Fighting Cancer with Cookies

About 10 years ago, Laura Stachler's husband and daughter were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease, more or less back to back. It had to be devastating. To put her mind on something else -- and to give her family something they could keep down while undergoing chemo -- Susan put her skills as a caterer and baker to good use.

She developed a really good ginger snap recipe. "I had heard in passing that ginger is a stomach soother," Stachler said.

A decade later, husband and daughter have both recovered, and Susansnaps -- the company started by Stachler and named for both her sister, who died of cancer at age 28, and her daughter, who had been named for her aunt -- is a business that makes up to 10,000 cookies daily and ships nationwide.

It's true. You can order your own right here.

Good for them.

Some inspiration from the field

I’m not the biggest football fan, but I came across this really uplifting article about a former NFL player that had non-hodgkin’s.

Merril Hoge played for the Steelers, and has a new book about his experiences in the NFL.

“From a young age, Merril knew it would be up to him to act on his dreams. He suffered abuse at the hand of his father, lost his mother at age 19, and was considered “too small and too slow” to play professional football.

He proved his critics wrong. Merril played eight seasons in the NFL before retiring in 1995 after a series of concussions. But in 2003, he faced his biggest challenge of all: cancer. Diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Merril took on chemotherapy with the same tenacity that got him to the NFL.”

Now Hoge is a commentator on ESPN. It’s really heartening to hear success stories about people suffering with this kind of cancer. I’m thinking about putting together a list of people who have or had non-Hodgkin’s. If you know of anyone famous, feel free to let me know.

Intoducing Chemo Babe, the Larger Than Life Super Heroine Combating Villainous Cancer

Chemo Babe is not your ordinary cancer patient. She's bold. She's bald. She'll don a corset and whip to fulfull her identity as a malignancy-fighting super heroine! This larger than life persona belongs to a breast cancer patient who considers herself a social scientist, intrigued by the complex relationships cancer victims develop with their environments as they battle their disease. According to Chemo Babe's website,

I needed a symbol for my fight, and pink ribbons evoke images of playing dress up or wrapping gifts to me. They do not rev me up for another round of mortal combat.

So I created ChemoBabe, a persona who keeps me fighting. She has enough spunk and edge to get smacked down by surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and stand back up ready to fight some more. A persona who the cancer could not touch. Somebody who could say that cancer is horrible and talk back bluntly to the euphemistic ways people skirt that horror in everyday conversations.

Chemo Babe is a regular blogger, sharing her fiery insights as she progresses on her journey. To learn more about her, click here.

Mortality Maps Reveal Rise in Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Today, I would like to discuss two maps of the United States. These are not your typical maps with street names and parks. Instead, these maps show the mortality rate for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and they were published by the National Cancer Institute. Mortality rate refers to the "death rate," or the percentage of people who die from a given cause. Morbid, yes, but bear with me because these maps reveal some interesting stuff.

The first map displays data from 1950-1969:

The second shows data from 1970-1994:

The first thing you probably notice is that there's a whole lot more red on the second map. This means that more people are suffering from NHL. Several sources have noted a dramatic increase in NHL over the past few decades:

• "Research has documented a steady increase in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma over the past several decades." (ScienceDaily)
• "Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) is one of the fastest rising cancers in the developing countries. In many countries, including the US and Canada, the number of new cases diagnosed each year have almost doubled in the past 30 years." (lymphoma.about.com)
  
• "Between 1973 and 1991, the 73 percent increase in the incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was one of the largest among the major cancer sites in the United States." (rex.nci.hih.gov)

What's to blame for this substantial rise in NHL? Some say the rise in HIV is responsible, as immune deficiency is a risk factor. Others say we simply have better detection methods. Your guess is as good as mine, but one thing's for sure: NHL is becoming a more prevalent problem and deserves greater attention, funding and research.


*Note that these two maps compare NHL mortality rates for white women. To see the maps for other demographics, click here.

NHL Chat Group

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society sponsor online chat groups for NHL patients every Monday and Wednesday evening from 7 pm to 9 pm (Central Time). The name of the forum is Living with NHL: Gaining a Sense of Balance, and it is intended to be a support group for those battling this form of cancer. If you are interested in participating in this online discussion, follow the instructions below:

You can access the chat by going to the login page. Select Enter as a Guest, type your name (as you want it to appear in the chat) and click Enter Room . The chat application will launch in a new window.

You will need to wait for the moderator to arrive in the room before you can send messages, as this is a moderated chat.

Remember that maintaining a strong support network is extremely beneficial for those battling any form of cancer. This is yet another way to get connected and stay positive!

Kicking cancer again and again...

Battling cancer once in your life is more than enough for most people. Relapse is relatively common, and all too often, people are forced to face their demon a second time. Deny Dallaire has fought and defeat Hodgkin’s Lymphoma six times, and he is still with us today. According to Dallaire, there are only a dozen people on the entire planet who have experienced those odds and came out on top. Something changed in Dallaire on his sixth round of cancer, and he thinks he's finally figured out the key to warding off his disease. Below is his story:

My journey with cancer started in 1987. At 20 years old I was diagnosed with stage II Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. All my doctors told me that it was “very curable” and that treatments would last about 10 months total. What else could I do but put my life on hold for a year? Despite responding extremely well to the treatments, my cancer recurred again in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, and again in 2004. Every time it recurred, the cancer responded well to treatment … but it kept coming back.

When my cancer recurred the last time, it was my wife Theresa’s first experience with cancer since we had only met two years prior. Not being one to idly sit by, she quickly did research on proper nutrition, vitamins and supplements, relaxation methods, exercises – you name it! Then, one day while reading a book, it hit me like a bus. I finally realized something that all the chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries and bone marrow transplants never taught me — In order for someone to be completely well, one needs to be healed on all three levels: body, mind and spirit.

When one of these components suffers, our entire being suffers. I soon took an even deeper interest in completely transforming my life. Theresa and I started running, completely overhauled our diet and began incorporating ways of keeping our mind and spirit healthy. Very quickly, I felt better than ever before. I wondered why I hadn’t already thought of this. Why had it taken me six kicks in the pants for me to realize this? I can only surmise that God sends us angels to guide us in the right direction. My wife is just such an angel, and because of her guidance, I am where I am today. (CrazySexyLife.com)

Dallaire pooled the knowledge gained from his six recoveries into a book, titled Many Shades of Green: Running Toward the Finish Line, One Cancer at a Time. He is alive and well, residing in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada with his wife Theresa. Dallaire continues to spread his inspirational message to others and lead the healthy, balanced life that saved him from his final round of cancer.

Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips

Kris Carr, the star of the documentary Crazy Sexy Cancer, also wrote a book titled Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips. Today, I want to feature a short video where Kris spotlights her personal tips for recovering from cancer:

Crazy Sexy Cancer

Crazy Sexy Cancer  is an irreverent and uplifting documentary about a young woman looking for a cure and finding her life.

In 2003, 31-year-old actress/photographer Kris Carr was diagnosed with a rare and incurable cancer. Weeks later she began filming her story. Taking a seemingly tragic situation and turning it into a creative expression, Kris shared her inspirational story of survival with courage, strength, and lots of humor.

With experimental treatment as her only option, Kris became determined to find answers where there were none. She traveled throughout the country interviewing experts in alternative medicine as she tenaciously dove head first into a fascinating and often hilarious holistic world. Along the way, she met other vivacious young women determined to become survivors. Their stories are as poignant and exciting as the women who tell them. As Kris's amazing journey unfolds, she realizes that healing is about truly living rather than fighting.

-- www.crazysexycancer.com



This woman is my new hero. Her story is a testimony to the power of positive attitude and healthy living. Click here to buy her DVD and click here to check out the blog.

Microsoft Co-Founder Beats NHL

Paul Allen is a pretty incredible man. In case you haven't heard of him, he co-founded Microsoft in the 80s and then founded the Allen Institute for Brain Science in 2003. This research center focuses on mapping genes, and Paul has "pledged $100 million to support the institute," according to seattlebizjournals.com.

Paul recently struggled with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. As of this past week, however, his cancer appears to have gone into remission. According to the Associated Press, he feels better than he has in a long time, which is great timing on Paul's part. He will be making one of his first public appearances since announcing his victory over NHL at the first annual summit for brain sciences, sponsored by Allen's very own institute.
Congrats Paul!

What a Great Boyfriend!

When Sheryl was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2007, her boyfriend Martin Laver was there to stand by her side. He cared for her into recovery, and a few months later she her cancer went into remission. Then they got married, but Martin didn't stop there.

He organized a 900-mile bicycle ride with three of his friends. The trip took ten days to complete and they covered the entire stretch of the British Isles. Cumulatively, they "helped raise £14,000 for Cancer Research and the Lymphoma Trust Fund at City Hospital," the hospital where Sheryl received care.

To find out more about the group Martin founded, or to donate to the cause, click here.

Cancer Survival Rates are Improving!

A recent story from The Hamilton Spectator says cancer survival rates are going up. The explanation for this improvement, according to radiation oncologist Dr. Raimond Wong, is "an increase in early detection and improved treatments."

Below is a list of the five-year recovery rates for various cancers, from 1992-94 and then 2004-06. You can see the dramatic headway medicine is making in the battle against cancer

Cancer	1992-1994 Five-Year Recovery Rate	2004-2006 Five-Year Recovery Rate
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma	51%	63%
Leukemia	44%	54%
Liver cancer	9%	17%
Colorectal	56%	63%
Prostate cancer	86%	95%
Breast cancer	82%	88%

Exciting stuff! To read the rest of this article, click here.

Brave Kid with NHL gets a Lift

In May, 2009, 8-year-old Jonathan Volpe was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He's been slowly battling the cancer with chemo and radiation ever since. This past month, a few great organizations decided to lift Jonathan's spirits in their own way.

MetLife and the Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation sponsored Jonathan's ride in a blimp ride over Readington, New Jersey. Check out the video of this brave little guy!

Governor Beat NHL and Went on to Triathlons

Former South Dakota Governor Frank Farrar was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1992. He was told he had two months to live. Instead of giving up, he committed to triathlon training. Today, he is 81 years old and still competing.

This past Labor Day weekend marked the third annual Triple V Triathlon in South Dakota. The triathlon consists of 1/4-mile swim, a 14.2-mile bike route and a 3.1-mile run. For the second year in a row, Ferrar was the oldest competitor and this year he completed the event in 1:59:56.

Ferrar cites his triathlon training as the reason he defeated NHL. What an inspiring story. Rock on Ferrar!

Willy Wonka and NHL

How cool is this? Lucy and I love the old movie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Gene Wilder, the actor who played Willy Wonka, was diagnosed with NHL and beat it! In this video, he talks about his recovery process:

This kid isn't going to let NHL beat him either

Here is an awesome video about a kid named Austin, in Ohio, who is determined to kick this disease's butt also!