Smoke Free for a Healthy NJ

Yesterday, I attended the Mercer County Cancer Coalition meeting.

The first hour of the meeting was a presentation by Cathy Butler the Program Coordinator of Mom's Quit Connection . The Connection reaches out to pregnant and new mothers in NJ to help them quit smoking. Honestly before this meeting I didn't know this group existed.

The presentation called "Ask. Advise. Refer." taught how to deliver effective smoking cessation advice and how to refer others to Mom's quit Connection and the NJ Quitline . It also presented information about tobacco use in NJ , disease caused by smoking , second hand smoke and third hand smoke.

Did you know?

• 14.4% of adults in NJ identified themselves as smokers.
• Smoking causes cancer , heart disease, stroke and lung diseases.
• Each cigarette contains 2 mg of nicotine
• Nicotine stimulates dopamine release in the brain.
• Smoking 16-25 cigarettes a day increases risk for Type 2 diabetes to three times that of a non-smoker.
• Second hand smoke contains about 70 different chemicals.
• Thirdhand smoke refers to toxins from cigarette smoke that stick to soft /porous surfaces.
• All hospitals in NJ are now smoke-free.

Feel free to learn more about how to stop smoking by checking out these websites:

http://www.njquitline.org/

http://www.snjpc.org/mqc/

It is not easy to stop smoking but it will not get any easier the longer you wait.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!

A Worthwhile Read

In July,at my support group meeting I mentioned that I had just finished reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and had written about it on this blog. Another survivor asked me if I had read The Emperor of All Maladies - A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee. She told me that it should be the very next book I read.

I put my name on the reserve list for the book at my local library and I waited. But early last month I decided to not wait any longer and I purchased my own copy. I am so glad that I did.

Don't let its large size, 470 pages, stop you. The Emperor of All Maladies is a brilliantly written history of cancer. From the first description of cancer in Egypt in 2500BC to describing the discovery of the drug Gleevec and the Human Genome project, Mukherjee kept me engaged. The glimpse we had at the care he provided his patients was wonderfully linked to the history. Mukherjee presents complex microbiological and genetic processes in a way that is easy to grasp. As I read about the ras pathway I found myself wishing I had read the book prior to going to the ASCO conference in June.

I finished the book feeling that each research development described, some with more positive results than others, has given us a better understanding of cancer that ultimately will lead to - dare I day it - a cure.

I highly recommend this book.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!

8th Annual Women's Wellness Day Princeton - Nov 12th

November 12th

8am -2pm

ETS, Conant Building, Princeton, NJ

$60 nonmembers, $50 members

Registration details on flyer above . Register online at www.hearttoheart.org

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!

Women's Cancer Conference - Philadelphia 10/28/11

Penn Women’s Cancer Conference

October 28, 2011

7:30 – 3:30 PM

Hilton Hotel, 4200 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131

Cost: FREE

The Abramson Cancer Center is pleased to present the 1^st Focus On Women’s Cancers Conference featuring:

Ø Life After Breast Cancer

Ø Focus On Gynecologic Cancers

Ø Focus On Your Risk of Breast and Ovarian Cancer

This day is designed to address the personal and medical issues facing breast cancer and gynecologic cancer patients as well as those at risk for breast and ovarian cancers. Patient’s loved ones and caregivers are encouraged to attend as well. This conference is FREE of charge.

Please register for only ONE conference but feel free on the day of the conference to attend session at ANY of the three conferences.

View the full agenda and register online at OncoLink.org/Conference/WomensCancers or call 1-800-789-PENN (7366).

Unable to Attend?

Attend in person or via Livestream! We will be streaming the Focus On Gynecologic Cancers conference in its entirety atPennMedicine.org/Abramson/WomensCancersLive. Log on to watch and submit questions.

Additionally, conference will also feature a web-chat. Breast cancer and gynecologic cancer experts will answer questions about risk, diagnosis and treatment. Submit questions in advance at OncoLink.org/Webchat.

Gynecologic Cancers Webchat, 10/28, 11:45 AM, EST

Breast Cancer Webchat, 10/28, 1:15 PM, EST

Thank you U Penn for holding this conference.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!

Shannon Miller is a Survivor

Thank you NOCC and Shannon Miller for this video.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

Pink Sundays?

I watch a lot of football . Mostly college games. We've been Rutgers season ticket holders for almost 20 years now. But I also watch the pros on Sundays and Monday nights. I've followed the Jets since my honeymoon when my husband and I saw the Jets beat the Dolphins in the Orange Bowl. Yes, that was many years ago.

So how many of you noticed the pink gloves, towels, etc on the NFL payers this month?

Well the NFL has the "Crucial Catch" campaign in place for the month of October. From nfl.com:

"ABOUT A CRUCIAL CATCH
The NFL, its clubs, players and the NFL Players Association are proud to support the fight against breast cancer. Our campaign, "A Crucial Catch", in partnership with the American Cancer Society, is focused on the importance of annual screenings, especially for women who are 40 and older. Throughout October, NFL games will feature players, coaches and referees wearing pink game apparel, on-field pink ribbon stencils, special game balls and pink coins - all to help raise awareness for this important campaign. All apparel worn at games by players and coaches, along with special game balls and pink coins will be auctioned off at NFL Auction (www.NFL.com/auction), with proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society and team charities. This is an issue that has directly touched the lives of so many in the NFL family, and we are committed to helping make a difference in breast cancer prevention."

They are auctioning off items the athletes were given to wear during the games on this site. The least expensive bid I saw today was a $65 sideline cap worn by Randy Stark. The most expensive was a Ray Rice jersey whose bid was $4009. I am a big fan of Ray Rice since he played at my Alma Mater, Rutgers, so this high bid made me smile. There were also many bids for various dollar amounts on shoes, jerseys, towels and caps. All profits go to the American Cancer Society. Last year the NFL donated over $1 million to the American Cancer Society.

The NFL Pink site also has a link to the NFL and American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Awareness and Youth and High School Initiative Toolkit , a link to a mammogram reminder and a link to the ACS site about healthy living. The Toolkit provides information about the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer program and provides ideas for how community or high school football games can raise money for the program.

First, I am not totally adverse to the NFL using pink to raise awareness or funds for breast cancer research or to provide mammograms for women who can't afford them. My sister passed away from breast cancer and many of my friend's have been diagnosed with breast cancer and a friends father was diagnosed with breast cancer. Did you know there is a genetic link between breast and ovarian cancer (BRCA1 and 2 mutations)? I am not adverse to having NFL football teams raise awareness for various illnesses or chronic conditions.How about raising awareness of heart disease or diabetes? Wouldn't one weekend in October be enough to make the point to women and the significant male's in their lives the importance of mammograms , healthy eating and exercise?

Why doesn't the NFL provide awareness for other cancers? What about raising funds for research to develop biomarkers or screening tests for those cancers that don't currently have those tests-such as ovarian or kidney?

I don't have answers to these questions.

I did find an article by Aaron Gordon on the Good Men Project that seemed to provide some answers to those questions. His post "Why Does The NFL Care About Breast Cancer" raises some interesting points regarding marketing.Have you noticed all those pink and woman-sized clothes on the NFL shop site. A study done in 2006 showed that 69% of all attendee at NFL games are male so maybe the NFL wants to increase women's attendance at football games and increase revenues . Interesting points.

On a more personal note to the NFL,

Women have ovaries too!

I challenge you, the NFL, to run a public service announcement / TV commercial explaining Ovarian Cancer risks and symptoms next September during Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

Thank you in advance.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!

Keep Track of Symptoms

The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance has developed an app easily accesible on your mobile phone to help women keep track of the symptoms of ovarian cancer.

Watch this video for more information.

Go to

http://www.ovariancancer.org/app/

on your phone and sign-in to get this free app.

Works on iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, Android and all desktop computers

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!