Once the deception is revealed, people are often very angry and resentful. I took part in a women’s forum a few years ago when this actually happened. A woman started posting that she had lung cancer and went as far as to chronicle her treatment and the lack of progress in stopping the disease. As women began to get to know her, they began offering not only a shoulder to lean on, some became involved in helping her in other ways, including having her stay in their home while supposedly waiting for more treatment.

You can see where the story is going. Her deception was discovered and the women who opened their hearts and homes to her were very upset. And this is where the damage is done. While some women who weren’t deceived felt that there was no real harm done, what this did to was to make many in the forum become gun-shy and much less willing to step forward when other women did become ill or experienced tragedies. And that is where the harm lies. If someone wants to claim illness, we can argue that it’s only herself she is hurting, but that’s not true. She’s hurting those who want to help and she’s hurting those who will need help down the road and who may not get it because others have been burned.

Now, another story has come out that a woman in Chatanooga, Tenn., not only claimed to have breast cancer over a course of five years, she collected donations of sick leave and money from co-workers. Last week, she was arrested for theft and forgery.

You can read more about the story here: Woman who lied about breast cancer arrested – obviously, people who do this do have problems. I hope she gets the help she needs but I also hope that her coworkers don’t become embittered from the experience.

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Image: MorgueFile

Tags: cancer blog, breast cancer, lying about cancer

Post from: Blisstree

Lying about breast cancer results in arrest

There’s a great story over at ctv.ca, about a doctor who treated a 12-year-old for cancer, replacing cancerous bone in the knee with a prosthetic knee. Now, several years later, this patient, 28-year-old Trevor Banka, MD, is a second year resident (training period after you get your medical degree), specializing in oncology, just like his mentor, Michael Mott, MD.

You can read about this story in the article, Doctor, former patient now colleagues in Detroit.

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Tags: cancer blog, oncology

Post from: Blisstree

Oncologist unknowing mentor to a patient – now a doctor himself

Several years ago, there was a young girl in Montreal who had to undergo treatments at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, where she found that they only had straight straws, not the kind that bent. This was because of budgets, one would think. So, when she was finished her treatment, she made it her mission to raise money to buy straws that could bend, making it easier for children to drink while lying down or reclining.

A similar story came out of North Dakota, where a 3-year-old was battling leukemia. Now in remission, his family is saying thank you with hats: A young cancer patient’s thank you: 500 hats.

What a nice story.

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Tags: cancer blog, leukemia

Post from: Blisstree

A lovely thank you from a 3-year-old

Donna Walton is one of the millions of people who have lived through having cancer and gone on to live a fulfilling and meaningful life. In Donna’s case, 30 years after she had her leg amputated above the knee because of cancer, she is a certified cognitive behavioral therapist and she works as a consultant and motivational speaker.

You can read more about Donna’s achievements and work over at Disaboom.com: Amputee and Cancer Survivor: Donna Walton Walks Her Talk.

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Tags: donna walton, cancer survivor, cognitive behavior therapist, amputee

Post from: Blisstree

Amputee and Cancer Survivor: Donna Walton

I’ve lost three dogs to cancer in the past 4 years. Rox was a purebred golden retriever who we rescued before he was to be dumped at the SPCA. He was 2 years old when he came to share his life with us and he died 7 years later, at the age of 9. Like a typical golden, he didn’t let on that he was in pain or not well. So, but the time we discovered that he had cancer of the stomach, we had no choice but to let him go. That was in January of 2004.

In June of that same year, I  fell in love with greyhounds and Oscar, whose racing name was Answer to Chevy, came to live with us. He was at a race track in Massachusetts and he was brought up here to his forever home. Oscar was only 2 years old but his owners felt he wasn’t a winning racer, so they gave him up. Greyhounds often develop cancer and, unfortunately, Oscar did. He had a tumor on his spine in his neck. He died August 13, 2007. He was 10 days shy of his fifth birthday and his death came one week after I published a book about him, Oscar’s Diaries: Live as a Retired Greyhound.

It was too heart breaking to lose two dogs so close together but in November 2007, I allowed myself to fall in love with Dee, also a greyhound who had been kept for breeding. Her racing name was Cee Bar Denise. It turned out that her dad and Oscar’s dad were the same; they were half siblings. Dee came to share her life with us, her first and forever home, on November 11. She wasn’t quite a senior yet, only turned 9 yrs old on December 23, but she needed a home and ours was hers. Sadly, she also died just this past August. We didn’t get a definite diagnosis, but the vet thinks that, yet again, cancer struck our household.

Whether your love is a greyhound, a poodle, a Heinz 57, the pain of losing our precious friends can seem unbearable at times. But would I have passed up the chance to feel the love of those three precious dogs, even knowing when I would lose them? Never.

Rox, my wild child and a bundle of joy, Oscar, my heart dog, and Dee, my sweet broodie are all at Rainbow Bridge, hopefully exchanging happy and fun stories of their time with us.

Do you have a pet story to share?

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Photos: Marijke Vroomen-Durning

Tags: cancer blog, dogs and cancer, pets and cancer, rainbow bridge, greyhounds, pets

Post from: Blisstree

Cancer affects our pets too

Earlier this month, the old actor has been spotted being pushed on a wheelchair — making the ‘lung cancer rumors’ resurface.

Paul Newman was photographed in a wheelchair during a recent outing in New York following reports that the legendary actor has cancer.

The photos, taken on July 7, show a woman pushing Newman in a wheelchair.

Well…maybe he is sick. Due to lung cancer or just plain old age, who knows? Let us just wish him good health and peace.

Post from: Blisstree

So Maybe Paul Newman Has Lung Cancer?

Earlier this week, a spot in his right cheek was removed as part of a routine check-up. Following biopsy results have showed that McCain is cancer-free.

Presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain, who has a history of dangerous melanomas, had a spot of skin removed from his face today, his campaign said.

The patch of skin was removed from McCain’s right cheek during a routine checkup in Arizona, the candidate said. In 2000, an invasive melanoma was removed from the senator’s left temple.

McCain denied there were any serious problems when he discussed the procedure at a campaign stop in Bakersfield.

Read more from the LA Times.

Post from: Blisstree

Melanoma Survivor John McCain, Remains Skin Cancer-Free

Then, just reports that Steve Jobs has told associates he is cancer-free — shares of Apple jumped nearly 3 percent the very next day!

According to reports, Jobs is having nutritional problems due to pancreatic cancer surgery he had four years ago while Apple remains adamant that Steve Jobs’ state of health is a private matter.

Well…the guy must be having a tough time, cancer-free or not. However, a person of his stature can make the state of his health really private if he wants to keep mum about it. With all the speculations I cannot help but think about this might all be a business strategy, in one way or another.

Post from: Blisstree

Is Steve Jobs Cancer-Free?

All over the news are the following words this weekend by Patrick Swayze that is hopeful:

“…a miracle, dude.”

I don’t know why. I am juicing every day along with other treatments and all I can say is that it’s working fine and really well.”

The actor, according to reports has been undergoing chemotherapy and the new CyberKnife (robotic radiosurgery system) for the pancreatic cancer he was diagnosed with in March.

It’s really inspiring to see him up and about and getting back to work.  Like I said in my previous post, not everyone that has access and can afford the best treatments are as lucky to be responding wel

Post from: Blisstree

Time For Some Good Cancer Story News: Patrick Swayze

Speaking of freedom, in the context of cancer…what does freedom really mean? The definition varies from case to case, from person to person, from one’s perspective to another.

First of all nobody is free from the big-C. Each and everyone of us is at risk in one way or another. I mean we all walk on the face of the earth…all factors are at play contributing to the development of cancer. Environmental factors, genetics, lifestyle, diet, exposure to harmful chemicals and substances…just to name a few. Need I say more? Well yeah genetics. He he. You know what I mean.

Anyways, my second point is that: another kind of freedom is having the access to all the best treatment and healthcare and having the freedom to choose (with your doctor of course) what’s the best course of treatment for you. This all boils down to money folks. Without it a patient may prolong his life, despite cancer. Without it, a person can just die without even a fight. In this whole wide world money speaks, that’s the hard truth. You get the picture.

Third point is even if one has all the money and the best cancer treatment in the world. It just all remains now to how one’s body responds to treatment. Those that survives or gets into remission gets their freedom. At least in this case, one gets to fight cancer even though at the end some still lose.

I’m sorry if that sound harsh, but cancer is really harsh. It just turns our world upside down in one way or another. Our families have to deal with it and we cope too in any way we can. We all need all the help we can get: prayers, support system, family and friends, treatments, therapies, etc.

Yesterday I heard news – somebody I knew from a previous place where I used to work and live -  died a few days ago. Today she will brought to her final resting place. I was told she had a tumor in her throat, underwent surgery. Woke up only to suffer from stroke and then she went into a coma for a few days. She did not wake up of course, that was just too sudden. I wish her peace. At least she’s not in pain anymore.  In a way…hers is another kind of freedom. Like any other cancer patient that battled cancer and lost in the end. I don’t want to look at it as losing, the body is just free from pain and then you rest in peace, hopefully…something like that.

Well anyway, there goes my third point of freedom from cancer. I don’t wanna go any further, this post is making me sad.

Post from: Blisstree

Freedom from Cancer. What does that really mean?