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To all at CFA,
At a time in a person's life when there are so many worries surrounding you, it helps to receive your care package. Its like receiving a present! Such little things do so much. God will bless you.
Thank you,
Ms. Lavenstein
Dear CFA,
I just wanted to say thank you so much for sending my husband your package. He couldn't wait to open it to see what all was in this package. He was like a kid at x-mas time; he would say, "I can use this and I can use that." He was so excited. He can't wait to get another one! I think what you do for cancer patients is wonderful! I know myself cancer patients sometimes don't have a lot to look forward to; this package gives them something coming in the mail and creates like a gift to them. That was great to see him get excited over something. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, I was happy to receive the pink shirt. Thanks again for all you do. it was greatly appreciated in this household.
Sincerely,
Mr. and Mrs. McCollin
~PA
Dear CFA,
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Yes, I received my box the next day after I talked to you on the telephone. I appreciate you all (CFA) for all the necessities I would be doing without. I really appreciate the soaps and creams and makeup. You sent me a tube of 100% pure Lanolin. It has almost healed up the sores on my hands and feet caused by the chemo treatments I am taking. The vitamins help the rash in my mouth caused by chemo. Allergy meds also. Shampoo and conditioners, toothbrushes, toothpaste...Thank you! Weened kits for going to Paries, Texas for my monthly treatments. Rubber gloves and latex gloves and health wipes and cloths...Thank you! I have constipation problems sometimes and also diarrhea problems due to meds. The make ups and nail polish makes me feel well. I try to keep myself clean which makes me feel wonderful. I have breast cancer gone to the bone. All over my skull-from neck to tailbone-across to both hips-all ribs are involved and down my left leg and left lung. Drs put a titanium rod in my left femur bone from hip to knee. I have to sit on cushions or pillows and use light weight soft blankets. Thanks for the OTC meds for the cold and the flu.
You have definietly put a smile on my face. I have 3 grandchildren. They are precious. I feel blessed. God has been good to me and I am very grateful for all he has done. The boys have enjoyed the dvds and videos. 2 and a half years ago when I found my cancer was back, the only gave me 30 months or less to live. Dec. 2007 was the 30th month. Praise God I am past that now. My dr says with treatments they have given me will give me a few more months. I love the Lord with all of my heart and I know it will be his timing, not ours. Please keep me in your prayers. May God richly bless you for all the hard work you are doing to bring happines to others less fortunate. You will recieve a reward someday!
Thank you again,
Ms. Perry
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Check out our website!!
Make donations online!!
You can help support CFA with Memorials, Legacies, Car Donations, & Wills!!
Click here
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CFA's Mission Statement
"To provide direct aid, other support and services to financially indigent patients; to disseminate information concerning the early detection and prevention of cancer; to provide grants, commodities and gifts-in-kind to hospices and other health care providers; to procure and distribute donated merchandise to various 501 © (3) non-profit community service organizations which aid the ill, needy, and infants."
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The Cancer Fund of America's Newsletter
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Fall 08 |
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New cancer drugs may increase blood clots.
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10 Lifestyle Tips for Cancer Prevention
Looking for ways to cut your risk of developing cancer? Here's a list of 10 diet and activity recommendations highlighted in Chicago at the annual meeting of the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
- Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight.
- Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day.
- Avoid sugary drinks, and limit consumption of high-calorie foods, especially those low in fiber and rich in fat or added sugar.
- Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes (such as beans).
- Limit consumption of red meats (including beef, pork, and lamb) and avoid processed meats.
- If you drink alcohol, limit your daily intake to two drinks for men and one drink for women.
- Limit consumption of salty foods and food processed with salt (sodium).
- Don't use supplements to try to protect against cancer.
- It's best for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for up to six months and then add other liquids and foods.
- After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the recommendations for cancer prevention.
For more information at Web MD, Click Here |
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Head and Neck Cancer
Head and neck cancer includes cancers of the mouth, nose, sinuses, salivary glands, throat and lymph nodes in the neck. Most begin in the moist tissues that line the mouth, nose and throat.
Symptoms include:
- A lump or sore that does not heal
- A sore throat that does not go away
- Trouble swallowing
- A change or hoarseness in the voice
Using tobacco or alcohol increases your risk. In fact, 85 percent of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use, including smoking and smokeless tobacco. If found early, these cancers are often curable.
Treatments may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination. Treatments can affect eating, speaking or even breathing, so patients may need rehabilitation.
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Questions & Answers About Chemotherapy:
What is chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy (also called chemo) is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells.
How does chemotherapy work?
Chemotherapy works by stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells, which grow and divide quickly. But it can also harm healthy cells that divide quickly, such as those that line your mouth and intestines or cause your hair to grow. Damage to healthy cells may cause side effects. Often, side effects get better or go away after chemotherapy is over.
What does chemotherapy do?
Depending on your type of cancer and how advanced it is, chemotherapy can:
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Cure cancer - when chemotherapy destroys cancer cells to the point that your doctor can no longer detect them in your body and they will not grow back.
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Control cancer - when chemotherapy keeps cancer from spreading, slows its growth, or destroys cancer cells that have spread to other parts of your body.
- Ease cancer symptoms (also called palliative care) - when chemotherapy shrinks tumors that are causing pain or pressure.
How is chemotherapy used?
Sometimes, chemotherapy is used as the only cancer treatment. But more often, you will get chemotherapy along with surgery, radiation therapy, or biological therapy. Chemotherapy can:
- Make a tumor smaller before surgery or radiation therapy. This is called neo-adjuvant chemotherapy.
- Destroy cancer cells that may remain after surgery or radiation therapy. This is called adjuvant chemotherapy.
- Help radiation therapy and biological therapy work better.
- Destroy cancer cells that have come back (recurrent cancer) or spread to other parts of your body (metastatic cancer).
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Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain
Gorging on favorite holiday foods can widen your waistline, but they don't have to spell dietary disaster. In fact, some of your guiltiest pleasures may be good for you.
Putting Holiday Weight Gain in Perspective
At this time of year, you can hardly escape hearing that Americans gain about 5 pounds from the constant celebrating. True, some people probably pack on that much, or more, with holiday foods. For the rest of us, the weight increase is actually a lot less, however.
That's the conclusion from a New England Journal of Medicine study, which found most people gained about a pound between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. But that's no reason to eat with wild abandon during the holidays. "Putting on a pound or so every year makes a big difference when you never get around to losing it," says Pat Vasconcellos, RD, a Massachusetts-based spokeswoman for The American Dietetic Association.
In a decade's time, the effects of nibbling a few cookies here and there may easily add 10 pounds to your frame. "The trick is to minimize the damage from holiday foods and have fun at the same time," says Janice Bissex, MS, RD, co-author of The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers. Eating regular meals and snacks every day makes it easier to resist overdoing it at festive events. When you occasionally skimp on meals because you're busy shopping, wrapping, and baking, nosh on a protein-packed snack, such as low-fat yogurt or reduced-fat cheese, to blunt your hunger before gathering with family or friends.
At parties, pile your plate with lower-fat foods to limit high-calorie splurges. The following top picks have fewer calories, fat, and sodium and more fiber than other holiday fare:
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Whole grains, such as whole-wheat rolls, wild rice, and quinoa
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Shrimp, lobster, and other steamed seafood
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Plain or lightly dressed vegetables
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Meat and poultry without the gravy
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Salad greens (lightly dressed)
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Fresh fruit
'Good for You' Holiday Foods
You know that lower-fat foods are the wisest choices no matter what time of year. But the benefits of holiday fare don't end with fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. "Many holiday foods that people think they should avoid are actually healthy in small amounts," says Vasconcellos. As long as you mind your portions, these perennial favorites are wise choices. For fewer calories, prepare them with an artificial sweetener used in cooking, such as Splenda.
Here's what they have to offer, besides calories:
Applesauce and Apples
Heart-healthy fiber does indeed keep the doctor away. Look for unsweetened applesauce to get the fiber without the sugar. Bake apples with the skin to get a potent flavonoid called quercitin, which helps prevent heart disease.
Cheese
You get the most bone-building calcium and protein from hard cheeses.
Cranberry Sauce (Unsweetened)
Cranberries spell trouble for bacteria that cause most urinary tract infections. If you like sweet cranberries, add a minimal amount of sugar, or artificial sweetener.
Dark Chocolate
Seventy percent dark chocolate contains the most flavonols -- helpful plant substances that help decrease cholesterol.
Green Beans
Naturally low in calories, string beans are loaded with vitamin K, which helps protect your bones. Also, a good source of vitamin C and vitamin A. But skip heavy sauces with this veggie. Try beans lightly tossed with olive oil and lemon.
Nuts
Nuts are chock-full of heart-healthy unsaturated fat, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
Pumpkin Pie
This rich orange vegetable contains carotenoids for making vitamin A in the body and fighting free radicals. Pumpkin is also a good source of potassium and fiber. Beware: most pies are loaded with sugar. Use artificial sweetener instead of sugar for a lower calorie dessert.
Yams/Sweet Potatoes
Yams offer carotenoids, potassium, vitamin C, and fiber. Candied yams are high in sugar. Bake with a bit of brown sugar, or with artificial sweetener, for the taste without the calories.
To read more on this article, click here.
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Cancer Fund of America, Inc.
2901 Breezewood Lane
Knoxville, TN 37921
Office: 865-938-5281
Fax: 865-938-2968
Toll free:
1-800-578-5281
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