Breast Investigators

by Dr. Sunita Khatri

Many women, who have received chemotherapy, often notice difficulty in remembering certain things. They find it difficult to learn new tasks, and have trouble in completing the task in hand. This sort of mental cloudiness can be very frustrating. Many a times, these problems are not noticed by others, but the patients facing them know that their brain is no longer working as it used to before the treatment. This mental fog, in common parlance, has been termed as “Chemo Brain.” However, doctors prefer to address it as “mild cognitive impairment.”

The effects of chemo brain vary from patient to patient. Not all patients undergoing chemotherapy suffer from this condition. Certain experts suggest that 15% to 70% of patients undergoing chemotherapy suffer from chemo brain, while there are others who suggest that it is not seen in more than 50% of the patients undergoing chemotherapy. Also, while in certain patients, the effects appear shortly after chemotherapy and disappear soon after, in others, the effects may last up to 20 years following the treatment.

The common problems faced by patients with chemo brain include:

·         Lapses of memory

·         Difficulty in concentrating

·         Problem in multi-tasking

·         Problem in recollecting details like names, dates, etc.

·         Forgetting common words

·         Taking a longer time to analyze a problem and to find its solution

For some patients, these problems may be mild, but for others, especially those in a demanding job, they may be quite exasperating.

As more and more patients suffering from chemo brain have started discussing their problems with their physicians, the condition is being actively researched.

Chemo brain is a recognized medical problem now. Neuro-imaging has shown that patients who have undergone chemotherapy show a lower level of resting brain activity as compared to patients who have not undergone chemotherapy. Similarly, the patients with chemo brain use larger areas of brain, while undergoing a memory test.

In a recent study, published in the Journal of Clinical oncology, researchers have noticed that survivors of breast cancer, who took chemotherapy from 1970s to 1990s, performed poorly in tests for ability to recall words, co-ordination between thinking and hand movement, speed of processing information, etc., when compared with women of the same age group who did not receive any form of chemotherapy.  The study has led the researchers to believe that the combination of chemotherapy drugs used in that period was responsible for the effect of chemo brain seen in these women.

However, another neuropsychological study done on 132 newly diagnosed patients of stage I-III invasive breast cancer showed that the patients had markedly lower cognitive performance even before the start of the chemotherapy. This has led researchers to believe that there may be other factors involved, apart from chemotherapy, in the development of chemo brain.

Patients with invasive cancer have an increased level of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which may contribute to chemo brain. Similarly, patients of breast cancer may receive drugs like tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors, which may play a role in the development of this condition. Other factors that can contribute to the development of chemo brain include usage of medicines like pain killers and anti-emetics, age of the patient, stress levels, depression, infection, pattern of sleep, other co-existing medical conditions, blood counts, etc.

Considerable research is still required before doctors can pinpoint the reason behind chemo brain. And it is only after this is done, that the doctors will be able to find out the ways to prevent or treat the effects of chemo brain. As of now, it can be said that the benefits of chemotherapy to treat cancer far outweigh the problems arising because of chemo brain. Therefore, the patients should not deter treatment out of fear of developing chemo brain.

References:

·         http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/PhysicalSideEffects/ChemotherapyEffects/chemo-brain

·         http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/100/3/162.full

·         http://jco.ascopubs.org/content/22/11/2233.abstract

Dr. Sunita Khatri passed her M.B.B.S from Shivaji University, Kolhapur, India. After completing her internship at S.B.D. Hospital, Saharanpur, she worked at the “Railways Cancer Institute” Varanasi in the department of surgical oncology where she gained hands on experience in various cancer surgeries. She has assisted in surgeries like mastectomies for breast cancer, abdomino-perineal resections for rectal cancers, commando surgeries for oral cancers, gastrectomy for stomach cancer, etc., besides routine operations like gastrostomy, ileostomy, etc. She has written multiple articles on various types of cancers and their treatment. She is a keen follower of the latest researches and development in the field of cancer and likes to share the same with her readers through her articles.

by Dr. Sunita Khatri

In a recent television episode, the famous Dr. Mehmet Oz stated that people undergoing more than five X-rays per year are four times more likely to develop thyroid cancer. He has therefore, advised people undergoing dental, chest or mammography screenings to wear a protective lead thyroid shield.

Thyroid cancer is an extremely rare form of cancer. At present, we are aware of only two conditions that can lead to this type of cancer. They are:

·         A rare genetic condition

·         Exposure to large doses of radiation

The word ‘cancer’ is a dreaded word, especially today, when the world has just witnessed a nuclear accident at Fukushima, Japan. Therefore, this episode with Dr. Oz has triggered a panic reaction across the country.

But is the fear justified?

It is true that more people are being diagnosed with thyroid cancer than ever before. But then, according to the latest statistics available with the American Cancer Society, one does not come across any increase in the mortality rate due to thyroid cancer. According to Dr. Otis W, Brawley from the American Cancer Society, this is primarily due to the advanced technology available to us today that we are able to detect even those cases which would have otherwise gone unnoticed, as they do not constitute a health threat.

His views have been seconded by various studies on this subject. A recent study by Davies L and Welch HG, from the Dartmouth College, examined the causes behind the increasing incidence of thyroid cancer in the U.S. between the period of 1973 and 2002. They found that the increased incidence was mainly because of increased detection of small papillary cancers and many subclinical cancers. The researchers blamed this increased incidence on ‘over-diagnosis’ because of advanced imaging and biopsy techniques.

Another study by Dr. Peter D. Inskip, in Sweden, also could not find any significant association between the risk of thyroid cancer and diagnostic radiography.

Dr. Oz has pointed out that the rate of thyroid cancer in women has doubled from the year 2000 to the year 2008. But, if it were due to exposure to radiations during mammography screening, then the incidence of thyroid cancer should have been the maximum in women above the age of fifty, as the women above fifty routinely undergo mammography. However, no such difference in the incidence rate has been seen.

Similarly, it is wrong to blame the exposure to X-rays during dental screening for the increased incidence of thyroid cancer. These days, dentists usually rely on panoramic radiographs which film faster while emitting less radiation.

Going by the results of the above studies, one can safely conclude that there is no reason to panic while undergoing routine procedures like dental, chest and mammography screenings. These procedures do more good than harm.

However, it is known that one of the reasons for thyroid cancer is exposure to radiations. So, even if the amount of radiation exposure is very small in the screening procedures, repeated such exposure may, at least in theory, lead to a cumulative effect and produce mutations leading to thyroid cancer. Therefore, in my opinion, people may wear protective lead shields while undergoing dental, chest or mammography procedures, instead of shying away from the procedures, in order to allay their apprehensions.

References:

·         http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/87/21/1613.abstract

·         http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/295/18/2164.abstract

 

Dr. Sunita Khatri passed her M.B.B.S from Shivaji University, Kolhapur, India. After completing her internship at S.B.D. Hospital, Saharanpur, she worked at the “Railways Cancer Institute” Varanasi in the department of surgical oncology where she gained hands on experience in various cancer surgeries. She has assisted in surgeries like mastectomies for breast cancer, abdomino-perineal resections for rectal cancers, commando surgeries for oral cancers, gastrectomy for stomach cancer, etc., besides routine operations like gastrostomy, ileostomy, etc. She has written multiple articles on various types of cancers and their treatment. She is a keen follower of the latest researches and development in the field of cancer and likes to share the same with her readers through her articles.

Currently, she is busy with her own private practice in New Delhi, besides writing health- related articles and blogs for various reputed medical sites on the net.

 

 

We have some really exciting news to share! On January 16th, one of our network members, the Cancer Support Community Florida Suncoast (CSC) announced that it has acquired a national non-profit organization, Brides Against Breast Cancer™.

Brides Against Breast Cancer™ is an organization that uses charity wedding gown sales to raise money to offer support, education and hope to cancer patients and their families. This is a win-win program, allowing brides to find their dream gown for a great deal while helping cancer patients. It is also beneficial to the brides, designers, retailers and manufacturers that donate the gowns to be able to contribute to such a worthy cause!

The Brides Against Breast Cancer™ program has received more than 50,000 wedding gowns, due in part to it's large media coverage. They have been featured in Redbook, Family Circle, Woman's Day, Time, and on the Oprah Winfrey show as well as many other outlets. They welcome donated gowns from brides who no longer need them, as well as new gowns from designers and retail stores. All gown donations are tax deductible of course.

We know that the CSC will be able to extend the reach of Brides Against Breast Cancer™. New gowns are arriving daily at the CSC offices, and it is clear to see that the local community is excited about this new project as well! We can't wait to see what big things that this new acquisition will mean for both the CSC and Brides Against Breast Cancer™. If you are interested in learning more about the CSC or Brides Against Breast Cancer™, be sure to check out their sites at: http://www.cancersupportsuncoast.org/ and http://bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/.

By Bethany Aronow, MA, LPC

Holiday Greetings! My small gift to you is tips to help you engage in better self-care during the holidays, so you can enjoy. Be compassionate with yourself, be realistic and discover that you can avoid the many pitfalls that can make the holidays stressful and difficult for you now, as a cancer patient and survivor.

TIP 1- Let go of “PERFECT” and “SHOULDS”
Many of us believe that we should do certain things for our families and friends during the holidays. We may set our standards higher than is realistic when we’re giving our all to getting through cancer treatment.

Letting go of perfect means that you do not put pressure on yourself to do the holidays in a particular way. Don’t wear yourself out looking for the perfect gift or hosting the perfect party.

If you find that you must “host” a party or get together, be sure to line up LOTS of help! Find people who will lend you a hand with setting up, preparing and serving food, as well as cleaning up after the festivities. Let go of your shoulds, and let people be there for you. Most friends and family are are more than happy to be able to help in a tangible way.

Many people are driven to do it all perfectly. Are you one of those people? This is one time when “good enough” is plenty! By being realistic and honest with yourself about your energy and goals, you’ll have more of yourself to put into enjoying friends and family. You won’t be completely exhausted and you won’t risk aggravating your condition.

TIP 2- Learn to recognize your limits and learn to say NO
Sometimes, we choose to take on activities and responsibilities that in the past (before cancer) we enjoyed and found easy. But this time of year, it helps to be able to say NO to others and to say NO to ourselves!

Really, it’s a very useful word when it comes to reducing holiday stress. If we shy away from saying “NO” even when it’s a spot-on response, we risk overestimating our limits and abilities. We take on tasks that others could easily complete. This is a very good time to let go of your inner “Superman” or “Superwoman” persona. Try to remember that even when you decide to give yourself a break, and not do certain things in a certain way, you are still SUPER!

Again, it may be necessary to let go of our perceived visions of the holidays and what we “should” do. No one will not suffer as a result, and it is actually quite healthy and reasonable to take a back seat and let go of some holiday traditions. Truthfully, you and your loved ones will likely reap benefits from your new stand: the oomph that would have gone into lots of work, is reserved for participating in and enjoying the celebrations.

TIP 3- Learn to be gentle with yourself
It is easy to take on a critical tone with yourself when you don’t do things the way you think you should do them. I invite you to try to silence your internalized critic. Instead, try to practice self-compassion and loving-kindness with yourself. Self-forgiveness is a great ally. Appreciate yourself; accept who you are and how you are in the world (how you relate to and connect with people). I believe you’ll find taking this stand will bring you far more peace and comfort than making yourself do what you think you should do.

Remember that self-care and self-nurturing are essential during stressful times. Make a list of things that replenish you. It helps to make notes on what has worked in the past to reduce your stress (e.g., meditation, mellow music, massage).

Learning and integrating these three tips into your holiday routines will be an enormous, immeasurable gift that you can give to yourself for the holidays!

What is your goal for the holidays?
In December 2011, I hope your primary goal is to take care of your needs (physical, emotional and spiritual). I invite you to show up and be present with the people you love and who love you back! Your best memories are made by simply “being” rather than “doing.” Appreciate and care for YOU during the holiday madness and others will cherish sharing this time with you!

Holiday Blessings to All,
Bethany

For more ideas check out:

Stress-Free Holidays Season When You Have Cancer:
http://cancer.about.com/od/copingwithcancer/a/holidaystress.htm

Courtesy of www.1uponcancer.com

The month of September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. Studies have found that awareness of disease does not increase anxiety in women. Instead it has been shown to empower women with the knowledge to be effective advocates for themselves and take charge of their health. Women who know the signs of ovarian cancer have a greater chance of catching the disease in its earliest stages, thus giving them a greater chance of survival.  

Facts of Ovarian Cancer  

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among American women.   

• A woman’s lifetime risk of developing invasive ovarian cancer is 1 in 71.

• More than 21,000 American women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year.

• More than 13,850 deaths were expected to be caused by ovarian cancer in the United States in 2010.  

If ovarian cancer is diagnosed and treated early, while still confined to the ovary, the five year survival rate is over 90%. To help defend yourself from ovarian cancer you should know the symptoms of ovarian cancer and if you are at increased risk for the disease.   

Know the Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer  

Research shows that women with ovarian cancer do experience symptoms even in the earliest stages. However, without increased awareness about the subtle signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, many women, and their doctors, will attribute symptoms to other conditions.  

Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

·         bloating

·         pelvic and abdominal pain

·         difficulty eating or feeling full quickly

·         urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)

 

Additional symptoms may include

·         fatigue

·         indigestion

·         back pain

·         pain with intercourse

·         constipation

·         menstrual irregularities

 

If you are experiencing any of the signs of ovarian cancer on a daily basis for more than a few weeks, you should talk with your physician, preferably a gynecologist, right away.

 

Know Your Risk of Ovarian Cancer  

Women need to know if they may be at a higher risk for ovarian cancer and what action to take to protect against the disease.

 

Factors that increase risk include:

·         increasing age

·         personal or family history* of ovarian, breast or colon cancer

·         never having been pregnant or given birth to a child

 

* Approximately 10 to 15 percent of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer have a hereditary tendency to develop the disease.

 

If you believe you are at a higher risk for the disease, you should discuss your concerns with your doctor.

 

Help Spread Awareness of Ovarian Cancer

The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition conducted a survey to assess women's understanding of ovarian cancer and discovered that 85% of women did not know ovarian cancer's symptoms and that 82% of women had not spoken with their doctors about ovarian cancer.  Awareness of ovarian cancer's subtle symptoms is an important key to earlier detection until there is an accurate early detection test for this silent disease.  Below are some suggestions on how you can help spread awareness of ovarian cancer.

 

·         Share this article with your friends, on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media.

 

·         Organize an Awareness event – The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition has trained speakers who will present its "Ovarian Health... What every Woman Should Know." This brief presentation can be given to groups of any size and can be made at the work place, clubs, health fairs, churches, or other special events. For more information or to arrange a presentation, call 1-888-OVARIAN (1-888-682-7426) or email nocc@ovarian.org.

 

·         Get your School Involved - Sign up for a Team Molly awareness kit. Team Molly is an education effort, which bears the name of a brave young woman and all-star athlete, Molly Eisenberg, who lost her battle with ovarian cancer at just 19 years of age. Although ovarian cancer is less common in young women, it does happen. The goal of the Ovarian Cancer Awareness coalition is to educate both young women and their mothers and grandmothers, who are more at risk.

 

·         Share Information at the Office – The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance offers Downloadable Fact Sheets to share at the office, awareness events, or with your friends.

 

·         Send an Email – The NOCC offers a pass-along email message to the women you care about. The message you send out today, may save a life tomorrow.  

 

 

References:
Ovarian Cancer National Alliance
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition

 

“Stories are weapons against disease,” wrote Swiss writer VM Diggelmann.  He hoped to counteract the lethal effects of cancer by writing stories.  When doctors and nurses tell stories, they demonstrate sympathy and understanding of your pain and anxiety.  When you as a patient begin to tell your own story, you derive even greater benefits, and emerge as an individual and giving purpose to your life.  Language is more than mere communication when it turns into your refuge, and helps you in coping with breast cancer. 

Creating a written account of your emotions is journaling.  A journal does not have to be polished and edited; it can be random thoughts that flow easily. 

Scientific Evidence of benefits of journaling

 
Scientific studies conducted by researchers show the compelling evidence that expressive writing was associated with a higher satisfaction with emotional support.  Clinicians suggest that journaling may be a cost effective accessible form of treatment that can be incorporated into the ongoing care of breast cancer patients.  Journaling may be even more beneficial to the subset of patients with low levels of emotional support or to those who were recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  Journaling has been shown to reduce cancer-related morbidities and recurring hospital visits.

Benefits of journaling and expressive writing

Apart from scientific evidence of benefits of journaling, here are some other reasons you should consider journaling:

·         It helps clarifying your goals as you examine your thoughts.

·         It may give you a new perspective on your treatment experience – when you look back at your journal you will be amazed at how much progress you made.

·         Journaling can begin a process of self-discovery and/or spiritual development. 

·         It is safe to express anger and hurt using pen and paper without hurting or accusing anyone.

·         A sense of calmness settles in when you put down your feelings of pain, despair, and frustration.  It provides a distraction.

·         If you do not want to write down your emotions, you can sketch or draw images that portray your message loud and clear.

·         Journaling is a positive, helpful intervention for cancer patients who are attempting to reintegrate their experiences into life.

Several websites encourage breast cancer and cancer patients to create their own blogs and express their feelings and emotions.  You can write about your treatment, recovery, and remission.  You can create your own personal memory blog on your profile page, where you can post pictures and talk about your journey battling breast cancer. This will become a community support group for you to exchange your experiences.

Breast Cancer Stories
Where Breast Cancer Patients and Care Givers can write about their experiences, share their progress with loved ones, and read stories and connect with others.

CaringBridge.org
Free, personal and private websites that connect people experiencing a significant health challenge to family and friends, making each health journey easier.

MyLifeline.org
A nonprofit organization that encourages cancer patients and caregivers to create free customized websites to build an online support community.

Think About Your Life
A website to help you think about your life along your journey with cancer or a chronic health condition.

The PINK SHOP offers useful books and supplies to begin or enhance journaling.

At our Girl Talk on Health event this month our guest speaker Kathryn McCue, Green Mission Specialist at Whole Foods Market®, discussed the Four Pillars of healthy eating. Whole Foods Market’s philosophy for a healthy diet is to focus on these four criteria no matter what dietary path you follow.



Pillar One - Whole Food
Choose foods that are in their most natural state. These foods have undergone very little processing and have been grown or produced without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Select foods that are fresh, natural, organic, local, seasonal, and unprocessed.

Avoid refined, highly processed foods, artificial flavors and colors, preservatives, sweeteners and hydrogenated fats.

Pillar Two – Plant Strong ™
Eat more plants no matter what kind of overall diet you consume daily. Incorporate plants in your diet by eating raw and cooked vegetables, fruits, legumes and beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

Pillar Three – Healthy Fats
Minimize the use of extracted oils and processed fats and get healthy fats from plant sources such as nuts, seeds and avocados.

Pillar Four – Nutrient Dense
A food’s nutrient density is calculated by comparing its caloric content to it nutrients. Whole Foods stores offer an Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) to help you identify nutrient dense foods.

Choose foods with a variety of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidents.

More details on the Pillars can be found on the website www.wholefoodsmarket.com/healthstartshere

Kathryn also shared some recipes with us to help us incorporate these foods into our diet that I will post for you in following blogs. But in the meantime you can log on to Whole Foods Market website for healthy recipe ideas.

  

Next Month’s Girl Talk on Health ~ “Hormone Changes and How to Manage Them”

I remember about a year or so ago I decided to reread Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking. I was going through a hard time. I had just been diagnosed with Breast Cancer and I was very scared!

I didn't really know what stage the cancer was. I was in the middle of having surgery to have the tumor removed and had not yet found out how far the cancer had progressed and if it was in an early "curable stage". The good news is it was, and my treatment was nothing compared with what some woman go through. I was still so scared and the emotional toll it placed on my mind and feelings was probably the hardest thing for me to deal within my life.

Anyway, just before I was diagnosed with cancer, I had decided to expand my business. I own an art gallery in a very wealthy area of California, but found that the downtown area had become less busy in the last few years. I wanted to have a "satellite" store" in another part of town that was heavily populated with shoppers.

I had found the "perfect" spot. It was positioned between two "perfect" stores and was in a small shopping center in town that had just been renovated and was bustling with shoppers! The space had been rented and remodeled, but then the tenants backed out of the lease and it was ready for me to rent it! The rent was inexpensive and it was "MY" spot!

I had made an appointment to meet the landlord and sign the contract the next day....then I received a call from my Doctor saying that I had in fact, had Breast Cancer and we needed to operate as soon as possible. I was not able at that point to sign the contract and had to let my "perfect spot" go. It was rented shortly after that.

Within the last two years every time I had gone by that shopping center I would grunt to myself, "that space should have been mine". "If I hadn't gotten cancer, I would be in that space and all would be well". I started feeling sorry for myself.

That's when I decided to reread The Power of Positive Thinking. I remember reading in the book about a man that had lost his promotion to another man that the company had brought to fill the position. He was so angry and felt that it was so unjust for the company and God to not let him have this promotion. He had worked harder and longer than the other man in the company and felt he was the "perfect" man for the job. He was devastated.

He and his wife struggled to let go of that promotion and focus on moving forward and accept that this was not the time or the job for him at this point in his career.Two years later the President of this company stepped down from his position and this man became the President of that company! What an inspirational story I thought to myself. Yes, they tell me all the time "sometimes when things pass you by it's because there is something better waiting for you in the wings", " You need to have faith and move forward", so that's what I did. I had faith and I moved forward.

It's been a little over two years since my cancer diagnosis and I feel like I'm back to normal again. I have moved forward and a couple of weeks ago, out of the blue, a friend of mine called me to tell me that there was a space opening up beside him in a very good building that has only art galleries in it. It is a building known for having very good high end galleries and collectors from all over the country and the world come to visit this building and the galleries that are in it. Well, I'm sure you know that this was my "Perfect" spot! Yes in deed....I got a bigger space, in a better place, for less money!!!! I can't tell you how the story of the man in the Norman Vincent Peale Book came rushing back to my mind. Yes, it is true! It is! Faith and the ability to let go and move on is what was needed. I did that, I trusted and I gave myself and God time to work things out.

Next month the gallery opens and though it is a small gallery space, it is a "perfect" space, it is the space that was given to me by God.

Karen Imperial

Feel free to email your thoughts to Karen on her story to: ktheimp@gmail.com and take the time to view her gallery website at: www.bryantstreet.com

This story was provided by Insight of the Day

Ask the Expert:  Is cancer hereditary?
Answer by Cristi Radford, Certified Genetic Counselor 

The majority of cancers are not due to an inherited component. However, approximately, 5-10% of all cancers are “hereditary.” This means an individual develops cancer due to an altered gene present at birth. An individual can inherit the altered gene, also referred to as a mutation, from the mother or the father. It can be passed from grandparent to parent to child. The altered gene places an individual at an increased risk for certain cancers, not all cancers. For example, an individual with an alteration in BRCA1 is primarily at high risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer. As a man does not have ovaries, he cannot develop ovarian cancer. However, if the altered gene is passed to his daughters, they would be at increased risk of developing both breast and ovarian cancer.

Are there other genes besides BRCA1/2 associated with hereditary breast cancer?
Yes, that’s why it’s so important to have your personal and family history evaluated by an expert.  BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations account for the majority of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer families.  However, breast cancer can also be linked to alterations in other genes, such as PTEN  (Cowden’s syndrome), p53 (Li Fraumeni syndrome), STK11 (Peutz Jeghers syndrome), NF1 (Neurofibromatois type 1), CDH1 (Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer), etc..  To date, over 200 hereditary cancer syndromes have been described.

Who should consider genetic counseling?
I like to use a 3, 2, 1 rule.  If your mother’s family or father’s family has (don’t forget to include yourself, siblings, and children) ANY of the following, genetic counseling and possibly genetic testing may be useful:
      ·          3 or more individuals diagnosed with cancer

·         2 individuals diagnosed with cancer under the age of 50

·         1 individual with any of the following: 

·         multiple primary cancers

·         diagnosed with breast, endometrial, or colon cancer under the age of 40

·         less common cancer, such as ovarian cancer, male breast cancer, or medullary thyroid cancer

·         Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry and breast cancer

    To share the story behind the picture I entered in the "Breast Investigator's" Contest. This is an excerpt from the project (solo book) I am currently writing, which is the story of my journey through two stage 4 cancers in my 30's.

“Light Shining Down On Her." - Angie Suttles (copyright 1/1/2011)

Excerpt from book

  My son, Caleb, took this picture the first time I lost my hair in 2004...he had already seen me battle the first cancer in 1998 at the tender age of five years old but the Vulva cancer was not treatable with chemotherapy so when the treatment from the second cancer (breast) in 2003 took my hair, I made the decision that I would offer him my head as a blank canvas to express his feelings towards the events he was now witnessing his mother face. He started out with a simple painting of eyes on the back of my head, joking that he wanted to tell his friends that his mother really did have eyes in the back of her head. Then he asked to photograph me on one of the worst days of my entire life. It was a day that I would challenge God to take me to heaven and end the suffering or grant me one of those TV preacher promises of a 'suddenly' and heal me instantly. My body was racked with greater pain than I knew was even possible. I could hardly lift my head but knew this moment, I could not afford to miss. It was a moment that was an unction from the Holy Spirit, Himself, proclaiming to me that God would use my son to unfold a truth on my behalf if I would dare to allow Him the opportunity. I thought it to be much less than it would become. I lessened it with my human reactions and responses. I imagined it as a tool that would bring my son to more familiarity with the current situation for an end results being that of comfort and less fear. I understand now it would be the chance for me to see myself, Caleb's mom, through his faith-filled eyes, that childlike faith that we as adults have forgotten. I wanted to name the picture, "Being For Real" but he was more than adamant to name the picture, "Light Shining Down On Her." To see myself through the eyes of my ten year old as I was in such a place of despair was a true gift from God. My son saw light shining through the window piercing the top of my hairless head and he interpreted it as hope and courage, strength and the Glory of God. I wanted to expose the pain of a human being's life as they battle cancer but he wanted to reveal the "Giver of Life." 

The Beneficiary of the $250 photo contest award is “Voices of Survivors Foundation,” a foundation devoted to exploring what ‘Survivorship’ means to the individual ‘Survivor’, whether they are recently diagnosed, in-treatment or post-treatment, in a variety of documentary formats. Each ‘Survivor’ helps define what this means to not only themselves, but also gives insight to others who are on this journey as well, either as a ‘Survivor’ or a ‘Co-Survivor’.

The face of cancer is one that has been portrayed as that of only older people or children for so long, but that face is not reflective of whom cancer truly affects. It affects us all! We become a ‘Survivor’ when we first hear those three words: “You have cancer.”  At that moment, your ‘Survivorship’ begins and you are not alone. Each and every ‘voice’ shared can mean so much to so many and touch even more. Stand up, be heard!
Lynn Lane, VOSF Founder/Director

 
How I Fight Back:

I engaged myself during my time of testing by serving as The Relay for Life’s Entertainment Chair, a Committee Member for the 2008 Cancer Survivor Alliance Conference Committee in Columbia, by raising funds, and by volunteering with various other organizations in the community. I became a cancer advocate with The Lance Armstrong Foundation in 2007 when I was chosen by the foundation to travel with Lance Armstrong and 199 of my constituents from around the country to Washington, DC to ask Congress to make cancer a national priority. In 2008, the foundation asked me to lead a local Livestrong grassroots effort, and I formed Livestrong Upstate SC. I also served as a Track Leader for the foundation at the Livestrong Summit in Columbus, Ohio in 2008. Livestrong Upstate SC has held Livestrong Day events annually throughout the Upstate for “Livestrong Day” and served various cancer organizations with fundraising and community events. Under the Livestrong Upstate name, I birthed the Upstate’s first cancer survivor dragon boat support group that now benefits The Anderson Cancer Association, Anderson, SC.

 

Future plans: 

Birth a Voices of Survivors Foundation here in the Upstate of SC.

Continue Livestrong Upstate SC grassroots’ efforts here in the Upstate of SC.

Continue the BelowTheBelt cancer fight. (Such as Vulva)

Continue advocacy with The Lance Armstrong Foundation, I(2)Y: I’m Too Young For This Foundation, C4YW: Conference 4 Young Women with breast cancer, Planet Cancer, and the NBCC: National Breast Cancer Coalition.

Continue my work within the dragon boat community which raises funds for cancer fighters.

Angie's Story

You can also follow Angie at her Blog angiesuttlesblog.blogspot.com