Health Topics /

Cancer

“Your wife has breast cancer”: 5 words that changed my life

Health Topics

Oct 11, 2017

I have been a mechanic for Southwest Airlines for many years. I fix things for a living. That’s what I do, and in many ways, that’s all I know. When something is broken, it is my job to see to...

Fearless in the face of breast cancer

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Oct 9, 2017

When 36-year-old Paola Gerber found a lump in her breast, she was terrified. Knowing she had a family history of breast cancer at a young age, she automatically assumed the worst.“I have three women in my family who were diagnosed...

4 ways survivors can look forward after breast cancer

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Oct 7, 2017

Winning your battle with breast cancer is a huge victory and while you may just want to get back to the life you had before, you might worry that everything won’t be the same. You could be faced with lingering...

Foster daughter inspires triathlete to swim for cancer research

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Sep 11, 2017

Allison Field dreams of a cancer-free world.That’s why she’s doing her part to support cancer research by swimming for the cause with Swim Across America. She draws inspiration and courage from her foster daughter, Deanna Stearn.Deanna came to live with...

Cancer survivor spreads hope, raises funds for cure

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Aug 30, 2017

Danielle Dennis remembers the day clearly. It was April 2012 and she was working outside in the yard one afternoon when she had a sudden, sharp pain in her side. Soon, she could barely breathe. She decided to call 911....

Through competitive fishing, ovarian cancer survivor uses sport to shed light on silent disease

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Aug 11, 2017

When Rhonda Reeve, 53, isn’t working full-time as a CPA, she’s with her husband, Jay, on their fishing boat competing in tournaments across the U.S. as professional tournament anglers. But life hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Rhonda.In 2015, Rhonda...

Together, sisters fight rare thyroid cancer

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Jul 28, 2017

The first time I swam with Swim Across America was in June 2014. I really didn’t know what Swim Across America was about other than fundraising for cancer research. But I had some friends swimming, and my sister Sarah had...

Considering a 3-D mammogram? 6 things you need to know

Health Topics

Jul 17, 2017

If you’ve had a mammogram in the last few years, chances are you’ve heard of 3-D mammography or “tomosynthesis.” You may have even had one by now. But if you haven’t, consider looking into it prior to your next screening....

This woman’s small rash turned out to be a rare form of cancer

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Jun 1, 2017

How many of us have found a rash or discoloration on our skin and wondered what it was? Before going to a doctor, did you Google it, or maybe compare it to other images online? That’s what Jennifer Cordts did.A...

Caring for a parent with cancer

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May 11, 2017

My dad was a hardworking man with a servant heart for helping others. He was the oldest of three kids and had a bit of a mischievous side. He enjoyed rebuilding cars and loved to fly his model airplanes. We...

Why immunotherapy is the next frontier for treating disease

Health Topics

Mar 16, 2017

Normally, the immune system protects the body from diseases by recognizing foreign attackers and combatting them. But sometimes, the immune system doesn’t function properly, allowing conditions to worsen, and sometimes the immune system malfunctions and attack a person’s own body.In these cases, immunotherapy can...

Therapeutic vaccine for triple negative breast cancer, a breakthrough in cancer research

Health Topics

Feb 20, 2017

Back in the 1970s, mastectomy was the only accepted surgical option for breast cancer treatment. A lot has changed since then, including steadily increasing breast cancer survival rates, more sophisticated diagnostic techniques and a wide range of treatment options. What remains...

The powerful effect of bedside music as medicine

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Jan 31, 2017

“He floated 18 inches off the floor back to his room,” Benny Barrett said, smiling at the memory of a cancer patient who played with one of his musical heroes. The experience happened during one of the weekly concerts at...

Dendritic cell vaccine aims to prevent cancer in those with HPV

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Jan 18, 2017

Since 2006, vaccines have been available in the U.S. for preteens to prevent infection from the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes most cervical cancers, as well as some cancers of the vagina, vulva, penis, anus, rectum and throat.But...

Dendritic cell vaccines could revolutionize care for pancreatic cancer

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Jan 2, 2017

Cancer is a master of disguise. Normally, our immune systems can quickly destroy abnormal cells. But tumors are tricky — they are able to confuse the attacking immune cells, or hide altogether.“When the immune system recognizes a cancer cell, there...

Cancer support through the healing power of art

Health Topics

Dec 30, 2016

When you receive a cancer diagnosis, you search for things to bring you comfort. For many, it’s family or friends. For others, it’s traveling or music.When Pam Lynch was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2016, you can say she turned to...

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A simple lung cancer screening saved my life

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Nov 4, 2016

It began when a mailer arrived and caught my attention with its bright yellow background and bold headline — Lung Cancer Screening Program. My profile was certainly in the description: an ex-smoker between 50-80 years of age who had smoked...

JuJuOnThatChemo! Ana-Alecia takes a different approach to cancer treatment

Health Topics

Nov 1, 2016

Chances are you’ve seen or heard about Ana-Alecia Ayala’s story by now.She’s the Dallas mother diagnosed with a rare form of cancer who recorded herself dancing to ‘Juju on That Beat’ during a chemotherapy session in the Baylor T. Boone...

Rebuilding confidence: Breast reconstruction is more than just cosmetic

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Oct 19, 2016

Breast reconstruction is often the final step for women after enduring the highs and lows of cancer. These women deserve to look and feel like themselves again, and I tell each one — this is your happy place.Most women are...

I’m a physician and a breast cancer survivor

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Oct 12, 2016

Three years ago I was given a diagnosis by my doctor that would change my life. I had breast cancer — invasive ductal carcinoma-estrogen and progesterone positive, HER negative.How could this happen?I was 41.According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI)...