cherish

cherish

LIVE TODAY

HOPE TOMORROW

Honoring Lives Touched by Cancer A special publication of the Glenwood Springs Post Independent | 2015

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THERE ARE MANY REASONS FOR HOPE, JOY, AND OPTIMISM in the health care field. Over the past nine months, in Mountain Family Health Centers’ service area, more than 9,000 Coloradans have obtained affordable health insurance as a result of the Affordable Care Act. MFHC is honored to serve those individuals who are newly insured, as well as continuing to serve those who remain uninsured in Colorado’s rural resort communities.

In 2014, Mountain Family Health Centers (MFHC) celebrated our 36th anniversary.

Established in 1978, the organization has grown from humble beginnings with one family nurse practitioner in Black Hawk, Colorado, to a sophisticated network of health centers and exceptional staff providing comprehensive primary medical, dental, and behavioral health care services.

Today, MFHC serves the health care needs of more than 15,000 patients annually from eight diverse Colorado mountain counties including: Garfield, Eagle, Pitkin, and Rio Blanco counties on the Western Slope and Gilpin, Clear Creek, Boulder, and northwest Jefferson counties on the Front Range.

In February 2014, MFHC opened our fifth healthcare delivery site in Edwards, Colorado. This expansion was the result

of years of partnership with the Eagle Care Clinic, Vail Valley Medical Center, Bureau of Primary Health Care and the Eagle County community. MFHC continued to expand dental services at MFHC’s Rifle location; strengthened behavioral health services in Basalt, Edwards, Black Hawk, and Glenwood Springs; and expanded community care coordination services system-wide.

Over the past year, MFHC has made significant strides in reducing emergency room usage, controlling unnecessary diagnostic testing, and providing primary care services that are affordable to the communities we serve.

Four of MFHC’s five clinical sites are recognized by the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA) as Level 3 patient-centered medical homes (PCMH).

“The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of 21st century primary care that combines access, teamwork and technology to deliver quality care and improve health,”said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. NCQA’s PCMH recognition shows that MFHC has the tools, systems and resources to provide our patients with the right care at the right time.

If you are looking for affordable health care insurance and affordable health care, we encourage you to call MFHC (970-945-2840) or visit us online at www.mountainfamily.org and

make an appointment to meet with our staff to assess your health insurance options. We will help you find an affordable plan that works for you, and we will help you access the health care services that your family desires.

Se habla Espanol.

ROSS BROOKS, CEO MOUNTAIN FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS

Your Health, Our Mission.

Ken Davis, PA-C

Whether you need a routine physical exam, have the flu, need help managing your diabetes or depression, or need urgent care; you can trust us for high quality service regardless of if you have insurance or not. We accept most private insurances, Medicaid and Medicare, and offer assistance programs for any person who is uninsured.

www.mountainfamily.org Basalt 234 Cody Lane Basalt, CO 81621 (970) 945-2840

Edwards 320 Beard Creek Road Edwards, CO 81632 (970) 569-3435

mountain family H E A LT H

Glenwood Springs 1905 Blake Ave, Suite 101 Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 (970) 945-2840

C E N T E R S

Rifle 195 W. 14th Street Rifle, CO 81650 (970) 945-2840

To Support The Gunilla Israel Asher Scholarship Fund linda israel

Limited Edition “G a Bear” Giclee, é 30” x 30.” Original artwork by Linda Israel.

The Aspen Times has created a scholarship to honor our late Publisher, Gunilla THE SPIRIT OF Asher. The Gunilla Israel IN Asher Scholarship willOUR be funded in part by the sale BELOVED LATE PUBLISHER of 100 Giclées of an original painting by Gunilla’s sister, renowned artist Linda Israel.

“G a Bear” embodies all that was Gunilla: beauty, tenacity, strength, The Aspen Times has created a scholarship fund – The Gunilla Israel Asher Scholarship power and mystery.

Fund – to support the future educational endeavors of Aspen students. Gunilla originally commissioned sister, Linda Israel, an “Aspen Times Bear” to be of To purchase your limitedheredition Giclées of to“Gpaint a Bear” for $1,000 in support displayed in the new Aspen Times office. We, with the support of Linda Israel, have thedecided scholarship contact Samantha Johnston at The Aspen Times, 970.925.3414 to sell 100 giclees of the original painting as a means to fund the scholarship. or by email at sjohnston@aspentimes.com “G a Bear” embodies all that was Gunilla: beauty, tenacity, strength, power and mystery.

Gunilla Asher

“G a Bear” is available for purchase for $1,000 by contacting Samantha Johnston at The Aspen Times at 970-925-3414 or by email at sjohnston@aspentimes.com.

contents 2015 PUBLISHER Michael Bennett EDITOR Randy Essex ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGERS Julie Carruth Kristin Anderson Garwood Justin Greenwalt GRAPHIC DESIGNER Malisa Samsel

RALLY THE VALLEY

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THE NUMBERS

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Walk, bike or join the kids parade for the fourth annual Rally the Valley on Saturday to provide support for Calaway-Young Cancer Center.

Cancer is the No. 1 health risk to Coloradans, but we can all take steps to reduce our risk.

WE FIGHT CANCER TOGETHER

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GOOD DOGGIES

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RONA’S HOUSE

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A message from the editor.

Therapy dogs change the mood when they visit cancer patients.

A condo provides a home away from home for comfort.

PUBLISHED BY

AVOIDING SCARS 18 Skin cancer is a serious threat in Colorado; here’s a way to minimize surgery and scarring.

Glenwood Springs Post Independent 824 Grand Avenue Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81601 (970) 945-8515 news@postindependent.com www.postindependent.com

The Citizen Telegram 125 W. Fourth St., Suite 206 Rifle, Colo. 81650 (970) 625-3245 news@citizentelegram.com www.citizentelegram.com

PRINTED BY Colorado Mountain News Media 200 Lindbergh Drive P.O. Box 1500 Gypsum, Colorado 81637

PULL UP A CHAIR

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‘MY HEART IS BIGGER’

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PREP PLAYER INSPIRES

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Fun fundraiser offers decorated chairs.

Survivor stories

An Alabama high school football player is showing his team how to fight.

CANCER CARE PROVIDERS 2-32 Mountain Family Health Centers

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Aspen Valley Hospital

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Hospice of the Valley

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Glenwood Medical Associates Grand River Health

20-21, 24-25 31, back cover

GENERAL MANAGER Jim Morgan

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RALLY THE VALLEY

RALLYTHEVALLEY.ORG

Join the rally Saturday

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ally the Valley, sponsored by Valley View Hospital, hosts its fourth annual event Saturday starting in Glenwood Springs’ Sayre Park.

People in the community participate to support friends, neighbors and colleagues facing a diagnosis of cancer.

Through the Rally Fund, patients of the Calaway-Young Cancer Center receive services ranging from counseling to yoga and massage, an onsite boutique, and an emergency assistance fund for food and gas. These services help cancer patients through their treatment and into survivorship.

The event includes a 25-mile bike ride, a 4-mile walk through downtown Glenwood Springs or a 1.5- mile family walk called Peyton’s Parade.

That’s followed by a celebration with music, lunch, a beer garden and fun activities for the entire family.

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SCHEDULE Friday, Sept. 18 5-7 p.m.: Pre-registration and packet pick-up at the Calaway-Young Cancer Center valet drive-through at Valley View Hospital Saturday, Sept. 19 8:30-9:45 a.m.: Registration in Sayre Park 9:45-10 a.m.: Opening ceremonies 10 a.m.: Start of Walk/Ride/Peyton’s Parade Events 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: Festivities in Sayre Park 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: Lunch

cancer trends

Stats: Much is in our power to fight cancer

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antavirus. Bubonic plague. Rabbit fever.

Recent headlines would suggest that Coloradans are facing imminent threats from a host of unusual diseases.

These condiby tions are indeed CAITLIN very serious, and precauCAUSEY tions must be taken to protect oneself against contracting them, but incidences are exceedingly rare. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, approximately 30 statewide cases of these illnesses have been reported thus far in 2015.

That’s six for hantavirus, three for plague, and 21 for rabbit fever - and not all resulted in death.

With Colorado’s population currently hovering around 5.4 million, it is important to keep perspective in mind when considering the true prevalence of these diseases, rather than the perceived.

SO WHAT IS THE REAL THREAT? We have all heard the information time and again, but the news bears repeating: The most serious health threat facing Coloradans is cancer. The leading cause of death in the state since 2004, the health department’s Vital Statistics Program reports that cancer claims more than 7,000 Colorado lives annually.

For perspective, that number equals roughly the population of Carbondale. Every year.

NUMBERS BROKEN DOWN Although still the leading cause of death statewide for over a decade, cancer incidence and mortality rates in Colorado have decreased in recent years.

“Mortality rates for all combined cancers are on the decline, and here they are also lower than the national rates,” said Randi Rycroft, director of the Colorado Central Cancer Registry. “We are also seeing incidence rates decreasing at about 2.5 percent per year.”

Rycroft said increased access to screenings and diagnostic procedures such as the colonoscopy have been a primary factor in lowering the percentages.

The three most frequently diagnosed cancers among state residents are female breast cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer. Although early detection and appropriate treatment plays greatly reduce the likelihood of death by breast and prostate cancers, lung cancer mortality rates remain high due to difficulties in reaching early diagnoses.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women in Colorado, with tobacco use being the overwhelming cause.

“As smoking rates continue to decline through-

out the state, we expect to see reduced cancer deaths,” Rycroft noted.

Other common types of cancer diagnosed statewide include colorectal and melanoma.

Cancer is a broad term accounting for more than 100 types of diseases in which uncontrolled cell growth invades one or more parts of the body. According to the health department, the current lifetime risk of being diagnosed with cancer in Colorado is approximately 1 in 2 for males, and 2 in 5 for females.

SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES In “Cancer and Poverty in Colorado,” a new report revised earlier this year, the health department examined cancer statistics among low-income patients from years 2001-2012. The study’s findings are alarming, and determined that cancer-stricken Coloradans living in poverty were more likely to die from the disease within the first five years after diagnosis than those with higher income levels. Survival rates at five years were at 55 percent in low-income areas, compared with 70 percent of individuals living in wealthier locations.

The CDPHE found that Coloradans living in poorer neighborhoods were also more likely to engage in high cancer risk behaviors such as smoking tobacco or becoming obese as a result of poor diet and lack of physical activity.

Those living in poverty were also more likely to suffer from advanced illness at the time of diagnosis, with lack of health insurance and access to regular cancer screenings bringing increased likelihood of

a late-stage diagnosis.

The report also noted that racial and ethnic minority groups in Colorado bear a disproportionate burden of poverty. Nearly a quarter of the state’s African-American, Native American, and Hispanic populations are considered low-income, compared with only an 8.5 percent poverty rate among non-Hispanic whites.

LESSENING THE RISK The good news is that we can do a lot to decrease our risk of developing cancer.

Research consistently shows that regular early detection cancer screenings, exercise, a diet rich in plantbased foods, maintaining a healthy weight, and reduced exposure to environmental hazards can greatly reduce the likelihood of developing and dying from the disease.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment also strongly recommends quitting smoking, with tobacco use linked to at least 30 percent of all cancer deaths.

Additionally, it urges state residents to check their homes for radon, as this cancer-causing gas can be found at high indoor levels in many parts of Colorado.

Bottom line: Put out the cigarette, get checked regularly, wear sunblock, trade the pizza and soft drinks for something grown in the earth, and break a sweat in our beautiful mountains a few days a week.

Though no one is immune to cancer, everyone has the power to lessen their risk.

MORE INFO

VISIT COLORADO.GOV/CDPHE FOR FURTHER DETAIL.

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Aspen Valley Hospital

For Aspen Valley Hospital cancer patients, worldclass care close to home

During more than 20 years of practicing medical oncology in the Roaring Fork Valley, Doug Rovira, MD, has learned that cancer patients have a number of priorities. They want access to the latest cancer treatments, they want to get well as quickly as possible, and they want to stay close to home.

Fortunately for upper-valley residents, a comprehensive scope of advanced cancer services for prevention, detection, and treatment is available at Aspen Valley Hospital (AVH).

“After receiving a cancer diagnosis, people want to sleep in their own bed, have their families with them, and be near their friends–not traveling or staying overnight in a hotel for treatment,” Dr. Rovira says. “Treating cancer is not only a quality of care issue but also a quality of life issue. That’s why Aspen Valley Hospital is committed to providing the best in cancer services locally.”

Multifaceted approach

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), approximately half of all men and one-third of all women in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetimes. However, there is good news in the war on cancer, too. Survival rates are increasing, thanks to better educational efforts about reducing cancer risk, growing awareness of the importance of cancer screenings, better diagnostic capabilities, and the development of new and advanced treatment options.

The three-part approach of prevention, early detection, and advanced care summarizes AVH’s strategy for helping individuals and our community fight cancer. The hospital’s arsenal of treatments includes surgery performed onsite, as well as a stateof-the-art infusion center staffed by nurses specially trained in chemotherapy who follow nationally recognized chemotherapeutic protocols. AVH also works with other medical facilities in the area to provide radiation therapy for a seamless treatment

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970.925.1120

experience. And because the hospital is part of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, AVH providers have access to 4,100 of the world’s top physicians and scientists.

Best medicine

The old adage is true: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. To that end, two of AVH’s primary goals are to prevent cancer in our community and to detect it early, when treatment is most likely to succeed.

Patients and their primary care physicians play an important role in keeping up with recommended cancer screenings. AVH supports those efforts with many of the latest cancer screening technologies, including advanced diagnostic imaging services such as 3D digital mammography, MRI scans, ultrasounds, fluoroscopy, and nuclear medicine.

And our laboratory staff includes three experienced pathologists. “To some degree, establishing the diagnosis determines the treatment,” says lead pathologist Jerry Steinbrecher, MD. “A very specific diagnosis helps the oncologist set up a treatment program for optimal care.”

Never alone

At AVH, you are never alone in your journey through cancer. In addition to medical care, AVH offers comprehensive support services for cancer patients and their loved ones. Social workers Michelle Miscione, LCSW, and Karmen Pittenger, MSW, help patients and caregivers cope with cancer (and other) diagnoses. Support group meetings for both groups are held at AVH on a weekly basis. For more information, call 544.1147.

www.facebook.com/AspenValleyHospital

Aspen Valley Hospital

Unrivaled Care Oncology and IV Therapy patients give Aspen Valley Hospital a five-star rating for staff skill and experience, respect and compassion, access and availability.

Unrivaled care, right here in Aspen, by oncologist Doug Rovira, MD; oncology-certified nurse practitioner Nancee Dodge, FNP; and a team of supporting physicians and staff.

www.avhaspen.org

970.925.1120

www.facebook.com/AspenValleyHospital cherish â?¤ live â?¤ hope | 9

letter from the editor

Hope and inspiration weapons against cancer

by RANDY ESSEX

LITTLE IS MORE PROFOUND IN LIFE THAN HEARING THESE THREE WORDS: “YOU HAVE CANCER.” Hope and inspiration may be the last thing in your thoughts or those of your loved ones if you get that diagnosis.

But in the scary days of diagnosis and treatment, people with cancer find those things. This is a section about hope and inspiration through those tough times.

Each fall, the Post Independent publishes Cherish, special section about cancer support and survival, in conjunction with Valley View Hospital’s Rally the Valley, a fundraiser to support cancer patients at Calaway-Young Cancer Center. The money raised goes to such services as massage, acupuncture, yoga, companionship, counseling and support groups.

“These therapies can help a patient better manage the side effects of cancer treatment,” the event website says.

“They also can help patients cope with the stress and anxiety of a cancer diagnosis. These services complement medical treatments to promote whole body healing.”

That care matters greatly to easing the difficulty of treatment.

When I was treated for throat cancer five summers ago, I was moved by how much and how many people wanted to help. Co-workers and friends provided rides to treatment and meals, among other support.

Rally the Valley is a way to help broadly. You can walk or ride your bike Saturday, with your entry fee going to this important support. I’ll be biking. For details, go to rallythevalley.org.

We hope you enjoy this section, which focuses on leading-edge treatment and survivors’ stories. We hope you are moved, inspired and given hope about both the survivability of cancer and our communities’ eagerness to provide support.

We fight cancer together. And we are all enriched.

Randy Essex is editor of the Post Independent.

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Pet project brings comfort to patients

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hauncey was all smiles as he strolled through Valley View Hospital in August, greeting by everyone he saw.

KELLI The 6-year-old ROLLIN labradoodle lookalike is a therapy dog and member of Heeling Partners with owner Jacquie Tannenbaum.

“Hi, Chauncey,” hospital staff said as they ruffled his Dogs must be at least fur and murmured “aww.”

18 months old and must Heeling Partners, be able to walk on a founded in 2002, is a leash among many other program that offers therapy requirements. To keep the dogs to cancer patients certification, teams must at Valley View, schools commit to at least one and nursing homes. visit every six months.

A doctor’s wife helped The dogs must be start the program after groomed within 24 hours of seeing the positive effects a hospital visit and sanitizer dogs had on patients. is always handy for anyone Patients are technically who touches the dogs. allowed to bring their dogs Before visiting, the in the hospital, but it’s hospital is notified and tells not always encouraged. the visiting owner which Tannenbaum, president rooms want to see the dog. of the organization, said “When you’re not the dogs provide comfort feeling well, having a dog and distraction to cancer come and visit you can be patients, their families and soothing,” Tannenbaum hospital staff. She said the said. “It’s like bringing a dogs and owners must different world into their pass a test to be certified. world for just a minute,” “We’re a pet-partner she said of the patients. team,” Tannenbaum said.

Kati Ledall, volunteer coordinator at Valley View, said she’s trying to help revive the program.

Ledall said six teams visit the hospital, and once another passes the test, it’ll be seven.

Chauncey, a 6-year-old labradoodle mix, is a Heeling Partner thereapy dog who visits Valley View Hospital on a weekly basis.

“I think it’s so uplifting to our staff,” Ledall said about dogs visiting. “It takes your mind off the fact that this is a hospital.”

She said when dogs have their five-minute visit, patients’ health isn’t brought up. Tannenbaum recently passed the test with 6-year-old Chauncey.

She said when she did a visit with a cancer patient, she noticed the mood change in the room.

“We talked nothing about cancer, only dogs,” she said. “Immediately when the dog walks in, there’s a positive sense.”

If Chauncey were to speak when visiting patients, Tannenbaum said she thinks he would say, “Hi, my name is Chauncey.

I’m so excited to see you.

Can I give you a kiss?”

Since he’s a rescue dog, she also said he would say, “Somebody took a chance on me, so I’m excited to give back to the community.”

Tannenbaum said the dogs not only soothe the patients, but often the families and hospital staff as well.

“A lot of times for the staff, it’s a stress reliever,” she said.

She said a doctor even came out to pet the visiting dog.

“The cancer center’s kind of new for us, and I can see they’re really embracing it,” Tannenbaum said about hospital staff.

Tannenbaum said Heeling Partners is always looking for more members.

“It’s great you’re getting to help the community, but you’re also getting to hang out with your dog,” she said. “It’s never too soon to start,” she said.

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Home Care & Hospice of the Valley Annual Report BOARD OF DIRECTORS Left to right: Monica Benderly, Peter Guy, Mike Brown, Colleen Weiss-Hanen, Markey Butler, Ken Robinson, Gary Woodworth Not pictured: Dr. Jack Eck, Mary Gould, Laura Kornasiewicz, Jean Moore, Maria Morrow, Dr. Doug Rovira

Looking Back...

2014 was a special year for HomeCare & Hospice of the Valley, as we marked our 5th anniversary. We continue to look at terminal illness with an emphasis of hope for a peaceful death, honoring the dignity and celebrating the life of each patient and their family. Our hospice program has provided end-of-life care to more than 700 patients over the past five years.

Our Home Health program celebrated its 4th anniversary having provided rehabilitative and supportive care to more than 2,400 patients.

This year, our agency was ranked in the top 25% of all home health agencies in the United States. This award is based on clinical outcomes and patients’ satisfaction ratings of the care received.

2014 Accomplishments • Relocated and centralized administrative functions to Glenwood Springs from Basalt with established satellite clinical office in Edwards.

• Implemented a computer-based, electronic medical record system using mobile devices.

• Developed the critical phase of a palliative care program in portions of the Roaring Fork Valley, with plans to expand it to our entire 6,000 square mile service area.

• Expanded private duty services to include professional disciplines of nursing and therapies.

2014 Numbers At A Glance Hospice Patients Medicare/Medicaid Home Care Patients Medicare/M ed edic M Private Privva Duty Home Care Patients Individuals Receiving Bereavement Support I d Individua Reec Number off HomeCare & Hospice Employees HHo Number of Trained Hospice Volunteers

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Looking Forward...

As our current programs grow, we are expanding with two new initiatives.

• Transitions Care, our new and emerging palliative care program, will focus on the fact that people are living longer with advanced illness. This, in turn, creates the need for chronic care management.

• The second initiative is the development of a 12-bed hospice and palliative care center on 4-6 acres of land near the central service location of Glenwood Springs. Our vision is to create a homelike facility for patients at the end of life, or those with pain and symptom management needs that cannot be adequately addressed at home. There is no such facility between Grand Junction and Denver. The need for this facility is urgent and growing as our regional population ages.

“Working in collaboration with community partners and donors, HomeCare & Hospice of the Valley has continued to be dedicated to its core mission and values of providing the very highest quality of care. We will continue on this path and promise, as 186 we develop new programs 785 and services, to keep people 58 in their homes and in their 1,526 78 communities.”

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Seasons Change...

There will come a time when you or your loved one needs assistance.

Whether it is general support, pain management, or comfort care, we have the right solution for your family’s needs.

Please visit www.hchotv.org for a full list of our services.

Glenwood SprinGS 970-930-6008

SAVOUR THE JOURNEY Presented by A Benefit for Hospice of the Valley SEPTEMBER 20, Ironbridge, Glenwood Springs / 5:30PM / $75 PP OCTOBER 1ST Westin Riverside, AVON, 5:30PM / $100 PP Cocktails, Hors D’oeuvres, Live music, Silent Auction

FOR TICKETS OR MORE INFORMATION CALL 970.630.6008

Glenwood Springs: 1901 Grand Avenue, Suite 206 | 970-930-6008 Edwards: 320 Beard Creek Road | 970-569-7455 info@hchotv.org

HomeCare & Hospice of the Valley staff and volunteers in front of our new office in Glenwood Springs.

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Rona’s Healing Home

- a place of calm in the storm

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alley View Hospital has recently added a special new comfort for patients: a home away from home.

The freshly remodeled Blake Avenue condominium, called Rona’s Healing Home, is located by just steps from the CAITLIN hospital and will CAUSEY serve as a private haven where cancer patients can rest as they undergo treatment.

“We are proud that Rona’s Healing Home just recently welcomed here, we didn’t have a place its first patient,” said Ann where they could go to Wilcox, executive director relax, to hang out, to just be of the Calaway-Young together and be supportive Cancer Center. “This is between treatments. an amazing addition to That’s when I thought, we the services we already need to do something,” offer our patients, and we Wilcox recalled. are so excited to see how Soon after, Glenwood this project will evolve.”

Springs residents and Wilcox, who has led longtime Valley View the cancer center team for supporters Bill and Erin almost two years, quickly Lee learned of the situation. noticed the need for such In an effort to help cancer an amenity when a group patients who come to the of patients fighting head hospital in exceptional and neck cancers began need, the couple provided gathering informally for the two-bedroom property support and fellowship that would become during the standard Rona’s Healing Home. six-hour period between The Lees requested that radiation treatments.

“We loved that this group the space honor the legacy of their close friend Rona of patients were really Chorman, who worked at bonding together, but they Valley View for 21 years were meeting here in the and was an inspiration to lobby of the cancer center. many. She passed away It really bothered me that from cancer in 2010. with all the wonderful Tastefully decorated things we are able to offer

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and outfitted to maximize comfort, the condo features a sparkling new kitchen, cozy furnishings, local pottery, soft lighting, and plenty of room for patients and their loved ones to gather. Wi-Fi, TV, books, games and inspirational messages and artwork placed throughout provide an extra measure of hospitality. A housekeeper and maintenance worker from the hospital will assist with upkeep while one of the cancer center’s volunteers acts as house mother, overseeing the replenishment of supplies and necessities.

Long-term and shortterm stays at Rona’s Healing Home will be offered free of charge to certain cancer patients with specific financial and physical needs. In the future, the space will host those with

extenuating circumstances who do not feel well enough to travel home between appointments, who are struggling with limited means or who come from out of town.

Use of the cancer center’s new condo is just one offering in a wide array of complimentary services provided by the hospital’s Integrated Therapies department, led by coordinator Kiffany Brown. Brown’s team of instructors and therapists provide wellness care in a “whole patient” approach.

Recognizing that healing involves more than just doctor’s appointments, they pick up where the medication leaves off.

“Often we see patients suffering not only from cancer but from stress, anxiety, depression and chronic pain associated with illness. Our programs seek to ease these symptoms and are very supportive of the whole person. We try to meet their needs at every level,” Brown said. She noted that the department’s roster of services include yoga and tai chi classes, aromatherapy, acupuncture, craniosacral therapy and massage, aesthetician consultations, art therapy and more. Every patient is given the opportunity to select services based upon individual needs and desires.

“Currently we see about 80 percent of patients using our services. All of our therapies are tailored,

personalized to what the patient and their caregivers need,” Brown noted.

“We really listen to their preferences - what they are comfortable with and what they can tolerate.

It is vital that we meet a patient where they are.”

Brown and Wilcox have noticed that the greater local community is not often aware of the breadth of Valley View’s patient services.

“This hospital does so much behind the scenes,” Wilcox said, adding that “there are so many teams working with a patient beyond their one-onone visits with a doctor or nurse. At any given time, patients probably have a dozen different

people assisting them.”

“It’s not just about receiving treatment here,” Brown agreed.

“It is treatment, support and amenities.”

Valley View’s Integrated Therapies department is funded entirely by donations and funds raised during the hospital’s annual Rally the Valley bike/walk in downtown Glenwood Springs. This

year, the fundraiser is set for Saturday and promises to be an opportunity for the community to learn more about the Integrated Therapies program, its holistic care options, and Rona’s Healing Home.

“We want people to know about the variety of services we offer here,” Wilcox said. “Healing is so much more than just the medicine.”

“IT REALLY BOTHERED ME THAT WITH ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS WE ARE ABLE TO OFFER HERE, WE DIDN’T HAVE A PLACE WHERE (PATIENTS) COULD GO TO RELAX, TO HANG OUT, TO JUST BE TOGETHER AND BE SUPPORTIVE BETWEEN TREATMENTS.”

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skin cancer

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‘Superficial’ skin cancer treatment avoids surgery and scars

uperficial radiation therapy for skin cancer has been offered at Valley View Hospital since the Calaway-Young Cancer Center opened in 2012. Since then, radiation oncologists have treated 67 patients using this treatment, which avoids surgery.

Dr. Bruce Greene first

by KATIE perfected the suHANKINSON perficial treatment procedure during his time in Florida, where he worked for 25 years before moving to the Roaring Fork Valley. Greene is the medical director of radiation oncology services at Valley View.

“Superficial treatment prevents disfigurement of the face,” said Ann Wilcox, executive director at Calaway-Young. “The first thing we as people see when we look at another person is their face, and so to find a treatment that does not leave a scar or require plastic surgery is a very big deal.”

Superficial radiation therapy treats lesions of the skin that do not require penetrative X-rays to be treated and removed.

“Superficial radiation therapy refers to X-ray therapy that is delivered with a lower energy X-ray than typically used with other cancers,” explained Dr. David Marcus, a radiation oncologist at Calaway-Young.

“We use X-ray to treat superficial skin lesions, or skin cancer, because these lesions are on the skin. There’s no need to use a penetrating X-ray. It adequately covers the skin in a way that is extraordinarily effective and reliable to treating non-melanoma skin cancers.”

The treatment itself is like an X-ray - with a little more planning behind it.

“What it involves is what we call an initial simulation,” Marcus continued. “Simulation is kind of the start of treatment planning. We bring the patient in and we delineate the target on the skin and make a lead cut-out that protects the surrounding skin from radiation.

That’s essentially intended to define the target volume.

“Then the patient will go home and we will work behind the scenes to create that lead cut-out and undergo treatment planning, and put together treatment planning calculations

SIGNS OF THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF SKIN CANCERS BASAL CELL CARCINOMA Basal cell carcinoma usually occurs in sun-exposed areas of your body, such as your neck or face.

Signs of basal cell carcinoma ›› A pearly or waxy bump ›› A flat, flesh-colored or brown scar-like lesion

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SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA Most often, squamous cell carcinoma occurs on sun-exposed areas of your body, such as your face, ears and hands. People with darker skin are more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma on areas that aren’t often exposed to the sun.

so that the radiation dose can be accurate and precisely delivered to that lesion. That typically takes anywhere from four to five working days and then the patient will return for their daily treatments. The patients do not feel anything while the beam is on, it feels just like an X-ray, and that beam is on for around a minute.”

If a patient has few concerns about the cosmetic impact, a shorter treatment course might be appropriate, Marcus said.

“For a patient who has greater concerns about the cosmetic outcome, we tend to elect a more protractive course over something like six weeks,” he said. “Most patients are satisfied with the cosmetic result they receive from this treatment. A lot of it depends on the treatment course that is selected.”

Wilcox recalls some of the first patients who underwent superficial treatment.

“One woman we helped treat was looking at a surgery that would have required her to stay at home for four months while the place on her nose where we had treated her skin cancer healed,” Wilcox said.

Signs of squamous cell carcinoma ›› A firm, red nodule ›› A flat lesion with a scaly, crusted surface MELANOMA Melanoma can develop anywhere on your body in otherwise normal skin or in an existing mole that becomes cancerous. Melanoma most often appears on the face or the trunk of affected men. In women, this type of cancer most often develops on the lower legs. In both

“After 32 days of superficial treatment, we had cured the lesion on her nose and a scar had not formed. It’s remarkable what this means for treating skin cancer and we are very lucky to be able to provide a service like that here.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in the United States, and Colorado is not short on sunshine.

“I think that we are fortunate to be able to offer this service for many folks who are able to benefit from it,” Marcus said. “I would encourage people to undergo regular skin checks, because the sun is very strong out here, and there is a high incidence of skin cancer in this valley and in Colorado.

“Fortunately it is not a life-threatening problem, and it is a problem we are able to reliably cure. The cure rates for these cancers, whether it’s surgery or radiotherapy are generally thought to be greater than 95 percent. So patients should be able to feel good about the fact that we can do something about this.”

men and women, melanoma can occur on skin that hasn’t been exposed to the sun. Melanoma can affect people of any skin tone.

In people with darker skin tones, melanoma tends to occur on the palms or soles, or under the fingernails or toenails.

Signs of melanoma ›› A large, brownish spot with darker speckles ›› A mole that changes in color, size or feel or that bleeds ›› A small lesion with an irregular

border and portions that appear red, white, blue or blue-black ›› Dark lesions on your palms, soles, fingertips or toes, or on mucous membranes lining your mouth, nose, vagina or anus If you suspect you have skin cancer, call your primary care provider or dermatologist for evaluation and treatment.

If you have questions about the Radiation Oncology program at Valley View Hospital, please call (970) 384-7579.

Having cancer is hard.

Havinghelp cancer is hard.be.

Finding shouldn’t Finding help shouldn’t be.

Whether you need lodging when treatment is away from home, help navigating the health Whether you need lodging when treatment is care system, rides to treatment, or emotional away from home, help navigating the health support, the American Cancer Society is here care system, rides to treatment, or emotional for you when you need us, where you need us. support, the American Cancer Society is here for you when you need us, where you need us.

Visit cancer.org or call us anytime at 1-800-227-2345.

Visit cancer.org or call us anytime at 1-800-227-2345. ©2014 American Cancer Society, Inc. 030394

©2014 American Cancer Society, Inc. 030394

cherish ❤ live ❤ hope | 19

CHALLENGES AND BIG REWARDS COME WITH CARING FOR OUR ELDERLY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. Geriatrics is a specialty that focuses on promoting health and preventing and treating diseases in older adults, a transition in life typically defined as beginning sometime in their 60s. I see many challenges in caring for our friends and family as they age.

Near the head of the list is polypharmacy and inadequate preparation of advanced directives.

Polypharmacy is generally the use of four or more medications (prescription and over the counter) in Dr. Steven Zeiler, the treatment of a patient. While there are subsets Board Certified in Geriatrics of patients who can be proven to be “better” with certain combinations of medications, far too frequently patients are overmedicated and side effects to those medications negatively impact on their quality of life. While the term polypharmacy is frequently applied to the geriatric population, it is an increasing problem for all age groups. It is simply not possible to predict the adverse drug actions (side effects) and drug interactions that can occur when yet another medication is added to a person’s daily medication list All drugs have side effects; the more drugs a person takes, potential side effects or drug interactions rise exponentially. As a person ages, deterioration in their physical and cognitive function makes the challenge of avoiding or limiting polypharmacy a necessity.

Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to care for our elders during their golden years, and I continue to reap many rewards through the care of my elderly patients and from my relationships with their friends and families.

Glenwood Medical Associates 1830 Blake Avenue | 970-945-8503

www.glenwoodmedical.com 20 | 2015

Meet Your Glenwood Medical

INTERNAL MEDICINE TEAM Our Internal Medicine providers bring many diverse talents to their practices at Glenwood Medical.

We specialize in geriatrics, sports medicine, heart health, diabetes education and management, weight management, healthy lifestyle modeling, and mind/body connection and wellbeing.

We look forward to working with you and to providing ongoing, affordable medical care.

Dr. Steven Zeiler

Greg Holley PA-C

Dolores Snell, PA-C

Dr. Peter Cohen

Glenwood Medical Associates Addressing the need for affordable healthcare 1830 Blake Avenue | 970-945-8503

www.glenwoodmedical.com cherish â?¤ live â?¤ hope | 21

‘Pull Up A Chair’ and

join the fight

T

his fall, Valley View Hospital will host the “Pull Up A Chair” fundraiser, auctioning off chairs painted by community members, employees and cancer survivors, to raise money for cancer research and treatment.

Six months ago, members of the fundraising

by KATIE team began to HANKINSON collect chairs to benefit the fundraiser. Today, the chairs are painted, awaiting their time for display in local banks, ready for community members to contribute to local cancer causes.

“We have 30 chairs, some of which are already painted and available to see at the Cancer Center,” said Nancy Eide of Valley View Hospital. “The chairs have been painted by community members, visitors of the center, and mainly employees and survivors, in order to help this cause.”

The idea for “Pull Up A Chair” came from Eide herself, along with co-worker Lee MartinMcCorkle, when Eide heard a song written by Martin-McCorkle, and was overwhelmed with an idea for a fundraiser.

“My daughter, who is now in college, was in

22 | 2015

kindergarten at the time when they needed an idea for a fundraiser. So I was the one who did the chair thing years before,” Eide said. “Recently, Lee Martin-McCorkle wrote a song about cancer called ‘Pull Up A Chair.’ It is an absolutely beautiful song. And I heard it, and

I said, ‘I have a great idea for a fundraiser,’ so we presented the idea and it went on from there. I have a brother with cancer and this is something close to my heart. We want to raise money to help those of us with cancer.

So with her song and my idea for painting chairs,

it all kind of clicked.”

Martin-McCorkle explained that the song is about honoring the people she meets during her time at Valley View.

“We have patients who do treatment every day, for six weeks, except on weekends,” MartinMcCorkle said. “They come in at the same time every day, and they sit down here in what I consider to be a very serious space. You get to know them and their families, and see them succeed in the end. I feel honored to build relationships with these people, and share this time with them as a supporter.

“So in this very serious space, I went home one night and wrote this song, all in the same night.

Basically it’s about the honor it is to get to meet them during this time in their life, to make that connection with them, and to learn about their life. They are the most courageous people I have ever met, and I think it is a complete honor to spend time with them, and this is my way to express that.”

The chairs will be displayed for auction at banks in the valley, starting at Alpine Bank in Carbondale on Sept.

21. The chairs will move from bank to bank each Monday until Nov. 4 for

SCHEDULE

Here is the schedule for the fundraiser if you are interested in bidding.

Sept. 21-Oct. 5: Alpine Bank, Carbondale Oct. 5-16: ANB, Carbondale Oct. 5-16: Alpine Bank, Glenwood Sept. 21-Oct. 5: First Bank, Glenwood Oct. 5-16: US Bank, Glenwood, 1901 Grand Ave. Sept. 21-Oct. 5: ANB, Glenwood Oct. 21: Silent auction and reception in the CalawayYoung Cancer Center.

community members to see and bid on. What Eide describes as “the big finale” will take place at Valley View Hospital in November, to reveal the highest bidders and how much was raised to help patients with cancer.

“The chairs will start at $25,” Eide said. “From there they will go up in 10-dollar increments, and we hope everyone in

the community will take notice in our cause.”

All proceeds from the fundraiser, which come from the Rally Fund, will go toward research and treatment, specifically providing patients at the cancer center for counseling, yoga, massage, emergency assistance such as food and gas, acupuncture, and integrative therapy.

Nancy Eide, left, and Lee Martin-McCorkle show off two of the chairs decorated for a fundraiser this fall.

cherish ❤ live ❤ hope | 23

SUN AND ALTITUDE: ALWAYS PLAY IT SAFE We all love our 300 days of sunshine here in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and we have so many ways to enjoy the outdoors in our community.

However, the activities that we do outside all increase our risk of skin cancer by exposing us to harmful UV radiation. High altitude (for each 3000 ft above sea level our UV radiation goes up 10%), snow reflection (fresh snow reflects 94% of UV radiation) and water reflection all are independent factors for increased UV radiation.

Dr. Kelly Thomas

Skin cancer is diagnosed more often every year than any other type of cancer. In fact, the number of skin cancer diagnoses will be more than all other kinds of cancers diagnosed—combined.

Protecting your skin is the most important thing you can do, either by wearing sunscreen or by wearing sun-protective clothing daily. A broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 30-50 daily is ideal. For full body application, 1 ounce (a shot glass full) of sunscreen is needed regardless of the SPF rating. If you are going to be outside for longer than two hours, remember to re-apply your sunscreen to sun exposed skin. Apply sunscreen 20 minutes prior to going outside or to the pool and re-apply immediately after getting out of the water or after heavy sweating.

As we continue to enjoy living in our beautiful valley, we need to be mindful of our skin. If you notice new, growing, bleeding or tender lesions that are not going away after a month, please have someone evaluate them. As a rule the earlier a skin cancer is identified, the easier the treatment and the better the prognosis.

For more information or to have your skin checked, please call Dr. Kelly Thomas at 970.945.8503. Dermatology of Glenwood Medical.

Glenwood Medical Associates 1830 Blake Avenue | 970-945-8503

www.glenwoodmedical.com 24 | 2015

Enjoy the Fun BUT PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE SUN UV exposure from the sun increases your risk of skin cancer. Wear broad spectrum SPF 30‑50 sunscreen or sun‑protective clothing daily (including hat and sunglasses.)

Re‑apply sunscreen every 2 hours if you are going to be outside or after getting out of the water.

Monitor your skin! If you see new, growing, changing or bleeding spots, please have them evaluated.

Call today for an appointment with Dr. Thomas at 970‑945‑8503.

Glenwood Medical Associates Addressing the need for affordable healthcare 1830 Blake Avenue | 970-945-8503

www.glenwoodmedical.com cherish ❤ live ❤ hope | 25

testimonials

How to brighten chemo day It’s chemo day!

And the best part of chemo day is the massage and PB&J I get to eat. I am so lucky to go to Valley View Hospital. From the valet parking and massages I feel like a rock star.

Recently I went to another hospital for my surgery consult and it was just so sad and depressing, and felt icky.

Everyone looked so sick and deathly.

At VVH it isn’t sad, or sickly feeling, which is really nice. As for the PB&J, well each chemo day that’s my treat I have right before the chemo infusion. Man, there is just something about PB&J. It’s so simple but so good.

- Kelli, age 28, Breast Cancer

26 | 2015

Coping with the shock of a lifetime There I was, a healthy, active, marathon-running, mountain-biking outdoor enthusiast, coming to grips with the shock of a lifetime.

Being told you have cancer is a traumatic experience, and accepting that reality was one of the hardest obstacles to overcome.

I learned just how relentless I truly am, never giving up, facing my diagnosis and treatment head-on with resilience and staying positive. You know the expression ... life’s too short to drink cheap wine. Well life’s too short for a lot of things and you don’t get do overs.

- Bill, 70, stage 3 Colon Cancer

My heart is bigger

It has been eight months since my diagnosis, and my cancer is gone.

I said to a group of friends the other day that that experience really wasn’t too bad.

My husband looked at me in disbelief and said, “No, Honey, it was really bad.”

There were hard times, but I do not remember them. There were painful times, but I cannot recall them. Tears roll down my face constantly; not from pain, not from sadness, not from my desperation but from a place of love and thankfulness for the care and love I received throughout the journey.

I still have some hurdles to cross in my recovery, but my heart is bigger and I feel more love then I ever have before.

- Tessa, anal cancer

FITNESS AND EXERCISE

ACTIVE LIVING

THRIVING THROUGH LIFE

HEALTHY COOKING AND EATING

TIPS FROM HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FEATURED COLUMNISTS EVERY TUESDAY

IN THE

POST INDEPENDENT

cherish ❤ live ❤ hope | 27

inspiration

Raising awareness of metastatic breast cancer

one tutu at a time

BRANDPOINT

CONTENT

H

earing a doctor utter the words “breast cancer” often leaves women with dozens of initial questions: “How will I manage all of the demands of daily life while in treatment? How will it affect me physically? How do I tell my family?” But a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer, the most advanced stage of the disease after it has spread to other parts of the body, can be particularly difficult.

“There’s a real dark side to cancer. Like many women with this disease, I experience fear, sadness and physically feel the impact of my diagnosis,” says Linda Carey, who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 and metastatic breast cancer in 2006.

28 | 2015

STAGES OF CANCER

Shortly before Carey’s first diagnosis with breast cancer, her husband, Bob, started a personal photography project - the Tutu Project - to express his feelings about some significant life changes, including the Careys’ move from Arizona to Brooklyn, New York. When Carey was diagnosed, the project evolved into a way to help make her laugh and allowed her to shift her focus away from her cancer journey.

Over the years, the project has further evolved into a way for the Careys to provide support to others.

Through the Tutu Project, Bob photographs himself wearing only a pink tutu in a variety of poses and settings around the world - walking through fields, standing atop the Grand Canyon and even jumping across the Brooklyn Bridge - all in the hope of offering inspiration, laughter and perhaps a smile while in chemotherapy, while raising funds to cover incidental costs not covered by health insurance for those living with breast cancer.

Bob notes, “This can be a very scary road to travel. But Linda’s cancer has taught us that life is good, dealing with it can be hard, and sometimes the very best thing - no, the only thing - we can do to face another day is to laugh at ourselves, and share a laugh with others.”

Carey says she relies on finding the humor in the little things and the support of friends and family to get her through the toughest times.

The approximately 175,000 American women living with this advanced form of breast cancer often face challenges

distinct from those diagnosed with an earlier stage. For many like Carey and her husband Bob, the desire to share their stories and connect with other members of the metastatic breast cancer community is an essential part of the journey.

“In those moments when I feel alone or afraid, I use journaling or drawing to help express my emotions, negative or positive. These are my forms of self-

“SOMETIMES THE VERY BEST THING — NO, THE ONLY THING — WE CAN DO TO FACE ANOTHER DAY IS TO LAUGH AT OURSELVES, AND SHARE A LAUGH WITH OTHERS.” therapy and I can’t begin to describe the value that they have added to my life.”

To help create awareness of metastatic breast cancer and find strength and solidarity in these experiences, Carey is encouraging women to participate in the nationwide #MBCStrength photo and story-sharing campaign.

Women with metastatic breast cancer can share their

own photos and stories that capture the essence of their journey living with MBC on Twitter using the hashtag #MBCStrength or on Facebook. Photos posted on the Facebook page will be considered for a display in Times Square on Oct. 13, 2015, Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Carey’s personal account is also featured at www.

MyMBCStory.com, an educational website tailored for women with metastatic breast cancer developed

by AstraZeneca with input from breast cancer advocacy organizations LBBC and Metastatic Breast Cancer Network. Those who share their stories on Facebook also have an opportunity to be featured on the site, which in addition to firstperson stories also provides tools and information tailored to women with metastatic breast cancer and their loved ones.

Educational resources are important for many women facing a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, because despite the wealth of information available about breast cancer, there are very few resources specific to metastatic disease.

“As the fight continues for more metastatic breast cancer resources, research and financial support, my hope is that we and the broader community do not lose sight of one key truth: our disease may not be curable but it’s up to us how we choose to live our lives.”

To read stories from women living with metastatic breast cancer visit www.

MyMBCStory.com.

STAGE 0 ‘IN SITU’ - Cancer in the position where it started. It is probable that some cancers never go beyond this early stage.

Stage I: localized cancer Cancer cells gain the ability to pass through the thin, fibrous membrane that serves as a boundary around the tissue where the cancer began, allowing them to invade neighboring tissue. This invasion is a serious step, because it indicates that the growing cancer cells may threaten life.

STAGES II AND III: regional spread - Daughter cells from the original cancer cell invade other parts of the body through a lymph vessel, which, like a blood vessel, can move material throughout the body. Sometimes this produces an immune response that destroys cancerous cells. Other times, however, a cell that has reached the lymphatic system will divide and form a lump in a nearby lymph node.

This stage is often referred to as regional spread. That is, the cancer has spread within the general region in which it first began but not to other parts of the body.

STAGE IV: distant spread - Cells from the lump in the lymph node may spread further through lymph vessels to more distant lymph nodes or into the blood stream, where they can go just about anywhere in the body, form new colonies and spread further. A person with Stage IV cancer might have cancer cells in multiple organs or tissues. source: paraphrased from the nsw cancer institute, www. cancerinstitute.org.au full article - http://www. cancerinstitute.org.au/patientsupport/what-i-need-to-know/ about-cancer/what-are-thedifferent-stages-of-cancer

inspiration

Player’s cancer fight inspires high school football team

Hogan carried the ball DANVILLE, Ala. (AP) - Kane Hogan’s by DANIEL 25 times as a freshman, averaging a team-high life changed in an inBOYETTE 6.7 yards-per-carry stant late last January.

AL.COM while scoring three The multiple-sport touchdowns. He entered athlete at Danville High the offseason prepared to School was balancing the battle for more playing time, start of baseball season with and Louallen fully expected offseason football workouts him to play a bigger role. when he began suffering Hogan spent about two from a severe lack of energy months undergoing treatand paleness. He thought it ment at St. Jude Children’s was a sinus infection, but the Research Hospital in Memsymptoms persisted, and he phis. He returns there once a ended up going to Huntsville month for a day of treatment, Hospital for blood work. and he makes weekly trips “They came in and told to Huntsville Hospital. me I had leukemia,” said “It’s had its ups and Hogan, now a sophomore. downs,” Hogan said of the “I broke down. What else treatment process. “But I’ve are you going to do?” been blessed to not have Hogan was diagnosed with as many side effects as my acute lymphocytic leukemia, friends at St. Jude. They have a cancer of the blood and terrible side effects. I have bone marrow. The fast-movdays I feel bad, throwing ing disease creates immature up every now and then.” white blood cells (lymphoThe biggest inspiration cytes) instead of normal cells. for Hogan? His mom, “We knew something was Michelle, who survived going on, but we didn’t think breast cancer in 2000. it was anything like this,” “She’s kind of the rock said Josh Louallen, who was for me and my dad,” Kane coming off his first season as said. “I guess, without her, Danville’s head football coach I’d probably still be sitting when Hogan was diagnosed.

30 | 2015

around crying about it and not doing anything. She kind of gave me a reality check and said, ‘God’s got a plan. We really don’t know what it is, but this is happening for a reason.’”

COMMUNITY SUPPORT Hogan also got a surprise supporter in Auburn junior offensive lineman Shon Coleman, a leukemia survivor and former St. Jude patient.

“He texts me all the time and says to keep fighting,” Hogan said. “It’s pretty awesome. He was a whole lot of help when I first got diagnosed. I don’t know who hooked him up with me. He knew the process.

Sometimes you talk to people about the treatment plan and they don’t have a clue. He knows. He says, ‘Oh, yeah, that sucked for me, too.’”

There was an outpouring of community support following Hogan’s diagnosis.

A 5K run/walk, titled “Raisin’ Kane” was held in early March at Point Mallard Park in Decatur. A benefit concert was held the following weekend at Danville High.

“It’s crazy all they’ve done for me,” Hogan said. “It was a blessing to have the coaches and the teammates and the community ... the community really came together and supported me and my family.”

Hogan enrolled for classes this semester. A port in his chest in which treatments are administered prohibits him from playing contact sports.

He attends practice on days when he has enough energy.

“The days he can be here, when he comes back around, you just see an energy come through the entire field house and through the team,” Louallen said. “I feel it when I see him. I may have had a terrible day, but when I see Kane walk out on the field and we’re fixing to start practice, it gives me a boost of energy be-

cause we feed off of his fight, his endurance and his will.”

HE LIFTS THE TEAM Hogan chats with teammates prior to the start of practice and encourages them during drills.

“It’s great,” he said of attending practice. “My legs get really weak during the treatment. I’m trying my best to do as much as I can.

It gets tough sometimes.”

Hogan’s perseverance and his commitment to the team don’t go unnoticed.

“It just shows that no matter what you go through, he’s still right there behind us and has our back,” senior quarterback/safety Colton McCay said. “I’ve never seen someone take on what he’s took on and take it as well as he did. During workouts, we had no clue that was going to happen. And it hurt a lot when we found out. But he stayed strong and I never heard him say one negative thing about it. I guess that says a lot about who he is.”

The Danville Hawks open the regular season at Cold Springs on Friday, and they’ll carry Hogan’s fighting spirit with them.

“His perseverance, his entire attitude through the whole thing has just been incredible,” Louallen said.

“It’s been inspiring to me and to the team. Kane was one of those players who made every workout, every lift, every practice. He embodied perseverance. He carried that right over from football to his battle for his life.”

Hogan will continue his fight while supporting the Hawks in every way possible. He’ll also encourage those who find themselves in the shocking position that changed his life eight months ago. Hogan’s message is simple, but powerful: “Keep fighting,” he said. “God’s got a plan.”

cherish ❤ live ❤ hope | 31

I believe exercise is an emotional, mental and physical uplift.

Everyone can benefit from exercise and this is a gentle way to work back to a more healthy lifestyle after a cancer diagnosis. — Phyllis Zilm, PT/CLT