Cancer Wellness Magazine: The Movement Issue with Sara Quiriconi (Spring 2022) by cancerwellness

SPRING 2022

LIVING FREE

SARA QUIRICONI REDEFINES “CANCER-FREE” DO LESS WHY REST IS VITAL FOR RECOVERY

SAFE TRAVELS TIPS FOR HEALTHY TRAVEL DURING COVID-19

US $10.00

CONFERENCES Educational conferences on cancer-related topics including: � Understanding your health insurance options � Managing medical bills � How to get help working through treatment or taking time oﬀ � Applying for disability insurance � Accessing ﬁnancial help � Estate planning � ...and more!

WEBINARS Free educational webinars on practical topics, such as work, school, insurance, advocacy, caregiving, ﬁnances, exercise, and nutrition. Open to everyone!

Open to everyone! Free registration, gift bags, & prizes! *Free contact hours/CEs/PDCs for nurses, social workers, board certiﬁed patient advocates, & HR professionals.

TriageCancer.org/Conferences

TriageCancer.org/Webinars

Triage Cancer is a national, nonproﬁt organization that provides free education on the legal and practical issues that may impact individuals diagnosed with cancer and their caregivers, through events, materials, and resources.

MINDFULNESS IN MOTION

Photos provided by subjects in magazine

pring has arrived and with it comes warmer weather, more time in the sun and maybe even some traveling. In our spring issue, we highlight the ones dedicating their skills and wisdom to promoting healthy living and growth for cancer warriors and thrivers everywhere, as well as tips for travel and wellness on the go. Some of the inspirational organizations in this issue include Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, a nonprofit committed to making exercise the standard for patient care in a free and accessible way (p. 36), and Fight Through Flights, an organization empowering and supporting Black women with breast cancer by arranging free wellness retreats, staycations and health and nutrition resources (p. 55). As spring opens the possibility to travel more, Liz Tuckwell (p. 27) reminds us that wellness lies within no matter where we are, and we must take time to energize and recharge—something that’s essential every day. You can also reconnect with nature and book a trip to go forest bathing, as Sheryl Nance-Nash takes you on a journey exploring the best spots to immerse yourself in the healing power of trees (p. 28). We are also excited to feature an article all about you—our readers!—on the topic of cancer portrayal in the media (p. 50). It’s imperative to have these conversations with the people who are living with cancer day to day, and we are so grateful that we can help contribute to the discourse within the cancer community. Spring is the season of renewed growth and healing. I hope that our spring issue brings you all peace, love and the chance to flourish. Natalia Espinosa, Editor-in-Chief nespinosa@cancerwellness.com

Cancer Wellness

SPRING 2022 40

LEARNING TO LIVE FREE

CW ONLINE

CW AGENDA

NUTRITION 16

A SPRING AWAKENING These easy but flavorful recipes have all the fixings for a bountiful spring.

MIND & BODY

BEAUTY 30

SOLE + LUNA From reiki and facials to massages and meditation, Sole + Luna offers warriors an array of holistic wellness services.

FASHION 34

YOU GLOW, GIRL! Bright and comfy activewear for all stages of cancer treatment.

THE IMPORTANCE OF REST From mental health to physical well-being, taking care includes taking a break.

TAKING IN THE TREES Seek some solace within the trees through forest bathing.

AROUND THE WORLD 34

THROUGH GRACE Families with a member going through cancer can get a little R&R thanks to one nonprofit providing beach vacations.

ENTERTAINMENT 50

THE BIG C ON THE BIG SCREEN Check out the cancer community’s perspective on the portrayal of cancer in movies and television.

INNOVATIONS 52

THE FUTURE OF CANCER CARE From mental health management to palliative care assessment, augmented intelligence is helping shape the future of cancer.

TRAVEL 55

FIGHT AND FLIGHT Esther and Alicia Tambe have a mission to empower and support Black women with breast cancer through their travel-based organization Fight Through Flights. Cancer Wellness

CAYLEI VOGELZANG Founder NATALIA ESPINOSA Editor-in-Chief + Creative Director FEATURES Senior Editor TAYLOR NOVAK Editor-at-Large MIRELA KOPIER Editorial Assistant FRANCESCA HALIKIAS SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST CATHERINE COYKENDALL CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MELISSA BERRY, LAKEN BROWNING, SAMANTHA DEVICTOR, ASHLEY DINGEL, MEGHAN KONKOL, JOANNA MORALES, SHERYL NANCE-NASH, WHITNEY REYNOLDS, LIZ TUCKWELL COVER PHOTOGRAPHER SYLVAIN VON K EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD NATALIE CRAIG, DENA DODD PERRY, SHIKHA JAIN, GAIL PRINS, GLEN STEVENS, MARIA TRIPODIS OPERATIONS MANAGER ISABEL GARCIA SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR JACK SAXE-STARAL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT ANTONIJA ROGIC

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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.

Cancer Wellness

“STAY AS POSITIVE AS YOU CAN. I KNOW EVERY DAY IS HARD AND NOT EVERY DAY IS GREAT, BUT IF YOU CAN STAY POSITIVE THE BEST THAT YOU CAN—THAT’S WHAT GOT ME THROUGH CANCER.”

#cW MANTRA

Photo provided by Tracee Cole

– Tracee Cole

Cancer Wellness

cW Online

WHAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED LET’S TALK ABOUT CERVICAL CANCER

CW PLAYLIST FLOW

Founded by a cervical cancer survivor, nonprofit organization Cervivor is smashing the stigma of the disease.

Whether you’re sitting and stretching or training for a 10K, Issue 14’s tracklist will give you extra pep in your step. To instantly access the playlist, open the Spotify app. Tap Search then the camera icon to scan Spotify code.

TRACKLIST • HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT – SEVYN STREETER • ON TO THE NEXT ONE – JAY-Z • BUSY EARNIN’ – JUNGLE • STRONGER – BRITNEY SPEARS • DANGER – ANJULIE • TRANSFORMER – DONNA MISSAL • REBEL YELL – BILLY IDOL

THROWBACK COMEBACKS

Some things never go out of style—especially comfort! Our recent Everyday Runway column highlights fashion must haves that offer a fresh take on relaxed vintage trends.

• BORN FOR THIS – PARAMORE • FITNESS – LIZZO • FEELING MYSELF – NICKI MINAJ • BOYS WANNA BE HER – PEACHES • THE DISTANCE – CAKE • MOTIVATION – NORMANI • PLAIN JANE – A$AP FERG • DNA. – KENDRICK LAMAR • THE NEW WORKOUT PLAN – KANYE WEST • WOMAN – KESHA • PHYSICAL – DUA LIPA • PRAY TO GOD (FT. HAIM) – CALVIN HARRIS • YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN – BILLIE EILISH • COME DOWN – ANDERSON .PAAK

Cancer Wellness

More stories at CancerWellness.com ON @CANCERWELLMAG, WE REFLECTED ON LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE CANCER JOURNEY.

The cW Agenda

ALL THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW WORKING TOGETHER

With the formation of a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Network by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), every cancer center in the U.S. must present a plan for enhancing diversity in faculty in order to maintain or receive NCI designation.

A REAL RESET

An Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center study found that melanoma immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab successfully treated advanced endometrial cancer warriors by “resetting” the body’s ability to fight.

A SAFE SHOT

Fox Chase Cancer Center has concluded that cancer warriors experience no additional side effects from mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

ANOTHER WAY

THE SWEET SMELL

A Mayo Clinic study found that a quarter of primary care physicians prefer recommending stool-based tests over colonoscopies to test for colorectal cancer. The less-invasive procedure has led to screening rates rising.

A smell receptor may also trigger breast cancer cells to metastasize through a pathway to the brain, bones and lungs. As research continues, there is potential to develop a preventative inhibitor that could prolong breast cancer warriors’ lives.

IN THE FAMILY

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

The University of Cambridge found that faulty BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes also play a role in increased prostate and pancreatic cancers in men. Genetic testing is highly recommended for cancer prevention.

INSIDE MY DNA

A head and neck cancer warrior has become the first person to undergo testing of a new personalized cancer vaccine. The clinical trial utilizes a customized vaccine tailored to the individual’s DNA.

Low-dose light therapy may accelerate the healing of radiation-damaged skin, according to a University at Buffalo study.

VEG OUT

An Oxford University study found that compared to regular meat-eaters, vegetarians have a 14 percent lower cancer risk. Pescatarians have a 10 percent reduced risk.

Cancer Wellness

American Lung Association Improves Lung Health Throughout South Florida

Upcoming Events

By Francesca Halikias “Locally, we provide residents with programs and

April 22

impacted by lung disease,” says Chrissy Cohen,

Las Olas Wine and Food Festival

the Executive Director of the American Lung

A culinary celebration that includes food

Association in South Florida. “Programs include

from over 40 local restaurants and sips

lung cancer awareness campaigns, ‘Better

of 150+ different wines. Use promo code:

Breathers Club’ support groups, Courage Kits for

CWCARES to receive $15 off per general

newly diagnosed lung cancer patients, a local

admission ticket. lasolaswff.com

resources to improve the quality of life for those

lung health speaker series ranging in topics from COVID-19 to pediatric asthma, and much more.”

May 8th - 14th

and that statistic does not take into consideration

LUNG FORCE Turquoise Takeover

COVID-19,” says Cohen. “The fundraising and

Lung cancer awareness initiative that

program success of our local efforts ensures a

encourages organizations to creatively

healthier, stronger community.” Events hosted

utilize the color turquoise throughout the

by the Lung Association are entertaining and

campaign. turquoisetakeoverchallenge.org

“One-third of our residents live with lung disease,

engaging and never lose sight of the mission at hand: to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. For more information about American Lung

June 4th LUNG FORCE Sunset Soiree An annual luxury lifestyle event with a variety

Association events, programs, and engagement

of entertaining components such as the

opportunities in South Florida, call 954-727-0907 or

Sip’n’ Shop Style Lounge, fashion show, silent

email Chrissy.Cohen@Lung.org. Like facebook.com/

auction and Dining in the Dark experience.

LungSoFla or follow on Instagram at @lungsofla.

lungforcesunsetsoiree.org

the warrior

ELYCE NEUHAUSER AS TOLD TO TAYLOR NOVAK

Photo provided by Rita Bitar

n 2019, I went in for a routine mammogram. I had problems with my breasts for years—there were many questionable lumps found. This time, they saw something. But I didn’t think anything of it. I didn’t feel that I needed to worry. But I went to my breast surgeon’s office and she said, ‘Elyce, you have breast cancer.’ It was shocking. Right away, it was MRIs and procedures and more biopsies. The whole thing was an emotional roller coaster and I ended up having a lumpectomy to determine that it was stage I. I was very fortunate. Several months later, I was cancer-free. That was wonderful, but it took an emotional toll on me. I needed support and I couldn’t find it. I’m a yoga teacher, so I looked online about breast cancer yoga, but the information wasn’t readily available. So, I started creating my own videos. I created this series of 10-minute videos of meditations, massages, movements. Around that time, I donated to a nonprofit organization, United We Om. It offers yoga and meditation to trauma-impacted and underserved communities. They called me and left me beautiful messages thanking me and talking about collaboration. All of a sudden, it clicked for me. I called them back and said, ‘I have an idea.’ They were so excited. We created a four-part series (diagnosis, before treatment, day of treatment, after treatment) called ‘Yoga for Breast Cancer Healing.’ It’s very simple but it is something that’s accessible for anybody at any point in their journey. After my lumpectomy, I was drained, wrecked and kind of frightened. From my humble perspective and point of view, women need support. It’s about self-care and listening, breathing and healing. And knowing that there’s somebody else supporting you. It’s an offering for anybody that’s going through this very traumatic and life-altering experience—it’s a heart to hold them. When I was first diagnosed, somebody said to me, ‘This will just be a blip on your radar.’ But I don’t want it to be that. Cancer was a profound moment in my life, not a blip, and I want to do something with it. How can I use my experience to benefit someone else? If I can I use my wisdom from the experience to help someone, even if it’s one person, I feel like it was worth it. It’s a catalyst. It’s like, because of that experience, how can I help? How can I serve?

Cancer Wellness

Fun in the Sun

Dermatologist Dr. Min Deng explains the importance of sunscreen as we approach the summer months, and how “Safe Sun Week” reminds people to protect their skin while beating the heat at the beach. BY FRANCESCA HALIKIAS

he annual “Safe Sun Week,” launched by MedStar Health, takes place annually during the week leading up to Memorial Day and serves as added awareness on how to safely protect your skin from cancer risks before the summer heat kicks in. “[Safe Sun Week] is typically in May because we want to catch people’s attention and drive awareness right before the summer months when school’s out and people start to go to the beach,” says Dr. Min Deng, a dermatologist affiliated with MedStar Health. “I think the goal is to drive that awareness [and] to remind everyone as they start making plans for the summer to protect themselves from the number one cancer: skin cancer, which is fully preventable.” While some people may not want to put on sunscreen on top of other facial products, Deng notes it’s now easier than ever to protect your skin from the damaging effects of UV rays with many facial products containing sunscreen. “Ideally, I prefer an SPF of 50 or higher,” explains Deng. “Multiple studies have shown that people only put on a quarter of the amount that they’re supposed to apply to get that true SPF value that’s advertised, so for that reason I usually recommend for my patients to go up to an SPF of 50.” Deng also recommends that you should look for at least SPF 30 in your daily moisturizer—that way, you can just put it on as part of your skincare routine. 12

Cancer Wellness

When it comes to the ingredients in the sunscreen you choose, Deng’s number one recommendation is sunscreen containing zinc oxide as the main ingredient, as it has the most broad-spectrum coverage. Her second choice would be titanium dioxide, followed by the chemical sunscreen ingredient avobenzone. Deng notes that while chemical sunscreens can be more cosmetically elegant, they aren’t as protective as options containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. “I know there’s been a lot of attention in the last two years about the absorption of the ingredients. A reason I don’t like them quite as much is because their coverage isn’t quite as broad-spectrum as zinc,” she says. “[There have also] been a lot of environmental concerns about coral reefs. For these reasons, I tend to steer my patients toward zinc oxide.” Ultimately, Deng says that something is better than nothing when it comes to sunscreen, and if you’re going to participate in summer activities outdoors, you should reapply every two hours, increasing to every hour if you’re in the water. “The most important reason why we emphasize sunscreen is that it’s there to prevent skin cancer. You won’t see it in a year, but once you accumulate that DNA damage, that just builds and builds, [and] it’s all added to the damage. We’re talking about skin cancer maybe 10 or 20 years down the road,” Deng says. “I would just encourage people to look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a formulation that allows them to wear it on a daily basis.”

Over the last 10 years, Twist Out Cancer has positively impacted more than 146,000 people around the world!

Join Twist Out Cancer as we Celebrate our 10 Year Anniversary with upcoming Brushes With Cancer programs and Twistshops!

Hosted by

“Virtual Twistshops” are wellness and art therapy focused workshops that promote healing, relaxation, and emotional recovery through creative based intervention.

Topics change each month. Led by professional facilitators! Open to all of those touched or affected by cancer.

All ages welcome!

• Every Thursday night at 6 p.m. Central, join us for our virtual Weekly Meditation Program with Dr. Ruth Mayer, a rabbi and clinical psychologist, and Lisa Kawalec, a mindfulness coach. • The Brushes With Cancer program in the Southern region will hold a hybrid event on Sunday, May 1, at Dripping Springs Distilling in Dripping Springs Texas. • Imerman Angels and Twist Out Cancer will host a virtual Twistshop on Wednesday, April 13 at 6:30 p.m. Music and Therapeutic Art Making with art therapist, Mignon Dupepe and musician, Noah Plotkin. • Living Beyond Breast Cancer and Twist Out Cancer will come together virtually on Tuesday, June 7 at 6 p.m. for a Twistshop, which will be facilitated by art therapist, Mignon Dupepe • The Brushes With Cancer program in the Midwest region will conclude on Saturday, November 12 with a hybrid celebratory event.

For details on all of these programs and so much more, please visit us at www.twistoutcancer.org and follow us on social media @twistoutcancer.

Mindful Movement

Nonprofit Moving For Life is curating therapeutic dance for cancer warriors. BY TAYLOR NOVAK

Cancer Wellness

Photo provided by Mary Woo

he word “movement” may seem straightforward “This becomes very important for cancer patients, but breaking down the actual practice can offer because as teachers learn where all the organs are in the a deeper look into the mind-body connection, body, they know about the function of these organs,” Eddy especially during the cancer journey. That’s why explains. Embodied physiology provides insight from an Moving For Life advocates for mindful moveoutward perspective on what movements a participant may ment as a means toward cancer prevention and recovery. especially benefit from or requires accommodations for. Through free and low-cost dance exercise classes, the “If someone has lost a body part, how has that affected nonprofit builds upon science-based research that therapeutic the tone of the musculature in that area?” Eddy continues. dance can improve quality of life, quicken recovery time and “If you’re not fully using your lungs and breathing, how reduce risk of recurrence. What originally began as a means does that impact your posture?” to address minimal resources for breast cancer exercise pro During the COVID-19 pandemic, programs for the grams has blossomed into a community hub where warriors New York-headquartered organization shifted to virtual. of all cancer types and backgrounds engage in reconnecting Eddy says this shift allowed for even better observation of with their bodies through somatic movement. participants than before. “You can pin someone and really Somatic movement consists of gentle look at their movement very carefully and movement as an intentional and liberating spotlight them in a way,” she explains. act. Rather than focusing on the outer result Online classes have allowed for a broader of a movement, you zone in on the internal reach and greater community building, “How you carry events occurring with every step—breathing but that concept is nothing new for the your body is quickening, tension releasing, relief flooding. organization. Moving For Life prioritizes “We look at psychophysical compoinclusivity in its offerings, creating all of a reflection of nents. How you carry your body is a reflecits programming through an anti-racist, how you feel.” tion of how you feel, emotionally and attianti-ableist, body positive lens with bilintudinally. The body-mind connection is at gual class options. The nonprofit believes the heart of somatic movement, as well as everyone should be afforded the opporthe whole idea of being conscious of your tunity to access therapeutic movement to movements, paying attention to inner cues, becoming alert improve their quality of life. to any sensation,” explains Dr. Martha Eddy, an exercise “I watched my mother fade away [from colon cancer],” physiologist and registered somatic movement therapist Eddy shares. “Before she died, I asked her, ‘If you could (RSMT) who is one of the co-founders of Moving For Life. do anything, what would you want to do?’ And she said, The organization’s approach to its programming starts ‘Dance and travel.’ So, I’m very proud to have this dance with a symptom analysis. Common side effects experienced program for cancer survivors and cancer patients.” throughout the cancer journey such as numbness, loss of range of motion, fatigue, dizziness or body image are Learn more at movingforlife.org. addressed when Eddy and the rest of the team plan classes. Eddy also has the helpful advantage of a dance background, so she’s often the creative brain behind designing the choreography of the programs to ensure they’re not only effective in treating symptoms, but engaging and inclusive, too. “I put these movements into a routine and make it fun, and do these movements in a joyous way,” she says. “We are community-minded which you see in our cultural sensitivity and language sensitivity approach. We are really focused on bringing a positive energy—a positive mindset— and shifting attitudes and relieving stress and tension.” This approach is entrenched in Moving For Life’s rigorous training programs for its instructors. Moreover, about a quarter of its nearly 50 instructors are cancer warriors. Training consists of educational modules that begin with infant neuromotor skills and work up to what Eddy deems “embodied physiology.”

A Crucial Component of Cancer Tr e atm ent Through physical therapy treatments and educational videos, cancer rehabilitation specialist Dr. Leslie Waltke, PT, DPT helps individuals at all phases of recovery. BY MEGHAN KONKOL

Photo provided by Dr. Leslie Waltke, PT, DPT

“E

xercise like your life depends on it, because it does,” advises Dr. Leslie Waltke, PT, DPT. As a physical therapist specializing in cancer rehabilitation, Waltke helps instill this mindset among people during and after cancer treatment to help them lead active, fulfilling lives through cancer treatment and beyond. Based in southeastern Wisconsin, Waltke worked as a physical therapist for many years before venturing into the world of oncology. Her specialization started as a personal story, witnessing a loved one go through cancer. This new perspective shed light on a number of challenges that come along with cancer treatment and survivorship, many of which caught her attention as a physical therapist: weakness, fatigue, balance and mobility issues. She also noticed cancer survivors often felt lost and like they had to fend for themselves with physical recovery. “There is this underlying assumption: ‘I’ve had cancer, I’ve had chemo, I’ve had surgery—so I’m supposed to be miserable. I’ll never be the same,’” she says. “It is not true at all.” Waltke completed additional physical therapy training to learn more about the specific issues individuals face during and after oncology interventions. She started providing specialized oncology physical therapy in private practice in the late 1990s, and in 2005 she joined Aurora Health Care to help build cancer rehabilitation programs in Wisconsin. Waltke also teaches and lectures worldwide. In September 2018, friend and business advisor Linda Neff inspired Waltke to expand to a new platform. She accepted Neff’s proposal to make 30 educational online videos in 30 days, covering rehabilitation as well as general cancer information. From the beginning, Waltke knew that cancer patients often feel like they’re “getting information from a firehose,” with endless lists of medications, specialty doctors and acronyms that can be difficult to understand. When starting her video series, aptly named “The Recovery Room,” she aimed to break down key concepts in an entertaining and approachable way to empower and inform people at all stages of the cancer journey.

By the end of the 30-day challenge, she had several hundred viewers. Her work resonated with the cancer community in a new way. “People wanted more, and the comments kept coming,” she says. She knew she couldn’t stop there, and “The Recovery Room” YouTube channel now has dozens of videos and over 1,000 subscribers, while the Facebook page has nearly 15,000 followers and 1.25 million views. Recordings include exercise demonstrations, explanations of issues such as fatigue and lymphedema, insights on the psychological impacts of cancer and information about various oncology procedures and treatments. Waltke explains that through treating patients, educating the health care community and sharing videos, her mission is to “alleviate unnecessary suffering” that comes along with cancer. Waltke is dedicated to changing the oncology landscape to involve physical therapy as soon as possible after a cancer diagnosis. She explains that health care providers are often siloed into their own specialties, and the role of physical therapy isn’t always well understood by oncology teams. In a similar vein, she says, many physical therapists don’t have specialized training in cancer rehabilitation. She hopes this gap can close so that more providers will incorporate physical therapy for all stages of the cancer experience. While dedicating time to rest is essential, Waltke stresses that individuals should strive to maintain some level of activity appropriate to their situation. Her motivating videos in “The Recovery Room” encourage safe and effective movements to practice throughout various stages of treatment and recovery. Over the years, Waltke has seen that her audience appreciates that her videos are “fun, honest and accurate.” Given the continued popularity of her videos, in November 2021 Waltke launched “Recovery Room Plus,” a subscription-based service providing live virtual events, talks from medical experts, a resource library and a member community component. According to Waltke, it’s never too late to start physical therapy—even decades after a diagnosis. She is adamant that many challenges in the cancer experience can be minimized through physical therapy. With an estimated 17 million cancer survivors in the United States, she says, “We won’t stop until cancer stops.” To view “The Recovery Room” videos, visit facebook.com/lesliewaltkept.

Cancer Wellness

spring awakening These easy but flavorful recipes have all the fixings for a bountiful spring. BY LAKEN BROWNING

CUCUMBER SALAD

2 Persian cucumbers, diced 1 small shallot, finely diced 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon honey 1/2 tablespoon chili oil (adjust for spice level)

PREPARATION: 1. Dice cucumbers into bite-sized pieces and set aside in a small bowl 2. In a separate bowl, combine all remain ing ingredients. Mix thoroughly. 3. Once combined, pour mix on top of cucumbers and allow to marinade. Let sit for a minimum of 15 minutes. 4. Once marinated, pair with salmon or any other Asian-inspired dish! NOTE: This salad stays fresh in the fridge for 2–3 days when kept in an airtight container. 16

Cancer Wellness

Laken is a marketing freelancer and fitness instructor, with a passion for health and wellness. A bulk of her professional experience is in the CPG and Food + Beverage space. As an outgoing people person, she thrives on building communities and fostering genuine connections—both online and IRL. When she is not teaching or working on a marketing project, you can find her in the kitchen cooking up a plant-based dish. As a mostly vegan eater, she loves experimenting with new recipes and shares them via her food Instagram page, Laken Makes (@lakenmakes).

Photo provided by Laken Browning

Yield: 2 servings

Cancer Wellness

HONEY SRIRACHA SALMON

CREAMY GREEN TAHINI SAUCE

Yield: 2 large or 4 small

Yield: 1 cup of sauce

6–8 ounces fresh salmon (if frozen, thaw thoroughly prior to prep) 3 tablespoons liquid aminos or soy sauce 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon sriracha 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled ⁣ 2 heaping cups of raw spinach 1/4 cup tahini ⁣ 1/4 cup olive oil ⁣ Juice of 1 lemon ⁣ Kosher salt to taste Pepper to taste

PREPARATION: 1. Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until the mixture reaches a thick, saucy consistency. 2. Can be served cold, atop salads and bowls or as a veggie dip. 3. It can also be served hot, as pictured. To serve hot, add sauce to a pan. Heat on medium until bubbles begin to appear. 4. For a thicker sauce, add a bit of cornstarch. To thin, add water.

PREPARATION:

1. Place unwrapped salmon in a shallow dish and set aside. 2. In a bowl, combine all ingredients except for salmon; mix thoroughly. 3. Once combined, pour marinade mixture on top of salmon. Marinate in fridge for 15–30 minutes. 4. After marinating, remove from fridge. Bring an oiled large skillet or cast-iron skillet to high heat. 5. Once heated, place salmon in skillet and cook until internal temperature reaches 145 F. 6. Remove from heat and enjoy! This salmon is delicious on a bed of rice, paired with cucumber salad and a side of kimchi.

RASPBERRY LEMON KOMBUCHA MOCKTAIL Yield: 1 drink 4–5 raspberries (plus more for garnish) 1/2 teaspoon honey Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 1/2 ounces of lemon ginger kombucha or replace with your favorite flavor) 3–4 dashes of orange bitters Sparkling water

PREPARATION:

1. In a glass, muddle raspberries. Then, add in honey and lemon. Stir. 2. Once combined, top with kombucha and bitters. 3. Fill the glass with ice, then top with sparkling water. 4. Add optional raspberry garnish, and enjoy! Cancer Wellness

Plant-Based Diets and Cancer: What's the Connection? Dr. Thomas Campbell, co-author of “The China Study” and assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, gives insight on the benefits of a plant-based diet for your overall health, as well as the possible benefits it can have on fighting cancer.

BY FRANCESCA HALIKIAS

hile going on a plant-based diet can be considered environmentally conscious or good for weight loss, there are many health benefits to consuming plants and unrefined sugars as the main part of your diet. Plantbased diets contain more phytochemicals, which are anti-inflammatory and can protect cells from damage. A plant-based diet also means you’re probably eating more fiber, and, according to studies from the Mayo Clinic, young women who ate the most fiber-rich diets were 25 percent less likely to get breast cancer later in life. It was also found that every 10 grams of daily fiber could lower the risk of colorectal cancer by 10 percent. “The benefits that I think [are] well established are the metabolic benefits and the weight benefits, and generally having a lot of other aspects of your health improved. Better blood sugar control, a healthier weight, better cholesterol and better insulin levels,” says Dr. Thomas Campbell, co-author of worldwide bestseller ”The China Study” and author of “The China Study Solution.” While all cancers affect people differently, a plantbased diet in some circumstances can help in terms of general metabolic health, healthier weight and health maintenance. Along the lines of metabolic health, Campbell says that “we now know that [a plant-based diet] has pretty significant metabolic benefits [...] it can lower cholesterol, it can lower insulin—it makes insulin work better, so insulin resistance improves. We’re finding more and more that insulin resistance seems to be a common problem across a lot of different illnesses, including cancer in some studies.” A plant-based diet can also reduce inflammation, Campbell notes. “If you’re talking about, for example, colorectal cancer, there is decent evidence that a

Cancer Wellness

western diet actually increases inflammation in the gut, and a healthier diet can reduce that. You can have a healthier weight and metabolism and change your hormones and growth factors.” All of those aspects are helpful in reducing your risk of cancer. The T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies is a nonprofit organization bringing awareness to the impact food has on the body through its science-based education, service and advocacy. Its website contains a plant-based recipe database that is accessible to everyone, as well as articles and resources for people who want to know more about the ways their diet impacts their health. Campbell and his father, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, published “The China Study” together, which looks at various environmental factors including nutritional factors and cancer rates. They found that a more plantbased intake was linked to better health outcomes. “We looked at research from people around the world who were studying nutrition and disease and finding much the same thing: That a dietary pattern of unprocessed foods rich in plants tended to be associated with better health outcomes. And not only was it associated with better health outcomes, but it was more powerful than people realized. People think of it in terms of wellness or prevention, but actually there’s a lot of research showing that some of the most effective treatment for some of our common illnesses—diabetes, heart disease—is actually food,” explains Campbell. Apart from the Center, Campbell is involved in a research pilot study looking at testing a whole foods plant-based diet in late-stage breast cancer that he predicts will be concluded sometime in 2022. For more information, visit nutritionstudies.org

WE’RE HERE TO HELP YOU.

Diagnosed With A Blood Cancer? We offer services and support for patients and families affected by leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, myeloma, myelodyplastic syndromes, and myeloproliferative neoplasm. • Educational Programs & Materials • Support Groups • Peer-to-Peer Support • Caregiver Support • Patient Financial Assistance Programs • Nutrition Services • Clinical Trial Nurse Navigators Patients and families can contact us at 800.955.4572 or go to www.LLS.org/patient-support.

D o L es s: T h e I m p o r ta n c e o f R est From mental health to physical well-being, taking care includes taking a break. BY ASHLEY DINGEL

Cancer Wellness

est is essential yet often underutilized in the full founder of Embodied Black Girl, a space for the embodied picture of fitness, health and happiness. Medical healing and liberation of Black women and women of color. researchers agree that downtime is key to optimal Cator suggests a different view on the purpose of rest, stating, well-being: move, rest, repeat. However, because “What we have to recognize is that rest is a form of rejuvenation we are not taught—or culturally encouraged—to rest, actufor our bodies. Rest is life. It’s a resource and it resources us.” ally doing so can pose a challenge. Many struggle with inter One key benefit, she explains, is an opportunity to be nal guilt or pressure to do something “productive,” as the fully in the moment: “Rest allows us to embody our life’s value of an activity is often narrowly measured by its relation purpose in a way where we are present to that purpose to productivity. Rest is not frivolous, nor must it be “earned;” and able to be present.” it is a necessity, a right and a deeply beneficial practice. However, there are very real challenges that get in the As any cancer warrior knows, rest is critical during way of resting. Caring for loved ones, going through treatactive treatment—and its importance extends to your workout ment, working one (or more!) jobs to make ends meet and routine, too. Simply put, rest supports the benefits of physical other real-world responsibilities create obstacles. “Rest is activity and brings us closer to the goal of health: feeling good. a privilege, when it shouldn’t be,” Cator says. Exercise improves fitness (defined as the state of Giving ourselves permission to rest can be a challenge, being physically healthy, which is subjective and different and there’s no shame in that. “It’s important to normalize for each individual’s capabilities and desires) through a that many of us have struggled with giving ourselves percycle of damage and repair. Physical activity creates metmission,” Cator says, “There’s nothing wrong with having abolic and mechanical stress, triggering regenerative prothat struggle. We live in racialized capitalism, where processes that lead to greater strength and endurance. When ductivity reigns supreme. It’s very individualistic.” we rest, our bodies can focus on repair. Cator goes on to explain that it’s understandable why As Dr. Jonathan M. Peake, researcher and lecturer at we’d struggle this way—but there’s hope. “We live in a Queensland University of Technology, states, “The general culture that doesn’t give us permission to rest,” she says. goals for post-exercise recovery are to restore homeosta“When we start to make the connection that this is not just sis, replace fuels and fluids, repair the body’s tissues and an individual problem—that it’s systemic and has broader rest.” Post-workout soreness—believed to be impacts on our culture—then we can stop the result of muscular micro-tears created carrying all the weight on our shoulders. during exercise—is an important signal that When we’re able to see that, it creates an your body needs to recover. Rest gives your opening so we can begin to give ourselves The rewards muscles time to rebuild, preventing further permission to rest.” of rest go strain and potential injury. There are steps we can take toward cre Glycogen is an energy source stored in ating a life that supports rest. Cator suggests further than muscles that your body depletes during worklooking at your month and finding time to fitness. outs and must be replenished before you can rest on a weekly basis, rather than treating safely exercise again. Exercising with inadequate rest as a distant future. She also highlights glycogen levels is associated with an increase the role community care can play in enabling in cortisol—the havoc-wreaking stress hormone—which can time for rest. “If there’s a way to get community involved impair the immune system. in making rest possible for you, that would be a wonderful The amount of rest required to recover varies; it thing,” she says. Try finding helping hands to watch the depends on the intensity of your workout, considerations kids or tend to other pressing responsibilities so you can for concurrent health conditions and other individual take five (and be sure to return the favor when possible!). needs. Recovery can take anywhere from a good night’s The kind of rest you get matters, too. One 2016 study sleep to a few days (or more, if necessary). Generally published by researchers at the University of Illinois at speaking, a hearty meal and some leisure time will do the Urbana-Champaign and George Mason University foltrick. Don’t push yourself to recover faster—instead, listen lowed close to a hundred Korean office workers and the to your body and find what feels good. quality of breaks they took throughout the work day. They The rewards of rest go further than fitness. A 2018 found that restful activities categorized as relaxing or study in the journal Frontiers in Psychology found that those social—such as daydreaming or chatting with colleagues— who sleep well self-reported greater satisfaction with life. actually provided feelings of rejuvenation. Cognitive activOf course, this doesn’t guarantee happiness through sleep ities, like reading the news or checking emails, did not. alone—but it does support the concept that prioritizing rest While this study focuses on mental rest, it does illuminate can have a positive impact on your overall sense of well-being. a valuable recommendation: the less you do, the better. There is a widespread mistaken belief that rest sig When deciding what you’d like to “do” to rest, ask nifies laziness and that there’s something fundamentally yourself what you need. A nap? A relaxing bath? Some wrong with doing nothing. We’re in dire need of a new unstructured daydream time? It may feel unnatural at first, outlook, one that champions rest for the sake of rest. A given that we’re so accustomed to always being “on,” but growing number of folks are changing this narrative, you might find watching birds through the window to be including The Nap Ministry, an organization that exammore refreshing than scrolling social media. Surrendering ines the liberating power of naps and rest as a radical tool to rest gets easier with practice. for community healing. While we continue down our unique paths of well Another trailblazer in the rest revolution is Thérèse Cator, ness and fulfillment, remember this universal advice: take an embodiment practitioner, leadership coach, artist and a break or two. Cancer Wellness

What C omes Next

cW’s resident cancer coach explores the big and small ways you can incorporate movement into your routine while going through treatment. BY MIRELA KOPIER

Cancer Wellness

Photo by Sarah Bell

ssue 14 is all about movement—so what does that body allows oxygen to flow better, therefore detoxing look like during or after treatment? Some may say your blood, increasing your energy levels and stimulat“I don’t have the energy to work out” or “I don’t ing brain activity. All of these benefits plus many more know how” or “I’m not sure what might be best help you through your treatment and into recovery. for my situation.” Speaking of oxygen, breathing exercises are also But you’re in luck—I am not only a cancer coach considered beneficial and a form of physical activity. but also a certified personal trainer and a 200-hour One of my favorite breathing exercises is the counting registered yoga teacher. I have been fortunate enough breath exercise. Let me walk you through it! to teach chair yoga through intermediate classes, This breath cycle can be three breaths or 23 as well as train folks for a half marathon and train breaths. Start with what works best for you, and build someone who had never worked out a day in their life on that foundation at your own pace. Begin in a comwith a goal of completing a 5K. I have seen the entire fortable position sitting on a chair with your feet on spectrum of physical activities for all levels, so I know the floor. Laying down is OK, too. there is something out there for Take two or three deep everyone. breaths in and out to relax. Cancer is tough no matter Then, inhale deeply and hold what kind of treatment you’re your breath while counting to I have seen the entire going through. According to five. After you reach five, exhale spectrum of physical an article from the Mayo Clinic, for the same count of five, then exercise can be your “secret hold for a count of five. activities for all levels, weapon” during cancer treat Repeat as many times as so I know there is ment. Researchers reviewed 61 you feel comfortable, but I will studies involving women with encourage you to start with at something out there stage II breast cancer and found least four breath cycles. You can for everyone. the combination of aerobic and play around with your count, resistance exercises was not too. Once you feel comfortable, only safe but improved health I recommend increasing the outcomes. cycles by one or two every time A study from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden you come back to your exercises. found a likely explanation of why exercise helps slow The best part about these breathing cycle exerdown cancer growth in mice. Physical activity affects cises is not only are they a good form of activity, but the metabolism of the immune system’s cytotoxic T the meditative qualities are amazing for the body as cells, improving their ability to attack cancer cells. It well. Meditation improves mood and sleep, and studies has also been found that exercise helps with chemo have shown that regular meditation will boost your and radiation side effects such as nausea and fatigue. immune system, which is always appreciated during Don’t think you need to hit the gym and grab or after treatment. the heaviest weights available or take a 75-minute hot No matter the point you’re at in your journey, know yoga class. Exercise can be even just light stretching. that there are countless ways to implement movement There are a lot of benefits with stretching—better into your everyday life. posture, increased flexibility, better range of motion. For someone going through treatment, stretching can improve your blood flow. Proper circulation in the Stay well and enlightened until next time!

Wellness on the Go

Your wellness routine shouldn’t weigh you down. When traveling, dive into your inner wellspring of wellness to stay grounded away from home. BY ELIZABETH TUCKWELL

fter two years of staying at home, I was finally in the air again—literally. I was in an airplane heading to the Florida coast for some much-needed relaxation and recovery. I was determined to squeeze everything into a small backpack. Toward the end of packing, I faced my final frontier: my wellness items, and deciding what to pack and what to leave. I incorporate wellness into everyday activities. I have a powerful smoothie routine, and I take vitamins and exercise a few times a week. My skincare is a priority and I use vetted clean products religiously. I meditate almost every day and I journal at night to release what no longer serves me. When it comes to my diet, I lean toward organic well-balanced meals. As I found myself in front of my tiny carry-on thinking there was no way I was going to bring smoothie ingredients, my yoga mat or my speciality toner

from Moon Juice, I realized I needed to reframe my on-the-go wellness concepts. I recalled the scene in one of the “Sex and the City” movies when Samantha has her supplements and hormonal pills confiscated in Abu Dhabi. She declares with dread that her whole body will fall apart without them. While I did not feel that level of devastation, I had become a bit too ritualized around my wellness routine. These items were to enhance my life, not weigh it down. It is important to notice when rituals become crutches. With the idea of wellness being the goal, we don’t want to feel we are debilitated by any of the items we choose to facilitate this. And then, something occurred to me—the idea of permission slips. “Permission slip” is a phrase used in the healing community to denote an object or an action that allows the user to transform themselves via their experience. This can be the act of yoga, intaking the energy of a crystal or meditating.

You utilize something external to reach a preferred internal state. While taking these actions can produce results, the idea is that we already harness the power to transform our life experiences into what we desire. Another way to conceptualize this is through the idea of placebo drugs. After receiving a placebo, the recipient is healed of their ailment, only later learning that there was no actual medicine given. The idea is that the patient simply allowed the healing to occur within themselves. The medicine they believed they took was in essence the permission slip they needed to allow their transformation. We may feel debilitated if we don’t have our usual items with us while traveling. But if we remember instead that our wellspring of wellness lies within us, we realize that we are not bound to anything in order to feel good. That being said, it is nice to find easy ways for lifestyle preferences to travel with you.

WELLNESS ON THE GO TIPS 1. Want to work out but not sure how to squeeze it in? Bring a jump rope. It fits in your bag and you can jump anywhere. Some say that 10 minutes of jumping is equivalent to running an eight-minute mile. (Sure feels that way sometimes!) 2. Treat yourself like a plant. Make sure you get plenty of sunlight and drink a lot of water. Both of these actions cost nothing, and they’ll replenish and restore you better than any supplement. 3. Take 15 to recharge every day. When we are traveling, taking time to meditate can be a challenge, especially if we are on everyone else’s schedules. But you can find the time in small ways, whether you escape to the shower and put on music to enhance the experience or give yourself extra time in the morning to sip tea on the hotel balcony. This battery recharge is wellness at its finest. 4. Journal. If you don’t have a notebook with you, you can create a Typeform online with a few questions that you answer each day of your trip on your phone. It is an easy and effective way to release what no longer serves you.

5. Food choices can be very challenging, especially when you are traveling with a child who wants to eat vacation food. Take a few high-quality protein bars with you so that you always have an option that is filling and nutritious. (But also don’t be afraid to have a treat. It is your time off, too.) 6. Essential oils. Pack an essential oil to enliven your senses and instantly receive an emotional lift. Rose oil is very powerful for feeling nurtured and loved, peppermint helps you feel awake and lavender can help you feel relaxed. Take a drop in the center of each palm then rub your hands together, cup your nose and inhale. 7. These suggestions are fairly easy to implement and won’t weigh you down. The fact that you are putting the time and energy into caring for your wellness when you are on the road is proof that you are already living from within your own wellspring of wellness. Whatever comes of this invitation for self-care can only be an extension of the greatness you already contain.

To start simple, access a daily journal exercise while on the go at elizabethtuckwell.typeform.com/to/IouOCGxt.

Cancer Wellness

Taking

in the trees Seek some solace within the trees through cW’s handy guide of the best forest bathing spots around the world. BY SHERYL NANCE-NASH 28

Cancer Wellness

oet Joyce Kilmer got it right in her poem “Trees.” Indeed, there is something about a “tree that looks at God all day, and lifts her leafy arms to pray. A tree that may in summer wear a nest of robins in her hair, upon whose bosom snow has lain, who intimately lives with rain [...] Only God can make a tree.” Spend time among the trees and expect the unexpected. The decades-long Japanese practice of forest bathing, known as shinrin-yoku, is the intentional act of being calm and relaxed within the forest. There’s something to be said for quiet time in lush greenery. The symphony of nature, birds singing, babbling water and the rustle of wildlife soothes the soul. Forest bathing is having a moment. After pandemic-induced isolation at home, the great outdoors has new appeal. Outdoor Industry’s “Outdoor Participation Trends Report” found that in 2020, 53 percent of Americans over the age of six participated in outdoor recreation at least once, the highest participation rate on record. With so much disruption, the peace that is the forest is a center in an upside-down world. If you’re ready to treat yourself to what you deserve, here are a few of the best places for forest bathing. MOHONK MOUNTAIN HOUSE, NEW PALTZ, NEW YORK Less than two hours from New York City is another world. This lakeside resort in the Hudson Valley is surrounded by 40,000 acres of forest. Forest bathing is one of Mohonk’s signature outdoor experiences. Take the “Mindfulness in Motion” walk. It’s a private experience with the resort’s director of mindfulness programming. She’ll guide you through wooded trails, along cliffs and beside the lake. The benefits of forest bathing are enhanced by a meditative approach that focuses on well-being. Keep the good vibe going with time in the spa and a yoga session. KAWEAH OAKS PRESERVE, EXETER, CALIFORNIA Relax as you wind your way through this 344-acre nature preserve that protects one of the last oak riparian forests in the San Joaquin Valley. Set your sights on over 300 plant and animal species like gray fox and Nuttall’s woodpecker among the grapevines, willow thickets and those amazing valley oaks. It’s like the land that time forgot. Much of it looks like it did more than a century ago. Discover how magical the quiet can be. Exeter is a 15-minute drive from Visalia. Less than an hour away is Sequoia National Park, where the giant sequoias are sure to wow you. THE SPRINGS RESORT & SPA, PAGOSA SPRINGS, COLORADO You know you’re in for a healthy adventure here as the resort is home to the world’s deepest geothermal hot spring at its core. There are 25 pools terraced along the San Juan River. When you’ve pampered yourself at the spa and participated in a yoga class in one of the resort’s geothermal pools, try forest bathing. Cherish nature as you hike up Reservoir Hill behind the resort. Take in the views of the Rocky Mountain range, leading up to the Continental Divide. Get even more outdoor therapy with horseback riding or white-water rafting.

KO’OLAU FOREST RESERVE, MAUI There’s no shortage of forest reserves and parks in Hawaii. Some say the Ko’olau Forest Reserve on Maui should be at the top of your list. The large reserve is bordered by two more protected forests and offers a variety of beautiful woodland regions to explore. Find your zen in the tropical vegetation and waterfalls. MINDO CLOUD FOREST, ECUADOR The Mindo Cloud Forest is a nearly three-hour journey from Quito. The setting is surreal, situated in a valley encircled by the Andes Mountains. The cloud forest is more than 100 square miles and is home to 450 different species of birds, exotic butterflies, animals and reptiles, and is created by rivers and high elevation. You ride a cable car across the forested valley to a hiking track that goes through vegetation full of flowers, leading to six waterfalls that cascade into quiet pools for swimming. FINGER LAKES, NEW YORK Finger Lakes Immersion has certified therapy guides to take you on a journey that is a full sensory experience of nature. Enjoy the images, sounds, aromas, breath, touch and wisdom of the forest—you never know what you might discover about yourself. End your walk with a tea ceremony of wild forest plants. THE LODGE AT WOODLOCH, HAWLEY, PENNSYLVANIA Stimulate all your senses as the resort’s nature guide leads you through a walking meditation that ends with a cup of hot tea of wild edible plants. You can also walk along the woodland trails with a certified herbalist to discover edible and medicinal plants. Learn how to spot, harvest and prepare them. FARMHOUSE INN, MADISON, GEORGIA An hour outside of Atlanta you’ll find the Farmhouse Inn. It offers one of the first forest therapy trails in the U.S. You can take a two-hour self-guided walk—and make sure to grab a brochure to get the best results from your effort. You can also do the “Introduction to Forest Therapy Walk” with a trained forest therapy guide who will lead your journey and help you connect with the forest. Another option is the “Deep Immersion Forest Walk” with a guide for nearly four hours of meditating and taking in the deep, calming benefits of the trail. Finish off with a ceremonial tea. ARASHIYAMA BAMBOO GROVE, KYOTO, JAPAN If you can make the trek, go where the tradition began: Japan. It will be worth it to experience this otherworldly spot. Stand among the towering, densely packed grove of bamboo trees. Get hypnotized by the sounds of rustling sticks in the wind and glimmers of sun between all the trees as you stroll the paved walkway that is the “Bamboo Alley.”

Cancer Wellness

From reiki and facials to massages and meditation, Sole + Luna offers an array of holistic wellness services to provide healing and comfort for warriors. BY FRANCESCA HALIKIAS 30

Cancer Wellness

Photos by Amy Bradley

Restored & Rejuvenated

ole + Luna co-founder Amy Bradley was diag When Bradley and other Sole + Luna co-founder nosed with stage IIB breast cancer in 2016. She Jessica Dietrich talked over coffee one day about their was 36 years old with four children under the favorite wellness modalities and why there wasn’t a place age of 10, and like most young people, cancer that offered all these various forms of healing under one was not on her radar. However, because her mother was roof, the idea for the company was born. diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) at 65, “In June of 2020, we opened our doors in the middle Bradley thought it would be a good idea for her doctor to of the pandemic, which was crazy but also kind of a blessorder a baseline mammogram for the coming year. ing in disguise. It allowed us to slowly roll out our offer “I never even made it that far,” says Bradley. “A few ings and gave us an opportunity to be thoughtful in how months after my doctor visit, I noticed a distinct size and we wanted to grow. We are so grateful for the amazing shape difference between my two breasts which started response we have had the last year and a half and can’t me on the path to diagnosis.” wait to see where we go next,” Bradley expresses. Bradley was diagnosed with stage IIB invasive ductal car What Bradley hopes for most is that Sole + Luna can cinoma with two positive lymph nodes. She began six rounds provide a space for clients to rest and heal from life’s stresses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and anxieties. “Whether it’s a cup followed by surgery, radiation, of tea, meditation, a massage or a four additional rounds of adjusauna session, we hope that our vant chemo and a complete clients can find that ‘thing’ that “Whether it’s a cup of tea, hysterectomy. resonates with them to allow for a As Bradley researched moment of peace in the craziness meditation, a massage or a both traditional and non-tradiof day-to-day life,” she says. sauna session, we hope that tional healing methods during In the coming year, Sole + treatment, she discovered Luna wants to expand its current our clients can find that many wellness techniques that location and add new special‘thing’ that resonates with cancer warriors incorporated ists and workshops to its list of into their treatment plans that offerings, including adding lymthem to allow for a moment helped them long term. phatic enhancement therapy—a “I don’t believe this is a healing modality for those who of peace in the craziness of ‘one size fits all’ concept, but have had lymph nodes removed day-to-day life.” I started to learn about mind(like Bradley) and those who are fulness, engaging the paralooking to activate the lymphatic sympathetic and looking at system for overall detox and the role of food as medicine,” explains Bradley. immune support. Bradley and Dietrich are also looking She especially wanted to explore the concept of energy forward to additional Sole + Luna locations in the months healing and body-spirit connection. “I was introduced to reiki, and years to come. acupuncture and other forms of eastern healing and believe “Everybody [needs] and [is] entitled to self-care,” affirms that the integration of eastern with western helped build up Bradley. “Unfortunately, it took a cancer diagnosis for me to my strength and made my body more receptive to the many understand just how important this is, but from that it empowstrenuous drugs and procedures I was undergoing,” she says. ered me to bring approachable wellness to my community.” As for Bradley’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, she says, “I would be lying if I said there weren’t dark days but [my cancer journey] taught me so much about myself, including how resilient I could be. In many ways, I came out the other end happier and stronger and certainly more grateful for this gift we call life.” “[I want] to say thank you to all those who have paved the way for myself and all those who will be touched by cancer at some point in their lives,” she continues. “I have learned so much about resiliency, humility, love, kindness and gratitude from those in the greater cancer community and my prayer is that I can pay these gifts forward. Cancer is a horrible disease, but there is so much beauty that can come from it and for that part of the journey, I am ever grateful.” For more information, visit solelunawellness.com. Cancer Wellness

Super Clean Solutions

Winter weather got you down? Slide into silky smooth territory with these product picks sure to hydrate and revitalize your skin. REVIEWED BY SAMANTHA DEVICTOR

ONE LOVE ORGANICS OSMIA BLACK CLAY BOTANICAL E YOUTH FACIAL SOAP: PRESERVATION SERUM: When it comes to face

This silky blend of active plantbased nutrients may be youth in a bottle! Compromised skin is an unfortunate side effect of many life-saving cancer treatments. Luckily, this serum is safe to combat even the most sensitive conditions. From green tea oil to melon extract, a natural glow is on the horizon. The best part? The sweet scent transports you back to days of watermelon Lip Smackers (if you know, you know).

soap, Osmia raises the bar! Pardon the pun, but this little square is pore clearing perfection. The Australian black clay and Dead Sea mud pull out impurities whilLet e the mango butter, avocado oil and coconut milk nourish cells and leave your skin feeling smooth and protected. The company is passionate about its process so consumers can cleanse with confidence!

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COM, $75

JOURNEY SKINCARE & BEAUTY SOOTHING SKIN SALVE:

VEGOUT ORGANICS MAGNESIUM BODY LOTION:

This soothing salve is a musthave for intensive skin treatment! The contents inside this little jar cover everything from chapped elbows to eczema, turning your skin into a silky smooth state. Plantago lanceolata leaf extract, the active ingredient, induces quicker healing and synthesis of skin cells, so it’s perfect for minimizing scarring due to chicken pox, acne and more. And because it’s free from toxic chemicals, rest assured that it’s safe for skin of all ages and types.

The gorgeous jewel-toned packaging of this luxurious body lotion deserves a permanent spot on your bedside table! Packed with magnesium and CBD, this organic mixture will instantly soothe achy muscles while healing tired skin. The light whipped texture glides onto the skin evenly and absorbs ultra quick so you can crawl directly into bed after application. Get that hydration, honey! Pro tip: Apply to the soles of your feet before lights out for deep, uninterrupted slumber.

Note: While this product works well on

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normal to combination skin, more sensitive

JOURNEYSKINCAREANDBEAUTY.COM, $34

individuals should do a test patch first, as the clay and mud may cause irritation. Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. The products and their descriptions are written from the perspective of their author, team cW who makes no claim other than their opinion. The section is meant for entertainment purposes only and reflects the sole opinion of its author.

Cancer Wellness

You Glow, Girl! Bright and comfy activewear for all stages of cancer treatment. BY MELISSA BERRY

ctivewear and cancer treatment don’t often end up in the same sentence—but they should! No matter where you are in your journey, some sort of movement is always recommended, even if it’s a simple stroll around the corner with your dog or 20 minutes of gentle yoga. Meet yourself where you’re at and try on some fun pieces while doing so. Whether you’re currently in treatment or ready to go full force and hit those boot camp classes again, I did the shopping for you!

Cancer Wellness

SLOW, STEADY AND STYLISH (IN TREATMENT)

Just because you’re actively in treatment doesn’t mean you can’t have a cute outfit for some light stretching or a walk to your favorite café. This Lululemon hoodie is beautifully tailored, and it’s super comfy and washes well. It’s perfect to throw over this pretty Athleta tank, and when you pair it with these Gold Sheep Star Leggings you’ll feel like the super star that you are! I love this ensemble because these are forever pieces that you can mix and match for when you’re ready (or not!) to hit the gym again. UNDERWEAR THAT’S FUN TO WEAR (THRIVERHOOD)

Post-mastectomy bras are anything but boring, especially this fun little number from AnaOno. The “Paige” soft support sports bra in color “flamingo” looks fabulous on, and also offers a cross-back mesh panel allowing for breathability and style during workouts. Perfect for Pilates and yoga or just relaxing around the house. GETTING YOUR GROOVE BACK (POST-TREATMENT)

Transitioning from treatment and ready for some additional activity? Game on. Walking is a great way to get back into your workout routine, clear your mind and get outside. After a lot of research, I found a great walking sneaker for you to try. The Nike Zoom Fly 4 will provide just the right amount of stability and comfort to feel fabulous and confident as you put your best foot forward.

Melissa Berry is a breast cancer thriver and the brains behind cancerfashionista.com, a fashion and lifestyle resource for the cancer community. Cancer Wellness

Setting the Standard Founder and CEO of Maple Tree Cancer Alliance Dr. Karen Wonders explains the importance of exercise becoming a part of the national standard of care for cancer, and how her organization is making this accessible for all cancer warriors. BY FRANCESCA HALIKIAS 36

Cancer Wellness

r. Karen Wonders, Ph.D., has made it her goal to advocate for exercise becoming part of the national standard of care for cancer. Through Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, an organization offering free individualized exercise programs for cancer warriors and thrivers, she is accomplishing just that. “I began Maple Tree in 2011, after my grandfather’s battle with cancer,” Wonders explains. “I studied the effects of exercise on a cancer diagnosis when I was getting my doctorate at the University of Northern Colorado.” What Wonders didn’t realize at the time was that exercise was not a part of the standard of care in cancer treatment. “When my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer a few years after I graduated, he was told not to exercise by his physician. I was shocked. I had seen with my own two eyes the benefits exercise had on someone who had cancer and couldn’t believe that people were told not to do it. That is why I started Maple Tree—I knew I had to spread the word and help people get moving.” One of the reasons many people might not exercise during cancer treatment is because they can’t afford the cost of an exercise program, much less a cancer-specific exercise program. Maple Tree Cancer Alliance doesn’t charge anything for its services, and it is expanding its program across the country to serve more people outside of its Ohio headquarters. Maple Tree Cancer Alliance partners with hospitals all over to bring an exercise program to each hospital’s cancer patients. “We offer supervised, individualized exercise training, at no cost to the patient. We also can provide them with nutrition education and emotional support through certified psychologists,” says Wonders. All of the trainers participating must pass a national-accredited Exercise Oncology Instructor certification program before conducting exercise training with warriors. Maple Tree Cancer Alliance also works with a registered dietician to develop its nutrition content, while a licensed psychologist offers the counseling services. “[My favorite part is] being able to see lives change as someone embraces exercise during their cancer recovery. Often, when someone first comes to Maple Tree, they are overwhelmed and afraid of the journey ahead. We give them something tangible they can do that will help them—and they feel the effects almost immediately. The change we see in a patient from beginning to 12 weeks in is so inspiring to me. These patients truly are warriors,” Wonders says. “Patients have told us that we have helped them to increase their energy levels and do their daily activities with greater ease,” Wonders continues. “We have had a patient come to us in a wheelchair who in just a few months was able to walk without the use of a cane anymore. We had another patient who was in so much pain from her pelvic floor radiation that she nearly had to quit working. Within just 12 weeks, she was nearly pain free and able to work again. Our goal is to help people to live their lives again without the negative effects of their cancer treatment.” Each exercise program is individualized according to the warrior’s health and the goals they want to achieve. All exercises are completed one-on-one with a trainer, and there are four basic phases of rehabilitation that each patient goes through. Each phase lasts 12 weeks with the exception of Phase 0, which may last longer due to the time of diagnosis until treatment begins. Wonders points out that the organization’s website also provides a free library of supplemental education and resources aimed at helping warriors manage their side effects and thrive throughout their cancer recovery. “I cannot imagine my life without [Maple Tree Cancer Alliance],” Wonders says. “Aside from my faith and my family, it is the most important thing in my life. I am so thankful for this calling and believe that God has put me on this earth to do this amazing work. Every day I am just so thankful I get to be a part of it.” Maple Tree Cancer Alliance hopes to continue to grow into new networks across the country and enhance its digital library for virtual on-demand exercise options. For more information, visit mapletreecanceralliance.org. Cancer Wellness

Through Grace Families with a member going through cancer can get a little R&R thanks to one nonprofit providing beach vacations.

Photo provided by by Pure7 Studios

BY FRANCESCA HALIKIAS

Cancer Wellness

“W

e all need a break,” Waves of Grace has helped fund weeksays Jennifer Matwijec, long beach trips for 74 families since its first founder of Waves of trip in December 2014. For some families, Grace. The nonprofit it’s their last treasured moment together. organization, based in Brentwood, Tenn., “Sometimes I do have to say goodbye speaks to this sentiment, sending cancer to patients I’ve worked with,” says Matwijec. warriors and their loved ones on beach vaca“Sometimes it’s their last vacation with their tions to make sure they’re getting the rest and loved ones. And [it’s] really hard to go to relaxation they need. that place again with families. I feel their “For my family, the beach was our loss. I feel my mom’s loss all over again. I break,” shares Matwijec. “My parents owned feel the unfairness of this disease. I feel a condo in Orange Beach, Ala. Whenever blessed to have been able to be a small part school was out, we would head to The of their story to provide a little peace in the Enclave. My parents generously opened it midst of cancer.” up to my sisters and me whenever we could For other families, however, the beach get time off work and when we started our vacation Waves of Grace provides them own families and needed a vacation with with is just a chapter in a long and beautiful the kids. Standing there, my problems back life. “We get to see them finish school, start home felt small. The ocean is so big and a business, start their own nonprofits, have overwhelmingly beautiful. It truly provided more children, get married and continue peace unlike anyliving life to the thing else in my fullest,” Matwijec life. I’m just so says. “No matter grateful to my what happens after “I saw her walking along parents [that] I their beach vacathe water, picking up got to experience tion, every family that whenever I has written [to] us shells, looking and feeling needed it.” about how much very much alive despite M a t w i j e c they enjoyed their wanted to take this week together. her stage IV gastric gift and give it to They keep in touch. cancer diagnosis. Each families in need of That is such a gift a boost while going back to me that I time, she would return through cancer wasn’t expecting.” treatment. There’s To find and refreshed, renewed and an even more perfund the perfect ready to face whatever sonal reason, too— beach spot for these Matwijec’s mother families, Waves of treatment or scans or passed from stage Grace has property clinical trials were next.” IV gastric cancer. partners along the “I saw firstGulf Coast from hand how the Gulf Shores, Ala. to beach affected a cancer patient. I saw my St. George Island, Fla., as well as a partner in mom at her doctor visits, tired and asking Myrtle Beach, S.C. Due to cost of travel, Waves when she could travel to the beach next. She of Grace usually focuses on warriors in the would get the all-clear and head south. I saw southeastern U.S., but it occasionally gets to her walking along the water, picking up shells, help families in other parts of the country. looking and feeling very much alive despite One goal to expand its reach that Waves her stage IV gastric cancer diagnosis. Each of Grace has had from the beginning is to time, she would return refreshed, renewed eventually remodel or build a beach house and ready to face whatever treatment or scans completely accessible to accommodate any or clinical trials were next,” says Matwijec. family, without restriction. “We want it on Though most websites told Matwijec the beach, [with an] elevator, beach ramp, that her mother would only live for six–nine beach wheelchair—all to make the family months, she lived for 14 months after her as comfortable and relaxed as possible,” diagnosis. Matwijec attributes this to the says Matwijec “There are families fighting rest and relaxation her mother felt as she cancer that also have family members with spent time with her family and on the beach. [disabilities] that we hope to accommodate Little did her mother know that her love so everyone can enjoy their time together.” for the beach would turn into a daughter’s mission to help many families for years after. For more information, visit waves-of-grace.org.

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Learning to Live Free Sara Quiriconi is redefining what it means to live “cancer-free.” WRITTEN BY TAYLOR NOVAK PHOTOGRAPHY BY SYLVAIN VON K

o Sara Quiriconi, the phrase “cancer-free” is a bit perplexing. The decades-long cancer warrior was diagnosed at only 19 years old with Hodgkin lymphoma. While most of her peers were deciding which college party to attend that weekend, Quiriconi was determining what route of treatment could save her life. Eventually, Quiriconi’s cancer was no longer detectable and she was declared cancer-free—but the term felt ambiguous and ill-defined to her. “I remember going to one of my scans, and they had told me, ‘You are free of cancer.’ It’s like, OK, great. What does that mean?” she says. Even years after her diagnosis, Quiriconi still wonders every day if cancer will return to her body. What does it mean, she asked herself, to live free of cancer? Quiriconi, also known by the moniker Live Free Warrior, embodies that question in her autobiography, “Living Cancer Free: A Warrior’s Fall and Rise Through Food, Addiction and Cancer.” The actress, model and holder of many other titles details her perspective on “the big C” not being “cancer,” but being “choice.” It took some time to get there, though. “It’s been a lifelong journey,” Quiriconi admits. With no definitive answer from doctors as to what had led to her Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis, she could feel the reins of control on life start to slip. Even post-cancer, the disillusion remained. Quiriconi dealt for years with alcoholism, an eating disorder and low self-worth. She had healed physically from lymphoma, but her thoughts remained the same, she says.

Cancer Wellness

“I wasn’t changing the thoughts I was telling myself,” Quiriconi says. “I’m telling myself, ‘I’m not feeling any better.’ But I wasn’t changing any of my patterns. I had only eradicated one of the cancers, which was the outcome—not exactly the cause.” Quiriconi’s lymphoma was “one of the cancers.” The others? Her addiction, unhealthy relationship with food and low self-esteem. It’s unique to hear these struggles described as “cancers,” but this approach has allowed Quiriconi to categorize the hard times in her life as wake-up calls. “At some point, we all feel stuck and we don’t know what to do,” she says. “Part of it is because we’re allowing those limiting beliefs or thoughts or habits—the ‘cancers’— to really seep into what could be healthier, more thriving areas of our life. Every day is a work in progress for myself to say, ‘What am I thinking? Do I need to change this? How can I change this?’ And then reflecting back on it.” One outlet that encouraged Quiriconi to choose a healthier way of life was fitness. She’d grown up involved in sports and athletics, and while the activities themselves fluctuated over the years, the overall concept remained the same: it was a means to better herself. “It has expanded into fitness of the mind,” she says. “It’s meditation, it’s breathing exercises, all different forms of fitness.” Connecting with her body—whether physically or mentally—has opened the door for Quiriconi to revel in her intuition, which she says makes all the difference. It’s the key to living free.

Cancer Wellness

or years, Quiriconi was a cog in the corporate choice (paired with coffee, of course). She makes sure marketing machine. A former art director, she she stretches in one way or another, even if it’s walking was laid off during the recession. This pivotal through an airport to catch a flight to her next gig. moment allowed for a rare moment of intro “Having elements of this every morning sets me up for spection. Through her arduous job searching alongside the day,” Quiriconi says. a growing personal interest in holistic health and yoga, Her morning routine serves as the perfect example in Quiriconi felt she was being set up to make a necessary her “Choice” theory that the decisions you make toward choice—with a capital C. wellness don’t always have to be grand gestures that “In moments like these, we have a choice. The quesinstantaneously alter the course of your life. A choice to tion is, do we choose to make a change? Or do we stay better your quality of life can be as simple and accessible stagnant?” she says. as incorporating meditating, breathing exercises, a vege Quiriconi sacrificed stability and exited the corporate table or a short stroll into your daily routine. world. She became a yoga teacher, traveling between Boston “Start small, and it’ll train your brain that you can and Miami to lead classes. This course eventually led her to change and you’re committing to yourself,” Quiriconi says. other creative opportunities, from modeling to acting. These exercises in well-being are crucial to Quiriconi, And it was all because she had chosen to become who believes the real currency or wealth of life is your acquainted with her intuition. general health—physical, mental and financial. Somebody “Question, especially in moments where you are could still be a miserable millionaire or a finicky fitness very vulnerable—particularly when you’re going through expert. But real joy, to Quiriconi, is a well-rounded cancer and treatment,” she shares. balance across all areas of your life, “Everyone has opinions. But nobody in whatever way makes sense for knows you more than you know you and your situation. yourself. And they’re not in your This is part of the reason “In moments like position.” Quiriconi left the corporate world During your cancer journey, all those years ago. After years of these, we have a Quiriconi says, check in with yourdiscontentment and struggling, choice. The question self. Listen to the authentic you. Gain she wants to help others in similar self-awareness. Get second opinions situations. is, do we choose to on diagnoses or treatments. Engage “It would be selfish to have make a change? Or do in self-care as a radical and disruplearned some of the life lessons I tive act. Make the choice to live free. did and not share them,” Quiriconi we stay stagnant?” “I think being selfish is great,” says. “I had no idea who I was, and I she adds. “Take care of yourself think that’s part of the process still first—if you can’t do that, then revealing itself today. It’s incredible, you’re not going to be able to care for anybody else. It’s because there is no finite edge. I can continue to evolve. your journey—your life journey. Nobody else is going to be Cancer has given me the gift of going for something and living it in 10 or 30 years from now. Make sure that you’re not settling for anything less than what I’m capable of.” taking a route that is ultimately best suited for yourself.” Quiriconi’s cancer journey taught her to pace herself, Living free amid the noise of a cancer journey and but to simultaneously not let life pass by. That’s ultimately everyday life is not always the easiest task. There can be a lot why she wanted to be a storyteller—to inspire others to of weight carried in the word “free” when it comes to the way live their best life, without regret. While we cannot always you approach living, but that’s where your intuition comes decide the cards we are dealt, we can always choose how into play, according to Quiriconi. we play our hand. “Create what free means to you,” Quiriconi advises. “We can be in fear of cancer as the ‘big C,’ or we can “Decide what you want to change and how you can go about see the ‘big C’ as an empowered choice,” Quiriconi says. that. There’s a lot of things we can change—we all know “The more you can take back your own power and make things we could be doing to be healthier for our brain. Make choices and be active within your own cancer journey, the the sacrifice, and that’s your better path of living. Otherwise, more empowered you will be.” you’re not living from a space that is intuitive to you.”

morning routine is essential for Quiriconi. As someone who is constantly traveling, working on creative projects and trying to maintain a fraction of peace in life, Quiriconi’s morning routine keeps her in check. As the world wakes up, Quiriconi begins her day with a 10-minute meditation and a personal mantra (What am I doing presently? What am I doing to help or inspire the world? What am I getting back to use further?) that she sets for herself. Two limes with water is her hydration of

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Learn more about Sara Quiriconi at saraquiriconi.com or on Instagram at @livefreewarrior.

Cancer Wellness

Remembering Virgil Abloh What do you owe the public when it comes to your cancer journey? BY TAYLOR NOVAK

Cancer Wellness

n November 2021, the world was stunned to learn most likely behind that choice informing it as something that Virgil Abloh had been battling cancer for more that is health-affirming and resonates with where we are than two years. Nearly one year after Chadwick in life. Our privacy is our right, and our culture simply Boseman’s seemingly unforeseen passing from colon forgets that sometimes.” cancer, Abloh passed at age 41 from cardiac angio April Bennett, Ed.S., L.P.C., has experienced two sarcoma. And nobody aside from his close loved ones had rounds of cancer. The first time, she was very public with expected it. her cancer journey. The second time, she made the choice Public portrayals of the cancer journey are everyto keep it private. Bennett admires celebrities like Abloh where. On one hand, this acknowledgement lends itself who have done the same. well to normalizing the disease—often a respite for those “It’s incredibly difficult to track one’s own experience experiencing the disease firsthand. Awareness leads to while also trying to track everyone else’s, which often discourse, which can provide support for warriors as well happens during an illness,” she says. “I imagine that pheas ignite a widespread desire to eradicate the disease. On nomenon is even more pronounced with celebrities in the other hand, it can sometimes feel as though you don’t their normal lives, and then even more so during illness. have a say in the matter when sharing your diagnosis. I would think of it as radically healthy for a celebrity to Both Abloh, a celebrated and revered fashion designer, reduce the amount of people who know about their illness, and Boseman, a talented actor finally soaking in deserved just so they can know better for themselves what’s hapsuccess, made the personal decision to not disclose their pening to them. They can focus on healing and [trauma cancer fights beyond a small circle. When they passed, prevention].” the public mourned in disbelief, in confusion and in hurt. After a diagnosis, some people dedicate their lives to Why didn’t they tell us? speaking about cancer. But don’t feel like you need to, too. The choice by celebrities to keep a cancer battle A first-generation Ghanaian American, Virgil Abloh private from their public lives and free from parasocial was born in Rockford, Ill., studied architecture at the relationships raises an important question: What do you Illinois Institute of Technology and went on to be named owe the public when it comes to your cancer journey? by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people When first diagnosed, a common in 2018 for his work in contemporary reaction is to tell someone close to you— fashion and design. Cancer wasn’t part your parents, your spouse, your best of his story during the time he shared “Our privacy is friend. Undeniably, love and support with us here on earth—and that’s OK. play a role in making it through weeks “He longed to build an intricately our right, and our of draining chemo sessions or backstructured life for his muse, the young culture simply to-back surgeries. Studies have shown Black man,” the New Yorker writes, that emotional support is important and his visionary and versatile contriforgets that and can greatly improve a warrior’s butions to art and culture—from Nike quality of life. shoes to Louis Vuitton menswear— sometimes.” But beyond sharing your journey will continue to echo for decades to with those who you feel know you best, come. it’s vital to deeply reflect on who else “ There’s tremendous self-respect you feel comfortable confiding in during this time. and strength in knowing ourselves and what we want,” With social media, it is more expected than ever says Tassiello. “We can take away from Virgil that our life before to constantly provide life updates online to a mishis ours, and ours alone; it’s up to us to choose what’s best mash crowd of high school classmates and your third for us at any point and listen to that voice within us.” cousin who you see once every three years. You may feel a nagging urge that you “have” to share what you’re going through. But consider the other option: boundary setting. “In our culture, there’s pressure on the average person to stay connected and share updates, let alone people in the public eye [like Abloh] who face extreme levels of this,” explains Jackie Tassiello, a licensed and board-certified therapist. “Cancer is the ultimate disrupter, one that brings us face to face with the hardest decisions about how we want to proceed with living. Boundaries allow us to live our core values and stay true to the choices that we feel are best for us.” A cancer diagnosis is a vulnerable time and setting boundaries can protect you during a “gray area” when you’re trying to navigate simply moving forward. In fact, it Jackie Tassiello is a licensed, board-certified therapist at Soulutions can be a radical act to say, “No, I am not sharing this.” Therapy, a private practice based in New York and New Jersey. “Solid boundaries can offer an increased sense of She has over nine years of experience working in medical hospitals, control, integrity and privacy and protect our energy,” says including with individuals in treatment for cancer. April Bennett, Tassiello. “Even for those who choose to open up about Ed.S., L.P.C., is a cancer warrior and a mental health professional their struggles, there are still hundreds of factors that are at StillPoint Psychological Services in Virginia. Cancer Wellness

Stories of Hope with Whitney Reynolds It’s 2022 and I am so excited to spread some of the hope we’ve found on “The Whitney Reynolds Show.” This spring, we’re sharing the story of BIÂN CEO and kidney cancer warrior Joseph Fisher. Because he listened to his body, early detection potentially saved his life.

HOW DID YOU HANDLE THE DIAGNOSIS? A brief moment of disbelief followed by a determination to walk the only path available to address the issue. WHAT GAVE YOU HOPE DURING AN UNKNOWN TIME? I am convinced that positive thought results in positive outcomes. While I didn’t know exactly what the 48

Cancer Wellness

end result of my journey would be, I had a firm belief that the outcome would ultimately be a positive one. My incredible wife, Dominica, was a constant source of comfort, love, positive energy and healing. It’s hard to be down WHAT DOES THE WORD when someone so truly amazing is by “SURVIVOR” MEAN TO YOU? your side. My very strong family gave me I always think about not just suradditional support and love, particularly viving, but thriving. The word ‘survive’ my wonderful and loving mother (I lost connotes to me that an outside force has my dad to brain cancer when I was 25). some level of control over our chosen Beyond that, BIÂN’s team of path, but the word ‘thrive’ allows me to healers gave me everything one could reconnect with the idea that we make have or need to prepare for a difficult our choices and thus the way we live survey and recovery. The entire BIÂN our life is completely up to us! community supported me with positive energy, caring, love, prayers and many other forms of community support. So, “Stories of Hope” doesn’t stop here. Listen to more stories every week on “The Whitney Reynolds combine a singularly positive outlook Show” airing across the nation on PBS. on life with all the others supporting me and I didn’t so much cling to anything, but rather felt I was constantly surrounded by a cocoon of positive energy. WHEN DID YOUR SURGERY TAKE PLACE? Aug. 26, 2021 HOW IS HEALING GOING? Other than not having cancer in the first place, the surgery and post-surgery recovery were exactly the positive outcome I manifested. The surgeon was able to save a good portion of my kidney after removing the cancer. The biopsy

Photos provided by BIÂN

WHEN DID YOU FEEL SOMETHING WAS WRONG? I had no idea until my cancer was diagnosed on July 2, 2021 that I had a major health issue. HOW WAS THE CANCER DISCOVERED? I was experiencing occasional numbness in my left leg when I went to sleep at night. The team at BIÂN began working on the numbers within each of their specific areas, and then talking together to understand, diagnose and prepare a treatment plan. After a short time, despite multiple [various] treatments, they collectively decided a spine MRI was necessary to rule out a spinal impingement. Through this MRI, as an incidental finding, a lesion was discovered which required a CAT scan thereafter. The CAT scan confirmed a significant issue, which was then diagnosed as kidney cancer by a specialist at Northwestern.

also showed that the margin around the cancerous tissue removed was free of cancer cells, meaning I am now cancer-free. Because part of my kidney was left and had to be reattached to my body, the recovery was more physically difficult than a full kidney removal. That said, I focused each day on just getting to the next day knowing that my body would fully recover with time and additional work. I had my first acupuncture/energy treatment just six days after my surgery. Three and a half months later, I am now mentally stronger than before and physically getting back to my pre-surgery strength. I started back with my karate training four weeks ago, and that to me is a big step to moving forward entirely from this little life detour.

JOIN OUR MESOTHELIOMA SUPPORT GROUP Mesothelioma is a rare cancer affecting 3,000 people every year in the United States. With a latency period of 20 to 30 years, most mesothelioma patients are over the age of 70 when diagnosed. Our Mesothelioma Support Group was created with mesothelioma patients and their loved ones in mind. Moderated by our certified mesothelioma cancer coach Mirela Kopier, our Mesothelioma Support Group is a safe space for you and your loved ones to get the answers you need and the support you deserve. We invite you to join our group today. Visit MesoSupport.org to join today

V O G E L Z A N G L AW

The Big C on the Big Screen We asked, you answered! People in the cancer community give perspective on the portrayal of cancer in movies and television, and all the things they wish the media knew about the journey. BY FRANCESCA HALIKIAS

Cancer Wellness

rom movies such as “The Fault in Our Stars” and However, not all TV shows and movies with cancer “A Walk to Remember” to shows like “Breaking in them were deemed inaccurate. Some were praised Bad,” the portrayal of cancer in the media has for showcasing the realities of cancer and how life keeps often been used for entertainment purposes, moving, even after that initial diagnosis. while sometimes missing the mark with accurately depict Sarah DiMuro, who was diagnosed with breast cancer ing what actually happens to patients during diagnosis, at 41, says “The Big C” with Laura Linney is one of the treatment and post-treatment. best depictions of cancer in the media. After asking our readers on Instagram for their “Sure, she had cancer and was going to die,” says thoughts on the way cancer is portrayed in movies and TV DiMuro, “but what made that show so relatable was she shows, the majority of responses expressed that the media used her diagnosis to remind herself of how she wanted depicts cancer patients in extremes: either the person with to live. And it had humor! Cancer is multilayered and the cancer is wasting away in a hospital bed, or they are still show nailed it! Wish more shows did! [It] would draw a young and attractive with a full head of hair. better audience and also help people understand how Judith Reynolds, who was diagnosed with stage III every single diagnosis is different even if [it is] the same breast cancer at 44, comments, “Fictional portrayals type of cancer. I also loved and appreciated as a cancer surof cancer mostly seem to be of people dying of stage IV vivor myself, the amount of strength and power her charcancer—thin, bald and in pain. The opposite is medical acter demonstrated. I think people see a cancer patient as dramas where perfectly healthy-looking people (often chilsomeone who is no longer in control of [their] life, but she dren) usually with all of their hair are miraculously cured. completely debunked that. And it was so incredible and Obviously people die of cancer and obviously there really inspiring to watch it all unfold.” are amazing remissions. But for most of us, the reality is Roshni Kamta, a thriver who was diagnosed with different. Cancer is a difficult life event. Treatment goes triple negative breast cancer at 22, also discovered a show on for months or years. You don’t necessarily die of cancer, that resonated with her and her cancer journey. but you don’t walk away from it either. Life after treat “Prior to my own cancer diagnosis, I viewed cancer as ment still has tests and appointments and anxiety and something that only destroys you physically. On TV you long-term side effects from treatment. see the bald head, the coughing for air, I don’t think there is much media no eyebrows, etc…but you don’t see portrayal of this kind of experience the mental health part of the journey. of cancer, even though it’s what most That’s something I wasn’t ready for. I “I have yet to see people who have been diagnosed didn’t know cancer treatment had so with cancer actually experience.” many side effects, especially on your someone that looks Having limited representations brain. There is a show on ABC called like me portrayed in of cancer patients in the media can ‘A Million Little Things.’ I thought it alienate viewers who have cancer and had a good portrayal of a young adult the media.” cause them to feel like their journeys going through breast cancer and the are not the norm. post treatment life. There was a scene Rosalina Felipe, a 28-year-old with the character taking off her wig warrior who was diagnosed with hormone-positive breast to take a shower and crying while looking at her bald head cancer stage IIIA invasive ductal carcinoma, explains, “I and it definitely triggered me, but I was happy to see some think cancer is seen as the most horrible thing that could truthful representation,” Kamta says. ever happen in someone’s life, and it eventually ends up Entertainment media still has a long way to go when that the person dies. It also doesn’t show the positive it comes to accurately depicting cancer, but encouragthings, especially if you’re rediscovering yourself, finding ing conversation among the ones actually living with the that you can still enjoy your life. You can still run a mardisease will shorten the steps it takes to get there. Just ask athon, dance, work out etc. It’s encouraged for us [who the cancer community—they’re ready to be heard. have] been through cancer to stay active! We shouldn’t only be seen as ‘cancer patients.’ We are normal human beings who are much more than a cancer patient. We have purposes, jobs [and] hobbies.” Breast cancer warrior Sara Machnik also expresses a similar point of view, “The portrayal of cancer and cancer patients in the media [is] no less than toxic,” she writes.“There’s little balance between a young, attractive person with a full head of hair (somehow chemotherapy didn’t make them lose it) or an entirely bedridden, lethargic and grossly underweight patient awaiting their impending death. I have yet to see someone that looks like me portrayed in the media. A 31-yearold, married without kids, lost my hair to chemo and am seriously struggling with my mental health since my diagnosis. Cancer is not about focusing on positives and silver linings If you want to participate in cW conversations and have the about a [horrible] situation. Cancer is about being authentic chance for your answer to be featured in future issues, follow us and honest about your thoughts and emotions.” on Instagram at @cancerwellmag. Cancer Wellness

The Future of Cancer Care From mental health management to palliative care assessment, augmented intelligence is helping shape the future of cancer care. BY FRANCESCA HALIKIAS 52

Cancer Wellness

hen it comes to the future of delivering and guided away from the acute care path and on to a palcancer care, augmented intelligence (AI) liative care path.” is on the horizon for improved diagnosis “AI can help to augment human intelligence in these and treatment of cancer. situations, evaluating health and socioeconomic high risks When the words “artificial intelligence” or “augmented for patients, while also serving as a reminder or nudge to intelligence” come to mind, you might think of large metal providers to evaluate and judge if the patients are good machines or robots. However, while artificial intelligence candidates for palliative care. Ultimately, this can improve is designed to create intelligent machines that work better quality of life for patients and caregivers,” says Gajra. than humans, augmented intelligence is meant to enhance Yolaine Jeune-Smith, Ph.D., the director of scientific human intelligence rather than replace it. writing and strategic research at Cardinal Health Specialty In oncology’s case, AI-assisted technology can detect Solutions, explains how AI will also help doctors and hoshigh-risk lesions and tumors earlier than other traditional pitals with patient data to ensure better assessment of care. approaches, especially in breast and lung imaging. “AI “In our current health care system, we have the ability is also being used in pathology to augment detection of to collect much more real-world data, even having patients abnormal cells and to classify tumors better. AI is being submit this data directly to providers. However, while the used to assist with medication adherence and with ongoing data can be collected, it’s very hard for clinical teams to support such as lifestyle modification and mental health collect and process the data. AI can help identify meansupport,” explains Dr. Ajeet Gajra, M.D., vice president ingful and actionable data much faster,” Jeune-Smith says. and chief medical officer of Cardinal Health Specialty Real-world data may include electronic health records; Solutions. disease or medication/device registries; and insurance However, using AI for oncology decision support is billing and claims. also something that is becoming more common. Gajra notes that future uses of AI may also include “Decision-making in cancer care can be complex identifying high-risk patients, assisting with pain manand relies on a variety of data points such asthe patient’s agement for cancer patients, matching the right dose or specific cancer that includes stage, therapy with decision tree tools and mutations and sites of spread. clinical trial matching. Since the clinical status of patients “The latter is particularly “The more patterns fighting can change rather quickly, important in this era of precision it would be especially helpful to oncology whereby using technolthe AI technology predict and detect those who are at ogy such as AI can help match the highest risk for deterioration so patients to clinical trials of newer can recognize, the we can prevent potentially bad outtherapies—something that they more powerful it is in comes and modify trajectories, like may otherwise not have access to,” we see in our research for support expresses Gajra. helping both warriors in palliative care,” Gajra continues. Many patients may also strugand doctors.” Many other factors also congle with depression as a result of all tribute to each individual patient’s the changes and health issues they cancer care, such as underlying are going through. AI can assist in health conditions; performance status; age and physioidentifying these patients and help them get the care they logic function; environmental factors such as housing disneed. tance, social support and health care literacy; and cultural Jeune-Smith explains that a way for identifying such factors. patients is through a questionnaire: “AI could be reading AI in cancer care can be especially helpful to predict the submitted questionnaires, looking for patterns and and detect patients whose status may cause them to be at responses. AI is monitoring changes in patient health the highest risk for deterioration. The more patterns the in EMRs; there could be small changes that won’t be big AI technology can recognize, the more powerful it is in enough for the human eye, but for machine learning, it helping both warriors and doctors. may be showing trends.” When it comes to end-of-life (EOL) care and palliative The innovative work Cardinal Health is undertaking care for patients, AI technology can also help. with augmented intelligence bodes well for the future EOL decision-making is difficult for patients and development of cancer care, especially when it comes to medical teams because no one wants to give up hope, so palliative care and management of mental health. discussions about this type of care often happen too late. There is also research demonstrating that physicians often tend to overestimate patients’ life expectancy. A major risk factor that AI technology can help with is identifying the appropriate patients for palliative care and instituting it. Gajra explains that, “Using AI, we may be able to identify covert factors that are responsible for patient deterioration e.g., an occult infection - some of these can be effectively managed. However, if the underlying clinical condition cannot be remedied ( e.g., advanced cancer, heart failure), then it is critical that the patient be offered Cancer Wellness

V I S I T O U R W E B S I T E O R G I V E U S A C A L L Vogelzang Law remains dedicated to obtaining justice for those who have been diagnosed with Mesothelioma or lung cancer as a result of asbestos exposure. With over 20 years of experience in asbestos litigation, our team of attorneys has the tools and resources to fight diligently for you. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or lung cancer due to asbestos exposure, we encourage you to give us a call or visit our website today.

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Fight and Flight Esther and Alicia Tambe have a mission to empower and support Black women with breast cancer through their travel-based organization Fight Through Flights. BY FRANCESCA HALIKIAS

Another program that the sisters are launching is a leadisters Esther and Alicia Tambe are supporting ership retreat which will be centered around organizations Black women all over in their cancer fights. After with Black women leaders to address health care disparities. their eldest sister Maria passed away from met “The retreat is going to be for Black women who are astatic breast cancer, Esther and Alicia created leading other breast cancer awareness nonprofits and Fight Through Flights, a nonprofit organization organizations that impact Black women. They’re going to that “aims to empower and support the healing of Black come together so that they can discuss these issues about women with breast cancer and breast cancer survivors by a collective program or initiative. That way, all of these providing free wellness retreats and travel experiences.” organizations working toward a similar cause will have a “As we were going through the process of mourning, safe space to address these issues,” explains Alicia. [we realized] we wanted to put our passions together and The disparities can be frightening to talk about, but help other women. We realized there were a lot of racial working together to make a change will bring everyone disparities for Black women with breast cancer,” recalls one step closer to eradicating these stark statistics, which Esther, who is also a registered dietician. is exactly what Fight Through Flights hopes to do. According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, “It is OK to ask for help. That’s what we’ve realized—that between 2010 and 2014, Black women were 43 percent asking for help or support is needed, [as is] knowing your body more likely to die from breast cancer than white women. to advocate for yourself,” says Esther. Differences in access and quality “Who wants to hear that you’re of health care and treatment are in the racial or ethnic group that’s among the factors that contribute “Who wants to hear 40 percent more likely to die if you to this statistic. have breast cancer? You don’t want Traveling the world was somethat you’re in the racial to see that every day if people are thing that the Tambe family expetelling you to fight. We’re trying to rienced together, and after Maria’s or ethnic group that’s provide these experiences and let breast cancer diagnosis, it was a 40 percent more likely warriors know that it’s OK to take way for them to recharge and treaa break and rest and enjoy yourself. sure life’s little moments. to die if you have You need a break, and know that “This is why we wanted to be breast cancer?” we’re here for you,” says Alicia. able to provide travel experiences and Something else the sisters wellness retreats to offer relief and to have realized is that community is give [warriors] another form of selfkey, and they’re glad to be part of such a tight-knit Black care,” Esther shares. cancer community. With programs such as “Staycation Serenity” and “For those who may feel like they don’t know where to “Road Trip to Recovery,” Fight Through Flights caters to go—these resources are out there, these communities are Black cancer warriors who are immunocompromised as out there. We’re hoping to bring awareness that there are well. The experiences go to the warriors instead. places to find support as they’re going through a time that “We also recently launched our ‘Room to Breathe’ may not feel OK,” says Esther. program, allowing for the women to give us two-day “As much as we get the credit for the amazing things notice. It’s a way for them to get away for a night; it’s a we do, we rely on the Black breast cancer community place for them to stay too,” says Esther. heavily,”says Alicia. “They’ve been really welcoming. It’s “With the ‘Room to Breathe’ program, we were able just great to have that community, the support and guidto say that we offered over 50 women free hotel stays [and] ance. You wonder where you can get more awareness, and they will use them throughout the year,” adds Alicia. you really get it from the community living with it.” “Some want to just get away somewhere close or be near treatment; others want to have an exciting time visiting For more information, visit fightthroughflights.org. friends and family in different states.”

Cancer Wellness

Safe Travels Traveling during COVID-19 while immunocompromised is possible, but it’s important to proceed with caution. BY TAYLOR NOVAK

Cancer Wellness

wo years into the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions and lockdowns are beginning to loosen up thanks to the success of vaccine development. Hospitals are resuming in-person appointments, airline travel is returning and warmer weather is allowing for safe gatherings outdoors. If your care team has given you the all-clear and you feel ready to return to the world for delayed check-ups, deserved vacations or reunions with family, we’ve got some helpful travel tips! Here are a few ways for immunocompromised folks and their loved ones to step out safely and responsibly.

MASK UP Wearing a mask continues to be one of the best ways to directly reduce risk of COVID-19 exposure. The virus caused by COVID-19 is largely an airborne disease, spreading through shared air with infected persons. Staying outdoors, being in spaces equipped with highgrade air filtration systems like a HEPA filter and limiting face-to-face conversation with others can decrease the likelihood of contracting COVID-19. However, wearing a mask offers an important safeguard that you wouldn’t have otherwise, especially if you’re immune compromised. Double-masking—i.e., wearing two masks at once—is OK, but it’s best if you don medical grade masks certified as N95 or KN95 for optimal safety. Even if mask mandates are lifted in the location you’re traveling to, it is imperative to take this extra precaution when immunocompromised. “When traveling where it may not always be possible to socially distance or where others may remove their masks for even a brief period of time, a well-fitting medical grade mask can be worn to minimize one’s risk of exposure,” advises Erica Susky, an infection control practitioner in the hospital epidemiology field. FRESHEN UP Susky also recommends carrying hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes whenever you’re out in public. While the virus that causes COVID-19 is primarily airborne, there is some evidence that it can linger on high-touch surfaces. Such sites aren’t a major source of infection but disinfecting an airplane tray or rental car steering wheel is a good health habit to form regardless. For best results, Susky recommends an alcohol-based hand sanitizer at a 70–90 percent concentration. “Every time one touches their mask, they should have clean hands. Therefore, the sanitizer will come in handy if one needs to adjust their mask or if they touch common surfaces. Disinfectant wipes will minimize one’s risk if one uses them to disinfect surfaces. Allow the disinfectant to air dry to ensure the appropriate contact time of the disinfectant to act against SARS-CoV-2,” she explains. And don’t forget to wash your hands!

SOAK UP SLOW SEASONS Depending on the mode of transportation, you may not be able to socially distance completely. But there are workarounds for avoiding large crowds during the rest of your trip to maximize health protection while traveling. Accessible travel blogger Kristin Victoria (World on Wheels) is a full-time ventilator user. She recommends starting small with domestic travel, taking care to steer clear of busy seasons at popular U.S. destinations. “[Domestic travel] allows me to have the most control over my environment, socially distance and limit possible exposure to others,” she says. “I try to arrange my travel for shoulder season to avoid crowds. This past September, I road tripped from New York to South Dakota, making sure to arrive after Labor Day which I knew would have more crowds. I spent a lot of time outdoors visiting National Parks and Monuments. It was a fabulous trip, and I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything or put myself at risk.” In addition to shoulder seasons being less crowded, you’ll also find discounted rates for lodging, greater availability for activity or restaurant reservations and cheaper transportation fare. Not a bad deal! HIT THE HIGHWAY For long-distance passenger travel, air transportation reigns supreme in the U.S. But don’t feel like you have to go that route. Even with masks, air filtration and vaccines, a crowded flight can still pose an unnecessary risk for immunocompromised folks. If you have the option, consider renting a car or using your own vehicle for domestic travel. This will allow you to have more control over your environment and who you’re interacting with. You can map out a route by researching location-specific COVID-19 case numbers and policies, cherry-picking roadside stops that will be safer for someone immunocompromised. Plus, when driving, you’ll realize how large the world is—you’ll likely stumble upon something you would’ve missed if you’d flown instead. GET INSURED Travel insurance is more important than ever nowadays, especially if you’re flying internationally. Nobody wants to plan an extravagant and expensive trip abroad just to cancel when COVID-19 cases surge. Research travel insurance options and consider purchasing a plan for peace of mind. Make sure there is no pandemic exclusion clause. This way, your health and your wallet are covered should you have to cancel plans. GET VACCINATED Overall, vaccinations are your safest bet for protection when traveling while immunocompromised. Studies have shown that vaccines and boosters protecting against the COVID-19 virus are completely safe and encouraged for cancer warriors. If you want to stay safe while stepping out, get the shot.

Cancer Wellness

RUNNING ON FUMES Planes, trains and automobiles are getting the “going green” treatment, showing promise for the future of healthier travel.

BY TAYLOR NOVAK

t’s no secret that outdoor air pollution can have detrimental effects on our health. The impact that pollution plays on lung cancer rates—it’s the cause of one in 10 cases—has been known for a while, but research is finding that air pollution may be associated with numerous other cancer types as well. Because tourism produces five percent of energy-related carbon emissions, travel can ultimately impact our health. A 2016 study in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention concluded that one long-term effect of particle matter exposure through emissions from transportation is increased risk of mortality for all causes of cancer, especially breast, liver and pancreatic cancer. Mortality risk for all of these types was at least 35 percent higher, and up to 80 percent higher for breast cancer. It’s important to continue developing innovative ways to minimize the harm pollutants can cause us. In the travel transportation sphere, moves are made every day to decrease the risk that planes, vehicles and trains pose to our health.

ON A BIG JET PLANE According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, aviation has surpassed the power sector as the biggest source of U.S. carbon emissions. In 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that aircrafts were responsible for three percent of U.S. carbon emissions and nine percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Commercial air travel was the biggest culprit. Thankfully, changes like more efficient planes and better alternatives to jet fuel are forging a path in sustainable air travel. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) supports research and development in the use of low-carbon sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). SAFs consist of renewable biomass and waste that, depending on the type, can reduce greenhouse gas emissions nearly 100 percent.

Cancer Wellness

Companies are also researching better materials for building airplanes. An aircraft’s weight directly impacts its emissions output, so research is focusing on less toxic, lighter composite materials for flying. ONE FOR THE ROAD Traffic-related air pollution is causing automobile manufacturers to clean up cars. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies diesel exhaust as a “Category 1” or definite carcinogen. Exposure to these fumes can cause cancer in humans, and passenger cars are a major polluter. Electric car and plug-in electric hybrid car sales have grown in recent years, which bodes well for decreasing health hazards that traditional gasoline- and diesel-fueled cars pose. Alongside cars that use alternative fuels, like compressed natural gas (CNG) or E85, these environmentally friendly fleets reduce overall carbon emissions. Bonus: It will also cost you a lot less to operate your car in the long run. CHUGGING ALONG Trains emit less emissions than cars and airplanes, and President Biden has proposed providing Amtrak $80 billion over eight years to further develop it as green travel. But trains are not perfect. Railroad workers, train drivers and those who live near train tracks have seen increased cancer cases. Diesel pollution is once again at fault, but so are low-frequency magnetic fields that modern trains use. Train passengers are much less at risk for these hazards, however. Decarbonizing trains is similar to decarbonizing cars and is much easier than improving air travel. The rail sector has looked at advanced diesel technologies, batteries and natural gas as alternatives to the current diesel-electric method. Overall, when deciding between the three modes of travel transportation, trains produce the least emissions and are leading the way toward cleaner, greener travel—and better human health.

cW Library BY FRANCESCA HALIKIAS

“BEAT CANCER KITCHEN: DELICIOUSLY SIMPLE PLANT-BASED ANTICANCER RECIPES” BY CHRIS WARK “Beat Cancer Kitchen” is a plant-based cookbook that also gives plenty of nutrition tips to readers on how to take control of their health. Chris Wark was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer at only 26 years old. After surgery, instead of going the traditional chemotherapy route, he decided to radically change his diet and lifestyle. After making several changes, including adopting an all plant-based diet, he is in remission from colon cancer and is still cancer-free to this day. This cookbook is a reflection of his hard work and effort to not only change his life, but to be an advocate for a holistic approach to healing your body from the inside out. “Overnight, I converted to a raw food diet, eating only fruits and vegetables, all organic. I got really excited about flooding my body with nutrition,” says Wark. “I’ve become a patient advocate. I see myself as a bridge between the conventional cancer treatment world and the holistic treatment world. There’s room for both, and the holistic approach to health needs to be incorporated into medicine. If not, you’re missing most of the picture. You can treat a disease, and you can slow it down with drugs, but oftentimes it doesn’t cure the disease. It just keeps coming back. It’s empowering to show a patient the science and the studies and the survivors who have healed using a holistic approach.” Both Wark and his wife dedicated much of their time trying to create a cookbook that was both empowering and delicious. “[Beat Cancer Kitchen] is a combination of juices, smoothies and things that I was eating every day to help my body heal starting in 2004. [There are also] recipes that [my wife and I] discovered and created over the years, and recipes that we created and brainstormed specifically for the cookbook. We wanted to take foods that we love and ingredients that we love and figure out a way to do them in a different way that was delicious and fun and easy to make,” explains Wark. “[The process took] about a year, and we’re just so happy with the way it turned out. Every recipe is delicious and super nutritious and optimized for anti-cancer potential with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, anti-oxidants and loads of phytonutrients that are only found in plant food. It was really important to us for these recipes to be easy, and anyone can make them.”

“CANCER FITNESS” BY DR. ANNA SCHWARTZ “Cancer Fitness” by Dr. Anna Schwartz, M.D., helps readers set their own exercise and fitness plans before, during and after cancer treatment to ensure their overall health and well-being while they undergo treatment, whether it’s chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. Complete with figures and Q&A sections, “Cancer Fitness” is a great place for cancer warriors to start their fitness journey. “I was a nurse when I first observed that my patients did a lot better when they moved around and exercised,” says Schwartz, who is a non-Hodgkin lymphoma warrior. “I personally saw that exercise helped me so much; that prompted me to go back and create a life where I was able to pursue exercise oncology as my life’s focus and research.” Schwartz wrote “Cancer Fitness” to demonstrate her research that exercise was safe for cancer patients, both during treatment and after treatment. She also works with the American College of Sports Medicine, where she and her colleagues have a task force called Moving Through Cancer to make exercise standard for patient care. “I love talking to patients because that’s where you’re making a difference. Writing this book was incredibly fun; it wasn’t hard to do—it’s my passion talking to patients and getting the word out to them. This is my life’s work and I’m so passionate about it and trying to change people’s lives,” explains Schwartz. “[What I hoped to achieve by writing this book is] changing people’s lives. Getting people out and moving around.” In line with this vision, Schwartz also developed Cancer Exercise, a free app that features an exercise program tailored to each individual user. Based on things like level of fatigue, treatments and exercise familiarity, the app helps cancer warriors develop an exercise program that works for them. Both publications are available wherever books are sold.

Cancer Wellness

Understanding Disability Insurance Options Figuring out insurance can cause an instant headache. That’s why Triage Cancer CEO Joanna Morales is here to help break down disability insurance options while you’re going through cancer. BY JOANNA MORALES, ESQ., CEO, TRIAGE CANCER

Cancer Wellness

ndividuals diagnosed with cancer may find that they are not able to work and earn a living in the same way that they did before their diagnosis. Disability insurance can help replace the wages that are lost during time off from work due to a medical condition.

HOW DISABILITY INSURANCE WORKS WITH EMPLOYMENT PROTECTIONS Disability insurance can work with fair employment laws and leave laws at the local, state and federal levels. For example, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that allows employees to take time off work while protecting their job and sometimes their health insurance coverage. Employees may also have access to certain employee benefits, such as sick time, vacation time, general paid time off (PTO) and policies allowing co-workers to donate their leave hours. While the FMLA provides job-protected leave, it is unpaid leave. Many people don’t actually take FMLA leave because they can’t afford to not get paid. Disability insurance is a way to get paid. Disability insurance benefits are offered by the federal government, some state governments or through a private insurance company. PRIVATE DISABILITY INSURANCE Private insurance companies sell short- and long-term disability policies. Short-term policies typically last up to one year, while long-term disability insurance policies are for medical conditions that last one year or longer. It is possible to buy these policies directly from an insurance company; however, many people don’t think about purchasing coverage until they have a serious medical condition. Unfortunately, it is more difficult to get a policy with a pre-existing condition because insurance companies can use medical underwriting to deny coverage or charge people more for coverage based on those conditions. Most people get access to a private short-term or longterm private disability insurance plan as an employee benefit. Employers often pay the monthly premiums for these plans, so people may forget that they signed up for the coverage when they started working.

SSA.gov to find out the amount of your monthly SSDI benefit. There is a five-month waiting period before SSDI benefits begin. You automatically receive health insurance through Medicare after you have received SSDI benefits for 2 years. SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME (SSI) You may qualify for SSI benefits if: you have a low income and resource (aka: assets) level; and are aged 65+, or blind, or disabled. The maximum 2022 federal amount for most people receiving SSI is $841 per month. States may add to that amount. In most states, people eligible for SSI automatically get health insurance through Medicaid. It is possible to receive SSDI and SSI benefits at the same time. APPLYING FOR SSDI AND SSI The application process for SSA disability benefits can take a long time. One way to speed it up is to see if you qualify for the Compassionate Allowances (CA) program. This is a list of medical conditions that SSA thinks presumptively qualify for disability benefits. This is not the same thing as automatically qualifying. They will still look to see how your medical condition impacts your ability to work. If you have a medical condition on the CA list, you should include that in your application. APPEALING A DENIAL Many SSA disability applications are initially denied. Appealing that denial will improve your chances of getting the benefits that you need. Be sure to work with your health care team during the appeals process, as they can provide useful information about your medical condition, side effects from treatment and how those side effects impact your ability to work. STATE DISABILITY INSURANCE California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and Rhode Island offer short-term state disability insurance programs. Each state has different eligibility requirements and the length of coverage varies. Most state programs are easier to qualify for than the SSDI or SSI. It is also possible to receive both state and federal disability benefits.

FEDERAL DISABILITY INSURANCE Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are federal programs that provide financial assistance to people with disabilities, and are administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA). To qualify for SSA disability benefits, you must have a disability: that has, or is expected to, last for at least one year or to result in death; and you cannot do your current job; and you cannot adjust to a new job. There are differences between the two programs. SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE (SSDI) You may qualify for SSDI benefits if you are “insured,” meaning that you have worked long enough and recently while paying Social Security taxes. The maximum monthly benefit from SSDI, for someone who is not blind, is $3,345 per month in 2022. Sign up for a “My SSA” account online at

For more information about disability insurance options and how to navigate benefits, as well as other cancer-related legal and practical issues, visit TriageCancer.org. Cancer Wellness

Saved by the scan The American Lung Association and Baptist Health South Florida have teamed up to stress the importance of routine lung cancer screening. BY TAYLOR NOVAK

Cancer Wellness

ung cancer, once thought to be a predominantly Even in 2021, the Cancer Center was still witnessing small terminal disease, has seen increasing survival percentages of new patients getting screened or showing rates amid evolving treatment and research. The up at all for their low-dose CT scan appointments. American Lung Association’s (ALA) 2021 “State Hospitals experiencing these low rates of lung cancer of Lung Cancer” report reveals that the national five-year screening nationwide was the final push ALA and Baptist survival rate for lung cancer has increased to 23.7 percent. Health needed to make the partnership become a reality. Still, one of the best ways to beat lung cancer is to detect “With cancer screenings decreasing and a paucity of it early on. dedicated efforts in lung cancer screening, especially in That’s why ALA has launched a national campaign to the Hispanic population, we saw a need to amplify our spread awareness on the importance of getting screened existing efforts,” says Ahluwalia. for lung cancer. In the first ever partnership of its kind, The overall aim of the partnership, in addition to ALA and Baptist Health South Florida have joined forces awareness, is granting wider access to low-dose CT scans, to create “Saved by the Scan,” educating Americans about especially in demographics like the Hispanic population routine low-dose CT scans that can detect lung cancer where barriers to health care can exist. Miami has one of earlier and before symptom onset—when it’s more curable. the largest Hispanic populations in the country, making “The ideal goal of cancer therapy is to enable detecsuch a goal incredibly crucial for the overall well-being of tion of cancer before it has spread and thereby offering the city. the patient the best chance of a cure. Lung cancer screen “If we scan 10,000 patients and catch two percent of ing is pivotal in early detection of lung cancer,” explains patients, that’s a very significant impact in 200 lives for Dr. Manmeet Ahluwalia, deputy director, chief scientific a very economical cost,” Dylewski says. “Through our officer and chief of Solid Tumor Medical Oncology with program, we are allowing patients the opportunity to get Baptist Health’s Miami Cancer Institute. screened for a hundred dollars, and for most patients in “Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death the high-risk group the cost is covered by insurance.” among both men and women, making up a quarter of all Prior to 2010, he says, lung cancer screening was cancer deaths. The five-year survival rate for lung cancer not seen as cost effective. But in the decade since the for stage I diagnosis is in the range National Lung Screening Trials of 68–92 percent, dropping drasti(NLST) were published, it’s been cally for a stage IV diagnosis where shown that when focusing on high“We see lung cancer, five-year survival rate is 5–20 risk patients with certain criteria, percent,” he adds. lung cancer screening can identify unrelated to tobacco Insufficient tactics in the cancer in patients and have a longuse, increasing public health education process for term impact on overall survival. lung cancer leads to a lack of aware This means routine lung cancer year after year in ness within the general population, screenings are not only needed but and Ahluwalia says only 15–20 encouraged—especially in highnon-smokers.” percent of the eligible population risk patients. will be diagnosed at an early stage. “Lung cancer screening is not This percentage is alarming when meant to be a single event that considering lung cancer is more treatable in earlier stages takes place within a one-year period,” says Dylewski. “It and many patients aren’t diagnosed until the disease is needs to be done over a longer period. Many individuals advanced. who smoke or have smoked believe their risk of smoking Lung cancer is unique in its public perception comwill go away once they quit smoking, which is completely pared to most other cancer types. Many believe bad habits, a falsehood.” like smoking cigarettes, are the sole cause of developing If you are under the age of 80, have smoked for more lung cancer. That is simply not the case, however, and can than 10 years or have a family history of lung cancer (parbe a dangerous misunderstanding of the disease when it ticularly if the family member was a non-smoker), it is reccomes to preventive action like screening. ommended that you undergo routine lung cancer screen “So many people believe that it is an acquired illness, ing. A low-dose CT scan is quick, effective and painless, and that if people do not smoke then lung cancer would and covered by Medicare and most private insurances for not happen,” says Dr. Mark Dylewski, chief of Thoracic high-risk individuals. Screening can make all the differSurgery with Baptist Health’s Miami Cancer Institute. ence in your cancer journey. “Unfortunately, about 17 percent of lung cancer that occurs in the U.S. occurs in non-smokers. So, lung cancer is not always a smoker’s disease. We see lung cancer, unrelated to tobacco use, increasing year after year in non-smokers.” On top of the stereotypes lung cancer has faced, the COVID-19 pandemic has not made matters easier in attempts to increase screening rates. The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center experienced “considerable disruption” to its lung cancer screening program during the U.S. onset of the coronavirus. In March 2020, more than For more information about the campaign, visit baptisthealth. 800 lung cancer screening appointments were postponed. net/lungscreening. Cancer Wellness

VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR GIVE US A CALL Vogelzang Law remains grateful for the service of our veterans. Your unwavering commitment to keeping us safe is invaluable. We fight diligently for those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or other types of lung cancer due to the result of asbestos exposure. With over 20 years of experience in asbestos litigation, our team of attorneys has the tools and resources to fight for you and you loved ones.If you are a veteran who has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, we encourage you to give us a call or visit our website today.