stabenow
said.
Treatment includes fitting patients with compression bandages, garments and special massage therapy.
"It's a process that can take sometimes the intensiveness of it maybe five days a week or two or three weeks
maybe three times a week after that," Stabenow said.
People with lymphedema have to be diligent about their care so the swelling stays under control.
March 2, 2011 - Facts about lymphedema - The Republic –
What is lymphedema?
The lymphatic system collects and flushes out bacteria, viruses and waste products from the body through
infection-fighting cells in the lymph nodes. If nodes are removed, fluid builds up, causing pain and swelling.
What helps
Light exercise, to keep fluid moving; massage; compression sleeves or stockings to force fluid out of the
affected limb.
Research
The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., is participating in an investigation of the use of liposuction
to remove fat cells from lymphedema patients so fluid can't collect as easily. So far, a 70 percent reduction
in symptoms has been reported. Among the research subjects is Cheri Wetzel. "I'm back into regular
clothing, have full use of the arm and no discomfort,'' she said. "I still have lymphedema, but it's not to any
degree what it was."
Moffitt is seeking additional funding for more research, estimated to cost $15,000 per participant.
"Lymphedema can pop up 20 years after breast-cancer surgery, so we'll need to continue finding ways to
treat it," says Moffitt's Dr. Christine Laronga.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service http://www.scrippsnews.com)
March 2, 2011 - Lymphedema Depot Addresses Hand Swelling - Wire Service Canada (press release) –
Lymphedema of the hand is troubling and difficult to treat. Lymphedema Depot offers the Solaris
compression glove, in both Caresia and Tribute styles, to control hand swelling.
March 2011, St. Catharines, Ontario
For many lymphedema patients hand swelling is a particular concern. In lymphedema, there is chronic
swelling, usually of a limb. In cases of breast cancer where multiple procedures have compromised the
ability of the lymphatic system to drain the arm of excess fluid, arm swelling often results. Having arm
swelling does not guarantee that you will experience hand swelling, but if the arm is swollen there is a risk
that the hand will swell, too. Once hand swelling begins it can often be difficult to control. The back of the
hand can be a problem as there is relatively low tissue pressure there and it will easily fill with fluid. Finger
swelling, when it occurs, can be uncomfortable and disturbing and equally difficult to manage.
Caresia Glove bandage liners are excellent for those who have hand and/or finger swelling. Every Caresia
Glove has individual finger spacers to provide comfortable, non-binding compression. Many therapists
recommend this glove for their post-surgical hand patients and patients with arthritis or lymphedema. It is
designed to be worn while you sleep, effectively cradling the affected hand and fingers with mild
compression and stimulating the lymphatic system to mobilize fluid away from the saturated area.
Depending on the nature of the edema, the fingers may not swell, while the back of the hand does swell.
Where finger swelling is not a serious problem and more functional mobility of the hand is desired, the
Caresia is available in a gauntlet style which stops at the knuckles, leaving the fingers free.
The Caresia glove is the standard-sized version of the Solaris Tribute glove. The Caresia is available in
small, medium and large while the Tribute is custom made for those who need a more precise fit.
As with all Solaris directional-flow products, foam chips address tissue thickening, and quilted channels help
guide fluid away from affected areas. Caresia offers a simple, safe and effective way to eliminate bulky and
troublesome hand bandaging, and is easy to care for – simply wash and dry on permanent press settings in
your home laundry machines as often as needed.
Lymphedema Depot and Solaris both strive for continuous improvement to make the management of
lymphedema less complex, more effective, and ultimately easier for patients.
For more information, visit http://www.LymphedemaDepot.com
March 3, 2011 - Hallmark Health Cancer Center opens lymphedema clinic - Medford Transcript –
At Hallmark Health System, the patient always comes first. The local healthcare organization is continually
looking for ways to improve patients’ experience and achieve excellence each and every day.
With that goal in mind, Hallmark Health System recently opened a lymphedema clinic at the Hallmark Health
Cancer Center in Stoneham. The clinic will be staffed by a certified lymphedema specialist that will provide
lymphedema treatment and physical therapy to patients that need it.
Lymphedema refers to the swelling of various body parts including the arms, legs and face. It is a common
side effect among patients that have had their lymph nodes removed due to cancer.
Hallmark Health’s certified lymphedema specialist will work one-on-one with patients to treat their
lymphedema through compression bandaging, manual lymphatic drainage and exercise. They will also
address fatigue and other side effects that result from cancer treatment.
The new clinic will provide patients with yet another advanced level of service as well as make scheduling
appointments easier and more convenient for patients. With all of their appointments under one roof patients
can focus on what’s important, completing treatment and getting back on their feet.
The Hallmark Health Cancer Center has been honored by highly distinguished organizations such as the
American College of Surgeons (ACOS), which recognized the Center for high quality programs. It received
approval with commendations following a site visit where ACOS examined cancer registry data, attended a
tumor board meeting, toured the Center and reviewed more than 50 patient records. The approval allows
the Center to continue its designation as a “Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program.”
Copyright 2011 Medford Transcript. Some rights reserved
March 3, 2011 - Center educates women on risk with national lymphedema awareness day - Aiken
Standard (subscription) – by ROB NOVIT -
When Peggy Wojtowicz was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1994, she went through a regimen of
chemotherapy and radiation and had 22 lymph nodes removed.
Her doctor mentioned at the time that the surgery and radiation potentially could lead to a condition called
secondary lymphedema - a serious fluid buildup caused by damage to the lymphatic system.
Today Wojtowicz has become an advocate to educate women about lymphedema, after she contracted it in
1999.
Hitchcock Healthcare, which has an occupational therapist certified in treating the disease, is promoting a
national lymphedema awareness day on Sunday.
An Aiken resident since 1985, Wojtowicz has remained cancer-free.
For five years after her treatment, she avoided lifting heavy weights and, other than a slight swelling in her left
arm, had no other symptoms that would indicate lymphedema.
In 1999, the symptoms arrived almost overnight.
"My arm was red and swollen to twice its normal size, and I got cellulitis," Wojtowicz said. "That's the most
dangerous thing and can be life-threatening within a matter of hours, as the infection can become systemic. It
was terrifying and very painful."
Not long before, Wojtowicz had taken an international flight for a church mission trip. She was not aware at
the time that an extended change in air pressure can trigger lymphedema.
Wojtowicz visited her doctor and got immediate treatment from an occupational therapist in Augusta.
For the past three years, she has seen Hitchcock occupational therapist Holly Shurtleff for periodic therapy.
A staffer at Hitchcock for the past 20 years, Shurtleff used to refer lymphedema patients to a Spartanburg
facility. Hitchcock executives recognized a need for services on-site and sent Shurtleff to a training program
to become certified to assist patients with that condition.
As with any newly-diagnosed person with lymphedema, Wojtowicz spent three weeks with an occupational
therapist, getting compression bandages and learning how to change them every 24 hours.
"I also provide them a daily massage if needed to stimulate the lymphatic system," said Shurtleff. "The
purpose is to decrease the girth of the extremity to as normal as possible - in this case, the left arm."
Wojtowicz also wears a compression garment during the day. While she sleeps, she uses a ReidSleeve,
which is designed to offer gentle compression that meets the patient's specific needs.
"I also continue manual massage, and Holly is always there for me for all kinds of answers to my questions,"
said Wojtowicz. "The other thing I've done is exercise. I was afraid to do it at first, but now I do isometrics,
yoga and Pilates, and free-weights, using my arm in moderation. I've maintained a healthy weight, and I still
come to Hitchcock once a year for measurements and management."
People can be born with lymphedema, Wojtowicz said.
For those who have had breast cancer, there is hope, she said.
Survivors should educate themselves as much as they can about lymphedema, and there are many sources
online.
Early detection is important, and a Hitchcock pamphlet warns of symptoms such as swelling of an extremity,
a "full" sensation, frequent infections, limited movement of limbs and swelling that prevents the wearing of a
ring or watch.
"Lymphedema doesn't have to stop life," said Tasha Savage, Hitchcock's director of marketing and
development. "We want to make sure that people have as much independence as they can. They don't have
to stop doing what they love to do."
With her protective garment in place and bringing along IV antibiotics, Wojtowicz traveled on mission trips
in 2006 and 2009 to the Central African Republic, where she worked with orphaned children.
"I was thrilled to go overseas, and I thank the Lord for all of this," she said. "I'd rather not be a poster child
for lymphedema, but this is something God has entrusted me with. If somebody else can benefit from my
experience, I can share it with them."
Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.
March 3, 2011 - Group sheds light on chronic condition - Prince Albert Daily Herald – by Shannon Lacroix
–
A chronic condition, rarely heard of and hard to diagnose, will be getting some attention Sunday.
Members of the Saskatchewan Lymphovenous Learning Association (SLLA) have declared March 6
Lymphedema Awareness Day. The focus will be on bringing to light the condition that can be mistaken for a
heart or kidney condition or being overweight according to Barbara Lauterbach, education chairperson of
the SLLA.
The lymph system is spread across the body and helps clean the system by producing lymph fluid that picks
up waste and brings it to different nodes. From the nodes the waste goes to the circulatory system, which
brings it to the kidneys and liver so they can get rid of it.
Lymphedema is what someone experiences when the lymph fluid is not being absorbed back into the body
Lauterbach explained. The condition causes swelling the in the area where the system is damaged, which can
eventually lead to open sores. Lauterbach, who has the condition herself, noted that diagnosis is vital to stop
the condition from getting to that point.
“The sooner you get it diagnosed, the quicker treatment starts, the less pain and the less time it takes for you
to get to a point where you can function again,” she explained.
March 4, 2011 - 'That Was Then' - Royal Oak Daily Tribune
This is for a specific meeting that has now passed (March 10)
March 6, 2011, - Mountain Medicine: Occupational therapists can help cancer patients - Arizona Daily Sun
MICKIE TOUTANT –
One of the most common side effects associated with cancer treatments is the feeling of being fatigued.
This feeling can affect many aspects of a person's life. It may affect an individual's mood or emotions, or the
ability to do usual daily activities, and it can affect the time they are able to spend with family and friends or
their ability to perform their job.
Fortunately for those battling fatigue due to cancer treatments, there are specific programs and services
available that address a person's physical recovery.
It is extremely important for individuals with cancer to maintain at least a minimal level of exercise and
activity. Doing so assists them in staying physically and emotionally strong and healthy and contributes to
their overall sense of well being. Even small amounts (three to 10 minutes) of exercise a few times a day can
be very beneficial.
Additionally, it is imperative that those battling cancer, continue to perform their typical daily activities as
much as possible. Although it may be tempting to just let things go for a while, daily activities help the
individual to maintain energy levels, physical strength and range of motion. Of course, some days are better
than others, but the goal is to keep moving.
When surgery is necessary to remove a lump or tumor, such as lumpectomy or mastectomy, often there is a
loss in range of motion and increase in pain, not to mention scar tissue forming and the skin feeling sensitive
and tight. Additionally, swelling may also occur around the surgery area causing a condition called
lymphedema.
Lymphedema most often is seen in the arm and under-arm areas of breast cancer patients. The condition
can be very painful and even debilitating. Patients with this condition can work with occupational therapists
who are specially trained to treat lymphedema to minimize the effects. OTs can offer education, lymphedema
management, specific exercises and pressure sleeves, all of which can be used to help relieve and even avoid
this condition.
In addition to surgery, cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, medication regimes and stress
can cause fatigue and limit day-to-day activity tolerance. Occupational therapists can address concepts such
as activity modification, self pacing, simplifying daily activities and strategies for energy restoration. All these
can help minimize the impact of cancer treatments on the individual.
Focusing on physical treatments and recovery is just one part of the journey -- emotional support and
recovery also are extremely important. Support, encouragement and reassurance are a key part of
rehabilitation therapy.
Those battling cancer should remember they do not have to do everything for themselves. Save energy for
the things that bring joy to your life and the things that are most important.
If you currently are undergoing treatments for cancer, the Cancer Centers of Northern Arizona Healthcare
and Flagstaff Medical Center would like to offer a complimentary session to address an individual's cancer
fatigue and course for rehabilitation. These services are provided by a licensed occupational therapist that
specializes in cancer rehabilitation. For more information on this complimentary program, call FMC's
Therapy Services at 773-2125.
Mickie Toutant, O.T., occupational therapist in Flagstaff Medical Center's Therapy Services, specializes in
neuro therapy, hand therapy and working with cancer survivors. Is there a health topic you'd like to know
more about? Please write to Mountain Medicine, c/o FMC Public Relations, 1200 N. Beaver St., Flagstaff,
AZ 86001, or visit FlagstaffMedicalCenter.com.
March 7, 2011 - New Range of Compression Stocking From SocksforLegs - BigNews.biz (press release)
–
BigNews.Biz - Mar 07,2011 - Limb swelling and other such diseases are a persistent problem for a
considerable number of people. There are certain things that can help you reduce limb swelling and avoid
other problems like leg swelling, venous insufficiency, varicose veins, lower and upper extremity
lymphedema and other kinds of edemas.
SocksforLegs is a part of a renowned family owned medical supply store with over 30 years of experience.
They have been offering wide varieties of even some hard to find medical equipment that also includes
compression stocking. Recently they have launched their new range of compression stockings that can be
very effective against limb swelling. They have just boost their existing product line and included some great
compression stocking from the top makers like Jobst, Sigvaris, Juzo and medi. SockforLegs has been
created with the very aim of providing their customers with all kinds of varieties, colors, sizes and brands
that they dream about.
The www is replete with sources offering almost all kinds of information on different kinds of compression
garments and their designs. People looking for reliable information on compression stocking and other such
stuff can also make the most of that source and get their desired information without putting them into any
trouble.
The wide range of compression stocking available at StockforLegs can make it easier to find the stuff quite
according to your different requirements. The nice thing is that whatever they show at their website is also
available in stocks. They are carrying thousands of compression products from almost all renowned brands
and even some hard to find products and stocking can be easily found from that source. They are offering
product ranges from brands like Juzzo, Jobst, Sigvaris and Medi. The new ranges of compression stockings
from different brands can definitely make it easier for you to choose compression stocking quite according
to your needs.
March 7, 2011 - Phase 3 Randomized Breast Cancer Lymph Node Study Likely to be Practice-Changing -
Cancer Network – By Anna Azvolinsky –
Axillary lymph node dissections (ALND) remain the standard of care for breast cancer patients that have
sentinel lymph node metastases. This is based on a meta-analysis of breast cancer patients showing that
locally controlling breast cancer via lymph node dissection improved disease patient survival. However, the
procedure carries the risk of serious complications such as infection, lymphedema, and seroma. Sentinel
lymph node dissection (SLND) was developed to decrease these risks while still accurately staging lymph
nodes.
Micrograph showing a lymph node invaded by ductal breast carcinoma and with extranodal extension of
tumor. Courtesy of Nephron, Wikimedia Commons
Whether ALND affects overall survival in breast cancer with SNL metastasis or whether SNLD alone is
sufficient is now addressed in a randomized, multi-center, Phase 3 non-inferiority trial published in a
February edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (doi: 10.1001/jama.2011.90). The
study of state I or IIA breast cancer patients began in 1999, enrolling 891 patients who were randomized 1:
1 to receive either SLND followed by ALND or SLND alone. Both groups had a lumpectomy (the removal
of the tumor) and adjuvant systemic treatment. The study was funded and designed by the American College
of Surgeons Oncology Group in collaboration with the National Institute on Cancer.
The median number of lymph nodes removed in the ALND group was 17 compared with 2 in the SLND
group. The adjuvant systemic therapies received by both groups were comparable: 96% and 97% of the
ALND and SLND patients, respectively, received similar adjuvant therapies. The majority of patients
received whole-breast radiation therapy. Age, stage of cancer, and tumor size did not vary significantly
between the two groups.
ALND does not increase survival
The use of SLND compared to ALND was not statistically inferior in terms of overall survival (P=0.008).
The 5-year overall survival rates were 92.5% and 91.8% in the SLND-alone compared to the ALND
group. Likewise, disease-free survival did not vary between the groups. Morbidity, however, was much
higher in the ALND group: the rate of wound infections, axillary seromas, and lymphedema were all
significantly more frequent.
The authors attributed the overall high frequency of good outcomes on improved breast cancer management
including better imaging, more detailed pathological evaluation, and improved surgical and radiation
approaches.
Study Implications
The trial results suggest that women may be exposed to morbidity due to ALND with no meaningful
improvement in overall survival, including for women classified as high-risk (estrogen and progesterone(Drug
information on progesterone) receptor negative patients). The limitations of the study, as cited by the
authors, is a failure to achieve a target accrual of 1900 patients as well as a potential randomization
imbalance that favored the SLND-only cohort. Additionally, the patient follow-up was approximately 6
years and a longer-term follow-up would be beneficial, as early-stage breast cancer can reoccur at 10 to 15
years after diagnosis.
According to this randomized Phase 3 trial, knowing the number of nodes containing metastases by ALND
does not change recommendations for systematic therapy decisions and is obtained at the cost of higher
morbidity from surgery, including pain, limited range of motion, and lymphedema.
As Gary Lyman, MD, professor of medicine and Chair of the ASCO Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
Guideline Panel pointed out in an ASCO editorial in response to the publication, the data will likely change
physician practice for early stage disease. However, he cautioned that the study results do not apply to early-
stage patients with high risk for reoccurrence including those with three or more positive sentinel lymph
nodes, larger tumors, or those who received preoperative chemotherapy
March 8, 2011 - Y exercise program helps cancer survivors regain strength - MyCentralJersey.com (blog)
– by BOB MAKIN -
EDISON — Carol Weiss, a breast-cancer survivor, sometimes suffers from lymphedema, tissue swelling
caused by a blockage of the lymph nodes, which, in turn, is caused by the cancer. Longing to exercise but
afraid to injure her swollen arm, Weiss was thrilled to hear that the Livestrong at the Y small-group exercise
program not only was customized for cancer survivors but also for those dealing with lymphedema.
The township resident recently graduated with 13 other survivors from the latest Livestrong class at the
Edison YMCA.
The 12-week program is offered for free to cancer survivors through cycling great Lance Armstrong's
Livestrong Foundation at all branches of the YMCA of Metuchen-Edison-Woodbridge-South Amboy, as
well as the Somerset Hills YMCA in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards.
In Edison, participants meet twice weekly for strength training, cardio work and yoga.
"They know how to guide you to do what you need and how to do it safely," said Weiss, who now manages
lymphedema through exercise.
Before addressing a multi-purpose room full of Livestrong graduates past, present and future and their
families, Lexy Anderson, the Edison branch's associate executive and wellness director, described the
program as life-changing.
The family of a recently-deceased graduate was so grateful for the program's impact that they asked that
donations be made to Livestrong at the Y, Anderson said.
"These fragile people are not sure how they're going to respond to physical activity," she said. "But they
grow in such a short period of time and get their life back. They begin to feel stronger."
The Feb. 17 graduation marked the Edison branch's fifth since the program was launched a year and a half
ago, Anderson said.
Halfway through the program, participants are provided with a free three-month membership to the Y, as
well as free monthly yoga sessions for life. Half of the Livestrong graduates said they plan to join the Y in
order to keep working out with each other and to get help from their team of four exercise instructors.
"I think what I got most out of it was the camaraderie," Weiss said.
"We all seemed to really meld," said Johanna Minucci, a breast-cancer survivor from Edison. "We made a
nice group."
Weiss continued, "I think we are also a lot more confident now. We want to keep going so that we will feel
better."
Expansion of the Edison branch will begin in the spring and be completed in the fall, Anderson said. The
Livestrong at the Y program will expand with it, she said.
Sue Tadros, a breast cancer survivor from the township, said she was looking forward to the next class (that
started yesterday).
"I want to get my energy back," Tadros said. "From what I've seen, I think this really can help."
The cancer survivors are not the only ones who benefited from the program. By getting to work with such a
specialized population, the trainers grow professionally, said Tim Marshall, one of the program's four
instructors.
Livestrong at the Y inspired Marshall, 25, of Highland Park, to write his master's thesis about cancer
survivors overcoming exercise barriers.
"A one-pound weight may seem very light, but a cancer survivor doesn't recover from exercise in the same
way," said Marshall, who soon will receive a master's in exercise science from Kean University in Union.
"It's a challenge to create a program that won't make them so sore that they can't function," he continued.
"The purpose of the program is for them to function outside. They should have more energy than when they
walked through the door. And all of them do. They feel reinvigorated, ready to be active again, even if
they're going through chemo. We had one who was going through chemo. She would come in really tired,
but she would leave with more energy and a better quality of life."
March 8, 2011 Mather Hospital's Lymphedema Treatment Center Names Roger Geldert of Bay Shore
Patient of the Year – NewsLI
(Port Jefferson, N.Y.) – Roger Geldert of Bay Shore had tried everything to find out what was causing the
blisters and fluid buildup in his legs. It wasn’t until Mr. Geldert, 46, was sent to Mather’s Wound Care
Center in Melville that he was diagnosed as having Lymphedema. He was immediately referred to Mather’s
Lymphedema Treatment Center in Port Jefferson.
Almost a year after his diagnosis, Mr. Geldert was honored by Mather for his extraordinary commitment to
his treatment in recognition of National Lymphedema Awareness “D” Day on March 6. “D” Day a special
day set aside by the National Lymphedema Network to honor inspirational lymphedema patients who have
contributed to the community or who have shown great courage in their struggle with disease.
“We wanted to honor him and his wife, Michelle, for really stepping up to the plate and exemplifying what
lymphedema treatment is all about,” said Anne Babcock, a lymphedema therapist at Mather. Babcock said
treatment for lymphedema is time consuming and requires commitment on the part of the patient to be
successful.
Geldert credited the staff of the Lymphedema Treatment Center for helping him manage his condition, and
Michael Petersen, MD, Medical Director of Mather Hospital’s Wound Care Center, with diagnosing his
illness and also treating a related non-healing wound.
Lymphedema is a swelling of the body’s soft tissue, usually in an extremity, caused by an accumulation of
proteins, cells and water. Usually, these proteins, along with excess cells and water, are carried away by our
circulatory or lymph systems. Lymphedema occurs when these systems are damaged. Although,
Lymphedema is a chronic condition, it can be managed with proper care and treatment.
An adjunct of the Physical Therapy Department, the Lymphedema Treatment Center at Mather is one of the
largest hospital-based programs in the northeast. In 2010, Mather’s eight certified Lymphedema therapists
provided for more than 2,100 patient visits. The program also offers the only Lymphedema support group in
Suffolk County. Treatment is provided by Mather Hospital’s Department of Physical Therapy.
Geldert said that he was so pleased with his treatment at Mather that when he decided to have weight loss
surgery, he selected Mather’s Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. His procedure is scheduled for later
this month.
John T. Mather Memorial Hospital is an acute 248-bed, non-profit community hospital dedicated to
providing a wide spectrum of high quality healthcare services to Suffolk County residents, showing
compassion and respect and treating each patient in the manner we would wish for our loved ones.
For more information on the Lymphedema Treatment Center call 631-686-7648 or online at www.
matherhospital.org.
March 9, 2011 - Andersen Jones Lands New Breast Cancer Clients - SunHerald.com –
Get error code 404 when click on this link
March 9, 2011 - Heart failure can cause feet to swell - Payson Roundup –
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Please explain why I have to take my shoes off late every day because my feet
and ankles have swollen and don’t fit into the shoes. I flop around in slippers without heels. In the morning,
after a night’s sleep, my feet are back to normal. I am 77 and take no medicines. — K.M.
ANSWER: I can’t give you an unequivocal response because there are numerous causes of foot and ankle
swelling.
The medical name for such swelling is edema. Even in relatively healthy people, it occurs if people sit or
stand for any length of time. Gravity pulls fluid out of the circulation, and it accumulates in the feet and
ankles. This is especially true at older ages, when the circulatory system becomes somewhat leaky.
For this kind of swelling, the solution is to elevate the legs when sitting. The most effective elevation is raising
the legs above heart level, something that can be done only by lying down with pillows propping up the legs.
Getting up and moving about is another way to prevent fluid accumulation in the feet.
Heart failure is a more serious cause of such swelling. When the heart’s pumping action becomes feeble,
fluid escapes from blood vessels and again accumulates in the ankles and feet. Kidney disease with retention
of body fluid is another cause of edema. Liver disease does the same.
Another condition called lymphedema produces the same picture. Lymph is fluid that normally escapes the
circulation to percolate around tissues and organs to provide nourishment and to wash away germs. Small
vessels called lymphatics vacuum up this fluid and return it to the circulation. Anything that disrupts
lymphatics can lead to ankle/foot swelling. An old infection and surgery are two such disruptors.
Since ankle and foot swelling is a sign of many urgent medical conditions, don’t fool around with this. See
your family doctor.
The booklet on edema and lymphedema clearly describe these conditions and their treatment. Readers can
obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue — No. 106W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a
check or money order for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please
allow four weeks for delivery
March 10, 2011 - Lymphedema awareness making headway - Lac du Bonnet Leader – By Lory Mitton –
Last Sunday was recognized by 43 Manitoban municipalities and by Minister of Health, Theresa Oswald, as
Lymphedema Awareness Day.
"I'm ecstatic, I think that's just awesome!" Kim Avanthay said about the participation of the province and so
many communities. Having received only 55 responses to the 100 requests she made that the day be
recognized, Avanthay says their could be even more who acknowledged the important day.
"Hopefully this is a step forward," she said. "Lymphedema needs more awareness not only among those
who suffer from it but among health care officials as well."
Avanthay has seen a good response to efforts made to promote the day.
"My first contact came after the Lac du Bonnet Leader was posted on the web. I received an email from the
UK offering me information and assistance in finding a Canadian supplier for a product that is being used in
the UK for lymphedema treatment."
A lady in rural Manitoba also contacted Avanthay after coming across an article in the Selkirk Journal about
lymphedema.
"She has suffered with severe lymphedema and aside from diagnosis, has not received any care," Avanthay
told the Leader.
Four students from Lac du Bonnet Senior School — Jazlyn Johnston, Jessie Weir, Kaylin Champagne, and
Justina Bruchanski — wanted to help raise awareness of lymphedema.
Partnering with the Fair Trade Action Committee at Centennial School, they decided to sell ice cream
sundaes for $3 on Friday at Centennial where Austin Avanthay, who lives with lymphedema, goes to school.
Most of the students purchased a sundae and together the students raised $517.25.
"We like to do stuff like this," Johnston said about the fundraiser. The four girls did a similar event in
December and collected canned goods and money for the food bank.
"I can't believe that they would just do something like that," Avanthay said about the student initiative.
Her efforts to raise awareness for lymphedema this year were also met by an invitation to speak about
Lymphedema in April at Pinawa Secondary School.
Avanthay's message:
"Lymphedema is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid that causes swelling in arms, legs or other areas of the
body and it effects both men, women and children. The swelling caused by lymphedema can lead to severe
infection or loss of the use of limbs. Patients suffering from lymphedema must endure physical discomfort
and disfigurement and cope with distress caused by these symptoms.
"The single largest group of people who get lymphedema are cancer patients. Recent studies have indicated
that patients that have had lymph nodes surgically removed or treated with radiation are at a higher risk of
developing lymphedema. According to Canadian Cancer Society, as of January 1, 2005, 723,000 people in
Canada have been diagnosed with cancer in the previous 10 years.
"No drug or effective surgical treatment for lymphedema currently exists and research in all areas of
lymphedema has been notably limited.
"Lymphedema, which has no cure and can occur at anytime, has a severe financial, physical, and
psychological impact on patients."
For more information on lymphedema, Avanthay can be reached at kimavant@mts.net.
March 11, 2011 - Lymphedema Depot: We Care For Your Feet Too - Wire Service Canada (press
release) –
Everybody likes to have comfortable feet. Solaris Caresia Footwear and legwear were designed for the
management of lymphedema and diabetic feet. As it turns out, they make tired feet more comfortable too.
March 2011
Lymphedema Depot sells products for the management of lymphedema. However, those products have
other uses, too. Wherever swelling occurs and for whatever reason, Solaris quilted directional flow garments
can help to resolve it.
Solaris Caresia Footwear are a good example. The Caresia Footwear consists of something often referred
to as “booties.” They fit over your feet and come up just high enough to cover most people’s ankles. They
are quilted into channels and those channels are filled with medical-grade chipped foam. They are made
from a soft high-tech material, which is breathable, wickable and thermo-releasing. The foot and ankle are
completely surrounded by soft fabric and cushioned by medical grade foam.
Caresia Footwear were originally designed for patients with diabetic feet. However, many people have been
finding these “booties” to be not only comfortable but therapeutic. Feet tend to swell toward the end of the
day, and many people have mildly swollen ankles after a day on their feet. With the Caresia Footwear on
your feet in the evening hours, your feet receive a treatment that increases micro- circulation and treats mild
swelling. Your feet can feel refreshed and renewed. The Caresia footwear are so comfortable they are
sometimes worn on airplane flights to relieve restless feet and to reduce swelling.
Caresia also comes in a knee high model that is perfect for people suffering from chronic venous
insufficiency, a condition where the blood in the lower legs cannot be completely pumped back from the
lower extremities. The same combination of soft, high tech fabric and medical grade chipped foam massage
the feet and legs and support the venous and lymphatic systems to create a more dynamic and healthful
environment for the legs.
While these garments were originally designed for patients with diabetes, lymphedema and venous
insufficiency we find that they are being purchased more generally by people with tired, achy and mildly
swollen feet and legs. In fact, this past year a few people told us that they gave these to their mothers for
Christmas, and their mothers loved them!
To learn more about Caresia foot and leg wear visit the Lymphedema Depot website at :
http://www.lymphedemadepot.com/products/solaris/caresia/selections/foot/
http://www.lymphedemadepot.com/products/solaris/caresia/selections/belowknee/
Contact: info@LymphedemaDepot.com
March 15, 2011 - Tickets now on-sale for 2011 Stylin' Against Breast Cancer - Aledo Times Record –
Bettendorf, Iowa —
The Trinity Health Foundation is now accepting reservations for the 2011 Stylin’ Against Breast Cancer.
Trinity Health Foundation, in partnership with Always a Woman, Midwest Hope and Healing, The American
Cancer Society, the Trinity Cancer Center and women who do not represent an organization but who are
advocates of breast health and survivors, organize the events each year to raise funds for projects that
benefit local breast cancer survivors and promote education about breast cancer and breast health.
On Wednesday, April 20, the group will host a wine and cheese party from 6:30-9 p.m., at the Quad-
CitiesWaterfront Convention Center, 2021 State St., Bettendorf. New this year is Penguins Entertainment
who will provide “dueling pianos” during the event. The party will also include a raffle as well as light hors d’
oeuvres and wine served by area men who have a personal connection to someone diagnosed with breast
cancer. Tickets for the wine and cheese party are $20 per person with a reservation or $25 at the door.
Groups of 20 or more will receive 20 free raffle tickets.
The second winner of the Roxanne Kramer Award will be honored during the sixth annual Stylin’ against
Breast Cancer luncheon and fashion show that features local breast cancer survivors modeling clothing from
area stores on Thursday, April 21, also at the Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center. Doors open at
11 a.m. with the luncheon beginning at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $25 per person.
A combo ticket for admission to both events is also available for $40. One hundred percent of the proceeds
from both events benefit stay in the Quad-Cities area to fund projects that help local breast cancer patients
and promote education about breast cancer and breast health. To reserve tickets, call the Trinity Health
Foundation at (309) 764-7610 or visit www.trinityhealthfoundation.com.
About the Roxanne Kramer Award
The Roxanne Kramer Award is an annual honor to be given to an outstanding individual(s), organization or
business that has tirelessly contributed to the quality of life of breast cancer survivors and which through
deed, word and ongoing advocacy, has helped educate the community about breast cancer and breast
health.
Kramer, a breast cancer survivor herself, owns “Always a Woman” boutique in Moline and co-founded the
Quad City Breast Cancer & Lymphedema Support Group.
Copyright 2011 Aledo Times Record. Some rights reserved
March 15, 2011 - Lymph node study may change treatment of breast cancer - ABC Action News – By:
Linda Hurtado
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Marion Mage is a concert pianist whose music overflows into many areas of her
life. So when she learned she had breast cancer and may have to have lymph nodes under her arm removed,
she said, "My biggest concern was that it would affect my arm."
Surgeons have been removing lymph nodes from under the arms of breast cancer patients for 100 years,
believing it would keep the cancer from spreading, and thereby prolong a woman's life.
But removing all lymph nodes often results in debilitating side effects.
Doctor Peter Blumecranz is a breast surgeon at Morton Plant Hospital’s Breast Care Center. “The biggest
and worst of that is lymphedema. That's swelling of the arm. It can get big and swollen and can stay that way
the rest of your life. Unfortunately, there is no way to fix it if you have it."
Marion would, “Pray every day, ‘Please God, just don't let that happen to me.’ Because at that point,
playing was my livelihood."
But Dr. Blumencranz, Marion’s surgeon, was involved in a study to see if removing all of a woman's lymph
nodes had any advantage. The study, eventually published in the Journal of the American Medical
Association, included Marion and around 1,000 others over five years.
The women in the study had surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Some had lymph nodes
removed, others did not. Dr. Blumencranz says, “It turns out reoccurrence under arms and overall survival
from their breast cancer were identical whether you had other nodes removed or not. This is practice-
changing. That's why it so important. This flies in the face of all prior teachings and changes the way we
manage breast cancer."
Dr. Blumencranz took out five of Marion's lymph nodes because cancer had spread to the first two but he
left the rest. But she says, “I've had a cousin who had almost the same exact surgery two years later, not in
this state. Cancer showed up in two or three of her lymph nodes and they just took all of them and she's
having all kinds of problems with the swelling of her arm, the lymph fluid. In hindsight, we are very glad we
were part of this study."
Because after one month of recovery, Marion has had no side effects at all.
March 15, 2011 – Study reveals lymph node removal surgery useless for many breast cancer patients – by:
David Gutierrez (NaturalNews)
The common practice of removing the lymph nodes of breast cancer patients does nothing to reduce the rate
of cancer recurrence, according to a study conducted by researchers from the John Wayne Cancer Institute
and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
In about one-third of breast cancer cases, the cancer spreads to one or more lymph nodes in the body. In
these cases, doctors normally recommend surgical removal of the lymph nodes in the armpits, regardless of
whether the cancer has spread to those particular nodes or not. This surgery is meant to reduce the risk of
cancer recurrence, but it is painful and leads to a more difficult recovery. In addition, many women whose
lymph nodes have been removed suffer from complications such as infection and a chronic, disabling
swelling in the arms called lymphedema.
"Of the 161,000 women with breast cancer who have lymph nodes removed every year, 35 to 40 percent
develop lymphedema," writes Phyllis A. Balch in the book Prescription for Herbal Healing.
"If a tumor and the adjacent lymph nodes are removed, the natural drainage of lymphatic fluid through that
area is blocked. Fluid accumulates and becomes stagnant in the tissues of the limb closest to the obstruction.
The limb may then swell to several times its normal size. Lymphedema is made even worse by recurrence of
cancer, as tumors attract sodium and cause fluid retention."
In the current study, researchers compared women who had been treated for breast cancer at 115 different
locations across the United States. All participants had cancer that had spread to lymph nodes but no
further, and had relatively small tumors (classified as T1 or T2). The researchers found no significant
difference in cancer recurrence rates between the 445 women whose lymph nodes had been removed and
the 446 women whose lymph nodes had been left in place.
Based on the new study, as many as 70 percent of women who have lymph node removal recommended
may now opt to forego the surgery, said Gary Lyman of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
"This is good news," Lyman said. "It's a substantial number of women."
March 17, 2011 - DCH Opens New Breast Care Center - Eagle 99.3 FM WSCH –
(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - The new Breast Care Center at Dearborn County Hospital is now open. Located
adjacent to the hospital in Suite 120 of the Dearborn County Hospital Professional Building, the DCH
Breast Care Center melds state of the art healthcare with the feel and personalized service found in upscale
salons or boutique hotels.
Beyond the lovely furnishings and attentive personnel, however, is a healthcare facility comprised of the
latest imaging technology and staffed by General Surgeons, Oncologists, a Plastic-Reconstructive Surgeon,
Radiologists, a Nurse Navigator/Family Nurse Practitioner, Radiologic Technologists and a Social Service
Consultant.
“The Breast Care Center is designed to be a positive, welcoming place. Its purpose is to encompass all
aspects of breast health,” noted Kelly Ferreira, DCH Breast Care Center Nurse Navigator/Family Nurse
Practitioner. “Our intent is for the Center to be a site for routine breast health and advanced diagnostic and
clinical services, as well as for education, reference and support.”
Featured in the Center are two new, state of the art digital mammography units. These units provide the
latest technology for both screening and diagnostic mammography and stereotactic biopsy.
“Everyone who comes to DCH for a screening or diagnostic mammogram utilizes the Breast Care Center,”
continued Mrs. Ferreira. “While our emphasis is on total breast health, the vast majority of individuals who
come to the Breast Care Center will visit for a clinical breast exam and/or a screening mammogram. For
those individuals who require additional care, the Center is able to offer a full complement of services.”
The Center offers comprehensive breast care ranging from screening and diagnostic mammography to the
coordination of advanced diagnostic, therapeutic, surgical and/or reconstructive procedures and related
support services. In cooperation with the individual’s personal physician, advanced care is provided under
the direction of General Surgeons Dr. Shannon Davis, Dr. Mark McAndrew and Dr. Michael McAndrew,
who are members of the American Society of Breast Surgeons.
Procedures performed in the DCH Breast Care Center include clinical breast exams; screening and
diagnostic digital mammography; pre-operative needle localizations; cyst aspirations and stereotactic core
biopsies. Physician consultations with General Surgeons, a Plastic-Reconstructive Surgeon, Oncologists and
Radiologists are also available in the Center, as is coordination for in-hospital procedures such as breast
MRI or diagnostic ultrasound.
“As the Center’s Nurse Navigator/Family Nurse Practitioner, my job is to answer questions and provide
breast health information to all individuals, however, my primary function is to assist patients who have an
abnormal mammogram or those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Under the direction of their surgeon, I work with the patient as requested, to help coordinate specific
portions or all aspects of their continuing care. My work may be as simple as scheduling an appointment for
a breast MRI or as detailed as helping to coordinate the ongoing plan of care for a person newly diagnosed
with breast cancer. It all depends upon the clinical needs of the patient and the type and degree of assistance
the individual desires,” she explained.
“While much of my work deals with the patient’s immediate clinical issues, I am also available to assist with
non-medical problems which could impede proper or timely treatment. Sometimes issues such as
transportation or lack of financial resources cause patients to delay follow-up diagnostic procedures or even
treatment.”
The Breast Care Center is also available to assist breast cancer patients and breast cancer survivors with
other services including the acquisition of wigs and headwear; breast prostheses; lymphedema compression
garments and personal care products.
“In my position as the Center’s Nurse Navigator, my focus is to offer support to the individual and to help
guide them through their diagnostic testing and when necessary, their treatment and recovery,” Mrs. Ferreira
added.
“A diagnosis of cancer or a potential diagnosis of cancer is very frightening. It not only affects an individual’s
immediate plans but can have an effect on how they view life. My job is to help alleviate some of their
anxiety, fears or stress and to assist them in maintaining a positive outlook. I let them know that they are not
alone in dealing with their illness and I help to serve as their advocate. Together we can sort out the
complexities of their clinical care so they can devote more of their time and energy to getting well.”
Physicians and physician practices working in coordination with the DCH Breast Care Center include Dr.
Shannon Davis, Dr. Mark McAndrew and Dr. Michael McAndrew of Dearborn County Surgery; Dr. Mary
Albers, Dr. Kurt Leuenberger, Dr. John Sacco and Dr. Louis Schroder of Oncology/Hematology Care; Dr.
Thomas Jackson of Southern Indiana Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery and Dr. John Botsford, Dr. James Cole,
Dr. William Drew and Dr. Kyung Noh of River Valley Imaging.
March 20, 2011 - Celebrating a 9-Year Cancerversary From Breast Cancer - About - News & Issues –
By Pam Stephan –
Today is my 9-year Cancerversary! On March 20, 2002 I was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, and
one year to the day later, I was given the all-clear. That diagnosis and the year in treatment for breast cancer
changed me in many ways. The whole experience was a very hard teacher - but the lessons have stuck with
me. For the last 5 years through this site, I've had the chance to pass along many of the things I've learned
during treatment and survival. I've continued learning about dealing with breast cancer - and many of my
readers have taught me from their own wisdom. The more we know, the better we can fight this cancer, and
perhaps someday, it will be totally preventable.
At first, I did not expect to survive breast cancer - everyone I had known with that diagnosis had suffered
and died. My husband's mother Nancy had fought it - twice - for 6 years, but we eventually lost her, in
1980. Treatments have improved since then, as have diagnostic procedures and imaging technology.
Patients have become more empowered - we get to choose between a mastectomy and a lumpectomy -
instead of leaving that up our surgeons. In the past, many women went in for a breast biopsy and didn't
know if they would wake up with, or without breasts! Before the widespread adoption of sentinel node
biopsy, many women endured a full axillary dissection (nasty term!) and then suffered a lifetime of arm
lymphedema. Now the practice of having almost all your lymph nodes removed to be tested for metastasis is
fading - thank goodness!
Best of all, more and more of us are becoming breast cancer survivors. In fact, the National Cancer Institute
says that there are about 2.5 million of us living 5 or more years after being diagnosed with breast cancer. In
addition, we survive longer than previous generations did.
So how did I celebrate? Just by doing normal things - went to church, made lunch at home, did some
yardwork, and played with our little dogs. All of these things are nice, everyday occupations - and I am so
happy to still be around to enjoy them! I had my 85-year old father and my wonderful husband to spend the
day with, and then had internet time with my sister. Such moments I no longer take for granted. I am not
grateful that I had breast cancer - so that's not what I celebrate. It is survival and endurance I enjoy, and
that's what I am thankful for today.
March 20, 2011 - Study supports less-aggressive lymph node surgery for some breast cancer patients - By
Jan Jarvis –
For women with small breast cancer tumors, removing just a few lymph nodes from under the arm instead of
several could be just as effective as more extensive surgery, a recent study has found.
If the data hold up, the less-invasive approach could spare some women from further surgery to remove
lymph nodes and the problems that sometimes go with it, such as lymphedema, which causes fluid retention
and tissue swelling.
Numbness, a decrease in the range motion and pain can also occur.
"Most women are pretty happy when I can tell them that we don't have to do as extensive auxiliary surgery,"
said Dr. Mary Brian, a breast surgeon with Texas Oncology.
But it's not that simple.
"The less you do the better it is for the patient," she said. "But you don't want to do the wrong thing and
leave cancer behind."
The study, published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that
for women with breast tumors less than 2 inches in diameter the survival rate was the same whether only two
lymph nodes were removed or multiple nodes were taken out.
All 891 women in the study had small tumors and cancer cells in no more than two lymph nodes. A sentinel
lymph node biopsy was used to detect any cancer cells. The procedure involves injecting dye in the tumor to
see which lymph nodes it travels to.
After the surgery, the pathologist examined the lymph nodes over multiple days. The study helps address the
question of what to do if there's a very small amount of cancer found after the patient has left the hospital.
"If there's a tiny drop of cancer in the lymph nodes, no more surgery is acceptable," Brian said. "The study
showed that there is no improvement in survival by doing more."
The study flies in the face of the longtime practice of aggressively treating cancer by removing at least 10
lymph nodes.
But the trend has been shifting toward performing less surgery, and the study may prompt more doctors to
follow suit.
Going into surgery last fall, Kathy Reich, 49, knew a sentinel node biopsy would be performed, and she
hoped she would be spared more aggressive surgery.
"If it had been negative, my doctor would have made the decision at that time never to take out any lymph
nodes," she said. "But I did have more nodes involved."
She underwent a more aggressive surgery.
March 20, 2011 - The PINK Album – A Musical Celebration of Courage and Hope To Benefit The Maine
Breast Cancer Coalition - PR Web –
PATCO Construction, Inc. of Sanford Maine to serve as Executive Producer on an unprecedented CD
featuring Maine's most talented female singer songwriters. Veteran performers, Grammy nominees, and
rising stars unite to make life a little easier for Maine women (and men) battling breast cancer.
PATCO Construction, Inc. of Sanford, Maine, will serve as Executive Producer on an unprecedented CD
featuring Maine's most talented female singer songwriters. Veteran performers, Grammy nominees, and
rising stars unite to make life a little easier for Maine women (and men) battling breast cancer.
PATCO Construction, Inc of Sanford, Maine is a company on a mission. Family owned for over 26 years,
and a leader in the States residential and commercial building industry, PATCO understands that they have a
responsibility to give back to the community. Because so many families – including those of PATCO
employees – are touched by breast cancer, they chose to help provide financial support to The Maine
Breast Cancer Coalition Support Service Fund (MBCC).
Mark and Greg Patterson, co-owners of PATCO, like the fact that the Fund provides assistance directly to
Maine residents. “It helps cover the costs of items not taken care of by insurance companies”, said Mark.
“It’s also used to help defray costs for individuals who may be under insured.” According to MBCC
President Pam Sirois, the fund has covered mammograms and ultrasound, hospital bills, physician bills, bras
and prostheses, wigs, prescriptions, lymphedema therapy and compression garments, genetic testing,
transportation costs, as well as temporary living expenses for people in active breast cancer treatment.
In 2008 PATCO launched the first in a series of campaigns on behalf of the MBCC. "The Pink Key
Project" pledged a donation for every contract, residential or commercial, signed that year. This campaign
was just the beginning of PATCO’s passionate commitment to the cause. To date PATCO has contributed
nearly $20,000 to the Support Service Fund.
This year, PATCO is serving as Executive Producer on "The Pink Album," scheduled for release October 1
to coincide with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. An unprecedented two CD collection, the
project will bring together, for the very first time, over two dozen of Maine’s most talented female
performers. Among those participating are artists such as Cindy Bullens, Kate Schrock, Anne Clark, Sara
Cox, and Women In Harmony. These veteran performers, rising stars, and Grammy nominees – some of
whom have shared the stage with such legends as Elton John and Johnny Cash - will be contributing tracks
they’ve selected specifically for this musical tribute. The album's producer, Con Fullam, has a long history in
the music business and is perhaps best known locally as the composer of "The Maine Christmas Song" and
the driving force behind "The Amazing Music of Mainers," a fundraiser to help end hunger in Maine.
The official kick-off for "The Pink Album" will be held on Wednesday, March 23 at SPACE Gallery, 538
Congress Street, Portland, Maine from 12:30 to 2:00 PM. Members of the public are welcome. During this
event proceeds from the 2010 PATCO and New England Building Materials "Kitchens That Care"
promotion, will be presented to representatives of The Maine Breast Cancer Coalition by Mark Patterson of
PATCO and Joy Martel of NEMB.
March 21, 2011 - This Way Up: Breast cancer survivors pull together on a boat - By Art Carey –
In his new book, The Social Animal, David Brooks makes a strong case for connection, community, and
group participation. According to one study he cites, joining a group that meets even just once a month
produces the same happiness gain as doubling your income.
That assertion came to mind the other night as I listened to Tobi Goldberg Maguire give an impromptu thank-
you speech to the women on her dragon boat team.
It was 10 years to the day since her mastectomy, Maguire announced. Seven years ago, she joined the
team, and six weeks after that, her sister died.
Maguire, of Melrose Park, recalled the consoling words of a teammate: "I'm sorry to hear about your sister,
but you have a whole boatload of new sisters here."
They call themselves Hope Afloat, a name both inspired and inspiring because the 40 or so women who
paddle for the team are all breast-cancer survivors. This is the team's 10th anniversary, and over the years it
has included women ranging in age from the late 20s to mid-70s, of all shapes and sizes, all levels of physical
condition and athletic ability.
That was evident on a recent evening as a couple of dozen members of the team practiced in the new paddle
pool at Main Line Health & Fitness in Bryn Mawr.
"Push with the legs, pull with the core!" exhorted their coach, Robin Parker, 57, of Plymouth Meeting.
"Crunch down and remember your exit. It's just as important as the catch."
The women plunged their paddles into the churning water and pulled hard, seeking to move in unison as they
increased power and pace. Some looked fierce and seemed fueled by anger. A few vocalized each stroke
with a grunt, like a pro tennis player swatting a tremendous forehand.
"They're tough broads," said Meg Fasy, 46, of Society Hill, a three-time cancer survivor who recently joined
the team. "Everybody is really welcoming, but at the same time, very competitive. These women have been
through a lot, and nothing stops them."
Dragon boat racing, with roots in ancient China, is increasingly popular in the United States. Philadelphia
hosts two big events, the Independence Dragon Boat Regatta in June and the International Dragon Boat
Festival in October.
Breast-cancer survivors began flocking to the sport after Don McKenzie, a Canadian physician and exercise
scientist, proved in the '90s that it was not only unharmful but also beneficial. Previously, such women had
been told to avoid strenuous upper-body exercise, for fear it might cause or aggravate lymphedema, a
painful swelling of the limbs.
In Vancouver in 2005, at the first regatta exclusively for breast-cancer survivors, Hope Afloat beat all the U.
S. teams and placed second overall.
Hope Afloat has traveled also to Italy and Australia and will take part this summer in the Pan Am Games in
Florida.
Practice on the Schuylkill begins in April, and before the season ends in November, the team typically vies in
four to six regattas. This year, the paddle pool, which opened in January and is billed as unique in the United
States, has given the team a jump.
March 23, 2011 - Integrating Bevacizumab, Everolimus, and Lapatinib into Current … – Medscape
A pilot study of vascular endothelial growth factor inhibition with bevacizumab in patients with lymphedema
following breast cancer treatment. ...
Sorry Tina, this one you need to be a member of something to access it
March 25, 2011 - Elizabeth Taylor: Beautiful Mutant - Slate Magazine – By Roxanne Palmer –
The late Elizabeth Taylor was widely known for her violet eyes—so much so that she named her newest
fragrance after them. I was slightly crushed, then, to discover that, by most official accounts, Taylor's eyes
were actually a deep blue that appeared purple when enhanced by lighting and makeup. (Truly violet eyes
occur only in albinos.)
While she might not have had bona fide purple eyes, as anyone who saw Elizabeth Taylor onscreen knows,
they were still arresting: large, liquid, and framed by a thick fringe of eyelashes. With respect to those
eyelashes, Taylor apparently hit the jackpot, genetically. According to biographer J. Randy Tarborelli, just
after her birth, Taylor's parents were ushered into the doctor's office and told that their newborn daughter
had a mutation:
"Well, that sounded just awful," the girl's mother later recall[ed], "a mutation. But, when he explained that her
eyes had double rows of eyelashes, I thought, well, now, that doesn't sound so terrible at all."
Double rows of eyelashes are usually the result of a mutation at FOXC2, a gene that influences all kinds of
tissue development in embryos. FOXC2 mutations are thought to be responsible for, among other things,
lymphedema-distichiasis syndrome, a hereditary disease that can cause disorders of the lymphatic system in
addition to double eyelashes.
The eyelash mutation isn't always as cosmetically enhancing as Taylor's turned out to be—the extra
eyelashes can sometimes grow inward and damage the cornea. And it turns out that 7 percent of people
with lymphedema-distichiasis syndrome also suffer from congenital heart disease. Taylor herself had a
history of heart problems—in 2009, Taylor underwent surgery to repair a "leaky valve", and her death on
Wednesday was attributed to congestive heart failure.
The late actor Richard Burton, who accounted for two of Taylor's eight marriages, was oddly dismissiveof
her beauty, saying that she had a double chin, an overdeveloped chest, and short legs. But, he conceded,
"she has wonderful eyes."
Special thanks to Dr. Janet Sparrow and Dr. Stephen Tsang from the Ophthalmology Department at
Columbia University, and to makeup artist Elias Gutierrez.
Photograph of Elizabeth Taylor courtesy of Getty Images.
March 25, 2011 - New Technology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia Aids Surgeons With Early
Detection of Lymphedemain Breast Cancer Patients – Newswise –
Early Detection and Intervention May Prevent Disabling Complication of Breast Cancer Surgery
Newswise — NEW YORK (March 24, 2011) -- Breast cancer specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian
Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center are offering patients new ways to detect early signs of
lymphedema, a common side effect of breast cancer surgery that causes painful, debilitating and disfiguring
swelling in the arms following removal of lymph nodes.
As many as 30 percent of women who have breast cancer surgery with lymph node removal will develop
lymphedema. Radiation treatment increases this risk to as high as 50 percent. While it is possible to arrest
the condition through physical therapy and bandaging, there is no cure.
"Just as we've used early detection to improve breast cancer survival, we are using early detection to reduce
women's risk for developing lymphedema,"says
Dr. Sheldon Feldman, the Vivian L. Milstein Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at Columbia University
College of Physicians and Surgeons and chief of breast surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian
Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.
Dr. Feldman and his colleagues at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia are employing a technique called
bioimpedence spectroscopy to help them identify the earliest onset of lymphedema. An FDA-approved
device called L-DEX (ImpediMed Inc.) uses a mild electrical current to measure minute changes in
extracellular fluid, allowing for a diagnosis of lymphedema by the physician well before any swelling is
noticeable. "By catching it early, we can reverse the process and prevent unnecessary pain, embarrassment,
debilitation and risk of infection,"says Dr. Feldman.
Alongside its clinical use, the bioimpedence technique is also being used in research to better understand
which patients are most at risk for lymphedema and whether the condition always progressively worsens, or
if it can naturally correct itself over time. Other studies will investigate the common belief that lymphedema is
negatively affected by air travel and weight training.
Another method of reducing risk for lymphedema is a technique called "reverse arm mapping.""The lymph
nodes that drain the arm are sometimes removed during breast cancer surgery because they're situated
within the armpit (axilla) in the same area as the lymph nodes that relate to the breast. With reverse arm
mapping, we inject dye into the patient's arm to differentiate the two kinds of lymph nodes. This allows the
surgeon to avoid removing any nodes related to arm drainage while still accurately identifying the sentinel
nodes, which are important for breast cancer evaluation and treatment,"says Dr. Feldman. "This should
reduce the risk of developing lymphedema.”
Arm mapping is part of a larger trend toward reducing or eliminating the need to remove a woman's lymph
nodes -- thereby reducing the incidence of lymphedema. Beginning in the 1990s, sentinel node biopsy used
dye injected into the breast to target the sentinel lymph node, the gatekeeper to the axilla and the one most
at risk for cancer spread. Today, the latest research indicates that fewer patients need any lymph nodes
removed than previously thought. Even if the sentinel node is shown to be positive, patients with early-stage
breast cancer who are treated with lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation may not need to have any
further lymph nodes removed.
For more information, patients may call (866) NYP-NEWS.
Columbia University Medical Center
Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, pre-clinical and clinical
research, in medical and health sciences education, and in patient care. The Medical Center trains future
leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists,
and nurses at the College of Physicians & Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of
Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Established in 1767, Columbia's College of Physicians
and Surgeons was the first institution in the country to grant the M.D. degree and is now among the most
selective medical schools in the country. Columbia University Medical Center is home to the largest medical
research enterprise in New York City and state and one of the largest in the United States. For more
information, please visit www.cumc.columbia.edu.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, based in New York City, is the nation's largest not-for-profit, non-
sectarian hospital, with 2,353 beds. The Hospital has more than 2 million inpatient and outpatient visits in a
year, including more than 220,000 visits to its emergency departments -- more than any other area hospital.
NewYork-Presbyterian provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of
medicine at five major centers: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-
Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley
Children's Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian/The Allen Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian
Hospital/Westchester Division. One of the most comprehensive health care institutions in the world, the
Hospital is committed to excellence in patient care, research, education and community service. NewYork-
Presbyterian is the #1 hospital in the New York metropolitan area and is consistently ranked among the best
academic medical institutions in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report. The Hospital has
academic affiliations with two of the nation's leading medical colleges: Weill Cornell Medical College and
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. For more information, visit www.nyp.org.
March 25, 2011 - The Benefits Of Liposuction On Breast Cancer Patients - Bay Net –
The Benefits Of Liposuction On Breast Cancer Patients
Reconstructive plastic surgery is often a necessity for breast cancer survivors. Insurance companies will
normally pay for reconstructive plastic surgery procedures that have been linked to a medical illness but will
not cover certain procedures that are still considered cosmetic. One such procedure is liposuction.
Insurance companies view liposuction as a strictly elective procedure that is used to remove fat deposits for
cosmetic improvement. New research is starting to discover that liposuction can offer help for breast cancer
patients that have developed secondary medical conditions from their cancer treatments. The most
prominent illness that is linked to breast cancer treatment is Lymphedema.
Lymphedema occurs when the lymph nodes near the breasts and upper arms are removed due to the
presence of cancerous cells. Once the lymph nodes are removed from the upper arms, the lymphatic fluid is
trapped with no way to be purged from the body. The excess lymphatic fluid is absorbed into the
surrounding fat cells. This process results in the painful condition called Lymphedema. Symptoms of
Lymphedema include: severely swollen arms, numbness of the arms, heaviness and poor mobility.
Both traditional liposuction and
smart liposuction have proven to be very effective treatments in reducing the effects of Lymphedema.
Removing excess fat cells in the upper arm region decreases the amount of swelling that is associated with
this medical condition. Currently Insurance companies refuse to acknowledge the benefits of liposuction as a
treatment to Lymphedema.
Liposuction cost can range anywhere from $12,000 to $17,000. Without insurance coverage, patients are
often left to pay for these procedures out of pocket. The medical community is currently doing case studies
to prove that both regular and laser liposuction can help improve the quality of life in breast cancer survivors.
However, these medical case studies can take several years to complete. Patients who are currently
suffering from Lymphedema have no other options to cover the liposuction cost other than paying the entire
fee upfront or borrowing in the form of a medical loan.
The health benefits associated with liposuction in regards to Lymphedema are worth the costs of the
procedure. Many patients have reported relief of the swelling and regained use of the affected limbs. Until
the medical community can prove to the insurance companies that liposuction can be a medical necessity,
there are other financial options available to patients who wish to use liposuction as a means to relieve
Lymphedema.
www.liposuctioncost.com/smart-liposuction
www.liposuctioncost.com/
March 27, 2011 - Good Deeds, March 27 - Omaha World-Herald –
The following are fundraisers, donations and other charitable events or opportunities happening in the
Midlands. E-mail your information about good deeds to connect@owh.com or call 402-444-1040.
Help for colleague, wife, mother: The Immanuel Medical Center community has organized a Saturday
fundraiser for the family of one of its own. Rachel Stotler Clasemann, a lymphedema therapist at Immanuel,
sustained a severe brain injury in a Jan. 10 traffic accident and is at Immanuel Rehabilitation Center. Her
husband, Jon Clasemann, and their sons, Jacob and Nathan, live in Papillion. The pancake breakfast and
silent auction will be from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Columbkille Catholic Church, 200 E.
Sixth St. in Papillion. The cost is $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 2 to 12. T-shirts also will be sold for
$10 each. Jacob and Nathan designed the shirts.
TeamMates: Tuesday will be TeamMates Day at Runza. All 75 Runza restaurants will donate 10 percent of
Tuesday’s proceeds to benefit local TeamMates chapters.
Bowling for Recovery: Community Alliance will host a Bowling for Recovery fundraiser Thursday at
Sempeck’s Bowling and Entertainment, 20902 Cumberland Drive in the Elkhorn area. Form a team, join a
team or sponsor a bowler in support of those with mental illness. Visit www.community-alliance.org and
click on the events tab to learn more, register or donate. The first bowling session will start at 5 p.m. For
$15, you get two hours of bowling, pizza and pop.
Reaching out: Creighton University social work students will offer information at the Heart Ministry Center,
2222 Binney St., to help attendees connect with Nebraska services. The students will be there from 10 a.m.
to noon Friday. Among the topics to be addressed are applying for Medicaid, Title XX and other state
programs; healthy eating and good nutrition; budget matters; and information to help in applying for jobs and
services.
Grease the griddle: The Waffle Man will be in action Friday to raise funds for the American Cancer Society’
s Relay For Life of Cass County. Kris’ Krew is putting on the all-you-can-eat Belgian waffle event from 5 p.
m. to 7:30 p.m. at Conestoga Elementary School in Murray, Neb. Cost: $6 per person but free for ages 4
and younger.
Kicking cancer: Zeta Tau Alpha, a sorority at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, will host its annual
Kick Out Cancer kickball tournament beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday in Elmwood Park. Proceeds go for
breast cancer education and awareness. Teams of eight to 10 members each can register with Sarahbeth
Averill at 402-201-5734 or saverill@unomaha.edu. Registration costs $65. Watching the tournament is free
and open to the public.
Polka time: The Polka America Corp. has organized a Saturday and April 3 fundraiser to benefit polka
music promotions and college scholarships. Four bands will perform. Concessions will be available for
purchase. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. both days at the Starlite Ballroom in Wahoo, Neb. Admission is
$10 Saturday and $8 April 3. Tickets available at the door only.
Just a reminder: Boy Scouts will attach door hangers Saturday to alert residents that Scouting for Food’s
pickup of nonperishable items will be April 9.
Benefit for Campfire USA: A tailgating event before the April 3 Creighton University versus University of
Portland baseball game will raise money for the Midlands Council of Campfire USA, a nonprofit that works
with children. The fundraiser will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the McGloin parking lot in front of the
stadium. A “Wing Fling” lunch will include wings, vegetables, chips, desserts and soda for $5. Sponsoring
the lunch is the CU chapter of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority.
Dodgeball: Sigma Kappa Sorority at the University of Nebraska at Omaha will host a dodgeball tournament
to raise money for Alzheimer’s research. The tournament will begin at noon April 9 at UNO’s pep bowl and
the Health Physical Education and Recreation Building. Teams of six to eight players will play 20-minute
games. Teams must have two women on the court during play time. Registration is $5 per player. E-mail
Samantha Mancuso at smancuso@unomaha.edu to register.
There he is: The Fremont (Neb.) Area Habitat for Humanity Mr. Habitat Pageant 2011 will be April 16 at
Midland University’s Hopkins Arena in Fremont. Five men will compete in several categories, including
fundraising. The event is open to the public. Visit www.fremonthabitat.org to purchase tickets, $45, or to
make a donation.
Prosthetics: Step Global, a Nebraska-based charity, refits unneeded prosthetics for its charity therapy work
in Nicaragua. Both monetary donations and prosthetics that are no longer needed are accepted. Step Global’
s website, www.stepglobal.org, has information about donating. For more information, call Jacob Keough at
402-614-7321.
Biking for housing: Anne Troyer — a native of Shickley, Neb., and a student at Goshen College in Indiana
— will pedal 3,600 miles from Seattle to Washington, D.C., to raise awareness and support for the Fuller
Center for Housing, a nonprofit Christian housing ministry. The ride will start June 10 and end Aug. 14. Her
fundraising goal is $3,600. To help sponsor her ride, e-mail her at troyeranne@gmail.com or visit www.
fullercenter.org/bikeadventure.
Still time to give: The Twin Rivers YMCA in Valley, Neb., has surpassed previous years’ fundraising efforts
and added more than $70,000 to its Strong Kids Campaign funding for the next year. The fundraising effort
will end Thursday for the entire YMCA of Greater Omaha Area locations. Additional donations are
welcome through the Twin Rivers YMCA or online at www.metroymca.org, click on Opportunities.
Helping the sisters: A week ago, 264 guests joined the Notre Dame Sisters at Omaha Roncalli High School
to celebrate their 100-year ministry in the United States and to honor Sister Marilyn Ross, executive director
of Holy Name Housing. The fundraiser grossed $40,000 for the ministries of the Notre Dame Sisters and
featured a silent auction and raffle.
Compiled by Sue Story Truax
March 27, 2011 - Breast biopsy may be first step in cancer battle - Pueblo Chieftain – By DR. CARL
BARTECCHI –
Q: I just found out that I have an abnormal mammogram, and a biopsy is recommended. What will happen
to me?
A: For help with this sensitive question, I consulted Louis Balizet, M.D., a medical oncologist at the Rocky
Mountain Cancer Center. Here is his answer:
When radiologists read mammograms, they place the results in one of five categories ranging from totally
normal to very suspicious for cancer. Your mammogram is abnormal enough that biopsy is recommended
(Category 4 or 5).
Breast biopsies are usually done using a special type of mammogram, which allows the radiologist to see the
abnormality —frequently only a tiny cluster of white dots, or microcalcifications — in three dimensions.
After local anesthesia, he places a small needle in the middle of the abnormality and takes one or several
samples. These samples are then reviewed by a pathologist, who determines if cancer is present. If he finds
cancer, he then performs a number of other studies on the biopsy specimen to determine how aggressive it
might be, and what medicines might be helpful in treatment. Approximately 20 percent of Category 4
mammograms come back positive on biopsy; almost all Category 5 ones do.
Obviously this is a scary time for any woman; it is very upsetting to go from feeling perfectly normal one day
to worrying about harboring a potentially fatal cancer the next. If your biopsy comes back positive, it is
important to remember three things: (1) Most women with breast cancer are cured; (2) the overwhelming
majority of women whose breast cancer is discovered by mammogram, without a lump that they can feel,
are cured; and (3) mastectomy is rarely needed in the treatment of breast cancer.
If the biopsy does come back positive, your primary care provider will refer you to a surgeon, who will
perform a lumpectomy —removal of a relatively small portion of the breast surrounding the original biopsy
site. This will be sent to the pathologist, who will determine the size of the cancer (usually a fraction of an
inch) and whether a rim of normal tissue surrounds the cancer (in medical terms, whether the “margins are
clear.”) The surgeon may also suggest removing a “sentinel node” — a lymph node under the armpit that is
first in line to collect cancer cells if any decide to migrate in that direction. The incisions for these procedures
are usually only a few inches in length.
These days we rarely proceed to remove any more lymph nodes under the armpit, even if the sentinel node
is positive — research has shown that next to nothing is gained by doing any more. The value of finding out if
the sentinel node is positive is to guide subsequent use of medical therapy; it is done more to get information
about the way the cancer is likely to behave than to treat it. These and other discoveries have virtually
eliminated the “fat arm” (lymphedema) that women experienced in the past as a consequence of surgery to
remove lymph nodes under the armpit.
At this point we are about halfway through treatment for the breast cancer. Even if all the cancer seen on the
mammogram has been removed, with negative margins, there is still a good chance that there is (invisible)
cancer left in the breast. Eradicating this, while still keeping the breast intact and looking as close to normal
as possible, is the job of the next specialist you will see— the radiation oncologist. He will use X-rays —
invisible but deadly to any remaining cancer — delivered in small daily doses for three to five weeks to the
entire breast. This treatment is painless but, toward the end, you might develop a “sunburn” on the breast
that usually goes away in one to two weeks. Radiation therapy after lumpectomy virtually guarantees that
cancer will not return in the breast. It is natural at this stage for you to feel that therapy should be done —
the cancer in the breast has been removed, and, for good measure, the entire breast has been irradiated.
However, there remains one critical element of therapy— medical or “systemic” therapy. In fact, it is this
portion of therapy which has made the treatment of breast cancer more likely to be curative than in the past.
We know that women who die from breast cancer die from cancer cells that have escaped beyond the
breast before the diagnosis is made, then grow months to years later in other parts of the body (metastatic
cancer). All the treatment in the world, if directed only at the breast, will not touch these cells. Fortunately,
there is a large selection of medicines that do attack these cells, wherever they may be. To decide about
whether they are needed, and if so, which ones, you will meet yet another member of the breast cancer
treatment team — a medical oncologist. To guide his decision the medical oncologist turns to the information
given by the pathologist: How big is the tumor? Is it influenced by female hormones? Is it driven by other
growth factors? Is the sentinel node positive? Sometimes, to further refine the selection of anti-cancer
medicines, he will order an additional study on the biopsy material that can actually measure the activity of
16 cancer-promoting genes. Armed with this information, the medical oncologist can recommend a regimen
of medical treatment tailored to the characteristics of your individual cancer, as well as to your individual
overall health status. This regimen could be as simple as a once-daily pill for five years, or as complicated as
a five-drug cocktail including intravenous chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy, when needed, is by far the most difficult part of breast cancer treatment. It can entail the
placement (by a surgeon or radiologist) of a “port” to facilitate frequent intravenous injections; it usually
causes hair loss that is temporary but still distressing; it rarely causes nausea but almost always causes
fatigue. It is recommended only when it gives a woman a significant boost in her chances of cure beyond
what they would be without it. It is the medical oncologist’s job to explain to you why additional medical
therapy might be needed, and if so, what medicines would be best and why. The medical oncologist also will
describe the possible side effects of the proposed regimen, and what steps can be taken to lessen or
eliminate them.
Breast cancer is common and the treatment is complex. But thanks to reduced use of hormone replacement
treatment and to mammograms, it is being diagnosed less frequently, and in earlier stages. Thanks to
improvement in surgical and radiation therapy techniques, disfiguring consequences of treatment are rare.
Thanks to early application of a variety of drugs, treatment is more likely to be curative.
An American woman’s chance of dying from breast cancer is 20 percent less now than it was 20 years ago,
with even more improvements likely on the horizon. If your biopsy does come back positive for breast
cancer, you will likely be cured of your disease, and your appearance should remain essentially the same.
Dr. Carl Bartecchi is an internal medicine specialist. Please submit general health questions to him via e-mail
at ckbartecchi@gmail.com.
March 28, 2011 - Breast cancer specialists offer new technology for patients to detect early-stage
lymphedema –
Breast cancer specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center are
offering patients new ways to detect early signs of lymphedema, a common side effect of breast cancer
surgery that causes painful, debilitating and disfiguring swelling in the arms following removal of lymph nodes.
As many as 30 percent of women who have breast cancer surgery with lymph node removal will develop
lymphedema. Radiation treatment increases this risk to as high as 50 percent. While it is possible to arrest
the condition through physical therapy and bandaging, there is no cure.
"Just as we've used early detection to improve breast cancer survival, we are using early detection to reduce
women's risk for developing lymphedema,"says Dr. Sheldon Feldman, the Vivian L. Milstein Associate
Professor of Clinical Surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and chief of breast
surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.
Dr. Feldman and his colleagues at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia are employing a technique called
bioimpedence spectroscopy to help them identify the earliest onset of lymphedema. An FDA-approved
device called L-DEX (ImpediMed Inc.) uses a mild electrical current to measure minute changes in
extracellular fluid, allowing for a diagnosis of lymphedema by the physician well before any swelling is
noticeable. "By catching it early, we can reverse the process and prevent unnecessary pain, embarrassment,
debilitation and risk of infection,"says Dr. Feldman.
Alongside its clinical use, the bioimpedence technique is also being used in research to better understand
which patients are most at risk for lymphedema and whether the condition always progressively worsens, or
if it can naturally correct itself over time. Other studies will investigate the common belief that lymphedema is
negatively affected by air travel and weight training.
Another method of reducing risk for lymphedema is a technique called "reverse arm mapping.""The lymph
nodes that drain the arm are sometimes removed during breast cancer surgery because they're situated
within the armpit (axilla) in the same area as the lymph nodes that relate to the breast. With reverse arm
mapping, we inject dye into the patient's arm to differentiate the two kinds of lymph nodes. This allows the
surgeon to avoid removing any nodes related to arm drainage while still accurately identifying the sentinel
nodes, which are important for breast cancer evaluation and treatment,"says Dr. Feldman. "This should
reduce the risk of developing lymphedema."
Arm mapping is part of a larger trend toward reducing or eliminating the need to remove a woman's lymph
nodes -- thereby reducing the incidence of lymphedema. Beginning in the 1990s, sentinel node biopsy used
dye injected into the breast to target the sentinel lymph node, the gatekeeper to the axilla and the one most
at risk for cancer spread. Today, the latest research indicates that fewer patients need any lymph nodes
removed than previously thought. Even if the sentinel node is shown to be positive, patients with early-stage
breast cancer who are treated with lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation may not need to have any
further lymph nodes removed.
Source: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
March 28, 2011 - $356K in grants for local breast cancer programs - Fresno Business Journal –
The Central Valley affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure has announced its award of 10 grants totaling
$356,216 to programs providing breast cancer services in the Fresno County area.
The awards will be presented in a press conference at ValleyPBS on April 1, which begins the Susan G.
Komen for the Cure fiscal year that concludes on March 31, 2012, said Sharon Johnson, executive director
of the Central Valley affiliate.
“We have identified specific, unmet breast health needs within our community and ‘filled in the gaps,’
delivering the life-saving message of early detection and providing assistance to medically-underserved
breast cancer patients and their families," Johnson said in a statement.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure is a network of 125 affiliates that bills itself as "the world's largest and most
progressive grassroots network fighting to end breast cancer forever."
The grantees include:
Association for Community Enhancement: Breast Cancer Awareness Project - $10,000
?
B-CAP will provide the nutrition education and portable exercise program in the Hispanic and Lao
communities. Designed to implement a series of discussion programs regarding risk reduction, early
detection, and treatment of breast cancers.
Centro la Familia Advocacy Services, Inc.: Cancer del Seno - $50,000
Offers a culturally and linguistically appropriate program specifically for Latinas with bilingual education,
awareness and advocacy on their behalf and screening referral resources. There are plans to reach 500
women in the following areas: Huron, Parlier, Sanger, Selma, and Reedley.
Children's Hospital Central California: Children’s Hospital Central California Breast Cancer Awareness and
Education Project - $10,143
Research indicates that young women who have received radiation as part of chemotherapy have a higher
incidence of breast cancer than the general population and need to be screened for secondary recurrences
starting as early as age 25. As a result, breast cancer awareness and education is vital to early detection of
secondary cancer conditions.
Clovis Community Medical Center-Lymphedema Clinic :Effective and Timely Treatment of Lymphedema,
Axillary Web Syndrome and Related Conditions Regardless of the Ability to Pay for Services or of Cultural
Barrier - $50,000
Program will provide treatment to underserved breast cancer survivors who have been diagnosed with
lymphedema.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center, Inc. (DHHSC): Cancer, Awareness, Recovery, and Education
(CARE) - $33,206
Provide culturally and linguistically appropriate breast cancer education to the deaf and hard of hearing.
Disability Legal Rights Center – Cancer Legal Resource Center : Guide to Navigating Breast Health Care
Options in Fresno County - $10,000
Educate those who do not have adequate information about their legal rights and options. These groups are
less likely to receive optimum health care and are more prone to experience increased stress and less
positive survivorship outcomes.
Fresno Health Consumer Center, a project of Central California Legal Services, Inc.: Breast Cancer
Education Project - $50,000
The culturally diverse staff is trained to assist families with health care access issues in their own language.
Individuals served represent an ethnically diverse clientele, with an increasing number of residents for whom
English is a second language. Will provide advocacy and educational breast cancer awareness services and
offer free mammograms for men and women in Fresno County through the administration of the $200
Challenge, funds raised from Komen Central Valley Race for the Cure.
Hinds Hospice: Palliative Care/Hospice for Breast Cancer Patients - $43,900
Financial assistance to help offset the un-reimbursed cost of care provided to the uninsured or underinsured
terminally ill breast cancer patients who are in need of Hospice Care in Fresno County.
Valley Public Television, Inc. DBA ValleyPBS : Multi-media Educational Outreach Project-$50,000
Multi-media educational outreach project for the Central Valley Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
focused on developing culturally appropriate breast health education materials for Central Valley residents.
West Fresno Health Care Coalition, Inc.: Body and Soul United - $48,967
Community-based and faith-based partnership project working with predominately African-American
churches for increasing awareness on breast health education
Thirteen specialists in Hanford recently earned accreditation for their Adventist Health/Central Valley
Network surgery center.
The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care denoted the Kings River Surgical Center as
officially certified, recognizing the outfit at the Hanford Medical Pavilion for its quality of services and its
performance based on a national standard.
“I’m very excited we received the maximum accreditation available,” said Dr. Jeffrey Csiszar, the center’s
medical director. “It reflects our commitment to the quality of care our patients receive.”
Ambulatory means “able to walk” and refers to outpatient services, or those that don’t require a hospital
stay. Surgeons at the center specialize in gastroenterology, orthopedics, podiatry, urology, gynecology,
general surgery and ear, nose and throat operations.
The surgeries are performed in a 7,000 square-foot center on the first floor of the pavilion, next to Adventist
Medical Center. The Kings River Surgical Center was designed to emphasize personalized care and faster
surgeries and recoveries.
March 28, 2011 – Sentinel Lymph Node Dissection – openPR –
openPR) - Health care professionals at the King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) work tirelessly not only
to treat cancer, but to treat the patient with cancer. Doctors are trained in the latest available techniques and
findings; employ the most recent proven methods of diagnosis, procedures and treatment; and utilize state-of-
the-art medical equipment. KHCC care is patient centric, focusing on the best interests of the patient-
aggressively attacking cancer while working to minimize side effects for the patient. Sentinel Lymph Node
Dissection (SLND) is one example of the many highly-advanced techniques offered to KHCC patients.
SLND is an effective surgical procedure for multiple types of cancer. According to Dr. Mahmoud Al
Masari, Department Chairman of Surgery at KHCC, “SLND has been the standard of patient care at the
Center in determining the spread of disease for breast cancer since 2003.” Doctors began using this
procedure because of its extreme benefits to patients, offering a much less invasive alternative, quick
recovery and fewer post-operative complications than the traditional staging method of Auxiliary Lymph
Node Dissection (ALND).
Lymph nodes are small organs grouped in the neck, underarms, chest, abdomen and groin that help the
body fight infection, clean and filter foreign cells. Although not all cancers spread in an orderly progression,
the flow of fluid from a breast tumor is predictable; it will first drain into lymph nodes under the arm. If cells
from a malignant breast tumor begin to spread, they are found trapped in an underarm lymph node closest to
the tumor before potentially spreading to other areas of the body. Doctors refer to the sentinel lymph node
as being the first lymph node fed directly from the tumor.
Years ago, breast cancer patients would undergo conventional ALND where surgeons remove most
(approximately 10-30) nodes in the armpit area to determine if cancer has spread. This intrusive procedure
has post-operative risks such as lymphedema (permanent, life-long swelling of the arm). In contrast, SLND
involves the removal of only 3-4 nodes, those suspected to be the sentinel lymph node. If the nodes are
found to be cancer-free after careful analysis, doctors determine that cancer from the breast tumor has been
contained and not spread to create any secondary tumors.
A middle-aged woman, Rania, detected her breast cancer through screening from a Jordan Breast Cancer
Program (JBCP)-sponsored campaign. Upon being diagnosed, she immediately sought treatment at KHCC,
where she underwent a concurrent lumpectomy and SLND procedure. Like countless other KHCC
patients, she is grateful that Dr. Al Masari used this method which not only assured that all cancer had been
removed, but allowed “excellent mobility” within days of the operation. She quickly resumed daily activities
with her three active children, relieved to have not endured the possible nerve damage or potential
lymphedema commonly associated with ALND. Rania credits the excellent medical care she received at
KHCC - accuracy in diagnosis, advanced procedures, cutting edge technology, and highly-skilled doctors-
for being “a cancer-free survivor” today.
Procedure
When a patient is diagnosed in the early stages of breast cancer and presents only a small malignant mass,
doctors determine in pre-operative exams if the patient is a likely candidate for SLND. If a patient meets
required prerequisites for SLND, surgeons perform the SLND procedure before beginning the patient's
lumpectomy or mastectomy to access if cancer has spread beyond the breast.
For KHCC surgeons to accurately locate the specific sentinel lymph node(s) requiring removal, patients are
injected near the tumor site with two tracers- blue dye for visual identification and a low-level radioactive
material detected via a Gamma Probe machine. With the help of the dual tracers, a specially-trained surgeon
identifies the sentinel lymph nodes. Only dye-stained nodes, nodes detected with any radioactive activity,
and any other suspicious nodes are removed for comprehensive analysis.
KHCC pathologists analyze the excised sentinel lymph nodes while surgeons concurrently perform their
patient’s lumpectomy or mastectomy. The KHCC pathology lab tests nodes by varied methods in order to
provide the most accurate results. Initially, a portion of the nodes are immediately examined during surgery
to give doctors a preliminary indication if cancer is detected. If cancer is found, an ALND is performed to
determine the extent of the cancer's spread. However, if preliminary pathology results show that cancer is
not present, it is likely that cancer has not metastasized. Pathologists perform additional laboratory tests for
verification which provide more reliable accuracy in detection but take longer to analyze. For this reason,
there is a possibility that cancer could be detected days after SLND from one of the other methods of
analysis. If cancer is identified, patients return to undergo the ALND procedure for deeper analysis.
At KHCC
The Center's overall SLND success rate is an amazing 98%, exceeding the international average. A
relentless commitment to the success of SNLD is evident in rigorous training and unparalleled,
uncompromising quality at KHCC.
Training Standard learning protocol requires SLND surgeons to perform at least 20-30 procedures where
sentinel nodes have been correctly identified in over 90% of cases. All KHCC surgeons, residents and
fellows are thoroughly trained under the watchful eye of Dr. Al Masari, an expert in the procedure, who
helped pioneer this technique in Jordan as one of the first surgeons in the region to employ SLND. Since
SLND is regularly performed at the Center, KHCC provides a learning platform for doctors in Jordan (and
the region), to gain invaluable experience by receiving significant hands-on observational training from
KHCC experienced surgeons.
Quality KHCC has always provided quality cancer care, utilizing only the latest and greatest tools and
techniques for its patients. The Center's commitment to quality has been recognized nationally and
internationally. Among the honors, the Center received accreditation from the Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) as both a general hospital in 2006 (renewed in 2009)
and a disease-specific cancer center in 2007. Additionally, in 2009, the Department of Pathology and
Laboratory Medicine of KHCC was awarded an accreditation from the College of American Pathologists
(CAP), testifying to the exceptional high quality of KHCC’s pathology and laboratory services. KHCC's lab
is the first and only lab in Jordan to achieve the high criterion set by CAP.
Statistics since 2005 indicate 335 procedures of SLND performed at KHCC. A staggering 90 of these 335
procedures were performed between 1/1/2010 to 8/2010. Dr. Al Masari credits increased public
awareness and advocacy of regular breast examinations through the JBCP, with more incidences of breast
cancer being detected at early stages. At these early stages of detection, SLND is most likely to be
performed to detect any potential spread of cancer, thereby reducing mortality.
References
Dr. Mahmoud Al-Masri, KHCC Department Chairman of Surgery
Mrs. Rania Odeh, KHCC patient
www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/lymph_node_removal...
www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/therapy/sentinel-no...
www.cancernews.com/data/Article/202.asp
www.emedicinehealth.com/sentinel_node_biopsy/article_em.htm
www.gammaprobe.com/clinical/lymphnodes
www.imaginis.com/breast-health/sentinel-lymph-node-biopsy-2
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel_lymph_node
The King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) is the only specialized cancer center in the Middle East that
treats both adult and pediatric patients. Founded in 1997, KHCC is a non-governmental, not-for-profit
comprehensive center dedicated entirely to cancer care. It has achieved several international and national
P.O.Box 1269 Al Jubeiha Amman 11941 Jordan, Tel.5300460
Monday, March 28, 2011 - Boscov's Berks Jazz Fest: Sharon Bailey battles back to the jazz limelight – By
Susan Shelly –
After a two-year battle with breast cancer and melanoma, the Bethlehem resident and Berks native reunites
with the Ladies of Jazz for a Saturday Berks Jazz Fest concert.
After nearly two years of battling breast cancer and melanoma, singer Sharon L. Bailey will return to the
stage with the Ladies of Jazz during a Boscov's Berks Jazz Fest performance Saturday in the Abraham
Lincoln Hotel.
Her return to singing is a triumph, both of the medical professionals who cared for her and Bailey's spirit,
which wavered during the intensive cancer treatments but wouldn't be broken.
"There were times when I didn't know what would happen to me," said Bailey, 54, a Berks County native
who lives in Bethlehem. "The radiation affected my throat, and I wasn't sure about being able to sing. But, I
tried to stay positive through it all. At the worst times, I would imagine myself being on stage, singing."
Singing is what Bailey does, and has done since she was 4 years old. She has been a part of the area music
scene for years, and in 2003 left her nursing job to pursue singing full time. Audiences embraced her, and
she was hired to perform at venues including the Berks Jazz Fest, Bethlehem's Musikfest, the Hotel
Bethlehem and Philadelphia clubs.
She was preparing for a show in Jenkintown, just outside of Philadelphia, in June 2009 when she discovered
a lump in her breast and was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.
"I am one who has had mammograms faithfully, and I'd had one just six months before the diagnosis," Bailey
said. "They did another mammogram and, when the doctor called me on the same day, I knew the news
was not good."
She began extensive treatment, including surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, at Lehigh Valley Hospital,
where she had worked as a nurse five years earlier. While she was being treated for breast cancer, doctors
removed some moles from Bailey's leg and discovered that she also had melanoma, a serious form of skin
cancer.
"I always say that things happen for a reason," Bailey said. "If it hadn't been for the breast cancer, we might
not have discovered the melanoma."
Today, Bailey is in complete remission from both cancers, and ecstatic to finally be getting back to her life.
She recently returned from a trip to the West Coast, where she attended her grandson's one-year birthday
party. Bailey was still undergoing chemotherapy when Steven Xavier Bailey was born prematurely on March
11, 2010, weighing a little more than 3 pounds.
"It was difficult to be so far away from my son (Erik Bailey) and his wife at the time, but I just wasn't able to
travel," Bailey said. "I was recently able to visit them in their new home and take part in his first birthday
celebration."
Feeling that she can provide valuable support and help to other women, she is looking to shift her career
focus to working with women suffering from lymphedema, a condition involving swelling of the arm or arms
that occurs in 10 to 15 percent of breast-cancer patients. And she is anticipating her return to the stage with
the Ladies of Jazz and The Last Big Band.
"I feel like it's going to be wonderful to be up there and see all those faces and have the band behind me
again," Bailey said. "There's no other feeling like that."
Suzie Ernesto and Toni Lynne, the other ladies of the group, are thrilled to have Bailey back.
"Sharon is a tough lady, and I really admire her stamina," Ernesto said. "We're happy to get together again
and offer up this performance as a tribute to a lady who's winning the fight."
Lynne, who said she and Ernesto kept in touch with Sharon via e-mail during her cancer treatments, said the
fact that Bailey is not only well again, but able to sing and perform with the group, is overwhelming.
"Just to see her strong and alive is one thing," Lynne said. "But she still sings. She can still sing. And, that is
just awesome."
Bailey is philosophical about her ordeal with cancer, and grateful to the medical staff and advancements that
enabled her recovery. While she dealt with her illness in a somewhat private manner, she feels it is important
to share her story to bring additional awareness about breast cancer and melanoma, and to serve as a
source of hope and inspiration to people who are in treatment for cancer.
"I just feel so blessed," Bailey said. "My cancer is gone, and I'm thrilled to be able to do what I can do now.
I want other people to know there's hope. I can't do everything I'd like to, but I can sing again, and I'm just
thrilled about that."
Contact Susan Shelly: life@readingeagle.com.
March 28, 2011 - Local Soldiers, Girl Scouts Display Best of Americans - Patch.com – ByAnna Renault –
Witnessing acts of bravery, generosity highlight columnist's week 'around town.'
Traveling around town is always an interesting experience.
Last Thursday, I had mixed emotions as I attended the deployment for a unit from the 175th Infantry
Regiment of Maryland’s National Guard. Eric Friesl, an usher at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, is a
member of the Towson unit that deployed 88 men. This is Friesl’s fourth deployment.
Family, friends and parishioners are wishing him all the best.
“I’m glad I have the special skills and training needed that keeps my name on the ‘available for deployment’
list,” Friesl said.
His unit left from the Towson Armory, bound for six weeks of focused training at Fort Atterbury, IN. The
training will be followed by a 12-month assignment in Egypt.
The Armory was abuzz with dignitaries, family and friends, all there to say farewell as the men departed on
their dangerous mission. It seemed a bit strange seeing the men carrying their machine guns on their shoulder,
across their back, or along their front. While it is recognized that soldiers deploy to a war zone and must use
heavy weapons, it isn’t every day you see them carrying the weapon like a backpack or a baby. The guys
admit they quickly learn that it is necessary to have hands on your weapon at all times—it becomes second
nature when in a war zone.
Days after watching soldiers ship out for an unknown mission, I had the chance to see another great group
of Americans display what makes this country great. On Saturday night, I was on hand as 16 Girl Scout
Troops came together for one of their community events at St. Clements in Rosedale.
Their focus was Kami’s Jammies, a nonprofit organization that collects new pajamas that are distributed to
children who must spend time in hospitals. Watch for more details on this type of fundraising projects.
Congrats to Girl Scout Troop #1081 for hosting the event and for collecting 112 pairs of pajamas.
At the event was Laila Lowery representing Kami’s Jammies, a program of the Casey Cares Foundation.
Laila is a second grader who attends the Friends School. Laila has Sickle-Cell Anemia, a chronic condition,
which causes severe pain when her blood cells form crescents in the blood or “sickle shapes” that cause
pain as these clumps pass through her veins and arteries.
Many other symptoms impede normal childhood activity and development. As a frequent visitor to
University Hospital, Laila understands the importance and influence receiving a gift of new jammies has for
young children who face unpleasant hospital stays.
along with book signings has made my face more recognizable.
Thank you to all who have taken the time to speak with me about my journey through both domestic
violence and cancer. Yes, there have been tough times, but know that many positive things have happened
along my life’s journey—perhaps that will have to be another book … something like Anna’s Journey: The
Rest of the Story! Would anyone be interested in things that are rather ordinary, fun, exciting, weird and
otherwise filling in the blanks of my life?
And yes, the journey is continuing as I live through cancer reactions like Lymphedema on top of a
rollercoaster ride as a newly published author.
March 29, 2011 - NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia Uses Latest Technology for Early Detection of
Lymphedema in Breast Cancer Patients - By Jyothi Shanbhag –
To offer a quick relief for Breast Cancer Patients, specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia
University Medical Center are using new methods and technology to detect early signs of lymphedema, a
common side effect of breast cancer surgery that causes painful, debilitating and disfiguring swelling in the
arms following removal of lymph nodes.
A new technique called bioimpedence spectroscopy has been implemented by Dr. Sheldon Feldman, the
Vivian L. Milstein Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and
Surgeons and chief of breast surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical
Center, and his colleagues at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia to help identify the earliest onset of
lymphedema.
“Just as we've used early detection to improve breast cancer survival, we are using early detection to reduce
women's risk for developing lymphedema,"says Feldman.
An FDA-approved device called L-DEX (ImpediMed Inc.) uses a mild electrical current to measure minute
changes in extracellular fluid, allowing for a diagnosis of lymphedema by the physician well before any
swelling is noticeable. "By catching it early, we can reverse the process and prevent unnecessary pain,
embarrassment, debilitation and risk of infection,"says Dr. Feldman.
Along with this clinical use, the bioimpedence technique is also being used in research to better understand
which patients are most at risk for lymphedema and whether the condition always progressively worsens, or
if it can naturally correct itself over time.
Other studies will investigate the common belief that lymphedema is negatively affected by air travel and
weight training. Even other methods like reverse arm mapping are used to reduce the risk of developing
lymphedema.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, based in New York City, is the nation's largest not-for-profit, non-
sectarian hospital, with more than 2 million inpatient and outpatient visits in a year, including more than
220,000 visits to its emergency departments.
March 29, 2011 - EMMC's motion for new trial in miscarriage case denied - Bangor Daily News – By
Nok-Noi Ricker –
BANGOR, Maine — U.S. District Judge John Woodcock on Monday upheld a jury’s October decision
that awarded a Millinocket woman $200,000 in a civil lawsuit against Eastern Maine Medical Center, and
he also denied the hospital’s motion for a new trial.
The decision is just another step in the appeal process, EMMC’s lawyer said in response to Woodcock’s
ruling. Lorraine Morin’s lawyer said it affirms the jury’s decision that the hospital violated the law and in so
doing directly caused her to suffer personal harm.
Morin, who was having contractions when she was discharged from EMMC on July 1, 2007, after finding
out the 16-week-old fetus she was carrying had no heartbeat, went home and delivered her dead son in the
bathroom of her Millinocket home.
She sued the hospital in U.S. District Court in Bangor, claiming that doctors violated the Emergency Medical
Treatment and Active Labor Act when they sent her home. The law prohibits a hospital from discharging a
patient who is in an emergency medical condition, which includes being pregnant and having contractions.
A jury of six women and two men issued their verdict in October after deliberating for nearly seven hours.
They awarded Morin $50,000 in compensatory damages and $150,000 in punitive damages.
Woodcock’s decision, which was filed Monday, means “the jury got it absolutely right,” said A.J. Greif,
Morin’s attorney, “and that he wasn’t going to undo seven hours of hard work by this very bright jury.”
George Schelling, EMMC’s attorney, said in an email that he was not surprised by Woodcock’s decision.
“The judgment released today in the Morin case is as expected,” he said. “The ruling clears the way for
EMMC to appeal the jury’s October 20, 2010, verdict to the federal appeals court. While EMMC’s
profound sympathies are with the Morin family, EMMC is confident the appellate court will find that EMMC
treated Mrs. Morin in keeping with national standards of care in cases of miscarriage, and that EMMC is in
full compliance with EMTALA.”
EMMC had filed a renewed motion for judgment and a motion for a new trial more than a month ago based
on three claims.
The Bangor hospital “attacks the verdict, claiming that EMTALA distinguishes between viable and non-
viable pregnancies, that the Court erred in allowing a nurse to testify as an expert, and that the trial evidence
did not sustain the verdict,” Woodcock said in his decision denying EMMC’s post-verdict motions.
The hospital asked for a new trial “because the Court did not instruct the jury that the ‘may pose a threat’
language of EMTALA depends on whether the woman in labor has any medical condition that could
interfere with the normal, natural delivery of her healthy child,” Woodcock said.
The judge responded by saying he rejected the same motion during the trial because Morin did not deliver a
healthy child, but a dead fetus, and therefore the language did not apply. He again denied the motion.
The issue about whether a veteran nurse called as a witness by the defense should have been allowed to
testify also was dealt with during the three-day trial in October, the judge said in rejecting the hospital’s
second reason for a new trial. The final assertion, that the evidence didn’t support the verdict, also was
denied by Woodcock.
The judge also denied a motion by Morin, which she filed after the October verdict, for the hospital to
change its policies regarding the discharge of women going through miscarriages.
“The Court declines to issue such an injunction because the law does not authorize it and the facts do not
support it,” Woodcock said.
Greif said his client filed the motion because “she would never want another woman to go through what she
went through. This has never been about Lorraine, and this has never been about money.”
March 30, 2011 - Uterine Cancer Treatments: Success Without Side Effects - SYS-CON Media –
SARASOTA, Fla., March 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --
Regina Baldwin was 57 and post-menopausal when she started spotting and experiencing pain during
intercourse. She was shocked when her gynecologist told her she had endometrial cancer. And she shocked
her family when she announced that she was going to a treatment center in Mexico. According to TMD, a
medical tourism research company, Baldwin was one of half a million US citizens going out of the country
for medical treatment each year.
An aerobics instructor and avid jogger, Baldwin maintained a healthy weight, had never taken estrogen or
Tamoxifen or had radiation to the pelvis. She had 3 children, and her periods had always been normal, so
she had none of the risk factors associated with endometrial cancer.
Endometrial cancer is the most common cancer of the female reproductive system. Ninety-five per cent of
uterine cancers, like Baldwin's, develop in the lining of the uterus. Sarcomas that develop in the muscle of the
uterus are very rare. In 2010, there were 43,470 new cases in the USA, most in women over 55. There
were 7,950 deaths due to endometrial cancer in that same year.
The uterus is pear shaped and located in the pelvis between the bladder and rectum. During childbearing
years, the uterine lining grows thicker each month to prepare for pregnancy. When pregnancy does not
occur, the thick bloody lining is shed through the vagina. This cycle occurs regularly until menopause.
When normal cells in the uterus begin to change and grow uncontrollably, tumors may form. The most
common symptoms of endometrial cancer are abnormal bleeding or discharge, difficulty emptying the
bladder, pain in the pelvic area, or pain during sex or urination.
Diagnosis is done by pelvic exam, ultrasound, biopsy, a pap test to see if the cancer has spread to the cervix
and labs to measure kidney function and tumor markers. Other tests may include chest X-ray, CT scans and
MRIs.
When Baldwin was presented with conventional medicine's standard treatment - surgery, chemotherapy and
radiation and hormone therapy - she began to research side effects.
Surgery usually involves removing the ovaries, fallopian tubes, part of the vagina, lymph nodes and the uterus
itself. Side effects include nausea and vomiting, loss of bladder control, constipation, loss of desire, hot
flashes, vaginal dryness and night sweats. Removing lymph nodes may cause lymphedema, a painful swelling
in the legs.
Radiation and chemotherapy causes hair loss, skin tenderness, diarrhea, vomiting, vaginal burns, infections,
exhaustion, low blood counts, mouth and lip sores, numbness in extremities, hearing loss, joint pain and
swelling.
Further research told her that when caught early, about 84% of patients live up to 5 years. The survival rate
for late stage endometrial cancer is only 10%. Faced with these dismal statistics, Baldwin told her doctor
she wanted to get a second opinion before deciding on a course of treatment. And she began to look into
alternative clinics located both in and outside of the US.
"I found many clinics in the states that offered excellent programs for detox and immun
e support, but none could offer the aggressive natural therapies that are only legal outside of the US,"
Baldwin explained.
"I learned that the cancer had been in my uterus for a long time before symptoms appeared, so I felt
comfortable taking a few weeks to look at all my options. I was not going to be rushed into a treatment that
had so many side effects. I wanted to live, and I wanted to be able to enjoy life with my children and
grandchildren."
Baldwin faxed her medical records to several clinics in Baja California, Mexico, just across the border from
San Diego, California. "I talked to the head doctor at each clinic, and they answered my questions,
suggested treatment plans and told me what I could expect. And they all told me there would be no side
effects," Baldwin said.
Eventually, Baldwin was admitted to Hope4Cancer Institute, near Rosarito Beach in Baja. "I chose this
small private clinic because they have 8 physicians on staff and they take only 10 patients at a time. And they
were the only clinic I interviewed that did not offer any chemotherapy, not even low dose chemo. The warm,
personal attention and caring staff made my stay a pleasure. The clinic is small enough that you really bond
with the other patients and their families, and I made some lifelong friends," she said.
According to Baldwin, it was her research findings on local and whole body hyperthermia treatments that
made her choose Hope4Cancer.
Dr. Antonio Jimenez, founder and medical director of Hope4Cancer Institute, uses both local and whole
body hyperthermia. "It has been scientifically proven that if you can sustain a temperature of 106 degrees
inside a tumor for one hour, the cancer cells will be destroyed," Jimenez explained. "Because malignant
tumors have poor circulation, they are more sensitive to temperature changes, and normal cells are not
affected, so the treatment has no side effects. We attribute our success to the way we combine a variety of
therapies, with an individual treatment plan for each patient. And we educate our patients, so they
understand what they need to do to regain their health and then stay healthy."
Hyperthermia has been used in Germany for over two decades. Recently the FDA approved microwave
hyperthermia for medical use in the US, but microwaves can only be used on a small area at a time, and only
penetrates a short way beneath the skin. Sound wave or radio wave hyperthermia can be used as a whole
body treatment to find and destroy cancer cells throughout the body. This type of treatment also kills
parasites, virus and fungi while stimulating the immune system. Baldwin's research confirmed that this
treatment would be safe and effective in fighting her cancer.
"My treatment was pretty intense - I was in therapy from after breakfast until dinner time, seven days a
week for two weeks," said Baldwin. "I had local and whole body hyperthermia, SonoPhoto Dynamic
Therapy, several different IVs, a vaccine, lots of detox, counseling and nutrition classes. The food was all
organic and I've learned why I need to change my eating habits. My husband was able to come with me - he
stayed in my room and attended classes and learned how to help with home therapies."
According to Baldwin, making this decision was not easy. "My parents were appalled that I was traveling to
Mexico for treatment. My kids were very supportive. My gynecologist thought I was crazy. My best friend
said she was 100% behind whatever decision I would make and that was the best thing anyone could have
said to me. I needed the people around me to respect my decision as the right one for me."
"It's been 4 years since my treatment at the clinic, and I feel confident I will remain cancer free. My test
results are still clean. I maintain a healthy diet, and stay on a maintenance program from the clinic. I think I
made the right decision."
Author Marla Manhart is a health writer affiliated with TMD Limited and is a patient advocate. She can be
reached at: marlamanhart@hotmail.com
SOURCE TMD Limited
March 30, 2011 - Lesser-known illness comes to light – StarPhoenix – By Hannah Scissons –
Having a medical condition that most people have never heard of can be frustrating — especially when one
of those people who has never heard of it is you.
Angela Connell-Furi started experiencing severe swelling in her ankles when she was 21.
"When I went to doctors and showed them, they would just say, 'Oh, yeah, there's something going on. Put
your feet up. Lose a little weight, it'll go away,' " said Connell-Furi, now 30 years old.
Working as a home-care aid made the directive to put her feet up a difficult one to follow, but she did her
best. As the years progressed, however, the swelling only got worse. Connell-Furi's legs and ankles
ballooned to such a point that she had trouble finding shoes that fit, let alone assisting her home-care clients.
Six years on, suffering from a toe infection, Connell-Furi visited a doctor who took one look at her legs, told
her it looked like primary lymphedema and referred her to a vascular specialist who confirmed that diagnosis.
"He just lifted so much weight off my shoulders when he said, 'I'm going to send you to someone who
knows,' " Connell-Furi said about the family doctor who gave her the referral.
WHAT IS LYMPHEDEMA?
Lymphedema occurs when the lymphatic vessels -part of the immune system -don't perform properly,
causing a buildup of lymph fluid.
Primary lymphedema is a rare, hereditary condition. Secondary lymphedema occurs when the lymph nodes
or vessels are damaged by things such as surgery, cancer, radiation treatment for cancer or an infection that
invades the lymph vessels.
It's a chronic condition and treatment can only slow its progression. There is no cure.
Treatment includes reducing the swelling through a process called manual lymph drainage -a massage
technique also known as complex decongestive therapy -and the use of compression garments that are
specially fitted to the patient.
Patients who are diagnosed with lymphedema in Saskatoon are referred to the outpatient physical therapy
department at Royal University Hospital to be fitted with the compression garments. Janice Block, a senior
physical therapist, said the department gets between 60 and 70 referrals every year.
"The vast majority of clients we see are people who develop lymphedema after surgery for cancer,
particularly breast cancer," Block said.
Clients who are interested in manual lymph drainage and who are approved by their doctor to get it can be
referred to therapists in the city who offer it. Evelyn Tucker receivied training in manual lymph drainage in
1993 and many of her clients have lymphedema.
"The goal of the treatment is to arrest the progression of the condition and then I would be teaching the
clients how to do selfbandaging and self-massage, making sure they're taking really good care of the skin in
that area, because it's so susceptible to infection," Tucker said.
Similar to Block, Tucker also sees many breast cancer patients who are post-mastectomy and who
developed secondary lymphedema.
"They've had treatment for cancer and now, much to their chagrin, they've developed lymphedema and . . . I
think the hardest thing for them is they dealt with the cancer and now, life-long likely, they have this," said
Tucker.
BORN WITH IT
In Connell-Furi's case, the lymphedema is primary, meaning she was born with the susceptibility to the
condition.
After her diagnosis, she was sent to Royal University Hospital to be fitted for compression garments to keep
the swelling down. It was a difficult fitting process and Connell-Furi ended up with compression garments
for her lower legs -not ideal, because her upper legs would also swell, but better than it was before.
Two years after that, her arms also started swelling. Connell-Furi now had lymphedema in all four limbs.
When she was 28, Connell-Furi reached a point where she had to face the fact that her condition made
continuing as a home-care aide impossible. She went on disability. She said it's still hard to talk about the
day she had to leave her job.
"I had to wear sunglasses because I was just bawling," she said.
Later that year, she was referred to the Foeldi Clinic in Germany, where she finally was treated by lymphatic
specialists -there are none in Canada. During her five weeks there, she received manual lymph drainage
massage twice a day and was fitted for compression garments that reached from just under her breasts
down her legs and ones for her arms that reached down to her fingertips.
She was also in exercise classes every day and her husband Trevor received massage training.
PUSHES HERSELF
Back home in Saskatoon, Connell-Furi found it very difficult to learn more about her condition, even in the
years after she finally knew what it was. Tucker, her massage therapist, told her about the Saskatchewan
Lymphovenous Learning Association (SLLA), a group that was created in 2004. ConnellFuri is now a
board member with the association.
One of the goals of the association is to increase awareness of lymphedema among both the general public
and health-care professionals. Connell-Furi tells the story of when she was in the emergency room and the
struggle she had communicating to the nurse about her condition.
"With lymphedema in your arms, you're not supposed to have a blood pressure cuff. It's like blunt trauma, it
can make your arm blow up, I'm exaggerating a bit, to six times its size. It can really make it worse," she
said.
"Nurses have fought with me. I'll explain to them why, and they just don't listen. . . . Now I have a note from
(my doctor) that I'm not to get lab work, blood pressure or an IV unless it's life-threatening. The health-care
system definitely needs more education on it."
One of the goals the SLLA had was to establish a website with links and other information on lymphedema.
Connell-Furi volunteered to do that.
"I thought, 'how hard can it be?' " she said. "It took me a good five months. I would just do a little bit every
few days, because I can only sit for so long and type for so long too."
The site went live earlier this month. It can be found at www.sasklymph.ca.
March 30, 2011 - A Regional Leader in Orthopedic Care - MD News –
The Tahoe Center for Orthopedics — with offices located in beautiful Lake Tahoe and the surrounding
areas — provides an integrated care approach in treating a wide range of orthopedic conditions. A resource
for physicians and patients, it is a regional destination for exceptional orthopedic care.
Focusing on quality and personalized care that covers the full spectrum of musculoskeletal injury and disease
states, the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics provides preventive care and wellness, surgical and nonsurgical
services and a rehabilitation program in a world-class destination.
“At the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics, our goal is to provide exceptional patient care while ensuring an
excellent patient experience,” says Michael Lewis, M.D., M.B.A., Director of the Tahoe Center for
Orthopedics. “Our top-level health care providers, including dedicated physicians, nurses and physical
therapists, exercise an integrated care approach that allows us to deliver high-quality clinical care as well as
maximize patient outcomes.”
Service lines provided to patients through the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics include, sports medicine, joint
replacement and reconstruction, spine care, hand and upper extremity care, medical imaging and
rehabilitation. Providing a true continuum of care, staff from home health and case management also work
closely with the treatment team, patients and their caregivers, creating the smoothest possible transition from
hospital to home.
“When patients are in need of musculoskeletal care, they benefit from seeing our staff of dedicated and
experienced medical professionals, including fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons and radiologists,” says
Dr. Lewis. “Other services provided to patients include care for metabolic bone disease, osteoporosis and
rheumatology.”
Advanced Medical Imaging
Radiologists at Barton Health routinely collaborate with orthopedic surgeons and physiatrists at the Tahoe
Center for Orthopedics, providing medical imaging services through a 1.5T MRI, a 64-slice CT scanner and
X-rays.
“As radiologists, we work closely with orthopedists to quickly and efficiently obtain images of the injured
body parts,” says Leonard Holmgren, M.D., radiologist on staff at Barton Health. “Primarily, we do sports
imaging, as injuries of the knee and shoulder are the most commonly seen conditions due to the popularity of
recreational sports activities such as mountain biking, skiing and rock climbing. Our goal is to provide
enhanced access to imaging and help return people to an active lifestyle as soon as possible.”
Radiologists also work with physiatrists and spine surgeons through the spine program at the Tahoe Center
for Orthopedics to help address concerns, including back pain, neck pain and other spinal conditions.
“Part of the care that we provide to spinal patients is MRI services,” says Dr. Holmgren. “However, we are
also involved in nonsurgical management of spinal pain, including epidural steroid injections and nerve root
blocks. We also perform percutaneous kyphoplasty for patients who have spinal compression fractures or
osteoporosis.”
During a percutaneous kyphoplasty procedure, a needle is injected into the damaged vertebral body. An
inflatable balloon is used to restore the vertebral body to its normal height and cement is then injected into
the space to maintain proper spine alignment.
Ensuring the Best Possible Outcome
To ensure a patient’s recovery to optimal functionality following care, rehabilitative services, including
physical, occupational, speech and aquatic therapy, are provided through Barton’s Rehabilitation Services, a
division of the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics.
“Orthopedists at the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics will refer patients who need nonoperative injury
management or rehabilitation after surgical care,” says Alan Barichievich, P.T., Director of Rehabilitation at
Barton Memorial Hospital. “Once referred, we perform a complete musculoskeletal evaluation to design a
customized treatment plan that is then communicated back to the orthopedist to enhance collaboration.”
Additional services offered through Barton’s Rehabilitation Services include a running program, mechanical
traction and aquatic therapy, hand therapy and lymphedema management. Barton Memorial Hospital
employs the only certified hand therapist on the South Shore.
The runner’s program provides footwear, orthotic assessment and video analysis to evaluate runners to help
prevent injury and help them get back into shape after injury. Many therapists employed at Barton Memorial
Hospital are avid runners themselves, so patients and physicians can rest assured that the program was
developed by trail runners and racers who understand runners’ specific needs.
“Each therapy protocol is individually customized,” says Barichievich. “We see patients of all ages from
pediatric to geriatric patients, and depending on each individual’s injury and rehabilitation goal, we develop
individualized, hands-on care.”
Enhancing the Education ?of Other Medical Professionals
For the past 20 years, the Lake Tahoe Sports Medicine fellowship, part of the Tahoe Center for
Orthopedics, has provided a sports medicine fellowship program for physicians who have completed a
residency in orthopedic surgery and are seeking additional training in the area of sports medicine. Because
Lake Tahoe is home to an array of outdoor activities, fellows are exposed to a high level of sports medicine
cases during their fellowship training. Additionally, fellows gain experience in both academic and private
practice settings.
Lake Tahoe’s Sports Medicine Fellowship Program is one of 95 programs accredited through the
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. This year-long program allows orthopedic surgeons
to gain subspecialty expertise in the area of sports medicine. Specific areas of focus include musculoskeletal
trauma of the ligaments, bones and joints.
“Through the fellowship program, training physicians become part of our orthopedic sports team and take
care of everything from evaluating patients to participating in treatment, including surgery,” says Keith
Swanson, M.D., Program Director of the Lake Tahoe Sports Medicine Fellowship Program. “Not only
does this allow us to participate in the training of another generation of physicians, but it also enhances the
care provided to our patients.”
Because the program is accredited, the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics is held to a higher standard in regards
to the level of research and care provided to patients. Active research programs are in place, and training
physicians can expect to complete more than 500 surgeries throughout the duration of the fellowship
program. Located in beautiful Lake Tahoe, the location of the center can be a draw as well. A wide variety
of recreational sports are available, and the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics is also proud to be the official
medical provider of the United States Ski and Snowboard teams.
A Community Resource
The Tahoe Center for Orthopedics strives to be a resource for patients and community physicians. Staff
work closely with referring physicians who often know their patients best, especially at the onset of care.
Referrals are accommodated in a timely fashion, and inpatient and outpatient treatments are facilitated by
staff to enhance patient convenience.
Weekly educational conferences are open to community physicians and the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics’
medical staff. Orthopedic surgeons, primary care physicians, physical therapists and radiologists generally
attend the conference, which is held at 7 a.m. on the Barton Hospital campus. At this conference, topics in
sports medicine are discussed and difficult orthopedic cases are presented, which allows for education as
well as increased collaboration among the treatment team.
Seminars for community members are also routinely held. Each program features a specific musculoskeletal
condition and includes educational information, such as wellness, treatments and symptoms. The Tahoe
Center for Orthopedics’ sports medicine staff is very involved with high school sports programs as well.
Through the Center’s preventive care and treatment, local high school sports teams have increased access to
a wide variety of medical providers, including physicians, athletic trainers and physical therapists.
“Aside from the high-quality clinical care provided, the commitment we have to our patients and our
community is what makes the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics unique,” says ?Dr. Lewis. “We are
knowledgeable and respectful of each patient’s goals and abilities and strive to individualize treatment plans
to provide ideal outcomes for every patient.”
For more information about the Tahoe Center for Orthopedics or to refer your patient, please call (877)
543-5554 or visit tahoeorthopedics.com.
March 31, 2011 - Area breast health organizations get grants - ConnectAmarillo.com powered by KVII –
by Nastassia Tamari –
AMARILLO, TEXAS -- In order to address the specific unmet breast cancer needs of the panhandle
community, the Susan G. Komen Greater Amarillo Affiliate works has handed out grants to a tune of
$285,000 dollars.
The four programs all provide breast cancer services to the panhandle area, with the goal of saving lives. "It
will provide mammograms for women who don't have insurance or who don't have the means to pay for the
deductibles. Women will put it off because there's other things in life that they put first you know as mom as
a woman," said Julie Evenson, the Radiology Director at the Moore County Hospital. "I have friends that
came in for their first screening mammogram and found cancer," continued Evenson. The Moore County
Hospital District will use the funds to provide breast cancer screening, diagnostic follow-up and surgical
treatment as well as community outreach and education to underserved women in Moore County and the
surrounding communities.
That funding will help them reach the community. "We cover the Texas and Oklahoma panhandle and it lets
us to reach all those ladies," said Terri Prescott, the Community Manager of Health Initiatives for the
Amarillo Cancer Society, a division of the American Cancer Society. It will use the funds for the Amarillo
Breast Prosthesis and Lymphedema Accessory Program. It will give the patient emotional support, a kit
containing a leisure bra, a lightweight temporary breast form, and rehabilitative exercise educational
information.
These grants will provide that detection for free. The money will go specifically to address women in the
panhandle by providing education, support, and services, even properly fitted prosthesis.
"Early detection has you know, if you can detect breast cancer early, the chances of you surviving are much
longer, it's when we don't detect breast cancer early is that the chance for cure is much less," said Aneta
Younger, the Director Diagnostics and Therapeutics at Don Harrington Cancer Center. The funds will be
used to help cover screening and diagnostic mammography, breast biopsy, breast MRI, and some treatment
regimens for medically underserved women of all ages who are not covered by other funding.
So that's why these programs are so important for those unmet needs.
"This reaches women who might never have mammogram, they will get mammograms through the grant, free
of charge," said Leticia Goodrich, Executive Director of the Amarillo Area Breast Health Coalition and
Project Director of WISE Woman. The WISE program is a "train the trainer" concept. It selects and trains
women in basic breast health practices that stress the value of screening and early detection.
To date, the Susan G. Komen organization has invested $1.3 million in the panhandle's 26 counties.
Here are the 2011-2012 Grant Programs:
American Cancer Society: $10,000
Amarillo Area Breast Health Coalition (WISE Woman): $12,000
Moore County Hospital District: $43,000
The Don & Sybil Harrington Cancer Center: $220,000
March 29, 2011 - Peterson Chiropractic introduces Power Plate technology - Ridgefield Press -
Peterson Chiropractic has incorporated advanced technology known as “vibrational therapy” to increase
circulation and rehabilitate patients quickly. Power Plates are three-dimensional vibration technology that
transmits waves of energy, activating muscle contractions between 25 and 50 times per second.
“Good for patients with osteoporosis and lymphedema, as well people looking for a challenging but painless
abdominal workout, it works so quickly that most people only spend five to 10 minutes on the machine,”
said Dr. Nick Peterson. “Patients can be treated for lower extremity rehabilitation just standing on the
Power Plate.”
Power Plate exercise improves ROM, increase bone density as well as reduces the appearance of cellulite,
Dr. Peterson said. “This type of a workout is also known as acceleration training. It was first introduced by
Russian cosmonauts to reduce the effects of zero gravity in space.”
Owner Nick Peterson, D.C. was introduced to this new machine by his son Nicholas A. Peterson, D.C.,
who attended the sports centric Life University in Atlanta where the machines were used by all athletes as
well as the coaches who wanted to stay fit without the high impact of most training regiments.
“After our patients are out of acute pain we start then on more active treatments like the Power Plate,” said
Dr. Nicholas Peterson. “It only takes a few minutes to feel the benefits of the vibrations and circulation
immediately increases into muscles and joints.”
“Many of our patients only have a few precious minutes to get a stretch and the vibration speeds a warm-up
by involving 100%o of muscle fibers.
For a free demonstration, call 203-438-9609.
April 1, 2011 - Charity's dedicated helpers improve the lives of cancer victims and their families –
MANY lives are affected by cancer. One in three of us will get the disease and countless more will feel its
impact indirectly through the suffering of loved ones.
Beyond the diagnosis and treatment at hospitals such as Good Hope, one Sutton charity has dedicated itself
to improve the lives of those affected by cancer – whether they are patients or their family and friends.
Set up a little over ten years ago, The Cancer Support Centre's (CSC) goal is to provide a haven away from
the physical and psychological effects of the disease.
When CSC started in 2000 it offered alternative therapies one day a week, as well as support for cancer
sufferers. In the first year 145 treatments were carried out at its Farthing Lane site. Last year that number
rose to 2,900, including one-to-one sessions and group therapies, everything from acupuncture to yoga, art
classes to aromatherapy, counselling and meditation.
CSC provides complementary therapies free of charge to its clients and to accommodate the expanding
need, it has recently moved to the St Giles site in Lindridge Road, on the edge of Sutton's leafy suburbs.
Here it will be open five days a week, Monday to Friday, helping thousands of people cope with the rigours
of dealing with cancer.
I met CSC's chief fund-raiser, Pat Brighton and trustee, Alan Bunn, whose wife Denise used the service for
three years before succumbing to lymphoma.
The pair were delighted to have completed the move from the charity's former site in Midland Drive in the
town centre to the St Giles' building, which St Giles uses to help people with illnesses including multiple
sclerosis, Parkinson's, lymphodema and bereavement counselling.
"With the services that St Giles offers and what we offer for cancer patients, the two organisations
complement each other," Pat said. "Anyone who has cancer can come here. Once they have been
diagnosed they are sent on their way from hospital which deals with the medical side but we offer support
beyond that. The management at St Giles has been terrific in helping us," Pat said. "St Giles contacted us
about having a supportive care centre for Sutton Coldfield last year. The more we talked about it, the more
we realised how good it would be for the local community."
Another advantage of the new venue is ground floor treatment rooms and lifts to the upper level.
"At the other place the treatment rooms were upstairs," Alan said. "Anyone who came in a wheelchair had
to make do but here it is a lot easier."
The new site is indeed in a stunning location.
Homely touches have been brought to the inside of St Giles' building.
In the talking therapy room comfy chairs are in place and pictures are ready to hang on the walls.
Sofas replace hard chairs in the main meet and greet area, which has now become CSC's library. Therapy
rooms are called Sunflower, Lavender and Poppy, the latter decked out with children's characters and soft
toys, for young clients use St Giles' children's lymphedema clinic.
A more controversial change took place at the site's entrance. "People from CSC were sensitive about "St
Giles Hospice" and we asked them to remove hospice from the sign," Alan said.
At the centre of the building is The Sanctuary room, with pictures of woodland surrounding you, chairs
carved from logs and subtle lights changing colour, creating a calming escape.
"My wife was here three years and tried everything," Alan explained. "We used to travel to Solihull for
meetings every other week as we didn't know this place existed.
"Two years after losing my wife I became involved with the charity. It has provided me with something to
give back.
"I had an email about a meeting "to discuss the future of the CSC". That was when I came on board. I didn't
know if it was going to close but in fact it was to discuss the move."
Alan has been a director for blue chip companies and his business acumen has been an important element
for the charity. The cost of providing free treatments to clients, running the building and paying for a full time
finance manager means CSC must raise £100,000 a year -or £2,000 a week.
By expanding its service from four to five days a week, the pressure on costs can only go higher.
"At the end of the day you have got to run it like a business," Alan said. "If you haven't got the funds to pay
for the services that the therapists provide, you can't do it."
By moving to St Giles site, the two charities are sharing the costs of the building but the way to pay for all
the costs is "lots of hard work".
"The Great Midlands Fun Run is our biggest fund-raiser," Pat said. "We were the second most supported
charity last year and we need lots of people to run in the Fun Run this year for us.
"We raised £10,000 last year, with £8,700 in sponsorship and the rest with Gift Aid. Anyone who runs for
us can get a free t-shirt to run in."
CSC has just recruited 20 new volunteers, bringing its total to 35. With trustees and other helpers it has
nearer to 50 unpaid staff. It has no guaranteed funding.
"We apply for grants and we have to be able to prove the benefits," Alan said. "We measure the results of
treatments here from the feedback."
Demand is ever increasing and Pat is always on the look out for more help.
"We are open five days a week and the need is there," Pat said. "This is the problem. We want to give as
many treatments as needed and since we have moved we have been pretty well fully booked. The more
treatments the more money we need."
The Cancer Support Centre is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm and can be contacted by
calling 0300 012 0245 or emailing: info@suttoncancersupport.co.uk