Cancer Wellness Magazine: The Women's Health Issue with Dr. Jessica Shepherd

SPRING 2019

Dr. Jessica Shepherd

Closing the gap on health disparities

PLUS

NOURISH TO HEAL Easy & delicious recipes to help fight cancer

THE MIRACLE OF MISTLETOE

Can mistletoe alleviate cancer-treatment symptoms?

BEAUTY & THE BEAST

Do you really know what’s in your favorite beauty products?

Cancer Wellness

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because love

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Cancer Wellness

#itsbecauselove cancerwellness.com/shop

letter from

THE EDITOR I have always loved the saying that a person is a “force of nature.” The aphorism conjures a very specific, linear series of images that I have harbored since childhood. When the images are stitched together, they become the story of a brewing storm.

The narrative always begins the same way: I am standing in an irrigation ditch, passively observing a small dust twister dancing and bobbing along a bone dry, star-thistle-bordered country road.

Suddenly everything changes; the atmosphere becomes thick and pallid, and, in irrationally short order, the lazy little dust cyclone ferociously erupts in the darkening violet sky like a tornado from the land of Oz. Booming thunder, rushing winds, and blindingly bright lightening create a sense of excited panic inside me. This is how I understand and define a “force of nature”—an impetus of unpredictable power via dynamic, unseen forces that quickly establishes itself as absolute.

The Spring 2019 issue, without being exclusive, has a clear focus on women and cancer types primarily affecting women. Throughout the process of compiling this issue, I have enjoyed the opportunity to explore the strength, resilience, leadership, intelligence, and dedication of a diverse group of exceptional women, all who I consider “forces of nature” in their own right.

This concept of power, might, and a rising storm of positive action and goodwill easily relates to our fierce cover star, Dr. Jessica Shepherd, whose exceptional work in the field of obstetrics and gynecology has changed the landscape of surgery and cancer screening as they relate to women’s health. And on that note, be sure to check out our feature on Dr. Jeffrey A. Borgia’s revolutionary blood test to detect lung cancer, our interview

Photo by Stephanie Jensen

with Susan G. Komen Chicago’s new executive director Tiosha Bailey, and our article on the development of an “electronic nose” for early-stage cancer detection with the help of our favorite four-legged friends.

Comedian Maria Falzone reminds us that laughter is truly the best medicine. Those seeking other alternative healing practices should refer to our list of delicious teas and tonics that offer benefits from mental clarity to alleviating nausea. Also in our Nutrition section: the best cancer-fighting foods from Maria Tripodis, whose recipes are carefully crafted to nourish our bodies and help us be our best selves.

We’re delighted to share a crop of new columnists touching on beauty and wellness, and stories about the charities who fight for better regulations and additional research in women’s health, like Chicago’s own Silver Lining Foundation, whose goal is to make breast health services accessible to everybody.

Now, when a group of people come together with passion and shared goals, the potential energy and momentum can be enormous. As we progress further into the new year, harness that sublime energy by adopting some of the self-care strategies within the pages of this issue to become a true force of nature.

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SPRING FEATURES

64 CLOSING THE GAP

BRITT JULIOUS Dr. Jessica Shepherd addresses health disparities from every angle

14 NOURISH TO HEAL

MARIA TRIPODIS Easy, healthy, delicious: the best recipes to help fight cancer

34 THE MIRACLE OF MISTLETOE ALI CASSITY New research finds that mistletoe can help mediate cancer-treatment symptoms

41 BEAUTY & THE BEAST

ALI CASSITY Cancer may have an accomplice hidden in makeup bags and medicine cabinets: talc

SPOTLIGHT

9 THE FIGHTER CONNI HOWES

47 THE THRIVER RACH DiMARE

106 THE SUPPORTER

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106

TRACY ROSENSTIEHL

MIND & BODY

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CANCERVERSARY

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SPAHHH

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ASK THE DOCTOR

How do you celebrate cancer-treatment milestones?

The best destination spas for post-cancer care

What preventative measures can I take against cancer?

2019

TRAVEL

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

BRIGHTEN & ENERGIZE

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FINDING TRUE NORTH

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Detoxifying practices to nurture the mind-body connection

Energetic self-care remedies to relieve tension and anxiety

BEAUTY

TAPPING INTO BEAUTY Changing the narrative on beauty

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SUPER CLEAN SOLUTIONS

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Clean & green products for a natural, worry-free glow

WELLNESS ROAD TRIP

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CANCER AT ALTITUDE

The Hippocrates Health Institute heals the body from the inside out Could cancer be an occupational hazard?

INNOVATIONS & RESEARCH

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BREATHE EASY

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THE CANCER SNIFF TEST

Dr. Jeffrey A. Borgia’s revolutionary new blood test for early-stage lung cancer detection

Man’s best friend’s most important role yet

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KEEPING A COOL HEAD

Retain your mane with cold cap therapies

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MORE THAN JUST THE COMMON COLD

Viral therapy: the future of cancer treatment

FASHION

46 AROUND TOWN

CHARITIES WE LOVE Tiosha Bailey & Susan G. Komen Chicago Dr. Sandy Goldberg & A Silver Lining Foundation Wellness House

MILLINER MAGIC

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CROWNS OF COURAGE

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CALENDAR

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ENTERTAINMENT

BLESSINGS OF A THIRD LIFE After surviving cancer—twice—Sean Swarner takes on the adventure of a lifetime

DON’T FORGET TO LAUGH

Maria Falzone fights fear with laughter

The best from Chicago’s finest milliners Five Michigan women collaborate with henna tattoo artists and photographer Dave Burgess

CANCER & THE ENVIRONMENT

RECAPS

Mesothelioma Race for Justice Night of a Thousand Noogies Wings of Hope Gala

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Can this unassuming plant help build a more cancer-free future?

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THE HEMP REVIVAL

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THERE’S SOMETHING IN THE WATER

The dangers of lead in Chicago’s water supply

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EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Caylei Vogelzang

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Britt Julious

MANAGING EDITOR

Kelsi Lockhart COPY EDITOR

DISTRIBUTION Cancer Wellness is distributed nationally through hospitals, support networks, select nurse navigators, subscriptions, and other outlets.

If you would like to know more about distributing Cancer Wellness in your facility or group, please email: info@cancerwellness.com

Catherine Eves

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Mirela Stefanescu

WRITING STAFF WRITER

Ali Cassity

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Natalie Craig, Jasmine Jafferali, Bethany Kandel, Maria Tripodis, Liz Tuckwell, Dr. Diana Rangaves, Catherine Eves

CREATIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Sydney Warren

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Stephanie Jensen, Michelle Khan, Jack Saxe-Staral, Danielle Scruggs

ADVERTISING For advertising, advertorial, and special project opportunities, please email: ads@cancerwellness.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without permission from the publisher. The views expressed in Cancer Wellness are those of the respective contributors and are not necessarily shared by Cancer Wellness and its staff.

SUBSCRIPTIONS If you would like to subscribe to Cancer Wellness, please visit us online: cancerwellness.com/subscribe FOR DAILY INSPIRATION, FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR WEBSITE.

VIDEOGRAPHERS

Jack Saxe-Staral, Adrian Garcia

cancerwellness.com

MARKETING DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH

Natalia Espinosa

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

@cancerwellmag

Allison Stern

SOCIAL MEDIA INTERN

Lauryn Hall

WEBMASTER

Jack Saxe-Staral

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Natalie Craig, Moni Ifelayo, Paris Mendes, Gail Prins, Dr. Diana Rangaves, Savanah Washington

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401 N. Michigan Ave. Suite 325 Chicago, IL 60611

PHOTOGRAPHER

Michelle Khan is a lifestyle and portrait photographer based in Dallas, Texas, specializing in creating beautiful and colorful portraiture. Her love for photography is reinforced by her ability to capture and portray her subjects through her own point of view. She is currently studying to be a registered nurse and uses her spare time practicing freelance photography. Michelle is always looking for opportunities to network and collaborate with creatives across the U.S. She aspires to one day merge her passion for photography with her work in the medical field.

MEET

SYDNEY WARREN CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Sydney Warren is a Chicago-based designer and the Creative Director of Cancer Wellness magazine.

Her work includes projects of all sizes, from photo shoot styling and art direction to brand evolutions. Through design, she seeks to champion the use of type as imagery, adding a distinctly delicate and compelling quality to her work. Through Cancer Wellness, she works to create a thoughtful, carefully designed space where all affected by cancer can feel comfortable sharing their experiences with and beyond the scope of cancer.

MEET

ALLISON STERN

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Allison Stern is the Social Media Editor at Cancer Wellness. Although she was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, she thinks of Chicago as home. Allison graduated from DePaul University with a degree in public relations and advertising. She believes her background in social media and charity events has helped her build a strong bond with the Cancer Wellness community.

C O N T R I B U T O R S

MEET

MICHELLE KHAN

MEET

MARIA TRIPODIS

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Maria Tripodis, M.S., R.D., L.D./N. is a registered dietitian in Miami Beach, Florida, and founder of Rebel Nutrition. She works in a clinical care setting while seeing Rebel Nutrition clients in her free time, assisting them with their nutrition and wellness goals.

Through evidenced-based practice, Maria promotes healthy habits, balanced diets, self-confidence, and the opportunity to feel empowered to move past one’s barriers to reach optimal health.

MEET

ALI CASSITY STAFF WRITER

Ali Cassity is a writer and essayist living in Chicago.

Her work explores themes of mental health, wellness, and identity, and she is drawn to the underlying complexities in seemingly simple stories. Through her writing, she aims to illuminate unique perspectives that uplift marginalized identities and combat stigma.

MEET

STEPHANIE JENSEN PHOTOGRAPHER

After a move to Malaysia in 2013 and a year spent teaching English and backpacking throughout Southeast Asia, Stephanie Jensen’s eagerness to understand and connect with people of different cultures, coupled with her desire to embrace beautiful landscapes, led her to uncover a natural talent for travel photography.

Stephanie’s mission is to use photography as a tool to educate, elevate unheard voices, and uplift those that exist in marginalized communities. In her opinion, photography is both an act of love and a search for truth.

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I WOKE UP TODAY TO MOVE TOWARD FULFILLING MY PURPOSE @CANCERWELLMAG

Photo by SydneyAlthea

the fighter

CONNI HOWES As told to Britt Julious

I feel like my story is a little bit boring.

I’m like a shark. I just keep going.

I was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic pancreatic cancer, and I was feeling perfectly fine up until that point. All hell broke loose. I was told that if I didn’t do chemo, I would have two to three months to live. If I did chemo, I’d have six to 11. That’s the standard number, and here we are today, 18 months later.

I feel great. I’m fortunate. I’ve never had any pain.

I don’t have any symptoms of cancer. My side effects from the chemo are very minimal. I don’t know how I got so lucky. We just recently changed my chemo, and the worst thing about that was my hair fell out. I didn’t care. Every day is a good hair day with a wig. I’m always looking at something from a funny angle. I can take the most horrible situation and make it funny. I’m sure some people will be appalled at that, but it’s what gets me through the hard stuff.

The thing I’ve learned about myself is that I am infinitely adaptable if I just let myself be. I used to hold on to things and worry about stuff, and now I’m just… whatever. I find no value in placing time and energy in this question of why or how.

You have to let that go from the beginning.

I have very low expectations as to what I expect to happen. I kind of feel like it’s a lot about managing expectations. You don’t know what’s going to happen. You don’t know when it’s going to happen. So you make the best of it, and you just keep moving forward.

To read Conni’s entire story, visit cancerwellness.com Photo by Danielle Scruggs Cancer Wellness

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teas

healing

From sleepless nights to persistent body aches, there’s a tea for whatever ails you.

marsh mallow root

Unlike most well-known teas, marshmallow root is best brewed with cold water and left to steep for several hours. To alleviate pain from mouth sores caused by chemotherapy, use the pebblelike, cream-colored marshmallow tea as a mouth rinse, or drink a glass to soothe a sore throat.

ginger

Spicy and warming, ginger tea boasts a range of benefits that can alleviate some of the most common cancer-treatment symptoms.

This fragrant root relieves nausea, reduces inflammation, and aids in digestion, among other effects. High levels of vitamin C makes this a perfect tea to boost the immune system. Pair with lemon and honey to clear sinuses and soothe sore throats during cold and flu season.

lavender

When anxiety or insomnia threaten to keep you up all night, lavender tea offers a floral, herbal remedy. It contains no caffeine, making it a perfect addition to your bedtime ritual. Even better?

Gentle and calming lavender tea soothes sore muscles, indigestion, and headaches.

matcha

Unlike regular green tea, matcha is a powdered form of green tea that uses the whole leaf. As a result, matcha is packed with antioxidants and other nutrients. This slightly bitter tea has been found to improve brain function, slow cancer cell growth, and reduce harmful forms of cholesterol.

turmeric

This vibrant yellow spice has a long list of health benefits, from anti-inflammation to Alzheimer’s prevention.

Curcumin, an active compound in turmeric, has been linked to cancer prevention and joint pain reduction by the National Cancer Institute.

This immune-system booster pairs well with cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger for an aromatic drink.

By A C .

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Photo by SydneyAlthea

THE cW LIBRARY “Wait, It Gets Worse” is a Guide for Living and Letting Go Her job is stressful, her marriage is on the rocks, and she’s just been diagnosed with lymphoma. “Wait, It Gets Worse” tackles the tough stuff with cleareyed honesty and an unrelenting sense of humor.

At just 33 years old, Lydia Slaby feels stuck in an unfulfilling career and tumultuous marriage. And then it gets worse: She’s diagnosed with cancer. Slaby’s new memoir is a testament to living and letting go, as she learns to jettison the things that no longer serve her while in treatment for lymphoma.

“Wait, It Gets Worse” tackles a question many cancer survivors face: What comes next? Despite feeling relief when her tests start routinely coming back as “no evidence of disease,” Slaby finds herself missing the way hospital life helped her dial into her deepest spiritual needs. Her desire to seek spiritual fulfillment sparks a journey of “letting go” that allows her to experiment with the uncomfortable, from splitting logs with her sister to crying in a sweat lodge, ultimately abandoning the search for perfection.

“Sometimes we think we know what’s serving us, but then we end up getting sick, or heartbroken, or without a job in a weird city, and that’s not a good sign,” Slaby says. “If you’re paying attention, your body and circumstances will tell you.”

Reviewed by Ali Cassity Disruption Books, March 2019, $17.00

“Wait, It Gets Worse” delivers a powerful lesson to the anxious human in all of us, whether or not our lives have been touched by cancer. Physical recovery aside, Slaby confronts emotional healing by learning to listen to signs from her body, her intuition, and the world around her. Journeying through love, her career, and cancer recovery, she learns to relinquish control and embrace life as it comes.

“Sometimes, you don’t know you’ll be okay until after you’ve taken the leap, but in the meantime, what are you supposed to do?” Slaby asks. “Taking the leap is super scary, but on the other side is this emotional calmness that serves in so many amazing ways.”

More reads from the cW library FAREWELL

By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.

What happens when a loved one’s life comes to an end? How do family members face the inevitable?

In “Farewell,” Edward T. Creagan, M.D., refuses to shy away from the tough questions that complicate end-of-life care. A longtime palliative care physician at the Mayo Clinic, Creagan offers clarity in regards to hospice, palliative care, and grief, while making suggestions to prioritize comfort and quality of life. “Farewell” provides insight into medical responses, illustrative anecdotes, and a question-andanswer guide for family members facing difficult conversations, making it a powerful resource for caregivers, family members, and health care professionals alike. Write on Ink Publishing, August 2018, $19.95

SWEET REMEDIES

By Dawn Combs

Herbalist and beekeeper Dawn Combs has a recipe for everything. In her latest release, Combs aims to reintroduce the healing power of honey to mainstream society, from electuaries (healing tonics mixed with honey) to infusions and handmade, herbal supplements.

Drawing upon the deeply historical and cross-cultural tradition of medicinal honey and herbs, “Sweet Remedies” offers blends for the common cold, body aches, insomnia, mental clarity, and more. Readers will delight in Combs’ optimism and a newfound understanding of medicinal herbs, honey remedies, and sustainable beekeeping practices. Storey Publishing, April 2019, $19.95

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nutrition 14 Nourish to Heal | 16 Cancer-Fighting Recipes

nourish

to heal

Suppress Cancer Cell Growth Through Food

By Maria Tripodis

Food provides the fuel our cells need to function correctly,

but not all food is created equal.

What exactly is a “cancer-fighting” food?

Well, it’s any food that promotes healthier overall cell function, which can reduce cancer cell growth. When the food we eat enters our gastrointestinal tract, it breaks down into macronutrients and micronutrients which provide fuel for our cells. While all cells need fuel to function, certain fuels have properties that can help fight cancer.

A study published last year in the journal Nature Communications

by Peeters et al. states there is a proven correlation between sugar intake and cancer cell growth. In tumors and other growing cancer cells, the rate of sugar absorption increases dramatically compared to that of regular cells in a phenomenon known as

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the Warburg Effect. According to Liberti et al. in an article published in the journal Trends in Biochemical Sciences, the Warburg Effect reveals that cancer cells rely on the process of “aerobic glycolysis,” or the breakdown of sugar, to generate energy, promoting cell survival and fueling cell growth. In other words, sugar is cancer’s preferred fuel.

Reducing that fuel can help slow cancer growth. In an article published on the website Mercola, author and educator Gary Taubes says when the body burns sugar as its primary fuel, it can cause oxidative stress (which damages cells) and free radicals (which are unstable molecules that harm surrounding healthy molecules). Oxidative stress and free radicals lead to mitochondrial damage, nuclear DNA damage, and cell membrane impairment. Cancer can be one of the outcomes of this cellular impairment.

Damage caused by sugar is not the only culprit. In a 2017 report on the Total Health Institute website, Dr. Keith Nemec wrote that our cells need four essential elements to thrive: oxygen, water, food (or fuel), and the ability to excrete waste products.

If there is an imbalance in the harmony of these elements, inflammation occurs. Inflammation is typically a short-term response that plays a natural role in our body’s healing process. Chronic inflammation, however, may lead to the development of many major diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, digestive disorders, Alzheimer’s, and certain types of cancer, like hepatic, cervical, colon, and gastric cancer, according to a 2015 article by the National Cancer Institute.

Chronic inflammation can occur as a result of infection, autoimmune reactions to normal tissues, or conditions like obesity. Over time, chronic inflammation at the cellular level causes early cell death, which damages organs and causes mutations in our DNA. This is why it’s critical to combat chronic inflammation as much as possible.

A 2017 article from the Harvard Medical School noted inflammatory foods include refined carbohydrates, fried foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, processed meats, and hydrogenated oils like margarine and shortening.

In other words, sugar is cancer ’s preferred fuel.

There are two key types

COMPLEX

CARBS berries cruciferous vegetables dark leafy greens lemons green tea pomegranates mushrooms tomatoes

of carbs that affect the body in different ways: refined, processed carbohydrates (like bread, pasta, breakfast cereal, cookies, white rice, and etc.) and naturally occurring complex carbohydrates which include fruits and vegetables.

You will never find refined carbs on a “cancer-fighting” foods list, partly because they contain unnatural food additives and sweeteners which contribute to inflammation.

In addition, refined carbohydrates lack fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, spiking blood sugar significantly more than naturally occurring complex carbohydrates.

turmeric, chili pepper, garlic, cinnamon, & ginger

So how should we select our complex carbs? The carbohydrates in this issue’s recipes have strong color pigments, like berries, spinach, tomatoes, pomegranate, turmeric, and matcha. These pigments act as powerful antioxidants, neutralizing cancer-causing free radicals. Even the white pigments in our produce offer distinct nutrients, like allicin in garlic and quercetin in onions and apples, which not only act as antioxidants but help fight inflammation.

In a 2014 article published by the Symbiosis School of Biomedical Sciences, researcher Neeti Sharma wrote that cell exposure to carcinogens (like tobacco, arsenic, and radiation) form free radicals that latch onto healthy cells and inhibit normal function. Antioxidants scavenge and neutralize free radicals before they can damage healthy cells. Think of antioxidants like a Roomba Vacuum roaming around your cells and cleaning up traveling free radicals. So next time you buy potatoes, try the purple ones, or if you’re going for carrots, pick up the yellow, white, or purple varieties—each offers unique nutrients.

Our cell membranes are HEALTHY

FAT S avocados fatty fish sardines, anchovies, tuna, mackerel, herring

made up of fat, so the intake of healthy fat leads to healthy cell membranes. “Good” fat improves the external barrier of each cell, preventing harmful molecules from entering and promoting the proper excretion of waste products.

Good fat sources also promote mitochondrial health, like EPA and DHA omega-3s found in fatty fish nuts & seeds and ALA omega-3s found in nuts, seeds, and oils. When used as a olive oil primary fuel source by our cells, wild-caught these fats produce the least amount salmon of toxic byproducts, like free radicals and oxidative stress. Wild-caught salmon, nuts, seeds, and avocado top the list of good fat sources. As we nourish our bodies with a colorful array of complex carbs, we want to make sure we’re accompanying them with a healthy source of fat like walnuts, olive oil, avocado, pumpkin seeds, or anchovies. Your cells will thank you!

Remember, we are made up of cells, and the composition of our meals reflects the health and performance of those cells.

If we fill our bodies with refined, processed carbohydrates our cell function will suffer. With each meal, make sure to include some natural, complex carbohydrates, a healthy source of fat, and lots of water! A variety of fuel sources is the key to happy cells.

Turn the page for the best cancer-fighting recipes from Maria’s own kitchen

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INGREDIENTS For Veggie Bake 1 cup broccoli florets 1 cup kale leaves, chopped (around 2-by-2 inches wide) 1 cup cauliflower, chopped 1 cup cabbage, chopped 1 cup portabello mushrooms, chopped 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved olive oil (to drizzle) pinch of salt pine nuts (for topping) For Cashew Herb Dressing 2 tablespoons tahini 2 tablespoons olive oil ¼ cup cashews 1 whole avocado, halved, with skin and pit removed 1 clove of garlic ¼ cup basil leaves, chopped 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) juice of 1 ½ lemons water for thinning PREPARATION 1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Line a baking sheet with olive oil.

3. In a large bowl, toss all of the vegetables with olive oil and salt, and pour mixture onto baking sheet.

4. Bake for 45 minutes or to the desired doneness.

5. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. It will be thick once it’s blended, so alternate between 2-parts water and 1-part olive oil until it is a pourable consistency.

6. Pour the dressing over the baked vegetables.

7. Top with pine nuts and serve warm or cold.

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v

Cruciferous Veggie Bake with Cashew Herb Dressing

Wild Pesto Salmon

s

INGREDIENTS 1 pound wild-caught salmon ¼ cup basil, chopped ¼ cup pine nuts 1 tablespoon lemon juice ½ tablespoon hemp seeds, shelled 1 clove of garlic ⅓ cup olive oil 1 teaspoon salt PREPARATION 1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

3. Place the salmon filet on baking sheet.

4. In a food processor, blend the basil, pine nuts, lemon juice, hemp seeds, garlic, olive oil, and salt.

5. Spread the pesto evenly on the salmon filet.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

7. Top with extra pine nuts if desired and serve warm or cold.

Photo by Jack Saxe-Staral

Green s Goddess Salad

Antioxidant s Smoothie Bowl

Photo by Jack Saxe-Staral

Matcha l Latte

GREEN GODDESS SALAD INGREDIENTS For Salad 1 cup spinach, chopped ½ cup walnuts, chopped ½ small radish, thinly sliced ¼ cup white onion, thinly sliced ½ cup pea shoots ½ cup golden beets, canned or raw, thinly sliced ¼ cup pomegranate seeds 1 tablespoon hemp seeds, shelled For Dressing 1 tablespoon tahini 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup cashews 1 whole avocado, cut in half, with skin and pit removed 2 cloves of garlic 10-15 basil leaves, roughly chopped 1 teaspoon turmeric ½ cup water (plus more for thinning) juice of 1½ lemons salt to taste ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

MATCHA LATTE 3. Toss all of the salad ingredients together.

INGREDIENTS 4. Add all of the dressing ingredients ½ tablespoon matcha powder to a food processor and blend 1½ cups unsweetened almond until smooth. It will be thick milk once blended, so alternate ½ teaspoon turmeric between 2-parts water and 1½ teaspoon cinnamon part olive oil until it is a 1 tablespoon coconut oil pourable consistency.

5. Pour the dressing over the PREPARATION salad and toss before serving.

1. Heat almond milk on the stove on high for 3-4 minutes.

2. With a handheld frother (or spoon), stir or froth the milk while adding matcha powder, ANTIOXIDANT SMOOTHIE turmeric, coconut oil, and BOWL cinnamon. Make sure there are no lumps.

INGREDIENTS 3. Once blended, pour the latte ½ cup organic frozen blueberries into a mug and enjoy. ½ cup organic frozen strawberries ½ cup organic frozen raspberries ½ cup unsweetened almond milk ½ avocado, with skin and pit removed ½ cup kale greens, raw ½ teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes dried goji berries natural peanut butter crushed cashews

PREPARATION 1. If preparing raw beets, fill a saucepan with water and put whole beets into the water, PREPARATION making sure they are 1. Blend berries, almond milk, completely submerged. Heat avocado, kale, turmeric, and on high and bring to a boil. cinnamon in a food processor 2. Boil for 2 minutes and reduce or blender until smooth. (This heat to low. Let the beets cook might be difficult to blend in water for approximately 1 due to its thickness. Do not add hour, or until a fork can easily more liquid unless you want pierce the skin. Once cooked, to drink it.) Pour into a bowl. let the beets cool in the 2. Top the mixture with coconut refrigerator for at least 30 flakes, goji berries, peanut minutes. When the beets are butter, and cashews, or any cooled, use a paper towel to fruits, nuts, and seeds of your rub off the skin, or use a knife choice. to peel. Once the skin is removed, cut in half and chop into 1-inch slices.

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Photo courtesy of Maria Tripodis

mind

24 Cancerversary 28 Spahhh 30 Ask the Doctor

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How Do You Celebrate Your Cancerversary?

How you observe milestones on your cancer journey is a personal decision.

Cancer Wellness spoke with five people about the creative ways they observe a cancer milestone.

By Bethany Kandel

Congratulations!

It’s your cancerversary.

Whether you celebrate on the anniversary of your diagnosis, surgery, final chemo, or your official remission date, some cancer survivors choose to mark this important milestone in their lives.

For some, it’s enough to quietly reflect on how far they’ve come and show gratitude to be alive for another year. Others want to shout from the rooftops that the disease messed with the wrong person.

Deciding to mark the day is a personal decision.

Whether you write words of thanks in your journal, cross an item off your bucket list, or throw a big bash is your decision. Here are some ways cW readers have chosen to commemorate their cancerversaries.

HEATHER VON ST. JAMES, 49

Roseville, Minnesota: Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma When I was diagnosed with terminal cancer, my sister and I, in our usual fashion, found that humor was the best way to cope.

I was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma when I was just 36 years old. Humor was the only thing that helped me not panic. I was given just 15 months to live unless I traveled across the country to see a specialist who would perform an invasive but life-saving surgery called an extrapleural pneumonectomy. In layman’s terms, the surgery would remove my lung and the surrounding tissue. It was the best chance to save my life, so I agreed to do it.

A year later, my sister decided the day of the surgery needed to be celebrated. Since the date was Feb. 2, Groundhog Day, she renamed it “Lung Leavin’ Day.” She and my husband decided we should start a tradition. Every year on Feb. 2, we write our fears on a ceramic plate and smash it into a bonfire.

The fears I had bottled up over the past year leaked from the Sharpie as my plate filled with my frantic writing: What if the cancer comes back? What if the chemo didn’t work? Will my baby girl be OK if I die?

It was minus 17 degrees that night, but that didn’t stop us. We held our plates high over the fire pit and, with an almost primal yell, smashed those fears into the fire. A tradition was born that night, and it’s one we celebrate every year on the first Saturday in February. On the sixth anniversary, we turned Lung Leavin’ Day into a fundraiser to give back to the mesothelioma community. Since then, we have raised more than $35,000 for mesothelioma research and asbestos awareness.

I’ve outlived my best-case scenario by 10 years and have no plans of stopping now.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Wood

Photo courtesy of Ellis Emerson

ELLIS EMERSON, 33

Fort Worth, Texas: Melanoma I am coming up on my first diagnosis anniversary. To me, it’s just another day. I have stage III melanoma so there is no remission. I am NED (no evidence of disease) and have been so since my second surgery two months after my diagnosis. I completed 18 weeks of infusions and am starting another treatment soon. It is a long journey.

So how do I mark milestones? By living every day. I have done so much this year and lived fully and wonderfully. Each day alive and feeling good is a testament to my cancerversary.

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HEIDI BRIGHT, 57

Cincinnati, Ohio: Uterine Sarcoma When I was diagnosed with highly aggressive, end-stage uterine sarcoma in July 2009, I learned the difference between healing through conventional medicine and being healed by changing the way I lived my life. I chose to use both approaches.

My role model for healing was a biblical character, Martha of Bethany. According to legend, this follower of Jesus traveled to a village in what is now France being terrorized by a “dragon” called the Tarasque. She chose to approach it barefoot, carrying only holy water and a cross. She subdued the dragon, and the villagers killed it.

The town was renamed Tarascon and became the thirdlargest pilgrimage site during the Middle Ages. The Sainte-Marthe Royal Collegiate Church houses what are considered Martha’s relics.

Martha demonstrated that I, through lifestyle changes, could tame the cancer in my body. I could use her example to change my attitude, reconstruct my behaviors, and make major life choices to help subdue my own cancer “dragon.” Then medical treatment could kill it.

After two years of transforming my life, along with 42 days of chemotherapy and three major surgeries, I entered radical remission in August 2011.

This is my seventh year free of evidence of disease and free of treatment. In biblical terms, this is the Year of Jubilee. I wanted to celebrate by visiting and giving my heartfelt thanks in Martha’s church in Tarascon, France, and did so in September 2018.

I spent a full day in Tarascon, much of it sitting in Martha’s sanctuary. I cried with deep gratitude and profound joy.

I am still alive, still healthy, and able to be in a place brimming with devotion for my favorite saint. I lit a candle and prayed for all cancer patients to be able to subdue their cancer dragons and find their way back to health.

Photo courtesy of Heidi Bright

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Cancer Wellness

LINDSAY RONNAU HILDEBRAND, 37

Centennial, Colorado: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

On Dec. 29, 2016, I was diagnosed with stage III Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Fast-forward through rounds of chemotherapy, and on Aug. 27, 2017, I was declared in remission.

My husband is active-duty military, and we were stationed in a very small town in New Mexico when I got my diagnosis. All my best girlfriends were back home in Kansas City, Missouri. Once I was on the path to remission, my gals and I started planning a celebratory hiking trip in Colorado for September 2017. I was supposed to be done with treatment in June, but my oncologist added two extra rounds of chemo, which lasted an additional six weeks. I did not push our trip back and decided I would just try to rally through, even though the trip was so close to the end of my chemo.

My gal pals and I decided to celebrate by hiking our first-ever fourteener, a hike that goes above 14,000 feet in elevation. We rented an Airbnb in Breckenridge and decided to hike Quandary Peak.

The highest point of the peak is 14,265 feet, and although I didn’t make it to the top, after more than six hours of hiking, I made it to 14,065 feet. I felt every single emotion hiking up that mountain: furious because of all I had endured, total elation because I beat cancer and was on top of the world with my best friends, absolute terror because (whoa) that hike was hard, and joy because I couldn’t believe I was doing this. It was surreal and one of the hardest things I’ve ever done (including eight rounds of chemo). I had absolutely no business being on the side of that mountain, but I was determined to give cancer the middle finger at the top.

I had every reason in the world to be angry and jaded, but I also had every reason in the world to be happy and thankful, and I chose that.

Photo courtesy of Lindsay Ronnau Hildebrand

RILEY CASTRO, 28

Crestview, Florida: Colon Cancer I celebrate a couple of different milestones. Every year I buy a colon cancer awareness ornament to put on a mini, white “colon cancer” tree during Christmastime. It is separate from the family Christmas tree. I love the idea of having a tree dedicated to showing my accomplishment of another year spent with my family on that holiday. Last year, I had three of those silver ornaments.

I also made a shirt for my now three-year-old daughter that says “our little fighter.” It’s an adult-size large! I take a picture of her in it every year on my remission day (Feb. 26, 2016), because I was 17 weeks pregnant when doctors told me I had stage IV colon cancer.

We both were at risk, but here we are, alive.

Photo courtesy of Riley Castro

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SPAHHH

After rounds of chemotherapy or other harsh cancer treatments, it’s important to practice a little self-care.

Put your best body forward to support the healing process by taking time to pamper yourself. Longing for the beach or some fresh, mountain air? These destination spas aim to revitalize and renew your body and soul after mentally and physically taxing treatments.

By Catherine Eves

Situated along the southern coast of Thailand, Chiva-Som offers a variety of wellness escapes specific to your goals, including weight management, detoxification, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand | www.chivasom.com emotional well-being, and more.

This holistic retreat believes the mind, body, and spirit must be given equal care and attention, and provides services for all wellness objectives, including fitness classes, energetic therapies, minimally invasive cosmetic procedures, and physical therapy, among others.

CHIVA-SOM

The 10- or 14-day Cell Vitality specialist retreat includes treatments and exercises promoting cellular health, featuring naturopathic consultations, acupuncture, and Pranayama sessions. The Emotional Well-Being retreat helps to establish healthy routines, including regular physical activity, stable sleeping patterns, and a healthy eating regimen.

Photos courtesy of Chiva-Som

The ultimate naturalist’s dream, Santani’s programs in Ayurveda, detox, and yoga promote harmony Panwila, Sri Lanka | www.santani.lk with nature, combining on-site pampering with enlightened learning to help patients live a naturally healthy life. Designed with a focus on “ambalama,” which is Sri Lankan for “place of rest,” Santani’s dwellings are minimal yet beautifully designed, allowing a sense of peace and focus free from distractions, with stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

SANTANI

Santani’s Recovery program is designed for those recovering from cancer, surgery, heart attack, or stroke, as well as those dealing with emotional losses. Therapies include Ayurvedic treatments which cleanse the body of residual pharmaceutical drugs and their side effects, as well as yoga, meditation, and proper nutrition. In this regard, Santani focuses on the “shadrasa” (which Santani refers to as “rasa haya”) or the six-tastes concept of healthy eating, meaning that each meal is customized to balance the six main tastes (such as sweet, salty, and so on) which deters food cravings.

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Cancer Wellness

ANANDA IN THE HIMALAYAS

At the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India sits Ananda Spa. Ananda integrates Ayurveda, yoga, and Vedanta to restore balance and harmonize energy. According to Ananda, “The philosophy of Uttarakhand, India | www.anandaspa.com Vedanta designs the pursuit of happiness through logical and systematic exposition of eternal truths, bringing about mental solace and prosperity.” At Ananda, senior disciples of Swami Parthasarathy lead daily, interactive talks in this ancient Indian philosophy.

Photos courtesy of Ananda in the Himalayas

Ananda’s Integrative Healing program is geared specifically to those suffering from chronic illness, such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, and more. This five-day program features yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda-based diet plans. Treatment continues for the next 45 days, in which a specialist will follow up with updated diet and lifestyle management plans.

KUROTEL LONGEVITY CENTER AND SPA

Kurotel bills itself as a combination hospital, hotel, and fitness center to help guests live a healthier, more meaningful life. Dr. Luís Carlos Silveira and his family have been running the estate since 1982, offering a center for relaxation and wellness within Brazil’s Gaucho Mountains. Kurotel features spa treatments, outdoor recreation, fitness activities, cooking classes, and lectures for guests seeking a positive change or recovery from life’s stresses. They even have programs for smoking cessation, weight loss, and post-cancer care.

Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil www.kurotel.com.br

The Post-Cancer program is specially formulated for you by Kurotel’s team of doctors in conjunction with your oncologist to feature spa treatments, physical and talk therapies, nutrition guidelines, and more to treat the mind and body post-cancer.

Photos courtesy of Vilalara Longevity

VILALARA LONGEVITY THALASSA & MEDICAL SPA

This destination spa is a pioneer in preventative anti-aging therapies. Explore the lush beachfront of Algarve, Portugal, while enjoying spa services specific to your wellness objectives, including holistic rebalancing, weight loss, detox, and anti-aging.

The Thalassa Center presents an integrated approach for early detection, diagnosis, prevention, and correction of age-related imbalances, most often utilizing “Thalassotherapy”—the use of seawater as a form of therapy.

Vilalara Longevity believes seawater and shore climate rejuvenates the skin unlike any other form of therapy.

Vilalara Longevity’s Detox and Wellness programs focus on reducing chronic inflammation (which they consider the mother of all modern diseases), boosting the immune system, and optimizing overall health and well-being.

Their Wellness Booster program features services such as nutrition and biophysical evaluations, including heavy Algarve, Portugal | www.bit.ly/longevity-vilalara metal detection, plus osteopathy sessions, craniosacra therapies, and more. The Relax & Wellness program also features services focusing on stress management, mindfulness therapies, and skin detox and repair.

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Ask the

Doctor

Clinical pharmacist Dr. Diana Rangaves answers your questions about preventing cancer.

Q: What kind of preventative measures can I take to monitor my risks for predominantly female cancers?

Cancer is the second leading cause of death per year in the U.S., just behind heart disease. According to the American Cancer Society, cancer results in the death of about 600,000 people yearly. Based on their 2019 projection, there will be 1.76 million new cancer cases diagnosed with 606,880 of these resulting in death. However, the rate of new cases diagnosed in both males and females has been on a decline for the past 25 years.

The most common cancers affecting women are breast, cervical, ovarian, endometrial, and lung cancer. Breast cancer alone accounts for 30 percent of cancer cases in women. Many risk factors are beyond our control. These include age, family medical history, genetic heritage, and environmental issues. Ongoing research continues to identify habits and behaviors that may lower risks.

Proactive preventative measures: 1. Be active and maintain a healthy weight Obesity can increase your risk of developing breast cancer, especially after menopause. However, research demonstrates that engaging in regular aerobic exercise can lower your risk of developing breast cancer. Your physical activities do not need to be excessive. Walking is a great way to increase blood circulation, burn calories, and keep a balanced body weight.

2. Avoid smoking According to breastcancer.org, the risk of breast cancer is higher in young, premenopausal women that smoke. In postmenopausal women, research shows a correlation between heavy second-hand smoke contact and breast cancer risk. The Food and DrugAdministration also reports 80 percent of deaths from lung cancer are due to smoking.

3. Oral contraceptives According to the American Cancer Society and researchers, there is an established, significant link of a lower risk for developing ovarian cancer with the use of the birth control pill, even among women who carry the BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 gene mutation. However, oral contraceptive may also slightly increase the risk of developing 30

Cancer Wellness

breast cancer. It is advisable that any woman considering her options consult with her health care provider.

4. Lifestyle choices Adopting healthy lifestyle choices can make a huge difference in minimizing your risk of developing cancers. Some of these include breastfeeding for more than one year, limiting your intake of processed meat, reducing alcohol intake, and eating quality fruits and vegetables.

5. Practice safe sex Practicing safe sex—including the use of condoms and limiting sexual partners—can lower your risk for cancer. People with sexually transmitted infections, such as HPV or HIV, are at higher risk of developing cancers of the lung, anus, and liver.

6. Sun protection Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, and it is preventable. Exposing your skin constantly to the sun increases your risk. If you cannot stay out of the sun, health tips are to use a suitable UVA and UVB sunblock, limit your time outside, and wear a wide-brimmed hat. Contact your medical professional at the first sign of skin discoloration or areas that do not heal.

7. Early screenings and vaccination Keep your annual doctor appointments. Self-examination and medical checks can help you detect early signs and symptoms of cancer.

Complete your monthly breast checks regularly. This is especially important for women over 40 years old or if you have a family history of breast cancer. Vaccinations against infections such as HPV and hepatitis B can lower your risk of developing cervical cancer.

Dr. Diana Rangaves is a Doctor of Pharmacy. She graduated from the University of California, San Francisco, and specializes in pharmacotherapy management.

Rangraves was an academic college professor teaching critical thinking, ethics, pharmacology, addiction, behavior patterns, pharmacy, and nursing. As a clinical pharmacist, she is focused on chronic or disease-state management.

She currently serves as clinical director for ARISE Africa Foundation, which specializes in adult education and the reduction of STD/HIV in Nigeria. She has published several books and writes for numerous outlets, in print and online.

alternative

medicine

32 Brighten & Energize 34 The Miracle of Mistletoe 36 Finding True North

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Brighten & Energize WITH A GENTLE SPRING CLEANSE

NURTURE THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION THIS WINTER THROUGH EASY, HEALING PRACTICES THAT DETOXIFY AND ENRICH.

By Jasmine Jafferali

The act of cleansing can often make one feel more physically, mentally, and emotionally at-peace. Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) both recommend a seasonal cleansing, purification, and renewal process to eliminate accumulated physical and emotional toxicities, allowing our mind-body connection to return to a natural state of balance and health.

S P R I N G A S S O C I AT E D

O R G A N S

liver and gallbladder W H Y

Cleansing is recommended for those seeking a greater defense against the irritants of allergy season.

lungs W H Y

O R G A N S

Foods grown in late-summer and fall support our natural cleansing rhythm and prepare the immune system for winter.

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S U M M E R A S S O C I AT E D

O R G A N S

small intestine and heart W H Y

Clear out the inflammatory detritus originating from the small intestine which can cause bloat, fatigue, and brain fog.

W I N T E R

F A L L A S S O C I AT E D

Seasonal cleanses are typically carried out during the equinoxes. According to the principles of TCM, the spring and fall provide the best opportunities for deeply detoxifying and cleansing the body. Spring, in particular, is a time of regrowth and renewal, and after a dormant season like winter, harmful impurities collected in our organs and tissues need to be flushed.

A S S O C I AT E D

O R G A N S

kidneys W H Y

The kidneys support the entire body’s organs. Winter is a good time to strengthen the kidneys through restorative activities like yoga and tai chi.

I

n this article, we’ll focus on the transition from winter into spring. A spring cleanse can be as short as three days, or as long as 21 days. If you are just beginning, we recommend a 3-day, weekend cleanse so you may rest and recharge.

Three days after you’ve completed your cleanse, begin slowly reintroducing foods back into your diet. Do not overburden your system by rushing. If you don’t feel well after eating a particular food, you may be sensitive to it. Consult a doctor or naturopath for further testing.

F O C U S

E L I M I N A T E

These foods cause inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. Begin to eliminate them from your diet one week prior to your cleanse.

Spring is the ideal time for purchasing seasonal produce.

Purchasing in-season is better for our environment, the soil, and the flavor of our food. Nutrients and minerals are also at their peak. Foods such as arugula and other leafy greens, fennel, artichokes (which help support both liver and gallbladder functioning), asparagus, carrots, peas, organic strawberries, and ramps/green onions all have supportive health benefits to keep you healthy. In general, these foods are high in fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, and K, and sulfur.

caffeinated coffee & teas

wheat/gluten, soy, & corn

chocolate

eggs

alcohol

red meat

milk & other dairy products

trans fats found in vegetable oils as well as processed & deep-fried foods

refined sugar & artificial sweeteners or flavorings

C L E A N S E

01 02 03

Start each morning with a warm glass of fresh-squeezed lemon water. Fresh lemon juice is alkalizing and supports the liver in bile production, which helps digestion and detoxification. The addition of turmeric or ginger can reduce inflammation and help expel excess mucus from the body.

Aim to drink half of your body weight in ounces of filtered water every day to help your kidneys flush out toxins. Herbal teas such as dandelion root tea or Traditional Medicinals’ EveryDay Detox® are also great for increasing fluid intake.

Use herbs and spices to add flavor without extra oils or fats.

Limit oil and fat ingestion to two tablespoons per day while cleansing.

04 05 06

Commit to eight hours of sleep each night, as the body undergoes major repair and regrowth during sleep.

Care for your emotional self: When we cleanse our bodies, we not only flush out physical toxins, we also inflame certain buried emotions. We may feel more irritable or sensitive. Journal and reflect so you may release negative emotions and find freedom from your burdens.

Take a warm detox bath using ½ cup of Epsom salt per fifty pounds of body weight and a few drops of your favorite calming essential oil. Soak for at least 20 minutes to begin sweating and pat dry when you are done. Sweating helps to improve circulation and relieve stress. Do not apply any lotions or oils afterward. It is a time to let your body do the work. Aim to go to bed right after your bath.

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remedies to treat and heal ailments. Patients often turn to naturopaths when looking for complementary or alternative treatment methods, especially when trying to avoid the adverse side effects of chemotherapy or radiation.

THE MIRACLE OF

MISTLETOE

By Ali Cassity

Naturopathic healers have used European mistletoe to shrink tumors and treat cancer for years. Now, researchers at Johns Hopkins are putting this plant to the test.

Mistletoe, long a symbol of holiday cheer, might have a secret superpower: fighting cancer.

Cutting-edge technology has become synonymous with cancer treatment. Think chemical pills and injections, high-tech radiation, and machinery that test the limits of scientific invention. But for those seeking a more holistic approach, medicinal mistletoe may take contemporary oncology back to its roots.

Mistletoe first grew in popularity as a cancer treatment in Europe during the 1920s. In more recent history, naturopathic healers and their patients claim mistletoe injections shrink tumors, boost the immune system, and treat cancer symptoms like pain and exhaustion.

Now, researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center are putting these claims to the test in the first rigorous clinical trial studying mistletoe and cancer.

Mistletoe was popular among ancient healers throughout Greece, Rome, and northern Europe to treat ailments like headaches and seizure disorders. Symbolically, mistletoe represented fertility, virility, and the renewal of life—a fitting association, given the evergreen plant’s ability to thrive even in icy winter temperatures.

In the United States, European mistletoe is most commonly used by naturopathic healers to treat cancer. Naturopaths—heavily influenced by traditional folk medicine—utilize natural, plant-based

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Mistletoe is perhaps the gentlest option for cancer patients. Most do not experience any severe side effects commonly associated with chemotherapy and radiation, like hair loss, nausea, and weakness. When used in conjunction with conventional treatments, mistletoe can boost the efficacy of things like chemotherapy while keeping patients feeling healthy.

For patients facing a difficult diagnosis, mistletoe offers something chemotherapy cannot: a treatment option that makes them feel better, rather than sicker.

“The side effects are quite minimal,” says Dr. Channing Paller, assistant professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins and a lead researcher on the organization’s clinical trial. “Even immunotherapy isn’t perfectly harmless.

It can cause rashes, diarrhea, or autoimmune phenomenon for about one-third of patients.”

For patients facing a difficult diagnosis, mistletoe offers something chemotherapy cannot: a treatment option that makes them feel better, rather than sicker.

“With chemotherapy, I felt like I’d be burning down the whole forest for one rotten tree,” says Ivelisse Page, colon cancer survivor and founder of Believe Big, a nonprofit organization bridging the gap between conventional and complementary medicine.

“It would’ve done more harm than good.”

A week after being diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer, Page underwent surgery to remove 15 inches of her colon and 28 lymph nodes. Facing an 8 percent survival rate, Page chose to pursue mistletoe treatments rather than chemotherapy, which can damage healthy cells in addition to cancerous ones.

In her case, chemotherapy would only increase her survival chances by 10 percent. Her biggest concern was being able to spend valuable time with her husband and four children. “If I only had six months, I wasn’t going to spend them sick and in bed. I could either live in fear, or I could live by faith and fight,” Page says.

A week into immunotherapy and five weeks post-surgery, Page’s doctor discovered the cancer had spread to her liver and that additional surgery was required. Doctors removed 20 percent of Page’s liver, and she continued receiving mistletoe injections and taking supplements for her health. Five weeks after surgery, Page’s doctor delivered the shocking news: there was no visible cancer in her body.

As of December 2018, Page is celebrating ten years cancer-free. Page still receives small, monthly maintenance doses of mistletoe, which she says cost her less than $200 and give her more energy than she would have without it. She is not receiving any conventional treatments.

These days, Page says she feels healthy and strong and credits mistletoe injections for her victory and vitality.

Inspired by her seemingly miraculous recovery, Page founded Believe Big in 2011 with a twofold mission: to provide faith-based community and support for those dealing with a cancer diagnosis, and to advocate for mistletoe therapy.

She knows her success story is not alone among mistletoe users, many of whom claim higher energy levels and reduced side effects from chemotherapy. However, these results were largely anecdotal or case reports rather than the official data needed for FDA approval.

naturopathic providers. I wanted to start to dissect what component of that [success] was the mistletoe and what component was other variables,” she says.

chemotherapy methods, Taxol, actually came from the yew tree. It started as a natural product. So rigorously studying natural products is not new; it’s us going back to our roots of oncology drug development,” she says.

The clinical trial, the first of its kind in the United States, began in March 2017 and included 12 patients. In 2013, This shift to naturally derived methods Believe Big launched a fundraising holds potential for widespread appeal. campaign which raised the $500,000 By bridging the gap between synthesized needed to fund the clinical trial. Through conventional medicine and more natural, community efforts, the organization is holistic practices, researchers hope to fully funding the clinical trial, something give patients more opportunities to find Page credits to patients “paying it treatments that are a good fit. forward.” At Johns Hopkins, researchers are looking for results in tumor shrinkage, “Your quality of life is so important, and toxicity levels, and changes in quality of realizing that it removes the pain and life to document official results rigorously, helps a person have the energy they need Paller says. The study is open to is crucial. Mistletoe feels so empowering patients with stage IV metastatic solid because it feels like you’re healing tumor cancer who have previously been yourself,” Page says. treated with at least one FDA-approved therapy, such as chemotherapy, immu- For now, the Johns Hopkins study notherapy, or hormonal therapy. remains active. According to Paller, it will likely take up to two more years to complete phase one, as FDA Rigorously studying requirements mandate a 30-day period natural products is not between each patient. In the meantime, organizations like Believe Big continue new; it’s us going back to our roots of oncology to advocate for mistletoe use as complementary medicine, keeping drug development. hope alive for cancer patients.

Mistletoe can be administered via IV or “Mistletoe improved my energy, outlook, subcutaneous injection. Injections are and strength,” says Page. “It does so “There have been trials that looked at typically more popular with naturopaths much more than kill cancer cells.” mistletoe as an anti-cancer treatment, because this method uses lower doses and there have been trials that looked and functions somewhat like a vaccine, at improving quality of life. Many trials Paller says. By contrast, IV delivery show benefit in both survival and quality uses higher doses and typically has more of life, but those trials were not at the impressive results when it comes to tumor FDA gold standard with placebo controls,” shrinkage and inducing cell death in Paller says. cancer cells. Mistletoe is useful because it contains two essential proteins: Mistletoe’s low-risk, high-reward viscotoxins, which boost the immune reputation piqued Paller’s interest. system and kill cells, and lectins, which Because patients—including Page— can bind to cancer cells, causing reported tumor shrinkage, higher energy biochemical changes. levels, and significantly reduced pain, Paller knew there was more to be done.

For those who consider this study a departure from conventional medicine, “I was seeing and hearing about impressive Paller says a history lesson is due. “A results from my patients seeing little-known fact is that one of our first

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FINDING TRUE

North

By Liz Tuckwell

In her new column, artist and holistic teacher Liz Tuckwell shares her secrets for releasing pent-up energy.

It was 2 p.m. on a Tuesday, and I had been yawning all day. I was exhausted. Logically, this didn’t make any sense. I was well-rested from the night before, well-nourished from a wonderful meal, and had just taken a brisk walk. I should have felt vibrant, but I did not.

An hour later, when I returned from leading a guided meditation at a local university, I felt clear-headed, energetic, and recharged. The past few days had been a whirlwind of activity: meeting with clients, shopping for the holidays, and seeing friends and family. After days of this, I was left feeling overwhelmed. I was buzzing with energy, none of which was my own, and I hadn’t processed any of it.

What does that mean? Let me backtrack and tell you a bit about my story as an artist and an energy healer.

I grew up extremely sensitive to the world around me. As a child, with no knowledge of energy work, this often translated to feelings of worry and anxiety. These feelings followed me into adulthood until I learned about the world of energy.

My anxiety stemmed from absorbing too much energy from the world around me and never releasing any of it. I was like an energetic sponge that had never been rinsed.

We are both a visible, physical body and an invisible body.

The physical is easy to see, and when it is in need of care or maintenance, we can do something about it. But what about our invisible body? When we connect with others, especially heart-to-heart, we are exchanging energy.

Have you ever had a deep conversation with someone and felt an incredible sense of empathy towards them? This is an exchange of energy. You are absorbing some of their energy, just as they are doing to you. Now, imagine the effects of 36

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these interactions compounded over days, weeks, years, and decades. Without realizing it, you contain the energy of countless others within yourself, essentially leaving no room for you.

Add to this society’s vast overconsumption of media and data. We are energetically overwhelmed and have little internal room for our own authentic selves to emerge.

Meditate

Sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed, and set the intention to release any energy that does not serve you. In your mind’s eye, visualize something to release that energy, like a waterfall. As the water falls away, imagine it is also carrying away any expired energy. Or, imagine balloons in the sky floating away from you. Each balloon carries with it someone or something that no longer serves you.

Write

SIGNS THAT YOU HAVE ABSORBED TOO MUCH ENERGY: feeling overly worried or anxious constant lethargy foggy thinking

amplified self-doubt easily overwhelmed insomnia

Remedy this by adopting energetic self-care. Establish a set point for your own wellness. Recall a time or an experience where you felt free and sure of yourself. This feeling is you not overrun by the energy of others. Make this feeling the “true north” on your personal-wellness compass.

Ask yourself: How do you feel right now? Do you feel close to true north? If not, begin to clear the energy of people, places, and events around you with these simple methods.

Each should only take about 10 minutes.

Spend a few minutes reflecting on your day. Recall events that affected you without judging yourself. Sometimes we move through our days so quickly that incidences affecting our energy get buried within us so we may keep moving.

Taking a few minutes to reflect and release at the end of each day helps remove unhelpful energy.

Create

Doodling counts as creating art. Doodling utilizes the artmaking process to focus on the present. Your mind will process lingering experiences from the past while you doodle. Don’t judge your skills as an artist—embrace the wonderful relief and release you’ll feel from this experience.

Incorporate these activities daily to begin to clear your energetic landscape. You’ll begin to breathe more deeply and feel more confident, grounded, and inspired. Your true north is joy. Your own energy will never betray you. It will not sit on your shoulder and say you are not good enough. Your energy is pure and beautiful. When we hold the world’s negativity within us, we lose touch of ourselves.

We all deserve a life that feeds our journey and allows us to grow. By processing and releasing the energy we no longer need, we can cultivate a life that feeds our soul and gives us the breathing room to enjoy it.

Visit cancerwellness.com to download a guided meditation and writing worksheet for releasing energy, crafted by Liz.

Photos courtesy of Liz Tuckwell and SydneyAlthea Cancer Wellness

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beauty 39 Tapping into Beauty 41 Beauty & the Beast 44 Keeping a Cool Head 46 Super Clean Solutions

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If You Feel it, You Believe it

TAPPING INTO

BEAUT Y

REVEAL YOUR INNER BEAUTY TO SET A POSITIVE TONE EACH AND EVERY DAY By Natalie Craig We often think about beauty as a phyical thing. And rightfully so, because when we talk about beauty, it’s mostly concerning something tangible. Growing up, “beauty” was something I grappled with daily. I felt like the ugly duckling in all of my friend groups as I was chubby and short. I looked nothing like my Barbies, the girls in the magazine, or the women I saw on TV. It wasn’t until much later in life when I discovered beauty wasn’t just a physical thing; it was an emotional and mental feeling. And get this: I could create that feeling within myself even if I didn’t represent society’s beauty standards. Once I started thinking of beauty as a feeling, I realized beauty is subjective; everyone has a different interpretation of it. Beauty is about feeling fulfilled and vibrant, and when I felt those two things, I knew I could take on the world.

Feeling good, unique, and gorgeous is an irresistible desire. But more importantly, we want to feel like we are enough. It’s difficult to feel like we are good enough with an abundance of unwanted feedback and the inundation of perfectly edited images.

And it’s not just me or you who feel this way—it’s everyone, even the people you think don’t have a problem feeling confident and beautiful in their own skin.

Creating a feeling of confidence, worthiness, and harmony within yourself should be scalable as you change and grow. And if you are undergoing treatments for cancer, you’ll notice your body and energy levels may change overnight.

Having cancer puts the weight of the world on an individual’s shoulders. Cancer patients may still struggle with insecurities around beauty and confidence while channeling all of their energy into battling their disease.

It’s critical for a cancer patient to alter how and what they think so their mind, body, and spirit can aid in the fight against the disease and its side effects. In fact, optimism and self-affirmation promote adaptive coping, goal achievement, and better health in cancer patients, according to a 2016 study from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, an organization advancing science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.

Create Vibrancy

So how do we unlock this beauty within ourselves?

We change the narrative.

Think about all of the things that run through your head when you look in the mirror. I’m too fat or too boney or too short or too tall. My hair is thinning out.

I have bags under my eyes. Sound familiar? Now think about the last time you looked in the mirror, and your first thought was something positive. It’s been a while, right? That’s common. We are more or less told to be critical of ourselves. A 2016 study from Weight Watchers UK found 40 percent of women criticize themselves at least eight times a day.

According to the study, because we live in a visual world where social media use is more frequent than ever, the perfected, filtered images we see on these platforms increase the amount of criticism we place on ourselves through comparison of others. It is hard to avoid negative feelings and self-doubt, but we can change that right here and now.

Changing the story isn’t easy, and it may be an emotional process, but you will begin to notice small changes in the way you carry yourself. Most importantly, you’ll learn to love yourself the way you are in this moment.

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How to do it:

Take control of the critical voices in your mind by acknowledging them. Make a list of the things that come to mind when you look in the mirror. These things can be about your physical appearance, emotions, or health. Here is my list, for example: 1. I’M IMPATIENT.

4. I’M NERVOUS.

2. MY STOMACH IS TOO BIG.

5. I WONDER IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO JUDGE MY OUTFIT.

3. I HOPE TODAY DOESN’T SUCK.

6. I’M AFRAID OF BEING HURT.

Once you identify these insecurities, you can own them, and once you own them, you can change them. I take my critical thoughts, and I spin them into mantras I carry with me all day. A mantra is a phrase one repeats to help concentrate or meditate. It could also be something you say to yourself in a time of doubt or fear to push through obstacles. Here, I’ve changed my negative feelings into positive mantras:

1. I PRACTICE PATIENCE. 2. I AM STRONG IN MIND, BODY, & SPIRIT. 3. I LOVE MY CURVES. EVERYTHING IS GOING TO WORK OUT 4. FOR MY HIGHEST GOOD. JUDGE PEOPLE, AND I CHOOSE 5. I TODON’T LOVE WITH AN EXPANDED HEART. I NOW RELEASE ALL OF THE DRAMA

PAIN OF MY PAST. I CONSCIOUSLY 6. AND CREATE MY FUTURE.

I recite these and other affirmations to myself every morning while looking in the mirror before I leave my apartment. These words set my intentions and the tone for my day. They make me feel vibrant, radiant, beautiful, and empowered. Intention setting is critical to taking charge of your narrative and the day ahead of you. If you tell yourself you are going to have a great day, you set the intention of surrounding yourself with things that make you feel great. It also helps you overcome obstacles that may derail your good day. They might just be words, but when you confront yourself with positive thoughts and moving sentiments, you change your own narrative, and unleash your inner beauty.

Photo courtesy of Natalie Craig 40

Cancer Wellness

By Ali Cassity

THE BEAST BEAUTY &

As the demand for clean beauty products grows, researchers are questioning the safety of talc.

Cancer may have an accomplice hidden in makeup bags and medicine cabinets: talc. This white powder—often referred to as the softest material on earth—could be the secret ingredient contributing to cancer in countless Americans.

Studies funded by the National Institutes of Health and other organizations link the substance to increased risk of mesothelioma, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. It’s troubling news, as talc is common in thousands of dailyuse products, most notably baby powder (also referred to as talcum powder when made with talc), which adults often use on themselves and their children. Now, activists like the Environmental Working Group (EWG) are fighting back against a cosmetics industry they say is far too unregulated.

“In reality, the massive, multibillion-dollar cosmetics industry is one of the least regulated consumer product sectors today,” says Janet Nudelman, director of program and policy at Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP). “Due to gaping holes in federal law, it is perfectly legal for cosmetics companies to use unlimited amounts of virtually any ingredient without FDA, pre-market safety testing or review in a cosmetic product,” she adds.

The organization’s Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which began in 2004, aims to “prevent breast cancer before it begins,” by putting a stop to the use of carcinogenic ingredients including mercury, formaldehyde, parabens, lead, and talc.

Talc prevents caking, softens products, and absorbs moisture which can cause friction and chafing. This mattifying quality makes talc a popular choice in the beauty and personal care industries, which often use the mineral in everything from eyeshadow and blush to deodorant and dry shampoo.

However, recent studies from epidemiology departments at Harvard, the University of Virginia, and the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, among others, are connecting talcum powder to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. These reports are sending ripples of concern through product-safety and women’shealth-activist circles like the BCPP and talc-free cosmetics companies such as Cover FX. Activists like the EWG and natural beauty companies like Beautycounter have taken action over their concerns, fighting against decades-old regulations they say do nothing to protect consumers.

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Talc can naturally occur in the same environments as asbestos, a lethal mineral group linked to mesothelioma. Mining operations for both substances poses the risk of cross-contamination, as both talc and asbestos are fine, friable materials which easily crumble into dust and can commingle across mining sites. Makeup users face an increased risk of exposure through product application of powders, which are potentially asbestos-contaminated talc products. A closer look at ingredients lists reveals talc in many products on shelves today, like dry shampoo, highlighter, foundation, blush, and deodorant. In 2018, two children’s retail chains—Claire’s and Justice—faced lawsuits after lab testing discovered asbestos in a variety of makeup marketed at children, including eyeshadow and shimmer body powder. Both companies removed these products from the market, but concerns over contaminated talc remain. “[Talc] should be avoided in powders and personal care products unless it is known to be asbestos-free, ”Nudelman says. “Even asbestosfree talc should be avoided in the pelvic areas given the links to ovarian and endometrial cancer.”

In July 2018, a St. Louis jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $4.69 billion in punitive damages to 22 women and families who claimed that asbestos in the company’s powder products caused their ovarian cancer. In December 2018, with J&J facing thousands of lawsuits, Reuters published damning documents that revealed J&J’s knowledge of asbestos contamination since 1971.

The bombshell discovery revealed that the company’s talc had tested positive for asbestos from at least 1971 to the early 2000s, and that company officials failed to publicly disclose test results despite discussing the problem in internal memos. The company’s baby powder has been a household staple for decades, and many Americans continue to use it well into adulthood. African-American women and children are disproportionately affected by this danger, as they are more likely to use baby powder into adulthood as part of a feminine hygiene routine; this is supported by a 2015 case-control study which found that 44 percent of black women use baby powder in this way. Only 30 percent of white women were found to regularly incorporate pelvic use of talc into their routine.

A 2016 case-control study led by Joellen Schildkraut found a significant association between powder use and epithelial ovarian cancer. The study’s subjects, 584 cases and 745 controls, were enrolled in the African-American 42

Cancer Wellness

Cancer Epidemiology Study (AACES), an ongoing study of African-American women in 11 locations across the United States. Some researchers like Schildkraut are concerned pelvic use of talcum powder causes higher rates of ovarian cancer. An article from a 1968 issue of the journal American Industrial Hygiene Association noted asbestos contamination in talc and suggested a link with ovarian cancer.

A 1982 case-control study funded by the National Institutes of Health was the first to link pelvic talc use with the disease. In 2015, a Boston group comprised of researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard School of Public Health, and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth examined 2,041 women with epithelial ovarian cancer and discovered “talc used regularly in the genital area was associated with a 33% increase in ovarian cancer risk overall.” A 2018 meta-analysis by researchers at the University of Sydney also found a consistent association between perineal talc use and ovarian cancer.

In reality, the massive, multibillion-dollar cosmetics industry is one of the least regulated consumer product sectors today.

The FDA surveyed four talc suppliers—Rio Tinto PLC/Luzenac America Inc., Presperse Corp., Sensient Technologies Corp., and Brenntag Specialties Inc.—from 2009 to 2010 in response to early concerns, but did not find asbestos contamination. However, the FDA continues to monitor reports of contamination.

Skin Deep, a cosmetics safety initiative from the EWG which began in 2004, lists talc concern levels at high for asbestos contamination and moderate for organ system toxicity. But talc isn’t the only potentially dangerous ingredient lurking in beauty products. Skin Deep also notes that “the National Toxicology Panel demonstrated that cosmetic-grade talc free of asbestos is a form of magnesium silicate that also can be toxic and carcinogenic.”

Evidence of parabens, a class of chemical preservatives commonly used in cosmetics, has been found in breast cancer tumors. Heavy metals like arsenic and mercury can be found in lipstick, toothpaste, and eyeliner. Unlike most consumer industries, cosmetics companies operate with almost nonexistent regulation, activists say. It has been 80 years since the passage of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1938, which imposed guidelines for

product safety. Under the act, companies are not required to secure FDA approval of the ingredients they use, with the exception of color additives. These stipulations remain in place today. The FDA does not mandate specific safety tests for these ingredients, and cosmetics companies are not required to share their findings with them.

In the time since its passage, these loose guidelines mean cosmetics companies have not faced rigorous reporting guidelines regarding the safety of individual ingredients.

Instead, the system remains largely self-reported, leaving these companies unchecked in their production choices.

Since 1938, the FDA has only banned around 30 chemical ingredients from use in cosmetics. By contrast, the European Union has banned more than 1,300 chemicals, including talc, formaldehyde, phthalates, and petroleum (which is sometimes listed as mineral oil). The EU also implemented mandatory premarket safety testing. The discrepancy between U.S. and European regulations is staggering proof of how much work remains to be done.

“Cosmetics companies and fragrance suppliers can and do use chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects, endocrine disruption, learning disabilities, and reproductive harm [...] because there is no law telling them they can’t,” Nudelman says.

over time, leading to higher rates of exposure to carcinogenic ingredients.

As concern regarding FDA regulations grows, so does the sense of urgency to pass new legislation. In September 2018, Rep. Janice Schakowsky of Illinois introduced the Safe Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Act of 2018, which would give the FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors the statutory authority and resources to ensure product safety. The act would place an immediate ban on certain chemicals, including lead compounds, parabens, and benzophenones, among others. It would also require full ingredient disclosure, the creation of a safety standard, and premarket safety assessments. The bill remains under review, and groups like the BCPP hope a change is on the horizon for safer products.

Since 2007, natural and organic products have represented the fastest growing part of the beauty industry.

Consumers are increasingly concerned with the quality of their personal care products, and companies like Goop, the Honest Company, and RMS Beauty specifically corner the natural beauty market. In their 2018 Future of Beauty report, global data analytics giant Nielsen found that natural personal care products made up 3.1 percent of the U.S. market, generating $1.3 billion in sales in 2017, up from $230 million in 2013. Beauty product sales are growing even faster, and Grand View Research predicts a global organic personal care market of $25.11 billion by the year 2025. Even industry giants like Revlon and Avon have started axing notoriously toxic ingredients, suggesting this movement is a revolution.

Groups like the BCPP and EWG are alarmed by the neglect, and celebrities like Emma Watson, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jessica Alba promote the use of “clean” beauty products. Clean beauty is more popular than ever. Companies like Credo Beauty, Drunk Elephant, and Herbivore Botanicals built their brands on the idea of nontoxic products, and the demand is only growing as “I look forward to a future where elected officials prioritize consumers push back against the industry. In April 2018, the protection of public health over protecting the reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian teamed up with profits of multibillion-dollar companies, and where the EWG to address Congress and discuss reforms of companies get on the right side of the safe cosmetics these outdated guidelines. “Right now, we can’t even issue,” says Nudelman. “It’s simply the right thing to do.” buy the personal care products our families need without worrying about them containing harmful chemicals.

You shouldn’t have to do all of the research when it comes to making sure your family’s products are free of toxic ingredients,” Kardashian said in a November 2018 Instagram post.

“Cosmetics companies and fragrance suppliers can and do use chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects, endocrine disruption, learning disabilities, and reproductive harm [...] because there is no law telling them they can’t.”

That research can be a heavy burden. The EWG estimates American adults use an average of nine personal care products each day with 126 chemical ingredients. For 25 percent of women, that estimate jumps to at least 15 products per day. Such heavy usage accumulates Cancer Wellness

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KEEPING A

Cool Head

By Britt Julious

The Rapunzel Project seeks to educate patients about a possible solution to chemotherapy-induced hair loss.

“If I have to choose between my life and my hair, I’m choosing my life.”

That’s what Shirley Billigmeier told her longtime friend Nancy Marshall after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis.

Both Billigmeier and Marshall received breast cancer diagnoses.

However, Marshall’s diagnosis was noninvasive while Billigmeier’s required a lumpectomy, radiation, and chemotherapy. While Billigmeier ultimately accepted the potential loss of her hair as a side effect to chemotherapy, another old friend convinced Billigmeier there might be another option. Billigmeier’s childhood friend, a physician, recommended cold cap therapy after witnessing its success with one of her patients.

After some research and her physician’s approval, Billigmeier began treatment.

“They all thought we were nuts because if this were anything, they would know about it and the doctors would know about it,” Marshall says. Three months after she began chemotherapy, Billigmeier still had a full head of hair.

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Cancer Wellness

“When Shirley walked in with hair down her back, there were tears,” Marshall says. “It was a goosebump moment.”

The two spent the rest of fall 2009 creating The Rapunzel Project, a nonprofit that officially launched the day after Billigmeier’s last treatment. The Rapunzel Project provides awareness of cold cap therapy in the United States and donates freezer cooling systems to hospitals and clinics across the country. The Rapunzel Project believes patients can’t make an informed choice if they don’t know there is a choice at all. “That was our premise,” Marshall says. “Patients deserve to have this information so that they can choose what’s right for them.”

So, what is cold cap therapy? Cold cap or scalp cooling therapy systems use close-fitting hats filled with a coolant gel frozen to between minus 15 and minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

The systems narrow the blood vessels beneath the

scalp and slow cell division, drastically reducing the amount of chemotherapy medicine which reaches the hair follicles, making the hair less likely to fall out. Patients who use cold cap or scalp cooling systems must wear the caps for up to 50 minutes before, during, and after each chemotherapy session, with the amount of time increasing based on the type of chemotherapy.

For many patients, [cold cap therapy] helps them maintain their sense of agency and privacy.

Since The Rapunzel Project’s launch in 2009, two types of cooling systems have dominated the market: manual and freezer caps. The Food and Drug Administration has approved two machine freezer capping systems: the DigniCap, first approved in December 2015, and the Paxman Scalp Cooling system, which was first approved in April 2017. Both systems are attached to refrigeration machines that circulate the coolant gel. Although hospitals and oncology centers across the country are beginning to outfit their facilities with machine freezer cap systems, the majority of cold cap therapy users employ manual cold cap systems.

Manual caps stay in freezers before being worn, and users must replace the cap every 30 minutes. The most popular brands include Penguin Cold Caps, Chemo Cold Caps, and Arctic Cold Caps, among others.

it helps them maintain their sense of agency and privacy. “Once patients have dealt with their diagnosis and their treatment and their mortality fears and everything else, when you get right down to it, the next fear and an overwhelming fear for many patients is they’re going to lose their hair,” Marshall says. “And this is taking the bull by the horns and saying, ‘We can help you.’”

Awareness Month fundraiser in October 2017. “When you get a diagnosis, and you face purchasing a wig or shaving your head, most women go talk to their stylist,”

Despite its growing popularity, there are still obstacles some patients must face to receive cold cap therapy. Manual caps have still not been approved by the FDA, creating a problem from a liability Marshall standpoint. As well, some doctors says.

Cold cap therapy are concerned the caps may prevent “Divulging somecan offer relief from chemotherapy from reaching cancer thing as intimate as public scrutiny. cells in the scalp, despite a 2017 study a medical diagnosis to which found scalp cooling does not a stylist isn’t that peculiar, significantly increase the risk of scalp- According to Marshall, many patients and the stylist is in a position skin metastases. are concerned with their sense of [to] turn around and say, by the identity. Very few cancer patients want way, there’s another option. Did you According to Marshall, clinics may also pity, but the physical side effects of know about this?” worry about the cooling systems taking chemotherapy often make a cancer up space in their facilities or patients diagnosis public. “If I have heart With an increasing awareness of cold occupying chemotherapy chairs for too disease, the only people who know cap therapy, more FDA approvals, long. There’s also the issue of cost and about it are the people I tell,” says new insurance coverage, and more accessibility. “It’s hard for us as outsiders Marshall. “But when you walk down facilities across the country to know why we don’t have a single freezer the street with a bald head or a offering the service to patients, in Nebraska, [but] we have probably 50 bandana, it’s everybody’s business.” the future of The Rapunzel in California,” Marshall says, adding, Cold cap therapy can offer relief from Project is in question— “Some people either don’t care [about public scrutiny. “I can tell you from something Marshall and cold cap therapy], or may care, but can’t my cancer journey [that] well-wishers Billigmeier say they both tolerate the treatment as it currently are exhausting. You don’t always have wanted from the start. stands, or who can’t afford the treatment.” the emotional resources to deal with “Our actual aspiration is people who want to chat about it or wish that we won’t need to you well or give you advice,” Marshall exist anymore, and I’m But the physical adds. When a patient looks in the mirror very serious about side effects of and doesn’t see a stranger, their attitude that,” Marshall says. about chemotherapy also changes.

“When the day chemotherapy Treatment is no longer a physical and comes that [cold often make a cancer mental punishment; it is a necessary cap therapy] is diagnosis public. step to help fight their illness. commonplace, we’ve done Cold caps and freezer cap systems are Since their launch, The Rapunzel our job.” considered “highly effective” in about Project has directly connected with 50 to 65 percent of the women who use cancer patients through a partnership them. However, women who received with Kenra, a professional hair care taxane chemotherapy found better brand found in salons across the country. results with the systems than women In addition to donating to the nonprofit, who received anthracycline chemothe brand provided information therapy. However, cold cap therapy about The Rapunzel Project to does more than help men and women their client salons during retain their hair. For many patients, a Breast Cancer Cancer Wellness

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Reviewed by Ali Cassity

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Cancer Wellness

A little goes a long way with this highly pigmented lip and cheek duo, which creates a soft, natural glow.

For lips, consider layering this over a hydrating balm for a more subtle pop of color.

Visit cancerwellness.com for a list of ingredients to avoid in your beauty products.

the thriver

RACH DiMARE As told to Britt Julious

Ever since I was little, I had this little lump in my breast, but it was never of concern.

During my honeymoon, I was putting on my swimsuit top, and I brushed over [my breast], and it made me question whether the lump was always this size.

I got an appointment scheduled, went in, and every time I felt [the lump], I wasn’t sure if it was bigger than before. Maybe I was afraid to admit it was.

I had four tumors—invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer. It was two months before my 28th birthday.

The whole thing seemed surreal. In the back of my mind, I kept thinking, they must have messed up my test results with someone else.

I did neoadjuvant chemotherapy, which is chemo before surgery. Two or three of [the tumors] melted away. There was still one [that was] pea-sized. I also opted for a bilateral mastectomy.

I didn’t realize how much pain I would be in after surgery. I couldn’t go to the bathroom by myself.

I couldn’t walk. I didn’t realize I had lost all my strength, and that was brutal because I’ve never had to ask for help much.

It looks great what they did, but it just didn’t feel like my body. Everyone would make comments, and say, “At least you got a free boob job.” First of all, it ain’t free. I have the bill to prove it. Two, I had no choice.

If I wanted to save my life, I had to get the surgery.

And three, it was an amputation of a part of my body.

I didn’t love it. I’m a very girly girl, and I didn’t feel feminine at all. For me, I gain confidence with clothes, and when I put on my clothes, they just didn’t fit the same. Now that isn’t even helping me.

To read Rach’s entire story, visit cancerwellness.com

I like to use the word thriver. Sometimes, I still feel ill.

I’m not getting chemo, but I’m still feeling side effects.

I’m still trying to understand my body. Some days are awesome, and I forget the cancer happened. And then I get a reminder. I think people want everything to be definitively over, and that’s what I thought it was going to be like. I didn’t realize every day, in some aspect, it affects my day. It’s still a journey.

Photo by Danielle Scruggs Cancer Wellness

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Around Town

48

Cancer Wellness

50 Tiosha Bailey | 52 Dr. Sandy Goldberg | 54 Wellness House 56 Mesothelioma Race for Justice | 57 Night of a Thousand Noogies | 58 Wings of Hope | 60 Calendar

Photo by Jack Saxe-Staral Cancer Wellness

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cwl Tiosha komenBailey INTRODUCING

The new executive director of Susan G. Komen Chicago shares her vision for the organization’s more inclusive future.

By Britt Julious

N

o two days are alike for Tiosha Bailey, the new executive director of Susan G. Komen Chicago. Whether she’s meeting with donors or facilitating partnerships with community organizations, Bailey’s work requires a hands-on approach to growing Komen in the Chicagoland area. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Before joining Komen Chicago in June 2018, Bailey acquired her master’s degree and worked in a variety of local educational nonprofits. Most recently, she served as the deputy commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, overseeing their health promotion bureau. At the end of her tenure, the bureau was a $15 million operation with 60 staff members working across the fields of substance use, mental health, violence prevention, and chronic disease. Bailey says her time at the Chicago Department of Public Health ignited her 50

Cancer Wellness

Photo by Jack Saxe-Staral

passion for women’s health. “Women’s health was a part of all of those service areas [at the Chicago Department of Public Health], but I wanted to stand out and align myself with an organization where their focus is women’s health,” she says.

One of Bailey’s top priorities at Komen Chicago is addressing the health and accessibility disparities in the city. “AfricanAmerican women are dying at a 40 percent rate higher than their white counterparts, versus a city like New York where they’re a huge metropolis, and with their population, they have virtually no disparities,” she says.

“I do think that it gets back to the systemic issues and the fragmentation that we have here, and […] instead of focusing on the individual, we have to look at the system as a whole.”

Komen Chicago will address such issues with plans like the Chicago Health Equity Initiative, a comprehensive breast health services system in Chicago. It will likely take some years for her vision to fully implement locally, but until then, Bailey will continue to hit the pavement. Here, she reveals more about what drew her to this role and what it means for women to take a stand for their health.

think about the whole person, right? And think about systems in which people reside in. A lot of the interventions that we put out on the streets right now are really geared towards the individual, and not really addressing the systemic issues.

There’s some real gaps. So what I’ve learned is that public health is a comprehensive approach. It addresses the systemic issues, it addresses the individual, and the needs when we talk about transportation or when we talk about childcare. It’s all of these things and those systems working together to really be able to move when we talk about disparities.

Some of the things that we see as public health issues are really just scratching the surface, and [are actually] symptoms of a deeper issue.

And the deeper issues are the ones that you really want to wrap your arms and your resources around.

What does working smarter mean for you?

For me, it’s about getting out, talking to folks, trying to make sure I have a real sense of what the needs are. I think we oftentimes are so well-versed in our own fan Why did you join Komen Chicago? box and feel like we know what’s going on I would say that all the things I’ve worked and what people need, but if we don’t get on with my public health career has actually out and talk to these wide range of positioned me well for this space, and this stakeholders, we’re not able to see from feels right from an emotional and different perspectives what the true issues are. professional perspective. Definitely, like Some of the things that we see as public many others, I’m personally impacted by health issues are really just scratching breast cancer. My grandmother is a breast the surface, and [are actually] symptoms cancer survivor. I have an aunt celebrating of a deeper issue.And the deeper issues are her 15th year of survivorship. So I’ve seen the ones that you really want to wrap your it up close and personal. I’ve also lost some arms and your resources around. people along the way who have been impacted by cancer. I’ve always been pas- How do you see your work changing? sionate about women’s health, so to be in When we talk about Komen 2.0, it’s a leadership position, to be able to make evolving so that we are considered a go-to, a difference in a city that means so much trusted partner within the Chicagoland to me—it’s my home—it’s such an honor. area. So when people think about breast And I feel like I can make some real change, cancer, they think about Susan G. Komen so I’m always drawn to roles where I feel Chicago and see us as a resource. This is like I can make a difference. what we do, this is the value we bring, and this is why you should connect with us.

What do you think you can take from past We can get you what you need, and if we experiences and bring to Komen Chicago? can’t do it, we have partners that are on When we talk about diseases we have to our bench that we can connect with you.

How long do you envision this taking?

We are really focusing on bridging the gap between the community and research. A lot of people don’t even know about the wonderful research in breast cancer happening in their backyards and how that connects them to clinical trials. There’s underrepresentation of African-American women in those clinical trials, which means when [medical professionals] have an advancement, those advancements don’t necessarily work to fit our genomic profile.

When we talk about the system’s transformation, we look at it on a trajectory of a three- to five-year kind of timeline.

Have you found challenges that you weren’t anticipating?

The real challenge is that there’s so much to be done. Or saying, OK, this is our starting place. It doesn’t mean that this is where we’ll end. This is an adaptive challenge.

Adaptive challenges mean you don’t have the solution from the start.You have to level expectations. Everyone wants to jump straight to the solution. There’s got to be some way-finding, so I think it’s a delicate situation.

Women taking a stand for their own health—what does that mean for you?

I think it’s education, getting out to the community to let women know the importance of early detection. Letting them know where the services are; so knowledge is power, and I think a lot of women, for different reasons, decide to engage in the system or not, or they’ve had bad experiences. But if they had the information or had the social support to be able to really get in and get linked to a primary care physician that they trusted, I think we would see a real difference here.

For me, being the first African-American woman sitting in this seat, I take great responsibility in recognizing that our community sometimes wants to see themselves in an organization. So this is a great opportunity for me to go out there and say I’m committed, this is my personal mission and this aligns with everything that I’ve been working for my whole career.

To read more about Bailey and Komen Chicago, visit cancerwellness.com Cancer Wellness

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ON THE FRONT LINE

WITH A SILVER LINING FOUNDATION Dr. Sandy Goldberg, the organization’s founder, provides comprehensive breast health services for all of Chicago.

By Britt Julious

What does a life cost?

That is the substantial question plaguing medical professionals like Dr. Sandy Goldberg in an era where access to health care is more commonly debated on the legislative floor than in a doctor’s office. Without proper funding or access to services, many people face an increased risk of a fatal diagnosis, especially regarding cancer.

A Silver Lining Foundation hopes to change that. Founded in Chicago in 2006, A Silver Lining provides medical information and comprehensive testing for breast health services including screening mammograms, diagnostics, ultrasounds, MRIs, and breast biopsies. In their first year, A Silver Lining funded 95 screening mammograms. In the first eight months of 2018 alone, they funded nearly 1,200 mammograms. People who are uninsured and people who are underinsured can find relief through A Silver Lining Foundation’s numerous programs, including Keep aBreast, an interactive breast-awareness program for young women, and Survive to Thrive, a program tailored toward cancer survivors and their post-treatment care.

All of this is part of Dr. Goldberg’s inclusive vision. “If it involves breast health testing, we will help you,” Goldberg says. “We don’t turn anybody away.” Dr. Goldberg chatted by phone with Cancer Wellness to shares the unlikely origins of A Silver Lining, and why the organization’s work is critical to the health and survival of people in underserved communities in Illinois.

What was the impetus for starting A Silver Lining Foundation?

I had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I was extremely fortunate to have great insurance and extraordinary support. I was able, through a relationship with the American Cancer Society, to start a little call-in cable show on CAN-TV’s Hotline 21. I was the host interviewing specialists in the field of cancer and people could call in. What I learned kind of boggled my mind in a short period.

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Cancer Wellness

were using our show as their primary care physician, and the number of calls outpaced the show. I would call everybody back, and I discovered people felt they weren’t worthy to even attempt to access care because they had no money and no insurance. One night, I went home and my husband said, “How are you?”

And I went, “Good.” I started crying, and he said, “What’s going on?” And I said, “It’s not fair.” My husband is a very pragmatic man. He said to me, “OK. So what do you want to do about it?” And I said, “Start a foundation.” And he said, and pronouns are very important to me, “Then we will.” And that’s how we started—at our kitchen table with one $125 donation.

We reached out to multiple organizations, some of which have a national footprint.

So if people needed any information, they could tell them to come to us. Mayor Daley heard about our work, and he [connected us with] 311, a Chicago city services phone number. When they call 311 and say, “I need a mammogram. I don’t have insurance. I feel a lump in my breast. I don’t know where to go,” they’re given our number. We’re the only major metropolitan area in the entire country that does this.

One day, I said to our board, it’s really cool what we’re doing, but we ought to do more on the frontline. That means funding mammograms. I’m not talking about research. I’m talking about funding and front-of-the-line testing.

The first hospital that believed in our mission was the University of Illinois Chicago. We created the template there that we use to this day with our 15 partner hospitals (which includes Presence St. Joseph and Mount Sinai).

Later, I thought, “What about people who need follow-up testing?” And we started funding diagnostic testing. Now we fund from soup to nuts and up the food chain: screening mammograms, diagnostics, ultrasounds, MRIs, and breast biopsies.

If any of our ladies or men are diagnosed,

our hospital partners either get them into We don’t turn anybody away. a funded program, or the hospital’s charity program picks up the cost after How do you find your patients? diagnostic testing. Nobody pays the bill. Fewer organizations are on the front line.

We all work together. We have like 50 Why is equal access to health care an referral sources. They’re from free clinics. issue that continues to be ignored in the They’re from the American Cancer Society. general public?

They’re from all over, so we work together.

I think our nation is being run by bean And conversely, we’ve had people call counters. Our country is also being from other states. We work together, so driven by individuals who never in their when you’re talking about who do we life have had to worry about feeling a support—everybody supports everybody. lump. I think we have become an If you have any kind of a heart, you help increasingly uncaring society. I think everybody. Our goal is to be able to receive we have become a society in which we those who need testing regardless of try to take care of our own, and no one the source. else exists. I cannot tell you how many times people have said to me, “But How do you hope to grow the foundation everybody’s supposed to have insurance.” in the future?

Well, everybody’s supposed to be able to We don’t take money from the state, and eat. Everybody’s supposed to be able we don’t accept funding from the federal to take care of their kids, and everybody’s government. We will not do so. And the supposed to have a roof over their heads. reason we won’t do so is that we don’t want But that is not the case for the world anybody telling us who we can help. There today and certainly not for the United are other organizations—extraordinary States. Everyone asks, “How much is organizations—who have been working it going to cost?” with the federal government and the state for years. All of a sudden their funding is slashed. And where are their ladies Everybody’s entitled going to go? So they send them to us.

to be treated like a human being.

Everybody’s entitled to be treated with respect.

What have you found to be the most effective way of addressing the equity gap?

Everything we do at A Silver Lining is organic. We do the best we can concerning leveling the playing field.

Everybody’s entitled to be treated like a human being. Everybody’s entitled to be treated with respect. That’s what we’re about. I think the equity gap is enormous, number one. I don’t know if any organization is able to address it correctly and entirely. But with us, everybody is welcome. We will help you.

If it involves breast health testing, we will help you. We’re a small foundation, but we certainly do the best we can.

In the first eight months of the year, we funded 1,185 women. Approximately three to four of them should have been diagnosed with breast cancer. That’s pretty much the average statistic. We had 30 diagnosed.

Thirty. So this speaks to the fact that women have not been able to get access, have been suffering for a long time, do not have the money to do it, do not know where to go. We have many, many more women we should be helping. Do I sound like I’m preaching? Yes, I am.

To read more about Goldberg and A Silver Lining, visit cancerwellness.com Cancer Wellness

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MAKING WELLNESS Meet the organization bringing psychosocial wellness to Chicagoland’s cancer community. By Ali Cassity For patients and their loved ones, battling cancer can seem all-consuming. It can be mentally taxing in a way that experts say can narrow the body’s capacity for healing. At Wellness House, program leaders are changing the narrative by empowering individuals to name their fear and destroy it in the process.

“This is a safe space for people to say out loud some of their deepest fears and concerns,” says Lisa Kolavennu, the director of programming at Wellness House. “When you can say it out loud and carry on from there, it suddenly takes away a little bit of the sting. We can look at those fears and figure out what to do with this. People really do start to feel more hopeful and in control.”

Founded in 1990, the organization now boasts 17 locations in the Chicagoland area that collectively host more than 400 programs each month. Their focus is all in the name: wellness.

Initiatives like living room support groups, customized nutrition counseling, and group exercise classes help guide patients, survivors, and caregivers through the entire process of living with cancer. Ultimately, Wellness House hopes to facilitate recovery by emphasizing mental health and making space for every facet of a person’s life with and beyond their illness. No matter the program, the focus remains on managing anxiety and working through fears in a positive way.

“Fear of isolation and moments of worry can certainly impact one’s ability to take care of oneself,” says Kolavennu. “When you can engage in professional support and meet other people who are going through a similar situation in life, you not only receive support but can give support back, which is an empowering experience. Suddenly, people start feeling less alone, less isolated, [they feel] fewer symptoms of anxiety, more in control of their situation, and better able to take care of themselves. It’s an exponential effect.”

Programs at Wellness House are free and open to anyone affected by cancer, including family members. Some of the organization’s most impactful programming is for children living with cancer, or those with siblings or parents undergoing treatment.

Most of all, Wellness House prioritizes accessibility. In January 2019, the group opened a new Wellness House location at 54

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Mile Square Health Center, a partner program with the University of Illinois at Chicago. Mile Square Health Center is a federally qualified health center that has been providing services to disenfranchised communities since the mid1960s. The center’s patients are predominantly

HOUSE A HOME

A Wellness House client practices yoga during a studio session. Photo courtesy of Wellness House. minorities, many of whom are experiencing “If someone has been diagnosed with poverty and may be uninsured. By cancer and is going through treatment, providing accessible care, Kolavennu they deserve the same access to hopes to address extreme health dispsychosocial support that all people parities disproportionately affecting do,” says Kolavennu. “To have the low-income communities. opportunity to partner with UIC and

bring our programs to a community that might not otherwise have access makes us hopeful that a difference can be made.”

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Photos by Jack Saxe-Staral and SydneyAlthea

Racing for a Cure

By Ali Cassity

Kevin Gray (Rush University), Caylei Vogelzang, Michael Braeuninger (MARF), Tracy Rosentiehl

Sherman the Shorkie, Gilda’s Club Chicago

The first annual Mesothelioma Race for Justice 5K made an impact in September 2018 by raising more than $6,300 for the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF).

Hosted by Chicago asbestos litigation law firm Vogelzang Law, the race shed light on the rare and aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.

The first annual Mesothelioma Race for Justice made strides towards a cure for this rare, asbestos-derived cancer.

Half Day Forest Preserve in Vernon Hills, Illinois. Proceeds support MARF’s initiatives, which includes research funding and the development of educational tools. As the nation’s leading nonprofit committed to finding a cure for mesothelioma, MARF helps build a better future for families affected by the disease.

“Because mesothelioma only affects “I am so lucky to have been given the 3,500 people a year compared to opportunity to raise money for such a breast cancer or lung cancer, which worthy cause,” says race director [affects] hundreds of thousands Mirela Stefanescu. “Knowing [about [of people], it’s hard to get funding. the foundation’s work] makes it all Research money is so important,” worthwhile.” The race brought famisays Nicholas Vogelzang, lead counsel. lies together, many of whom have lost loved ones and worked with Vogelzang The inaugural event hosted more than Law to seek justice. “Any way we can 100 participants at the Lake County help is important,” Vogelzang says.

#MesoRace4Justice Lake County Forest Preserve. Half Day Pavillion

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NIGHT OF A THOUSAND

NOOGIES

A night of laughter and love inspired by legendary comedian Gilda Radner.

By Kelsi Lockhart

Photo courtesy of Gilda’s Club Chicago

Last October, Gilda’s Club Chicago, in partnership with silent auction. Last year’s celebrity participants included Second City, celebrated the 12th annual Night of a Thousand Chicago magazine’s Susanna Homan, Chicago Bears alum Noogies at Chicago’s historic venue Park West. Event host and John Janata, and Diana Gutiérrez from WCIU’s “The Jam.” emcee T.J. Shanoff has guided audiences through fun-filled “There are few organizations in the world that do what Gilda’s evenings of laughs for more than a decade. With 20 years Club does, and it’s humbling to get to be on stage for such of experience as musical and theatrical director at Second a great group,” Shanoff says.

City, the world’s premier comedy club and improvisation school, Shanoff was a natural fit for emcee.

Former Gilda’s Club board president and current board member Dan Olas co-chaired the 2018 event. Olas discovered “I interview local celebrities and a cast of versatile, Second Gilda’s Club after his own stage IV colon cancer diagnosis.

City improvisers who use content from the interviews to After meeting the staff, he quickly realized the importance create immediate, improvised scenes and songs,” Shanoff of Gilda’s Club’s services and felt compelled to give back to says. “It’s really unique and fun.” the organization. Since 2010, he has served two, two-year terms as board president.

Gilda’s Club was founded in honor of Gilda Radner, who passed from ovarian cancer in 1989. Radner got her start in The 2018 silent auction raised more than $7,000, exceeding Toronto when she joined Toronto’s Second City troupe before the organization’s fundraising goal. “If we fail [to hit becoming one of the first cast members on “Saturday Night fundraising goals], programs may be cut, expansion doesn’t Live.” From her range of characters on SNL, like her portrayals happen, and people who need us can’t get to us,” Olas says. of gutsy female characters and oddball commentators, lampoons of news anchors, and more, to her one-woman Gift donations included items such as signed “Portlandia” Broadway show, “Live From New York,” Radner left an memorabilia from actor Fred Armisen and Chicago indelible mark on the comedy world. Her legacy lives on Blackhawks alumni suite tickets donated by hockey legend through Gilda’s Club’s worldwide initiatives which seek to Grant Mulvey. “To me, the most satisfying aspect of this educate and empower those impacted by cancer through event is seeing the generosity of the local community and social and healthy lifestyle activities and educational friends of the club,” says Olas. workshops.

Each year, Shanoff stands alongside Gilda’s Club associate board members and some of Chicago’s finest celebrities to delight audiences with an improv comedy show, raffle, and Cancer Wellness

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Photos by Jack Saxe-Staral

Wings of Hope Gala

By Allison Stern “The Melanoma Research Foundation is important because they are getting the word out on the important issues— not only treatment of advanced disease, but surveillance of people with high risk of melanoma,” says Dr. Arthur Rhodes, who also holds a master’s in public health. Rhodes was honored with the Humanitarian Award at Melanoma Research Foundation’s Wings of Hope Gala on Sept. 26, 2018. The Melanoma Research Foundation is the largest independent organization dedicated to melanoma research.

Dr. Jennifer N. Choi, Caylei Vogelzang

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The fourth annual gala celebrated the accomplishments of the Melanoma Research Foundation and the foundation’s commitment to the work that still needs to be done. Alongside Rhodes, Dr. Jennifer N. Choi of the Robert H.

Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University and her husband, Dr. Jaehyuk Choi of Northwestern University, were also honored for their outstanding service to the melanoma patient community.

WGN’s Dina Bair, a melanoma cancer survivor and cancer awareness advocate, hosted the glamorous gala. Guests enjoyed bites from some of Chicago’s favorite restaurants, cocktails, and inspirational speeches from advocates of the melanoma community. Through fundraising and a silent auction, the event raised over $240,000 to fund Melanoma Research Foundation’s research efforts.

Hyatt Regency Bethesda Bethesda, Maryland

March 25 - 27, 2019

International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma

The Meso Foundation’s 14th International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma is a unique event that brings together the entire mesothelioma community. For the duration of the three-day conference, we invite patients, their families, caregivers, and the bereaved community, to learn about the latest in treatment options, speak face-to-face with top mesothelioma experts, and socialize with others walking in their shoes.

Learn more and register at curemeso.org/symposium.

The most useful, interactive and beneficial meeting of mesothelioma experts, patients and caregivers; all together for the purpose of support, advocacy and learning about treatment options.

Bonnie Anderson Meso Survivor The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating mesothelioma and helping those affected by this cancer.

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07–10 FEB CYCLE FOR SURVIVAL Hosted by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Gather a team of 4 to 8 to complete high-energy, indoor rides to support rare cancer research

by Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK).

Every dollar raised goes directly to MSK for research on rare cancers providing new treatment options and renewed hope to countless lives touched by rare cancers.

All day; Equinox The Loop, 200 W. Monroe St., Chicago, IL; each team must meet a minimum $1,000 fundraising goal; www.bit.ly/cycle-survival

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FIRST LOOK FOR CHARITY CHICAGO AUTO SHOW Hosted by Susan G. Komen Foundation Chicago. Support Susan G. Komen Chicago while getting an exclusive sneak peek of the 2019 Chicago Auto Show. This blacktie affair features food and drink from Chicago’s top eateries, plus raffles.

6 p.m. – 11 p.m.; McCormick Place, King Drive at 23rd Street, Chicago, IL; tickets: $275; www.bit.ly/komen-first-look 23 FEB CARES FOR CANCER FUNDRAISER NIGHT: PRESENTED BY THE CHICAGO WOLVES Hosted by Cares for Cancer, NFP. An exciting hockey match made better

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22–23 TICKLED PINK FOR BRIGHT PINK Hosted by Tickled Pink Chicago This not-to-be-missed celebration features food, music, dancing, an open bar, and raffles. This year’s proceeds go to Bright Pink, the only national nonprofit focusing on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer.

8 p.m. – 1 a.m.; Rockwell on The River, 3057 N. Rockwell St., Chicago, IL; tickets: $95 - $150; www.bit.ly/tickled-pink-2019

with a portion of each ticket sold going to support the efforts of Cares for Cancer, NFP. 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.; Allstate Arena, 6920 Mannheim Rd., Rosemont, IL; tickets: $30; www.bit.ly/cares-for-cancer 24 FEB HUSTLE CHICAGO Hosted by Respiratory Health Association. Love cardio? Hustle up the Hancock to raise funds for Respiratory Health Association’s lung disease and clean air initiatives.

7 a.m.; John Hancock Center, 875 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL; tickets: $25 – $10,000; www.bit.ly/hustle-chicago-2019 28 FEB BLUE AND WHITE PARTY Hosted by Imerman Angels. Imerman Angels’ vast network of supporters gather to celebrate their mission for free peer-to-peer support services for cancer fighters, survivors, previvors, and caregivers worldwide. Guests will enjoy lively casino games, a raffle, and gourmet appetizers complemented by wine and cocktails.

7 p.m. – 11 p.m.; Godfrey Hotel Chicago, 127 W. Huron St., Chicago, IL; tickets: $85 – $150; www.bit.ly/blue-white-2019

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02 MARCH BEAR TIE BALL Hosted by Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation. The 26th Annual Bear Tie Ball will be “Candy Land” themed, paying homage to children’s wonder, imagination, and, of course, their sweet tooth. The black-tie event includes sweet treats, dinner, entertainment, and dancing.

6 p.m.; Isadore and Sadie Dorin Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago, IL; tickets: $400 – $50,000; www.bit.ly/bear-tie-ball-2019 08 MARCH 14TH ANNUAL DANCING WITH CHICAGO CELEBRITIES Hosted by A Silver Lining Foundation.

Chicago’s premier media, sports, and entertainment personalities come together for a celebrity dance-off.

This annual event raises money for A Silver Lining’s breast-cancer initiatives.

6:45 p.m.; Hyatt Regency Chicago Grand Ballroom, 151 E. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL; tickets: $195 – $1,950; www.bit.ly/dance-with-celebrities-2019 14 MARCH GLITZ & GLAMOUR Hosted by A Silver Lining Foundation.

This fifth annual luncheon spotlights jewelry and couture from celebrated fashion designers.

6 p.m.; The Peninsula Chicago (Grand Ballroom), 108 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL; tickets: $125 – $1,250; www.bit.ly/glitz-glamour-2019

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social events

10 FIGHT FOR AIR CLIMB Hosted by American Lung Association Challenge yourself this spring and climb one or all four towers to help fight lung cancer.

7 a.m.; Presidential Towers, 555 W. Madison St., Chicago, IL; tickets: $33; www.bit.ly/fight-for-air-2019

16–17 MARCH THE MAGIC BALL Hosted by Camp Kesem. Have a magical night benefiting children impacted by a parent’s cancer.

Featuring drinks, dinner, and dancing, all proceeds from the evening benefit Camp Kesem and their nationwide network of free summer camps.

6 p.m.; Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park, 200 N. Columbus Dr., Chicago, IL; tickets: $250; www.bit.ly/magic-ball-2019 22 MARCH RELAY FOR LIFE OF LOYOLA UNIVERSITY Hosted by American Cancer Society.

Loyola University hosts their annual Relay for Life fundraiser to celebrate cancer survivors and caregivers. The event raises money to help American Cancer Society make a global impact on cancer.

6 p.m.; Gentile Arena at Loyola University, 6525 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL; fundraising required; www.bit.ly/loyola-relay-2019

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MIDWEST CONFERENCE ON WORK & CANCER Hosted by Cancers & Careers.

This day-long conference features speakers covering topics such as balancing treatment and recovery with employment, health insurance options, and more, and is open to patients, survivors, caregivers, health care professionals, employers, and anyone else touched by cancer.

8:30 a.m.; Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital, 250 E. Superior St., 3rd floor, Chicago, IL; Free; www.bit.ly/cancer-career-2019

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05 APRIL RELAY FOR LIFE OF LAKE FOREST COLLEGE Hosted by American Cancer Society.

Lake Forest College hosts their annual Relay for Life fundraiser to celebrate cancer survivors and caregivers. The event raises money to help American Cancer Society make a global impact on cancer.

6 p.m.; Sports and Recreation Center, 555 N. Sheridan Rd., Lake Forest, IL; fundraising required; www.bit.ly/lake-forest-relay-2019 06 APRIL ST. JUDE LEGACY BY THE LAKE Hosted by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This inaugural gala brings philanthropists together for a cocktail reception, auctions, dinner, and dancing to raise funds for St. Jude’s mission.

5 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.; Revel Fulton Market, 1215 W. Fulton Market, Chicago, IL; tickets: $250; www.bit.ly/st-jude-legacy-lake-2019

12 APRIL RELAY FOR LIFE OF DEPAUL UNIVERSITY Hosted by American Cancer Society.

DePaul University hosts their annual Relay for Life fundraiser to celebrate cancer survivors and caregivers. The event raises money to help American Cancer Society make a global impact on cancer.

6 p.m.; Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center, 2235 N. Sheffield Ave, Chicago, IL; fundraising required; www.bit.ly/depaul-relay-2019

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BT5K CHICAGO Hosted by American Brain Tumor Association. Support the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA), which funds brain tumor research, patient programs, and support services. This race is part of the ABTA’s signature Breakthrough for Brain Tumors 5K Series.

8 a.m.; Soldier Field Stadium Green, 1410 Museum Campus Dr., Chicago, IL; tickets: $15 – $35; www.bit.ly/bt5k-2019

27 DISCOVERY BALL Hosted by American Cancer Society An elegant black-tie event featuring dinner, drinks, and dancing to raise funds for American Cancer Society’s mission.

5:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.; Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL; tickets: TBA; www.bit.ly/discovery-ball-2019

To list your event on our calendar, or to partner with Cancer Wellness on an event, email astern@cancerwellness.com

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social events 01 MAY FOUR STARS OF CHICAGO RESTAURANT EXTRAVAGANZA Hosted by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The 25th annual benefit supports the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Guests will enjoy tastings from Chicago’s finest restaurants, plus cocktails and live and silent auctions.

5 p.m.; Sheraton Grand Chicago, 301 E. North Water St., Chicago, IL; tickets: $350 – $50,000; www.bit.ly/four-stars-gala-2019

01 MAY OUTSTANDING MOTHER AWARDS Hosted by American Lung Association.

This benefit honors four Chicago mothers for their ability to balance personal and professional lives while making an impact in the community.

This event features a cocktail reception, dinner, and an awards program.

5:30 p.m.; Hyatt Regency Crystal Ballroom, 151 E. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL; tickets: TBA

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08 JUNE BRUNCH RUN AND WALK Hosted by Imerman Angels. Attendees are treated to a brunch with all the fixings after completing this 5K in support of I​ merman Angels, which provides one-on-one support for cancer fighters, survivors, and caregivers.

8 a.m.; 601 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago, IL; tickets: TBA; www.bit.ly/brunch-run-5k

10 MAY RELAY FOR LIFE OF NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY Hosted by American Cancer Society.

Northwestern University hosts their annual Relay for Life fundraiser to celebrate cancer survivors and caregivers. The event raises money to help American Cancer Society make a global impact on cancer.

6 p.m.; Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Dr., Evanston, IL; fundraising required; www.bit.ly/northwestern-relay-2019

18 WALK TO END BLADDER CANCER Hosted by Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network Support BCAN’s mission to increase public awareness about bladder cancer, advance bladder cancer research, and provide educational and support services for the bladder cancer community.

9 a.m.; Northerly Island, 1300 S. Lynn White Dr., Chicago, IL; tickets: $25; www.bit.ly/bladder-walk-2019

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Closing the

Gap

TV personality and OB-GYN Dr. Jessica Shepherd understands the importance of addressing health disparities from every angle.

By Britt Julious

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One can rarely go a few weeks without to receive a late-stage breast cancer seeing Dr. Jessica Shepherd on their diagnosis. The late-stage diagnosis rate television screen. Shepherd has made a of Black/African-American women in name for herself both inside and outside Dallas County is 1.2 times higher than of the medical world by turning medical the rate experienced collectively by all jargon into comprehensive anecdotes women in the county.” and advice digestible for the average viewer. Along the way, Shepherd has also As a medical professional intent on found a means to bring light to the needs closing the racial and socioeconomic gaps and concerns of populations primarily for access to medical care, treatment, ignored by the mainstream media such and rates of disease, addressing these as limited access to medical care and numbers are of significant concern for discrepancies in treatment. Whether Shepherd. “I’ve found I can help women she is offering her tips on making self-care who don’t have that access, so that was accessible for all in Women’s Health important to me,” Shepherd says. magazine or providing preventative care advice on “Good Morning America,” Discrepancies in access to treatment are Shepherd proves bridging the cultural not just a personal issue for Shepherd. gap in medicine does not have to be a It is something of a national crisis, too. difficult task.

Rates across the country align with those in Dallas. According to the journal, The I arrived at her home on a Friday morning Oncologist, in the United States, black at the beginning of November 2018 during women get 6 percent fewer cancers an unseasonably cold day in Dallas. overall than white women but account In many ways, her home is not unlike for a 14 percent higher rate of cancer Shepherd herself: sophisticated without deaths. Additionally, the report states, being intimidating, elegant without “African-American women face a greater seeming pretentious. Her family was risk for being diagnosed with early-onset still home, including her two young sons disease.” A 2009 report from the and loving husband. Shepherd’s move from journal Cancer indicates AfricanChicago, a city she once called home American women were also 1.61 times as the director of Minimally Invasive more likely to develop metastasis than Gynecology at the University of Illinois white women. These rates are due to a at Chicago, to Dallas, where she now works complex series of socioeconomic, cultural, for the Baylor Scott & White Women’s environmental, and biological factors.

Health Group, was an easy decision.

According to Cancer, “AfricanAmerican women may differ from white I’ve found I can help women in terms of specific patient characteristics, e.g., older age and more women who don’t have comorbidity, which might convey that access, so that was increased vulnerability to the important to me. development of metastases. Second, different type and extent of treatment Besides offering an opportunity for received may affect the development of Shepherd and her family to be closer to metastases. African- American women are relatives, many of Dallas’ biggest concerns less likely to receive indicated radiotherapy in women’s health and cancers mimic and later-generation chemotherapeutic those of Chicago. A 2015 report from agents than white women. Third, lack Susan G. Komen Dallas County found of access to care and contact with the that “not only are Black/Africanmedical system may result in delayed American women facing a higher death detection of metastases, and Africanburden than other population groups in American women typically have lower Dallas County, they are also more likely access to medical care than white women.”

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Other factors include a lack of access to surveillance mammography (which reduces the death rate for older women with breast cancer), and environmental concerns, such as a higher likelihood of living in severe segregation and more poverty-stricken areas, which reduces access to local resources, such as grocery stores selling fresh fruits and vegetables.

As reported in this issue (see “Nourish to Heal,” page 14), certain foods such as refined, processed carbohydrates and sugar fuel cancer cell growth. Psychosocial stress, another underreported factor, may “indirectly influence development of metastases through increased stress hormones and reduced immune function,” the report states.

We have the most expensive health care system in the world, but when you look at statistics, we’re not necessarily doing any better...

Addressing these staggering rates will require a comprehensive overhaul of how we administer medical care to all populations. “When you think broadly […] about health disparities, it’s about approaching it from the physician side, the patient side, and legislative-wise,” says Shepherd. Advocates on the front lines like Shepherd are bringing these issues, which typically remain out of regular discussion in mainstream media, into the spotlight.

One way Shepherd addresses the health disparities is by advocating for earlier and minimally invasive treatment options. After receiving her medical degree from Ross University and completing an internship and residency at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Shepherd completed a fellowship in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, something which, at the time, was not yet widely established in the medical community.

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“I felt that minimally invasive surgery was something that was becoming popular in medicine, but when we look at the numbers for women’s health and how that correlated, the numbers were still so low,” explains Shepherd. “When you look at hysterectomies, myomectomies, taking out fibroids, anything that had to do with the pelvis, as far as the surgical aspect, those numbers [were low]. I found that a bit interesting, and a little bit frustrating on why if now it’s a women’s health issue the numbers for that type of surgery weren’t skyrocketing.”

Minimally invasive surgery, according to Shepherd and others, can prove to be a beneficial and preventative first step in addressing some gynecological cancers, especially for populations like AfricanAmerican women who are more likely to receive mentally and physically invasive forms of treatment. A 2017 report from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program found, “employing minimally invasive surgery to treat women with gynecological cancers seems to be crucial to accomplish the best outcomes both for patients and physicians as well as for hospitals.” Comparing surgical outcomes in more than 2,000 surgeries for endometrial cancer performed by laparotomy or minimally invasive surgery between 2006 and 2010 in the United States found fewer days of hospitalization, fewer complications, and a yearly savings of $534 million.

However, getting the country’s most disenfranchised populations into medical facilities at the right time to receive such beneficial treatments requires multifaceted effort. Shepherd believes changing society’s perception of health as a necessity for all will help address these staggering rates. “When you look at health statistics as far as populations, the populations that do the best are countries that have socialized medicine to some degree,” Shepherd says. “We have the most expensive health care system in the world, but when you look at statistics, we’re not

necessarily doing any better, so I think legislative-wise, those are the things that could be approached and looked at differently.”

On a more local scale, diminishing the impact of hypersegregation would make great strides in addressing medical discrepancies. Who has access to a city’s best hospital systems? Where are they located, and would the average patient have the ability to travel to an appointment without sacrificing their work day?

Would they find treatment despite not having the best insurance—or any

insurance at all? Organizations such as Susan G. Komen, which works with partner organizations in less centrallylocated areas of a city, or A Silver Lining Foundation, which pays for free breast screenings, are filling in the gaps. However, their work can only go so far to address a complex, systemic problem.

television to advocate for their causes, Shepherd still believes more work is necessary. While winding down our conversation, she reiterated how much is missing from contemporary medical practices.

“Sometimes [physicians] have difficulties communicating with patients because In the meantime, the easiest and quickest when we speak, we’re speaking scientific form of change might require doctors and study-based and evidence-based. and other medical professionals to [When] patients hear that […] it’s either improve their communication practices. information they don’t even understand While most doctors don’t have the or […] the connection is not very opportunity to appear on national personalized,” says Shepherd. “At the Cancer Wellness

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end of the day, someone just wants to be validated with whatever their issue is.”

Improving lines of communication can include simple tasks like offering more comprehensive preoperative counseling, regularly facilitating cancer preventive initiatives, offering easy-tounderstand questionnaires, or frequently training medical staff to work with a variety of different populations. “On our end, we could do a better job of creating those communication lines, and it does show that when there’s better communication, there’s better understanding, there’s more compliance, and from the patient perspective […] they feel empowered in their health.”

Studies confirm Shepherd’s anecdotes. A 2016 review from the journal Preventive Medicine states, “Provider-patient communication regarding screening tests may play one of the strongest modifiable roles in cancer screening behavior.

Physicians and other primary health care providers can serve as a key health information source by assessing patient screening eligibility, negotiating a course of action, and helping to coordinate screening tests and follow-up care.”

Shepherd believes in setting different expectations for her practice, whether that involves asking patients to come back if she does not answer all of their questions or asking her patients to relay information back to her to ensure they understand the information she has given them. “How we take everything in and process it, mentally, has a lot to do with our outcomes, kind of like inputoutput,” Shepherd says. “What we allow our brains to process […] is how we have [better] outcomes.”

However, for those who are unable to visit Shepherd’s practice, she recommends patients take charge and advocate for their health. “I think many women have led their lives more on the page of what they shouldn’t do rather than what they can do,” Shepherd says. “When [a patient] walks out, they should feel empowered by having whatever they came in for discussed and treated or addressed.

They have tools to continue improving their health that will get them better and better outcomes.”

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entertainment 70 Blessings of a Third Life | 72 Don’t Forget to Laugh Cancer Wellness

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Blessings of a Third Life

By Britt Julious

The new documentary “True North” follows adventurer Sean Swarner from the hospital beds of his youth to the top of Mount Everest— and beyond.

An innocuous knee injury sustained during a game of basketball landed Swarner in the hospital at the age of 13. When he started exhibiting flu-like symptoms, doctors believed he had pneumonia, but after a round of testing, Swarner was diagnosed with advanced stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma. He was told he had three months to live, but “I didn’t go from Jacksonville, Florida, to the top of Mount after a year of chemotherapy, Swarner went into remission.

However, after around one year in remission, a routine Everest overnight,” says Sean Swarner, an inspirational check-up for his lymphoma showed Swarner also had Askin’s speaker, author, and adventurer. No, along the way to the sarcoma. This rare form of cancer only affects about three top of that peak and others around the world, Swarner faced something much more dire: cancer. But according to Swarner, out of every million people, and the prognosis—6 percent— who was the first cancer survivor to complete the Explorers is even grimmer. Doctors gave Swarner 14 days to live, but Grand Slam (climbing the highest mountain of each continent, much like his first diagnosis, Swarner beat the odds. The experiences changed Swarner’s life forever. plus the North and South Poles), his adventure-seeking feats were no match for the moment he stared down the face of cancer and came out the other side, twice. Now, Swarner’s “I look back at it as a blessing in disguise, because while my journey has made it to the small screen in a new documentary, friends were getting ready for school, worrying about the “True North: The Sean Swarner Story,” which explores the latest shoe styles, the nicest hair, and being popular, trying to impress other people, I was literally fighting for my life importance of living every day as if it is your last. and understanding the value of being alive,” Swarner says.

After what he admits were “Animal House”-like antics in ...While my friends were getting college to “make up for lost time,” Swarner finally began to ready for school, worrying about the think about what cancer meant to him during graduate latest shoe styles, the nicest hair, school in Jacksonville, Florida. In early adulthood, Swarner and being popular, trying to impress was intent on forgetting the entire experience, but grad other people, I was literally school allowed him a moment to reflect. “I could be a bitter, fighting for my life and curmudgeonly person or look at it and say I’ve been blessed with a third life,” he says. understanding the value

of being alive.

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Cancer Wellness

Photos courtesy of Sean Swarner

That third life has been one adventure after the other. “Cancer didn’t define who I was,” Swarner adds. “Yes, it helped make me the person I am, [but] I could choose how I wanted it to affect me.” Swarner began by making micro-changes throughout the day. For example, he refuses to turn on the television after waking up, because he believes it floods one’s system with negative thoughts and ideas. “I decided a long time ago that consistency is more important than intensity,” Swarner begins. “So if I’m consistent, and I develop these patterns in my life that help me get to where I want to go, that will be much more sustainable than it will be to try and change something overnight.”

have been touched by cancer,” he says. “I don’t think that will ever leave me.”

A filmmaker from Philadelphia inspired by Swarner’s story sent a team of two videographers to join Swarner as he completed the Explorers Grand Slam at the North Pole. “I unfurled this flag. I was weeping like a little child,” Swarner adds. And now, after years of merely listening to Swarner recount his adventurers, fans can watch his journey— from hospital beds in his adolescence to the North Pole—in “True North: The Sean Swarner Story.”

Since completing the Explorers Grand Slam, Swarner continues to travel the world, giving speeches and visiting Just beyond that line of fear is where local hospitals to bring his story and motivational message you really start to live. to the masses. “I’ve been blessed with a different perspective and a different mentality on life, and I want to suck as He also found pushing himself outside of his comfort zone was much marrow out of life as possible,” Swarner says. “But I a radical but powerful method of finding his true desires in want other people to get that same feeling.” For Swarner, the life. “Just beyond that line of fear is where you really start to true lessons of his life journey are not about cancer itself but live,” he says. “Fear doesn’t do anything but hold you back.” about what happens next. “We’re here for a very short time, This line of thinking led him to the adventurer life, where he and I think some people […] become complacent in their first began by climbing Mount Everest. Later, he tackled comfort zone,” he says. “I want to push people out of their the seven summits. For every mountain he climbs, Swarner comfort zone so they can be adventurous, so they can go brings a flag covered with the names of people affected by and climb their own personal Mount Everest.” cancer, people in remission, current fighters, and those who’ve passed away. According to Swarner, climbing a mountain is “True North: The Sean Swarner Story” is now airing through not just about the personal physical feat. It is also a chance local PBS stations. To book a screening or to purchase the to do something for a larger community that looks up to him. DVD, visit truenorthdocfilm.com.

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don’t forget to

laugh

By Bethany Kandel

When comedian Maria Falzone received a terminal cancer diagnosis, she knew all she could do was laugh.

Photo by Andrea Stein 72

Cancer Wellness

Cancer isn’t funny to most people asked, ‘Where’s my gift bag?’ I was diagnosed with the disease. But for really disappointed,” she confesses.

Maria Falzone, it’s what keeps her going, since she may only have a few months to “People care about boobs. They grace live. Falzone is showing cancer who’s the the cover of magazines. They peek out of boss and living each day with laughter things,” she continues. “But what’s a liver? ... lots of laughter.

It’s liver and onions. Most people don’t even eat it. On ‘Chopped,’ it’s the booby prize ingredient. We need a sexy slogan Humor gives me a or a cute mascot, like Larry the Liver.”

sense of control [...]

It takes away the fear.

There’s nothing I can do about my diagnosis; the only thing I can do is adjust my attitude.

Falzone knows not everything about cancer is funny. “But you can be morose or be a teacher in the way you choose to live your life moment to moment. I’m teaching my daughter how to be with death,” she says. “It’s one of the greatest lessons of life.”

Falzone even got a chance to “live” her funeral. Instead of a wake, she had what she jokingly calls “a wide awake.” She posted about her terminal diagnosis on Facebook and received an outpouring of love and support from more than 1,000 people. “People wrote the most beautiful words you could imagine and sent private messages. I was moved to tears about how much I was loved and the impact I had on people’s lives,” she says.

Preparing for death is next. “There isn’t one person in my life who doesn’t know I love them, not one who I haven’t apologized to or forgiven.” She plans to settle in a house in the California desert (“I’m renting; my doctor said, ‘Why buy?’”) and surround herself with her loved ones until the end comes. (California, she notes, is a right-to-die state.)

“Humor gives me a sense of control,” she explains. “It takes away the fear. There’s Having a positive outlook is key, she says. nothing I can do about my diagnosis; the “Cancer doesn’t have to be doom and only thing I can do is adjust my attitude gloom. It is that, but you don’t have and how I’m going to be with it.” to be that way about it,” Falzone says. “Make a commitment to find the humor; “Cancer sucks big time, but there are it alleviates some of the suffering and Falzone, 56, of Baltimore, is a renowned gifts [like] the love, generosity, and fear,” she says. “Bring joy. You get a comedian who has headlined top comedy dedication of humanity.” Through choice to live in victimhood or live in a clubs around the world like The Comedy illness, she says, “You give people the state of grace where instead of seeing Store in Los Angeles and The Comedy opportunity to be excellent.” all the terrible things about it, you can Cellar in New York, and is the creator see the beauty.” And who knows, she of a humorous and informative sex says. A miracle could happen and she Breast cancer education program for college students could live longer than expected. But patients get gift bags called Sex Rules! Last year, Falzone was then, she jokes, she won’t have any with pink nail files, diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, money left. She’ll have spent it all on a rare bile duct cancer only affecting first class tickets. mints, and lip balm. about 2,000 people a year. After treatment, When I went to the when more tumors showed up on her doctor’s office I asked, scans, doctors told her it was terminal.

‘Where’s my gift bag?’

Yet, Falzone has managed to find humor in the situation. In fact, she fired her first oncologist because he just didn’t get her jokes. When she realized her second doctor liked her gallows humor, she said, “Here’s my dude. We’re not going to cry and be so heavy hearted about it. He’s going to play with me.”

No, she’s just happy to wake up every morning. Knowing she has an expiration date makes some things easy. “I get to choose to do stuff because I want to do it, not because I have to do it or need to do it,” she says. “I get to do what makes me happy, and that’s spending time with people I love.” Dieting, for example, has Even during chemo, Falzone found things gone out the window, but travel hasn’t. to laugh about, like how she does not “I don’t have to save for retirement. I get have one of the more popular cancers. to spend my money,” she says. She’s been “Breast cancer patients get gift bags to Southeast Asia, Hawaii, and to see a with pink nail files, mints, and lip balm. beloved cousin in Florida. Forget coach, When I went to the doctor’s office I she now upgrades to first class.

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travel 75 Wellness Road Trip | 78 Cancer at Altitude

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W E L L N E SS

R OAD

T R IP

Hippocrates Health Institute The HHI offers classes, spa sessions, and holistic treatments— plus a little bit of magic—to heal the body from the inside out.

By Caylei Vogelzang “Do you know Hippocrates?” a woman named Liz asked me between sweaty yoga sessions. We were on a Bikram yoga retreat organized by Liz in the glorious emerald mountains of Vermont.

I paused and racked my brain. Should I know Hippocrates? Is Hippocrates an exciting new form of yoga? Could this have anything to do with medicine and the Hippocratic oath?

“No, I do not know Hippocrates,” I stammered, very much wishing I did. Maybe I just needed a little prompting, or Liz was about to reveal some divine piece of yogic scripture that would forever change my life and relationship with Bikram yoga. In fact, none of my theories were accurate. She turned to face me and said, “You should go. You would love it. It’s a little extreme, but maybe that’s why I know you will love it.”

Two weeks after returning to Chicago and armed with a natural curiosity, a yearning for “wellness,” and Liz’s recommendation, I began the somewhat laborious process of securing myself a one-week stay at the Hippocrates Health Institute (HHI) inWest Palm Beach, Florida.

The standard “Life Transformation” program is three weeks long, but I applied for an exception which was fortunately granted.

Prior to my arrival at HHI, I did very little background homework. Liz’s word seemed good, and I am keen on adventure. I was not worried at all.

For me it was simple: I was very much looking forward to getting out of the cold Chicago air, eating some healthy food, and doing some yoga.

Founded in Massachusetts in 1956 by Ann Wigmore, HHI is a nonprofit offering a variety of programs intended to holistically prevent, combat, and solve a wide range

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of bodily ailments, including cancer. HHI offers various states of health were situated haphazardly classes on a range of subjects like sprouting seeds, around the room. A vibrating platform, which I was meditation, Qigong, and yoga. The common thread told could “burn calories and eliminate cellulite” in all HHI programs is adherence to a strict dietary was humming near the door as its passenger jiggled regimen. The explanation for both the name of the away. Blood was being drawn in quick succession institute and its approach is clarified on the HHI and wayward wheelchairs were being used as website, which claims, “As a fifth-century B.C. Greek temporary seating. “Busy day at the office?” I physician, Hippocrates treated the body as a whole, jokingly asked one of the nurses seated behind a desk. not just a series of parts, and taught a natural healing She laughed. I believe it hit me then: many people process centered on a wholesome, natural diet.” in that room were sick... really sick... last-ditcheffort sick. I realized that, as a healthy person, I If I had done some research, I would have also was in a staggering minority at HHI. An advocate of discovered that the word “controversial” seems to yoga retreats and wellness getaways, I quickly came best describe HHI and its inextricably intertwined to understand that HHI isn’t a spa or vacation current owner-operators, Brian and Anna Maria destination. To many, it’s a final stop—either they Clement. On the one hand, hundreds of positive were going to heal at HHI or die trying. testimonials about the place and its ability to reverse or manage disease has resulted in a large, international As someone in good health, my testing was pretty following of devotees. On the other, they have endured straightforward, except for an energy test conducted multiple bouts of extreme allegations over the years through a palm scan. With the easy vitals (blood including promoting ineffective treatment and pressure, weight, height) out of the way, I headed to ethical violations. the mess hall for lunch. This is where I understood what Liz meant when she described the retreat as Dissenters argue malpractice—that HHI promotes “extreme.” Food—what it is and how it is sourced, their healing services as replacement for more prepared, and consumed—stands squarely at the aggressive treatments, such as chemotherapy. Most center of HHI and its campus. notably, as reported by the Toronto Star, in 2015, two young aboriginal girls left chemotherapy HHI’s food is all raw, all organic, all vegan—all the treatment and came to HHI looking for alternative time! For example, one of the first things I noticed treatment. One passed away six months after leaving was a buffet of sprouts. Not just alfalfa sprouts, the institute. In my experience, HHI does not insist but heaped bowls of sunflower, sweet pea, buckclients abandon traditional, medical treatment, wheat, radish, clover, mung bean, broccoli, and but instead proposes a natural reset, oftentimes in fenugreek. Toppings were limited and included other tandem with treatment from medical professionals. types of vegetables, some seeds and nuts, and staples The opposing camps of supporters and dissenters to create your own “dressing.” According to HHI, seem to be extremely active and have elevated HHI sprouts are among the most nutrient-dense foods and the Clements to celebrity status. on the planet, filled with enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and protein. A “perfect diet” would seem W E LCO M E TO H H I to consist of little more than sprouts and wheatgrass.

I dove in! Hey, this is what I was here for, right?

Simply calling HHI a place would not be accurate.

While its sprawling, 50-acre grounds are beautiful G E T T I N G A C C L I M AT E D with meandering gardens and orchards, a brick-andmortar explanation does not adequately capture the Our morning orientation meeting was packed. The orientation leader had clearly been chugging the spirit of HHI. It is a phenomenon, a lifestyle, a proverbial Kool-Aid, or in this case, an aloe and religion and to many people: magic. I was able to witness this magic first-hand: patients who arrived wheatgrass concoction, for many years. A self-identified at HHI in obvious ill-health were suddenly glowing devotee of the program, he really seemed to be living with vitality after a few, short days. I couldn’t wait and teaching his dream. He took us through the daily expectations and schedule. Many of the expectations to see what HHI could do for me. seemed straightforward enough. We were to stick to My first stop was Vida, the medical building where the meal plan and attend a selection of seminars and my first round of health testing took place. The room classes. There were a few other requisites: wheatgrass consumption and waste elimination. Daily elimination was chaotic: several patients in hospital beds in 76

Cancer Wellness

(ideally, twice a day) we were told, is vital during detox, the theory being that toxins—even if released—will continue to linger if not evacuated by the bowels.

This “release” would be forcefully encouraged via self-administered enemas.While I am aware regularity is important, I decided I would leave this detail to the colon hydrotherapy team at HHI: the Oasis Spa & Therapy Center.

Later, we were split into groups and ushered over to the wheatgrass hut. Wheatgrass contains a number of nutrients like vitamin C, E, and K. That said, there is a lot of public debate about its health properties.

Cynics say it is no healthier than other green vegetables.

HHI paints it as a miracle elixir. Either way, it certainly couldn’t hurt to consume. Juicing wheatgrass can be a very messy process if you are not careful.

Luckily, the hut was made specifically for this purpose. Large refrigerators with neatly stacked trays of freshly harvested wheatgrass were situated on one side of the room. Sinks, grinders, pestles, and other assorted instruments to assist in the juicing process were on the other. It was simple; I loved it!

OPTING IN The Oasis Spa was always a hotbed of activity with folks constantly registering, paying, and getting shuffled around to various treatments. In most cases, a certain number of treatments are “included” in the spa package. It didn’t take too much to realize it would be in my best interest to hightail it over to the spa at my earliest opportunity to secure the best treatment slots. Justifying my indulgences with “when at HHI,” I went to town on treatments purported to cleanse my toxic body. I enjoyed a daily massage, a salt scrub exfoliation treatment, and two colon hydrotherapy sessions.

temperature was a bit low outside, the pool was just warm enough to lounge around on various flotation devices in the belief the water held some power. Magic or otherwise, I always left at ease.

Being a bit of a water rat, not only did I leave the pool area relaxed, but also better informed about the people around me. Everyone’s story was unique, but ended with a similar conclusion. In general, my fellow guests were very open about the reasons that brought them to HHI and all had great things to say about it.

Everyone’s story was unique, but their rationale was similar. People were there to heal, some from minor ailments, others from a more severe diagnosis. I ran into one man who was in remission for multiple sclerosis for most of his life and credited HHI. Another lady from Copenhagen had been in a horrific accident and was bed-ridden for years, was back for her third stay, crediting the healing of her spine and neck to her prior two visits. Notably, I was one of only three people I met who, like me,were staying “just” a week. Many were on their third or fourth stay at HHI. W H AT I L E A R N E D Minus some diarrhea on the second night, which was no fun, by the end of day three, I felt significantly lighter.

By the end of day four, I felt relaxed and clear-headed.

When I got to the airport to head home, my vision of food had drastically changed. I realized that the airport barely had any alimentary offerings not banned by HHI. At its core, HHI proffers the idea that poor nutrition is the root of all physical ailments. They don’t propose treatment plans for specific disease—like cancer, obesity, or autoimmune disorders—rather, they believe healing starts from the inside, and proper nutrition is key in effectively treating all physical ailments. Meals at HHI are entirely free of allergens, which allows the body to “reset.”

Over atVida, the medical building, I took two vitamin drips (IVs) which were HHI’s baseline concoction plus extra B vitamins to increase energy. I also took a series of glutathione shots (a powerful antioxidant) and a shot of vitamin D, which I was told would be beneficial as With a healthy diet, HHI asserts, you create a solid my winter lifestyle in Chicago does not include much foundation free of toxins which naturally provokes exposure to natural sunlight, the primary source of health and wellness. HHI touts profound results vitamin D. Not being one for needles, the phlebotomists for some who are suffering from serious illness, let me play old movies while I received my vitamin and I believe it. I also believe that every person is drips. The doctor, who I met with very briefly near different, and results aren’t guaranteed. During the end of my stay, told me that my blood work had my stay, I heard so many inspiring stories. If come back, and I was in good shape. Phew! somehow all of the healing is the result of a giant placebo effect, may the effect last forever and One of my favorite things to do was to go and soak continue to be shared throughout the world. in the mineral pool in the afternoon. Though the Cancer Wellness

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CANCER AT

ALTITUDE Could cancer be an occupational hazard?

By Kelsi Lockhart

Sky high levels of cosmic ionizing radiation exposure can be a major health concern for flight attendants.

Despite the fact that flight attendants are exposed to several known carcinogens in the cabin environment, few studies have quantified the cancer-causing risks, and researchers say they are one of the most understudied cohorts.

Recently published research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found flight attendants have higher rates of several types of cancer than the general population.

According to the study, increased cancer occurrences were related to flight crew tenure and the accumulation of hazardous exposures over time.

Led by research associate Irina Mordukhovich, the group of Harvard researchers surveyed participants of the Harvard Flight Attendant Health Study at airports and through online and mailed-in surveys. More than 5,300 flight attendants answered questions about their flight schedules and disclosed any diagnoses of cancer.

The study compared the prevalence of their self-reported cancer diagnoses to an existing cohort from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which is ongoing.

To date, the Harvard FlightAttendant Health Study is the largest and most comprehensive study 78

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conducted on cancer prevalence among flight obvious that flight attendants attendants, and the first to reveal a higher rate of and pilots are considered “radiation non-melanoma skin cancers in this occupation. workers” because of their exposure Mordukhovich found a higher prevalence of breast, to cosmic ionizing radiation at altitude. melanoma, uterine, thyroid, gastrointestinal, and cervical cancers compared to the general public. “In the U.S., they’re actually the most highly exposed radiation workers, “Our study showed, not precise, but elevated and yet there are no regulations associations for all the cancers we looked at,” around their exposure at all,” says Mordukhovich says. “Breast and skin cancers Mordukhovich. “In the European are the ones that show up consistently, although I Union and Air Canada, their levels think it’s possible that you have a lot of associations are monitored and their schedules that are just not being seen in the literature because are adjusted if the radiation levels are they’re not as common,” she adds. Researchers going above a certain point.” Thirty suggest that it’s difficult to study cancers that hours of flying is equivalent in are more rare and fatal. radiation exposure to that of about one chest X-ray. That level of exposure In the U.S., [flight crew members may not be concerning to passengers are] actually the most highly who fly minimally, but flight crew exposed radiation workers, and members are exposed to dangerous yet there are no regulations levels of radiation over time, which may be detrimental to their health.

around their exposure at all.

Mordukhovich hopes her research and future longitudinal studies will help create regulations. “In general, with any sort of changes that have happened in the occupational environment, it usually takes a lot of research, a lot of advocacy, and a lot of time to make these changes,” she says, noting that laws against in-flight smoking still This observational study, however, does not prove took about 30 years to pass, despite cause and effect. “We see this association and know advocacy efforts. “I think the ionizing the exposure that flight attendants have that are radiation piece is just like everything either confirmed or probable carcinogens, which are else—it’s expensive, it’s burdensome, ionizing radiation, circadian rhythm destruction, and there’s not a precedent for that different chemical contaminants in the cabin, in this country. So, there’s just a lot and possibly U.V. radiation,” Mordukhovich says. of pushback and resistance, but it’s Everyone is exposed to radiation daily from natural something that the unions are and man-made sources, and it is well-known that advocating for [currently].” radiation can cause cancer. However, it is less The findings are particularly alarming considering flight attendants are healthier than the general population on average. “The fact that we’re seeing the higher cancer rates given the fact that it’s a healthy worker population by definition, and the fact that they have this profile of reduced obesity and healthier behaviors is striking,” Mordukhovich says.

innovations

research 80 Breathe Easy 82 The Cancer Sniff Test 84 More Than Just the Common Cold

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T

he future of lung cancer detection is here, at least if one doctor at Rush University has anything to say about it. Dr. Jeffrey A. Borgia, the director of Rush University’s Cancer Center Biorepository, has spent the last 14 years developing a new, early-detection blood test for lung cancer and it is now ready for study under a clinical trial.

However, biases in the medical field, limited funding, and a lack of specimens have made taking his discovery to the next stage of development a struggle.

According to Borgia, malignant and benign tumors shed molecules which enter one’s bloodstream.

Malignancies, however, shed molecules which are unique relative to other cells of the body.

This new blood test will likely operate like a blood spot card where patients can prick their finger, mail in their samples, and scientists will look at the blood on the molecular level to determine if one is at high risk of lung cancer. The test will also identify if any tumors detected on the molecular level are highly aggressive, requiring additional treatment not generally found during the standard screening process. “Many surgeons don’t accept biopsy results saying this is a malignancy or not [with] a blood test,” Borgia begins. “[But] with the cells secreting molecules into the bloodstream, if there’s something unique to a tumor, if we see that, we know there’s a tumor someplace.”

Currently, those most at risk of having lung cancer (like people with a long history of smoking) receive a CT scan to detect lesions on one’s lungs which might not be visible during an average X-ray. However, by this point, one is likely showing symptoms of late-stage lung cancer, including chest pain, a lingering cough, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood.

That is why a blood test can be both an earlier and less invasive method of testing for lung cancer. Rather than rely on the development of latestage symptoms, doctors can begin testing more people at an earlier stage. “Right now, what gets people in to have the CT done is your smoking history and how old [you are], neither of which are very good for figuring out who’s truly at high risk for developing lung cancer,” Borgia says. In an ideal world, the blood test would cost $100 at most and be comparable to the price of a CT, or even less.

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By Britt Julious

After 14 years of development and research, Dr. Jeffrey A. Borgia is ready to move his test for earlystage lung cancer detection to the clinical trial stage—could this be the first step to a pan-cancer blood test?

Despite the promising opportunities a blood test for lung cancer detection may provide for both fighters and the medical community, there are still numerous hurdles Borgia and his research team has had to face in getting their research to the clinical trial stage. Although lung cancer kills twice as many women as breast cancer, research for the latter receives 30 times the amount of money as lung cancer.

“There’s this bias for lung cancer,” Borgia says. “You know, [people say], ‘These people brought it upon themselves. They smoked. You get what you get.’”

Rather than rely on the development of late-stage symptoms, doctors can begin testing more people at an earlier stage.

The validity of such statements, however, do not change the fact that lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer. According to a report in the medical journal Cancer Control, “In 2012, there were approximately 1.8 million new lung cancer diagnoses worldwide accounting for 12.9% of the global cancer burden. Among men, lung cancer remains the most common cancer diagnosis with approximately 1.2 million cases in 2012.” Additionally, in the United States, “lung cancer is the second most common cancer in men after prostate cancer and the second most common cancer in women after breast cancer,” reports Cancer Control. Despite lung cancer being second among both sexes, “it is the leading cause of cancer-related death and accounts for more deaths than prostate, breast, colon, and pancreatic cancer combined,” the journal states.

However, more than clinical biases, the number one hurdle for Borgia is acquiring research specimens. Borgia pushed to collect samples once CT screening was approved for lung cancer detection. “CT screening, unfortunately, has not caught on in the way everyone hoped it would,” he says. “At Rush, we have the potential of screening up to 300 patients per week, and we’ll capture maybe ten patients and get them screened and get a blood test for them.”

End Results Program (SEER) revealed Black Americans have a higher incidence and mortality rate for lung cancer than any other racial population, which does not align with global numbers which shows the lowest rates of lung cancer are in western and central Africa. Survival rates are even grimmer. As Cancer Control reports, “Black patients were 66% less likely to receive timely and appropriate treatment than Whites patients, and Black men were least likely to receive resection (22% for Black men versus 43.7% for White men).”

Utilizing a blood test for lung cancer detection is not merely a medical innovation; it is a life or death issue affecting the most marginalized and disenfranchised populations in this country.

The authors also reported that “Black patients were 34% less likely to receive timely surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation for stage III disease and were 51% less likely to receive chemotherapy in a timely fashion for stage IV disease relative to White patients.” Utilizing a blood test for lung cancer detection is not merely a medical innovation; it is a life or death issue affecting the most marginalized and disenfranchised populations in this country. “The idea is to try to roll it out to the people who need it the most, and make it as convenient as possible,” says Borgia.

Borgia claims this issue is primarily due to overburdened And if that becomes successful, Borgia envisions a future primary care physicians and a lack of access for patients to where his lung cancer blood test can develop into a medical facilities. “Everyone’s stretched way too thin [to] pan-cancer blood test. He is currently collecting samples and take the extra time to go through the process of identifying genomic data to one day make this a reality. “If [a pan-cancer the appropriate patients,” he says. “That gap is a big problem, test] is likely to happen, now is the time it would happen,” and it’s not just at Rush; it’s across the country. Everyone’s Borgia says. talking about how to fix this, and some very serious policies need to change to [do that].” Overcoming such a hurdle involves informing and training medical professionals on what to look for in patients as they have more direct access to the sort of patients needed for the clinical trial.

“What if you’re overseas? What if you’re in the middle of a cornfield in Nebraska? What if you’re on the South Side of Chicago and you don’t want to go [or] don’t have transportation?” Borgia asks. “All those factors come into this, and it’s my goal to extend the idea of lung cancer screening to all these underserved populations because some of these populations have a much higher mortality rate than the predominantly Caucasian populations that come to places like Rush or tertiary medical centers.”

According to Cancer Control, data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Cancer Wellness

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the

CANCER sniff test

By Britt Julious

The future of early-stage cancer detection may be found in man’s best friend.

To call a dog man’s best friend would be something of an understatement. In the last two decades alone, the role of the dog has expanded significantly in the public consciousness to such identities as “comfort animal” and “Instagram influencer.” However, if researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Working Dog Center and other medical facilities around the world have their say in the matter, dogs may take on their most significant and impactful role yet: cancer fighters.

A dog’s superior sense of smell has long been used in the human world, whether to aid in searches for police investigations or to detect stolen antiquities from developing countries. Now, canine olfaction has gained increased recognition in the medical research field as a viable tool for detection of disease.

Canine olfaction in the medical field is not a new concept.

Diabetes alert dogs receive training to detect hyperglycemic and hypoglycemic levels of blood sugar in humans, alerting their owners so they may take the necessary steps to return their blood glucose levels to normal. Dogs have also been used in biofilm screenings to detect early-stage infections and for such conditions as Addison’s disease and epilepsy.

But canine olfaction in the cancer research and development field provides new opportunities to offer noninvasive and early-stage detection for some of the deadliest cancers, such as ovarian, lung, and prostate cancer. Researchers at the Working Dog Center made significant breakthroughs in the summer of 2018 by training their cohort of dogs to alert detection of the ovarian cancer odor signature.

Ovarian cancer is typically found in advanced stages when prognosis is much worse for patients, since there is currently no early detection screening for ovarian cancer. However, the Working Dog Center’s trained 82

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Photos courtesy of University of Pennsylvania’s Working Dog Center

pooches were able to detect ovarian cancer in stage I and II, providing hope for a noninvasive screening method in the future.

Working with the Monell Chemical Senses Center, researchers used gas chromatography to single out the odor signature of ovarian cancer using blood plasma samples. According to Jennifer Essler, a postdoctoral fellow at the Working Dog Center, it was much more difficult for the dogs to detect the ovarian cancer odor signature, because the odor was much fainter than what dogs are typically asked to detect.

During the study’s initial phases, the dogs trained using 75 microliters of the blood plasma. Researchers eventually were able to train the dogs for odor detection using 50 microliters by utilizing a diluted blood plasma solution that was two-parts blood plasma and one-part saline. “Getting them down to this level of the diluted blood plasma allowed them to recognize the odors from the chemistry side of it,” says Essler. Next, the researchers hope to distinguish which specific parts of the blood plasma dogs can identify. “What is the odor of this malignant blood plasma that tells them it’s cancer in the blood plasma and not benign tumors?” asks Essler.

However, the Working Dog Center’s trained pooches were able to detect ovarian cancer in stage I and II, providing hope for a noninvasive screening method in the future.

Although the idea of canine olfaction may generate visions of sweet, fluffy dogs set loose in hospitals and medical clinics, the Working Dog Center researchers have a different plan in mind.

“We’re not looking for dogs to [work] in hospitals to detect on people,” Essler says. “Our long-term end goal is to have an electronic nose.” This electronic nose, Essler says, would scan blood plasmas in much the same way as canine olfaction. The Working Dog Center is working with a research lab at the University of Pennsylvania to manufacture an electronic nose using their training research. “Our big thing is turning [the electronic nose] into a general screening type of thing for this type of cancer and other types of cancer during those earlier stages when the prognosis is better,” says Essler.

For the time being, many steps—including manufacturing, clinical trial testing, and FDA-approval—stand in the way of the university’s electronic nose making its way to the public.

However, the Working Dog Center’s recent breakthroughs prove the idea is not as far-fetched as it may seem on the surface. Once the electronic nose becomes a reality, Essler envisions utilizing it not just for ovarian cancer, but for a variety of cancer types. “In the end, the impact would be quite big,” Essler says.

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Common more than just the

Using viruses to eradicate tumors may be the future of cancer treatment.

By Britt Julious

Obtaining a virus is no easy feat, but for many scientists across the country, viruses are making the future of cancer treatment appear very bright.

“Viruses are so efficient,” says Dr. Robert Kratzke, a professor of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation at the University of Minnesota. “You can put a ratio, like 1-to-1, virus-to-cells in a petri dish, and every single cell is hit 84

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with a virus.” It is this efficiency which has helped the oncolytic virus therapy movement grow significantly during the last two decades.

Oncolytic viruses infect a tumor cell and make copies of itself until the tumor cell ruptures. The ruptured cell then releases materials, like tumor antigens, which allows the immune system to recognize Not all viruses are created equal, but some, the cancer. “We all know from our own called oncolytic viruses, can infect and practical experience that viruses are kill tumors. According to the National brutally efficient at translating colds Cancer Institute, some oncolytic viruses and diseases and the like, so the superb work in part by “triggering an immune efficiency at infecting cells was very response in the body against cancer.” attractive,” says Kratzke.

Today, viruses are firmly established as a potential option to enhance and mediate immunotherapy.

and spread [...] to other places or throughout the body and kill cancer cells there.”

Another virus—vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)— has also shown promising results for Kratzke and his team. According to Kratzke, “[VSV] can infect Although oncolytic virus therapy treatment appears humans, but people don’t get sick from it, and most to be an innovation of the current century, its study of us have not been exposed to it.” Unlike other is nothing new. Since the late-1800s, doctors have viruses, the lack of major side effects with VSV recognized cancer remission in some patients after is particularly enticing for researchers. “We’ve had to overcome some of the reflexive fear about receiving a viral infection. “Early case reports emphasized regression of cancers during naturally using a virus and possible disease that the virus acquired virus infections, providing the basis for could cause,” he says. clinical trials where body fluids containing human or animal viruses were used to transmit infections After using an oncolytic virus for treatment, doctors expect to administer immunotherapy drugs like to cancer patients,” says Elizabeth Kelly and Opdivo or Keytruda because of the immune response Stephen J. Russell of the Mayo Clinic College of generated by the virus killing the cancer cells. “A Medicine in a report for the journal Molecular lot of cancer-related proteins are exposed to the Therapy. “Most often the viruses were arrested by the host immune system and failed to impact bloodstream, and so the body can now mount an tumor growth, but sometimes, in immunosuppressed immune response to that, and the Opdivo or patients, infection persisted, and tumors regressed.” Keytruda accentuates that reaction,” says Kratzke.

It was not until the 1990s, with advancements in genetic-engineering technology, that the science of oncolytic virus therapy progressed. Dr. Matthias Gromeier of the Duke Cancer Institute told the National Cancer Institute another shift occurred around 2005 with the advancement of immunotherapy. “Today, viruses are firmly established as a potential option to enhance and mediate immunotherapy,” Gromeier says. As of 2019, only one oncolytic virus (a genetically modified form of the herpes virus) has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of melanoma.

However, receiving separate funding for a trial specifically geared toward mesothelioma has not been easy. “I think we need to demonstrate in mesothelioma patients who have already had conventional chemotherapy, which [...] doesn’t work that well, that [viral therapy] works, and that’s just the next step,” Kratzke says. All of the necessary steps to acquire funding for a trial— from understanding the doses, to safely acquiring the virus, to obtaining the clinical data—is all in place. Kratzke has applied for funding, but whether that funding will come through for him and his team remains to be seen.

While acquiring FDA approval may be slow, many researchers across the country are still initiating or seeking funding for their clinical trials for oncolytic virus therapy. Kratzke has partnered with Dr. Russell at the Mayo Clinic on a study examining a weakened strain of the measles virus against multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood.

I might be wrong, but maybe in five or 10 years, the virus therapy shelf in the oncology pharmacy in the clinic will be there.

Russell believed mesothelioma, which is an area of expertise for Kratzke, would be an ideal cancer to test as well during the multiple myeloma study, because the measles virus can get injected into the pleural space of one’s body. “The measles virus can get in, and it infects […] the mesothelioma cells and kills them,” says Kratzke. “And it can replicate in the host, in the patient, or the lab animal,

In the meantime, Kratzke and many others continue to advocate for oncolytic virus therapy as the future of cancer treatment. Soon, the idea of receiving viruses to treat cancer won’t seem so worrisome to non-researchers. “I might be wrong, but maybe in five or 10 years, the virus therapy shelf in the oncology pharmacy in the clinic will be there,” Kratzke offers. “They’ll just say, ‘OK, this is where we keep our chemo drugs, this is where we keep our immunotherapy drugs, and this is where we keep our viruses.’”

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88 Milliner Magic 94 Crowns of Courage

illiner M MAGIC

Photos by Stephanie Jensen

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Cancer Wellness visited three of Chicago’s finest milliners who provide the cancer community and beyond with fashionable alternatives to scarves or wigs.

Meet the Models Jennifer McGregor, a skin cancer survivor and a board member of the Melanoma Research Foundation in Chicago, runs a consulting practice incorporating her background in real estate and design. She models here with her partner, Nandan Shah, the founder and managing partner of Mauka Capital.

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Hand-beaded oversized berets, $375-$425, Loreta Corsetti

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“Mesa� fedora, sized to order, $345, Tonya Gross Millinery

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“Damien� driving cap in navy and hunter green, $70, Tonya Gross Millinery

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Tucked brown fleece, corduroy, and tweed cap, $75, Logan

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crowns of

courage Photos by Dave Burgess

The women of Crowns of Courage are living art.

Created in the fall of 2016 by photographer Dave Burgess with henna artists Amanda Gilbert and Steve Stone, Crowns of Courage challenges traditional beauty standards by highlighting what one might hide beneath hats, scarves, and wigs: hair loss due to side effects from chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. Pictured here are five of these fighters—embracing their baldness and celebrating their will, strength, and beauty. The project was displayed at ArtPrize 9 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Alexandria Yonkman was only 23 when she was diagnosed with stage III monophasic synovial sarcoma. Today, Alexandria enjoys spending time with her boyfriend and their three children.

“Today I can say I’m cancer-free, and I have my life back,” she says.

Mindy Koert, 34, is a survivor of stage III breast cancer. She wears her crown with pride, because, as she says, “Strangely, this trial has brought me more growth and joy than any other struggle in my life.”

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After nearly four years battling brain cancer, Tessa Prothero passed away in June 2017 at the age of nine. She loved to dance, sing, and spend time with friends and family. According to Crowns of Courage, “[Tessa] was wise beyond her years and had a love of life like no other.�

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Lisa Parmesang, 49, was diagnosed with uterine cancer after doctors found a tumor during hysterectomy surgery. About Crowns of Courage she says, “A great thank you [...] for giving women back what seemed lost. Their beauty, their joy, their optimism… and some peace.”

Lizz Grams was diagnosed with aggressive and rare synovial sarcoma when she was 35-weeks pregnant. Her son was delivered at 36 weeks, and is now two years old. Lizz passed away in July 2018.

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Donia Robertson, 38, was a model before she was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in early 2017. “I’m just grateful I’m still living and here to share my story,” Donia says.

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cancer and the

ENVIRONMENT 102 The Hemp Revival | 104 There’s Something in the Water

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Industrial hemp provides an all-natural, chemical-free alternative to countless materials. Could it help build a more cancer-free future?

the

hemp

revival

By Ali Cassity

I

ndustrial hemp is green in more ways than one. and available in stores now,” Hutchinson says. “The first The plant—which can be manufactured into thing I asked was ‘Why can’t we produce the things I can materials replacing plastics, textiles, building buy in a store right now? Why does it all have to be imported?’” materials, and even paper—is more than just eco-friendly. Hemp, a non-psychoactive form Inspired by hemp’s success both historically and in states of the cannabis plant, may lead the way to a more sustainable that have legalized its cultivation, Hutchinson pushed her and less carcinogenic future. Nearly 40 states have legalized initiative forward, though it took three sessions for the its cultivation for research or commercial purposes. For individuals proposal to succeed. concerned about exposure to possibly toxic chemicals, this unassuming plant may offer an ideal solution as an all-natural “[Hemp is] a product that is long overdue here in Illinois, and chemical-free replacement for products with question- where we have some of the best farmland in the country,” able ingredients. she says.

Hemp’s history as an industrial material dates back at least 5,000 years. In the United States, hemp cultivation was crucial to British colonists who harvested hemp for textiles, paper, and other materials like rigging, sails, and rope. Hemp farming remained widespread throughout the United States until the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937—the first federal prohibitory measure against cannabis—spurred its decline by taxing physicians and pharmacists for prescribing or selling cannabis products. Those who did not pay were subject to arrest. The act is often considered the start of the cannabis-prohibition movement and subsequent “War on Drugs,” which disproportionately targeted non-white Americans. Today, many lawmakers and activists are fighting to revive the hemp industry, among them Illinois State Senator Toi Hutchinson.

In 2017, Hutchinson proposed the bill that became the Industrial Hemp Act. She felt inspired by the prevalence of hemp in today’s marketplace—from food items to industrial materials—and the rich, Illinois farmland she saw not reaching its full potential.

“We’re at a stage in the country where people realize what George Washington realized—that the hemp plant is pretty amazing. There are so many hemp products that are legal

Hemp could be a renewable solution to heal damaged environments and fight climate change.

Hemp’s health benefits and environmental impact develop as soon as the plant breaks through the soil. Deep roots allow the plant to access water and nutrients other plants may not reach, which rejuvenates the soil for off-season crops. Hemp’s roots also remove harmful toxins (including heavy metals) from the soil, protecting underground water stores. Even hemp waste heals its environment when made into valuable “biochar,” a form of charcoal that improves soil fertility by increasing water and nutrient retention. With such useful anti-pollution properties, hemp could be a renewable solution to heal damaged environments and fight climate change.

“Hemp can be dialed into the needs of the soil. It gives us a whole crop utilization which provides soil amendment, prevents runoff, and creates a closed loop system,” says Joy Beckerman, principal industrial hemp specialist at Hemp

Ace Technologies. “We like to say that there are no byproducts, only coproducts.”

High indoor air quality makes hempcrete homes safe for those with allergies or breathing conditions, Beckerman says.

Because hempcrete is nontoxic and free of carcinogens, residents have a lower risk of exposing themselves to harmful substances in everyday life and from property damage, which can release hazardous materials into the air. Senator Hutchinson says this issue became clear to her after witnessing firsthand the fallout from California wildfires. Watching ash fall like snow, she noticed a lack of conversation about the dangers of building materials.

Perhaps the most important environmental impact is hemp’s propensity for carbon sequestration, a process which absorbs CO2 from the soil. Environmentalists use carbon sequestration to combat the dangerous accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In a 2011 Australian study, James Vosper found one ton of harvested hemp stem represented 1.63 tons of absorbed CO2. For Hutchinson, the numerous benefits to both industry and environmentalism offer a healthier future for her home state.

“It’s not just property damage that individuals and families face; all the various plastics, synthetics, and processed materials in buildings leach into the soil. A product like Environmental sustainability is hempcrete opens up an incredible opportunity for new not incompatible with economic industries, new clean jobs, and new sustainable building development and business projects that we haven’t even begun to think about,” she says.

development. This is an exciting new time.

“[Hemp] is wonderful for the soil, it reduces carbon footprints, and it aids in organic farming. As a natural herbicide, it reduces the number of chemicals farmers need to use. In terms of industrial potential, it’s sustainable and 100 percent biodegradable,” adds Hutchinson. “To me, it was a no-brainer from an environmental, common sense, and economic standpoint.”

One of hemp’s most promising products is hempcrete, an insulation made of hemp and lime pioneered by companies like Hemp Ace Technologies, who built the nation’s first hempcrete home in North Carolina. Hempcrete offers a nontoxic alternative to standard types of home insulation, including pink fiberglass insulation, polyurethane foam spray, and rigid foam boards. These options often contain dangerous chemicals such as flame retardants and formaldehyde, which have been found to cause endocrine disruption, neurological damage, and cancer.

With the Industrial Hemp Act establishing a legal framework for Illinois hemp farmers, Hutchinson says she hopes to see an energized change. Hemp has the potential to galvanize communities, creating new jobs and bolstering the economy. To make a real difference, Hutchinson says she will stand firm for criminal justice reform and equitable asset distribution to communities of color, who have historically been disparately impacted by cannabis legislation. State Senator Heather Steans and State Representative Kelly Cassidy share this commitment to Illinois citizens while creating a new industry for the state. Steans and Cassidy are currently sponsoring a bill to legalize marijuana— another potential cash source for the state—which they plan on revising and reintroducing in the General Assembly’s next regular session.

There’s a whole world of possibility opening up, and I hope the sky’s the limit.

“Environmental sustainability is not incompatible with The Environmental Protection Agency has warned that economic development and business development. This is popular polyurethane foam spray varieties have the potential an exciting new time,” Hutchinson says. to off-gas, or release chemical gases back into the home.

Because hemp naturally purifies the air, Beckerman claims Until then, hempcrete offers a promising future for homehempcrete is an ideal material in homes. It can even support owners looking to reduce potential carcinogens in their spaces. a temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit without the use of While the product is only available for on-site building heating or air conditioning units, making homes more projects, Hemp Ace Technologies is working towards preenergy efficient. fabricated panels. In the meantime, hemp farming continues to prosper, bolstering an industry which could deliver radical “The air immediately feels clean when you step into a improvements to climate and personal health. hempcrete house. There’s a natural smell and feel in the air.

Mold and pests cannot live in hempcrete, and the material’s “I hope this is part of a sustainable, green-energy way of vapor permeability helps regulate humidity and moisture,” looking at the industry,” Hutchinson says. “There’s a says Beckerman. whole world of possibility opening up, and I hope the sky’s the limit.”

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there’s something in the Unprecedented levels of lead toxicity in Chicago’s water supply can lead to numerous health ailments, including cancer.

By Britt Julious Lake Michigan is not only a source of beautiful sight lines According to the American Cancer Society, lead poisoning and the country’s third coast, it is also home to one of the in children can lead to lower intelligence, stunted growth, most massive bodies of clean water in the country. However, impaired hearing, and behavioral and learning problems. The an underlying and potentially hazardous chemical lingering link between lead in cancer, however, is less apparent, though in Chicago’s poor water main infrastructure threatens to it is still significant enough for the American Cancer Society contaminate our freshest natural resource before it even to report that “several studies in lab animals have found reaches our homes: lead. that exposure to lead compounds by swallowing or other means can cause cancer.” The ACS has also reported that Lead is a bluish-gray metal found in the earth’s crust as well “kidney tumors have been linked with lead most strongly, as plants, animals, air, water, and soil. Uses for lead include but tumors of the brain, lung, and some other organs have piping, plumbing, construction materials, and lead-acid also been linked to lead in different studies.” Overall, it is batteries. The Environmental Protection Agency and the difficult to determine lead’s ability to specifically cause U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say lead cancer due in large part to the fact that it can derive from a is unsafe at any level. variety of different sources. However, the inconclusiveness of these results do not mitigate the risk factors from lead exposure.

As of 2019, Chicago has more lead service lines than any other U.S. city.

Lead contamination in Chicago far surpasses numerous other cities of considerable size. Up until 1986, when Congress banned the use of lead service lines, the city of Chicago continued to build with lead service lines between street mains and homes even as other cities stopped using them The substance can cause some different health ailments, with for construction projects. As of 2019, Chicago has more its most toxic effects altering the brain and the nervous system. lead service lines than any other U.S. city.

Lead has been linked to heart disease and kidney failure, as well as bone marrow damage, reproductive problems, and Despite Chicago‘s attempts to negative digestive symptoms including nausea, constipation, improve the city’s water system, and stomach cramps. According to the American Cancer Society, high levels of lead can also cause headaches and our water has become more, problems with mood, thinking, and memory, as well as not less, contaminated. tremors or weakness in one’s fingers, wrist, or ankles.

Lead is even more dangerous in young children. Children Unlike other parts of the country, Chicago receives its water under the age of six are considered most vulnerable to the from Lake Michigan and it is usually lead-free after leaving negative impacts of lead since their bodies are still developing. the city’s treatment plants. However, Chicago’s water can 104

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get contaminated while passing through the numerous service lines and internal plumbing systems made of lead piping. According to the Chicago Tribune, lead service lines typically contribute to 50 to 75 percent of lead in drinking water when present. Levels of contamination depend on the time of the day, the amount of water usage, and the length of one’s service line. However, recent testing found lead-contaminated water in at least one home in all 77 of Chicago’s community areas. Additionally, last spring, the Chicago Park District shut off 550 water fountains due to levels of lead in drinking water. Federal guidelines, unfortunately, do not require testing in daycare centers, schools, or parks unless water comes from independent water systems like wells.

An analysis from the Chicago Tribune found lead in water drawn from nearly 70 percent of the 2,797 homes tested using the city of Chicago’s free water testing kits during the last two years.

Despite Chicago‘s attempts to improve the city’s water system, our water has become more, not less, contaminated.

New cast iron piping installed as part of a more extensive, city-wide water main update has dramatically increased the chances of otherwise clean water being infected by the time it reaches a home, especially if water has been stagnating in service lines for several hours, reports the Chicago Tribune.

Moreover, street work—which frequently dominates the spring, summer, and fall seasons in the city—often shakes loose any protective coating lining lead pipes, creating a direct form of contamination.

An analysis from the Chicago Tribune found lead in water drawn from nearly 70 percent of the 2,797 homes tested using the city of Chicago’s free water testing kits during the last two years. Additionally, tap water in three out of every ten homes sampled had lead concentrations above 5 ppb (parts per billion), the maximum allowed in bottled water by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In childcare facilities tested by the Environmental Defense Fund, seven of the 11 facilities had at least one drinking water sample over the organization’s benchmark of 3.8 ppb of lead.

Despite these results, the city of Chicago is still considered in compliance with federal water quality regulations.

According to the Chicago Tribune, utilities comply as long as 90 percent of the homes tested have lead levels below 15 ppb, a standard the EPA set nearly three decades ago. To meet the testing minimum, Chicago must test every three years in 50 homes, providing a limited, at best, representation of the city’s levels of lead.

The easiest way for consumers to determine water contamination is to test it in their own home. Chicago offers free testing kits by request. Citizens can also access the city’s lead testing website where they can see the results of previously tested water samples in their neighborhood.

However, this initial step does not address the next steps if lead contamination is detected.

The easiest way for consumers to determine water contamination is to test it in their own home.

Organizations like the EPA recommend using a water filtration system as the first line of defense against lead.

NSF International provides a consumer guide online for the best devices to remove lead. Although there are not many options, there are affordable water pitchers which can filter out the majority of the lead in one’s water. Consumers should look for an NSF-certification when purchasing their filters.

However, using a water filtration system in one’s home only provides a temporary solution to the larger systemic problem of lead contamination. The best solution would entail the city replacing lead service lining. According to The Associated Press, no city in America has more lead service lines than Chicago. Reports from the AP and WBEZ indicate the cost to replace each lead service line ranges from $2,500 – $10,000, with nearly 380,000 service lines impacted.

However, according to the Chicago Tribune, the Mayor’s office has said it is up to the homeowners, not the city, to decide if it is worth replacing the lead pipes at the homeowner’s expense.

Another solution includes adding orthophosphate to Chicago’s water to create a protective coating inside the pipes, preventing lead from entering the water. However, according to Marc Edwards, an environmental engineer from Virginia Tech, Chicago doesn’t add enough orthophosphate to its water to make a sizeable difference. Flint, Michigan, which has made international headlines for their lead contamination, treats its pipes with nearly six times as much orthophosphate as Chicago, reports WBEZ. Once Mayor Rahm Emanuel steps down from office this year, whoever wins Chicago’s mayoral election must address the city’s lead contamination problem. It should not be up to the citizens of the city to monitor contamination—the city’s government should address the issue through the commercial implementation of new city service projects.

Our lives could depend on it.

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the supporter

TRACY ROSENSTIEHL As told to Britt Julious

In 1995, my mother was diagnosed with small-cell carcinoma of the lung.

Later, I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I had a major crisis that led to the understanding that I was going to live on medication for the rest of my life unless I made radical changes in lifestyle. I hadn’t been to a gym in 20 years, but I did like the idea of being outdoors. I thought, what if I attempted to run?

I look at Dec. 6, 2011, like a rebirth. That night, I figured out that running will be my life’s sport and that I’ll always work on my best fitness with the goal of being able to run. By running, I could elevate my story.

I just started walking outdoors, and that led to actually attempting to run. There’s so much nuance to running. It transcends age, gender, ethnicity, and race. I love the idea that there aren’t walls [or] barriers. [Running] is a platform to be able to present things I’m passionate about, to fundraise, to really engage [with people], and to bring awareness.

In March of 2015, my dad [...] had surgery to completely remove blocked lungs full of fluid, and that fluid tested positive for mesothelioma. By the time he passed away, I was sick from being his caretaker. It was a powerful [and] overwhelming experience.

While filling out thank you cards with my brother and sister, I got an email saying they had 10 openings for the London marathon. I had told both of my parents that I intend to travel the world, and I’ll do that by being a runner. That email was divine intervention. I think my mom and dad brokered a deal with God. I looked at my siblings and I said, “I just got my first email from heaven. I’m going to raise $5,000, and I’m going to travel outside of North America for the first time in my life.” And I was able to do that. I have now raised more than $50,000 to support the mission of the American Cancer Society. I’ve also fundraised for St. Jude, my dad’s charity of choice.

To read Tracy’s entire story, visit cancerwellness.com Photo by Danielle Scruggs

I spent a lot of years in a cubicle, and [running] is kind of busting out of the cubicle. We’re going to go beyond the bounds of a box and do great things.

Excellence puts patients first.

Excellence equals many things at Rush.

One that matters most is patient satisfaction: doing right by the people we serve. Every day, we seek patient feedback — and act on it.

We’re proud that our patient satisfaction scores consistently place Rush doctors at hospitals in Aurora, Oak Park and Chicago among the top in the nation.

To find a Rush cancer doctor or to learn more, visit rush.edu/cancer or call (312) CANCER-1.

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