Health Communications and Health Advocacy
With deep understanding, health communicators can engage and inspire change, whether in individuals or in society as a whole.
What would you do if you were seated on a crowded subway and saw a little girl falling asleep standing up? “I think: someone needs to hold that little girl because she’s sleepy. And all of a sudden the little girl looks right at me. So I hold my hands out and she climbed on … Continue reading Being Invisible Girls
“…the biggest problem in the breast cancer business, and make no mistake, it is big business, is the fact that we’ve done nothing to change the death rate. NOTHING.” ~AnneMarie Ciccarella No Change in Death Rate From Breast Cancer Since 1970Much media attention is brought to bear to advertise the breakthroughs in breast cancer research yet … Continue reading Sea-to-Sea: METAvivor and Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness
“I can use all the prayers I can get!” In August 2011, Jessica Rice had a little cough—‘nothing to worry about’--and a low grade fever that kept her out of work a couple of days. By early October the cough became “productive.” She did what any healthy, 30 year old Vice President of Global Projects … Continue reading The Frog List
“My beloved mother was diagnosed with Stage IIIb non-small cell lung cancer in early June, 2012,” says Deana Hendrickson. “I knew virtually nothing about it…was heartbroken, and frankly angry, to learn that over half of those with lung cancer die within a year of diagnosis.”The estimated new cases and deaths from non-small cell and small cell … Continue reading Anyone Can Get Lung Cancer
In 1990, Robert Harris and his wife and best friend, Cindy, had been married 10 years and had two boys, ages 2 and 5. One day, Cindy complained of pain in her knee. After going to an orthopedic surgeon expecting the usual sports related diagnosis, their world changed. Physicians discovered that she had Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. … Continue reading It’s Okay To Laugh, Cry and Feel Uncertain
“I started METAvivor out of outrage.” Dian (CJ) Corneliussen-James Co-Founder of METAvivor Research and Support, Inc Born from the outrage of four women, METAvivor Research and Support, Inc. is a non-profit with a purpose--To increase research funding for metastatic cancer. Dian (CJ) Corneliussen-James is one of those women. A self-described shy child, Ms. Corneliussen-James (or … Continue reading From Outrage To Action: Dian (CJ) Corneliussen-James and METAvivor
Reading blogs by those who have been diagnosed with cancer is illuminating. At least for some breast cancer patient blogs, their experience has been confirmed by recently reported research. A telephone survey of women who received breast cancer diagnosis confirms that almost 1/4 report symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Alfred I. Neugut, MD, PhD … Continue reading PTSD and Cancer Diagnosis
Leading Breast Cancer Experts report on prevention of cancer through reducing exposures to chemicals and radiation in our environment. We can help to move this information forward into an action plan within the Obama administration by following a link described in Susan’s blog post. As Margaret Mead so eloquently stated, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Yesterday I put an article in my Breast Cancer Newspaper about a federal committee of leading breast cancer experts that released a report about reducing our exposures to chemicals and radiation in our environment. Today I received an email from Jeanne Rizzo, R.N.
President and CEO of the Breast Cancer Fund stating that she is serves as a co-chair with the federal committee.
The report, “Breast Cancer and the Environment: Prioritizing Prevention,” concludes that “preventing environmental exposures is the most promising path to decrease incidence of the disease, and calls for a national breast cancer prevention strategy.”
The report’s first stop is the desk of U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, who must create an action plan to implement the report. This action plan can lay the groundwork for a national prevention strategy that will require commitment and hard work from the Obama administration and Congress.”
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Just a short note "quote"... The Answer to How Breast Cancer Invades Bone Researchers recently solved the mystery of how breast cancer takes root in the bone. Now, the discovery has led to an experimental drug for breast cancer that has spread to the bone. At Princeton University, Society grantee Yibin Kang, PhD, found breast … Continue reading Good news on Metastases Research!
MBNCBuzz just posted this advertisement by the Komen Foundation. It is the first time that the Komen Foundation has acknowledged metastatic breast cancer, Stage IV, in a marketing campaign. The irony that Susan Komen died of metastatic breast cancer is not lost on those who live with it. Recurrences of breast cancer are not uncommon. Close to … Continue reading Responding to Komen’s New Awareness
culture: the integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thought, speech, action, and artifacts and depends upon the human capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations Merriam-Websters. The first Sunday in June is set aside as National Cancer Survivorship Day. It is described on the website as “an annual, worldwide Celebration of Life,” … Continue reading Cancer Language: Erasing Reality
Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book was our "go-to" book when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. We were able to understand the pathology reports because of it. I know that we (my family of sisters) were all reassured by knowing there was someone "out there" researching and trying to find out more about breast … Continue reading Motivated by Love
Do you live each moment unflinchingly? Do you taste life the way you do the last bite of your favorite food or savor its essence as you would the fragrance of summer’s final gardenia? Crisp…the deep blue of an October sky…exhilarating…the ocean spray on a winter day… vibrant…the ecalls of cardinals in April…fresh…the laugh of … Continue reading Dance Like No One’s Watching
Health Communications and Health Advocacy 