Healing Hope and Survivorship

Last weekend, I attended the 2018 Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey's Survivor's Day. Over the past 10 years, I have attended a number of Survivor Day events and heard many wonderful advocate/speakers from Valisia LeKae to C Vivian Stringer to Bruce Feiler.

This year the keynote speaker was survivor, physician and cancer advocate Wendy S. Harpham (http://www.wendyharpham.com/). During her keynote speech I found myself shaking my head in agreement. You see she was talking about hope - Healing Hope in particular - an  how we can be healthy survivors. 

Many of the points she made were part of her latest book- Healing Hope Through and Beyond Cancer. As part of the day, we were each given a copy of the book to take home. The book includes graphics to describe each topic.

Over the past few days I have been working my way through the book. This page, Don't Wait and See ... Live and See, is one that I felt really spoke to those of us survivors who worry as we wait for scan results.

"I have today.While waiting for news or anything else I'll live and see"

Great advice!

If you are a survivor or a caregiver I strongly recommend that you purchase a copy. You can find it on Amazon by visiting here.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

Meetings Make for a Busy Week

Have you been missing my posts? Well, it sure has been a busy advocacy week for me.

Meeting 1 - One Force to Make a Difference

One Force is a collaborative of ovarian cancer organizations in NJ whose mission is to develop synergies that will effect increased education and awareness about ovarian cancer; improved support for survivors; and better resources for survivors and caretakers. One Force to Make A Difference supports and participates in fund raising and other events that contribute to innovative, cutting- edge ovarian cancer research. We have offered symposiums in the past and during this call-in meeting we began the initial planning for the 3rd Annual One Force To Make a Difference Symposium. Yours truely will be one of the co-chairs. Lots of work ahead but all in support of women with ovarian cancer and their caregivers.

Meeting 2- Mercer County Cancer Coalition

This was the second quarterly meeting I have attended since moving to Mercer County and joining this Coalition. I wore three hats for this meeting - one as a Teal Tea Representative, one as a One Force representative and one as Me- Women of Teal blogger. I have posted on this blog about events run by Coalition There are many excellent opportunities in the county to raise awareness cancer and healthy lifestyle choices that help prevent the disease. Coalition members run cancer awareness and fundraising events and health / wellness events such as the Run for Dads which takes place each year on Father's Day to raise awareness of prostate cancer. If you live in NJ and are interested in attending your Cancer Coalition meetings check this page for more information.

The meeting was held at the new Capital Health Center in Hopewell NJ. It recently opened and the facility is bright , the people are friendly and helpful and the shops - on general and one for mothers and newborns were chock full of nice and unique gifts. Parking is free and there is even free valet parking.

Meeting 3 - CINJ Survivors Day

Well, I can't write too much about this event since we are firming up the keynote speaker and the format but this will be one CINJ Survivor's Day you do not want to miss.

I know I need to limit what I am involved in but it is hard for me to say "no " to any request that means helping others with cancer. So as exciting as it was to be asked , I decided recently to not apply to be an LAF leader from NJ and to not apply to be an advocate at the 2012 Survivorship Research Conference.

In 2012, I will concentrate on fundraising for CINJ ( more to come about this in February) , co-chairing the One Force to Make a Difference symposium in May, speaking to other ovarian cancer survivors as volunteer with Cancer Hope Network, serving as a Teal Tea Table Captain and my research advocacy work.

After all, I need time to write this blog , create a few more Quilt paintings and have fun with my family.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!

Live,Laugh, Learn at CINJ's Survivors Day Celebration

Yesterday I attended the Cancer Institute of New Jersey's (CINJ) Survivor Day celebration called Live,Laugh, Learn. I did Learn at the sessions on Vitamins, Minerals &Herbs and Relax to the Max. And I did Laugh as Bruce Feiler, cancer survivor and author of The Council of Dads told his story at lunch . Live, well I would change that word to Hope. Let me explain.

One of the sessions I signed up for was called "Under the Hood". It was a laboratory tour and presentation by two researchers at CINJ.

One lab we toured was that of Kathleen Scotto, PhD. Her research focuses on agents that target the genes on the surface of tumor cells that cause drug resistance. She is working with cell lines from Henrietta Lacks ( The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,) known as HeLa cells. HeLa cells have a unique trait that allows them to be grown in the lab. And that is just what has been taking place since the mid-1950's. HeLa cells were used by Jonas Salk to develop the polio vaccine. I was thrilled that Dr Scott allowed us use a microscope in her lab to see these cells.

The other lab we toured was that of Hatem Sabaawy, MD,PhD. He is using Zebrafish to study the genes mutations that develop in blood cancers and prostate cancer. Zebrafish grow in a matter of days so results are quicker than studies done using mice. He also is raising "Casper" zebrafish that stay transparent to better see tumor growth when it occurs. There are about a dozen or so Zebrafish labs in the entire country completing these types of studies. And here is one at CINJ.

So I think this session was a session of Hope - hope for the future-right here in my backyard.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!