Who we are.

Join the fight against pancreatic cancer! The 2015 Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk is Sunday, November 1st at Sloan's Lake Park, Denver, CO.

All the money raised goes directly to pancreatic cancer research thanks to the Lustgarten Foundation!

Friday, April 29, 2011

Lustgarten Research Update Corner: Spring 2011

The Lustgarten Foundation helped support Dr. Bert Vogelstein, The Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, and his team to sequence the genome of pancreatic cancers. At the time of its completion in 2008, the pancreatic cancer genome project* represented the most complete genetic analysis of any tumor type. The project has laid the groundwork for new areas of pancreatic cancer investigation, serving as a steppingstone for additional studies in promising new directions. In this issue of Research Update Corner, we will focus on three exciting new studies that are shaping the way researchers look at the development, diagnosis and detection of the disease. The studies build on insights gained from the landmark pancreatic cancer genome project.  


In October 2010, news broke in the prestigious journal Nature by Dr. Shinichi Yachida and colleagues in the laboratory of Dr. Christine Iacobuzio-Donahue of Johns Hopkins University describing that pancreatic cancer develops much more slowly than scientists thought.This discovery contradicts an existing idea that pancreatic cancers spread early in their development. Rather, Dr. Iacobuzio and colleagues found that it takes at least a decade from the first cancer-causing mutation in a normal pancreas cell, until the development of a full-blown cancer cell. It takes another five to seven years before this initial cancer cell turns into a tumor, detectable through traditional imaging methods. In other words, pancreatic cancer takes more than a decade to develop, and up to another seven years to spread. This pivotal discovery offers critical insights to researchers, defining a window of opportunity in which to detect pancreatic cancer early, when the chances for a cure are greatest.

Nevertheless, to take advantage of this exciting information, scientists need powerful research tools that can detect early mutations in pancreas cells. In addition, they need to better understand the processes that cause normal cells to start down the long road to going “bad.” Dr. Qing Wang and colleagues in the laboratory of Dr. Vogelstein recently reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) that changes in DNA (mutations) can be detected in proteins. We know from the pancreatic cancer genome project that nearly all pancreatic cancers have a K-ras gene DNA mutation, making this gene an ideal target for early detection.

Dr. Vogelstein used the cutting edge SRM technology to see these mutations in proteins. A previous installment of RUC explained how pancreatic cancer is currently understood and treated based on what we see about it, and how biomarkers can be used to detect the presence of cancer before it is visible under a microscope and through current imaging technologies. Although Dr. Vogelstein’snovel use of SRM technology is not ready for use in the clinic, it holds exciting potential for using protein biomarkers in the early detection of pancreatic cancer. Today, with support from The Lustgarten Foundation, Dr. Vogelstein and his team are actively working to optimize SRM technology for use in blood and cystic fluids.

Another exciting study published inScience by Dr. David Ting and colleagues in the laboratory of Dr. Daniel Haber of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center has revealed a previously unknown role of small snipets of DNA known as “satellite repeats.” You may know that human DNA contains genes, but what is less known is that only approximately 2% of our DNA codes for genes; the rest is unknown—a “big black box” of the human genome.

Until now, satellite repeats have been thought to be a largely inactive part of the genome, a sort of “junk” in the black box. Drs. Ting and Haber studied pancreatic cancer, and discovered that satellite repeats become active as the disease develops. In fact, satellite repeats become progressively more active as pancreatic cancer moves from early to later stages. Further, they are not active in normal tissue. The findings may offer a novel cancer biomarker for pancreatic cancer, and together, these three studies and hold exciting promise for early detection of the disease.

Now in phase 2, The Lustgarten Foundation’s Biomarker Development Project will validate the antibodies deemed predictive of early pancreatic cancer lesions. This large-scale validation phase will be conducted by PCRC member institution Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, in cooperation with University of California at San Francisco and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

*The pancreatic cancer genome project was made possible with major funding The Sol Golman Charitable Trust and The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust, and significant funding from The Lustgarten Foundation.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

UCSF Scientists Discover Link Between Inflammation and Pancreatic Cancer

Source: Jason Bardi


April 11, 2011
Solving part of a medical mystery, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have established a link between molecules found in an inflamed pancreas and the early formation of pancreatic cancer – a discovery that may help scientists identify new ways to detect, monitor and treat this deadly disease.

Scientists have known for many years that pancreatitis, a painfully inflamed pancreas, is a common risk factor for pancreatic cancer – along with things like smoking and diet. But nobody knew exactly why.
Now the UCSF team, led by Matthias Hebrok, PhD, has discovered at least part of the connection. In an article appearing in the journal Cancer Cell this week, they show that two molecular “signals” produced abundantly in the pancreas during inflammation – a protein named Stat3 – helps initiate the early stages of pancreatic cancer, while another protein, called MMP7, appears to affect metastasis.

In laboratory experiments, Hebrok and his colleagues showed that blocking these proteins in mice shrunk the number of lesions that can lead to cancer and reduced the extent of cancer metastasis. They also showed that one of these molecules, MMP7, may be a clinical indicator of cancer stage, possibly making it useful as a marker for more aggressive disease. The research could also help identify new ways to target pancreatic cancer with drugs.

“If you are able to down-regulate inflammatory signals at an early stage of the disease, you may be able to curb the formation of early lesions,” said Hebrok, who directs the UCSF Diabetes Center and is the Hurlbut-Johnson Distinguished Professor in Diabetes Research.

Inflammation And Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer in the United States is all too common and far too deadly. According to the National Cancer Institute, there were some 43,140 new cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosed in the United States in 2010 and 36,800 deaths from the disease last year. Overall, fewer than one in 20 people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year will be alive five years from now.

One of the problems with the disease is that there are no reliable, sensitive screens that allow doctors to catch it early. By the time it is detected, the cancer often is so advanced it cannot be surgically removed or easily treated.

Like many scientists who study diabetes, Hebrok is very familiar with pancreatic cancer, because diabetes onset often precedes the cancer diagnosis and may be one of the warning signs. Part of his research in the past few years has involved looking at the microscopic changes that take place in the pancreatic organ when cancer  emerges.

The pancreas is a 6-inch-long gland sandwiched between the stomach and the backbone. Inside are tiny cavities called “acini” in which enzymes are produced that drain through ducts into the stomach to help digest food. Pancreatic cancer may start in these cavities or in the ducts when the cells lining them undergo transformations and begin multiplying, forming cancerous lesions – a process often kick-started by inflammation.

Hebrok and his colleagues have discovered that the molecule Stat3 is a key player in this process. It is produced in the pancreas and induces the cells of the pancreas to proliferate as part of a normal healing process in response to inflammation. Sometimes this process goes awry, however, and leads to the transformation of normal cells into cancerous ones. Stat3 also increases the amount of MMP7, which contributes to cancer metastasis.

The UCSF team showed that blocking MMP7 in mice blocks metastasis and reduces the size of cancer tumors. Collaborating with a group at the University of Utah, they examined blood samples taken from people with pancreatic cancer, and they found that those with more MMP7 in their blood were more likely to be at an advanced stage of cancer.

This suggests that MMP7 might be a useful marker to guide treatment for people with pancreatic cancer. And the new insight into the overall process of how inflammation is linked to pancreatic cancer might help scientists identify new targets for cancer therapy – if ways of interfering in the process can be found and if those approaches prove effective in clinical trials

“As with many things, timing is critical,” Hebrok said. “We will need to understand in more detail during which stage of the disease therapeutic targets are activated to efficiently inhibit their function and thus cancer formation and progression.”


Photo by Susan Merrell


http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2011/04/9694/ucsf-scientists-discover-link-between-inflammation-and-pancreatic-cancer

A Great Denver Resource






Do you have a parent that would really like to stay at home but needs a little help?  Home Instead Senior Care is a great resource, and their South Denver office was just honored with one of their caregivers receiving the CAREGiver of the year award. Home Instead has 65,000 caregivers around the world.  We're very lucky to one of the best, right here in Denver.





Looking for in home care for a senior loved one? 

You've made the right choice.  Home Instead Senior Care® is the most trusted and reliable source of home care for seniors in South Denver, Cherry Creek, Cherry Hills, Centennial, Greenwood Village, Littleton, South Lakewood, Englewood, Aurora and more


Call now for a free consultation to learn more about home care options and how we can help your loved one live independently at home--where ever your loved one calls home. 303.389.5700 


... or visit 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bernina-International-AG/48494069955?ref=ts#!/pages/Home-Instead-Senior-Care-Denver-South/168074069870683

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

6th Annual Pancreatic Cancer Fundraiser in Port Jefferson, NY

Join Lustgarten at Danford's Club Aqua on April 29th to raise money for the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research! The party starts at 5:30 pm with a buffet, open bar, raffles and dancing. Tickets are $30 and may be purchased at the door.
For more information, visit Lustgarten's site at ...
http://www.lustgarten.org/Page.aspx?pid=602&cid=5&ceid=326&cerid=0&cdt=4%2f29%2f2011

Monday, April 25, 2011

Upcoming Lustgarten Events

Want to support the cause?  Join one of these upcoming events ... all within the next two weeks!


Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Applebee's Dining to Donate
you must present flyer to your server, please print
All Day
Applebee's 2 Executive Blvd Yonkers, NY


Thursday, April 28, 2011
Celebrity Bartender @ Starters Riverport
7:00 PM (America/New_York)
Starters Riverport 17 W. 2nd Street Bethlehem, PA


Friday, April 29, 2011
6th Annual Pancreatic Cancer Fundraiser
In loving memory of Rachelle Dreznick and Steven Platzner
5:30 PM (America/New_York)
Aqua at Danfords Hotel and Marina 25 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson NY


Saturday, April 30, 2011
Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk - Delaware
Wilmington, DE
8:30 AM
Delcastle Park Delcastle Recreation Area Wilmington, DE 19801

Wildcat East Quogue 5K
Deadline for registration is April 20th
9:00 AM
East Quogue Elementary School 6 Central Avenue East Quogue, NY 11942

2nd Annual Luau for Pancreatic Cancer Research
5:00 PM (America/New_York)
RIT Inn & Conference Center 5257 W. Henrietta Road Henrietta, NY 14467-9314
Sunday, May 01, 2011


2nd Annual Bowling for a Cure
in Memory of Maureen Feery Doyle
2:00 PM (America/New_York)
AMF Garden City Lanes 987 Stewart Avenue Garden City, NY 11530
Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Let's Get Together at Chili's Nanuet
11:00 AM (America/New_York)
255 East Route 59 Nanuet, NY 10954


Friday, May 06, 2011
Rock the Purple - Live Bands and Raffles
5:00 PM
Bogies Ale House 303 E. Kensington Mt. Prospect, IL 60056

Welcome to BJ Walks America in the Fight Against Pancreatic Cancer


Slideshow image 1
From the Lustgarten "Welcome to Community Connections" page ...


Please join me in a cause close to my heart.

As you may know, I have been deeply affected by pancreatic cancer. I lost my father, Bertram, to this dread disease when i was five years old.

Did you know that pancreatic cancer is the nation’s fourth leading cancer killer? Worse yet, unless it is found early when it can be surgically removed, there is no cure. Yet, there are no tests to find it early. How can this be?

Only ten years ago, less than a dozen researchers were focused on pancreatic cancer. There simply wasn't enough funding available to support a career in the study of this disease. As a result, pancreatic cancer was virtually ignored, and with startling consequences to patients, their families and loved ones.

I am one of those loved ones, and I decided to take a stand by walking coast to coast raising money and awareness for the Fight Against Pancreatic Cancer. I walk to honor my father and to help those battling cancer now and in the future. I created a fundraising page to support The Lustgarten Foundation. The Foundation was created to find better treatments and a cure for pancreatic cancer.

Please support me with a tax-deductible donation to The Lustgarten Foundation, and be as generous as you can. Your donation, along with my own, will help give pancreatic cancer patients a fighting chance.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Some support for pancreatic cancer screening


NEW YORK | Wed Apr 20, 2011 2:30pm EDT


NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - For people at high genetic risk of pancreas cancer, screening for the disease might be worthwhile - particularly if they're senior citizens, a new study suggests.
On the other hand, the researchers say, it might not be worthwhile -- and it's too soon to make widespread recommendations on screening high-risk families.

Only about 3 of every 100 patients with pancreatic cancer have the "familial form."
But the findings in this group offer reason to be "cautiously hopeful" that there might be ways to detect the often-fatal cancer earlier, said lead researcher Dr. Emmy Ludwig, of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

The study, reported in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, focused on families affected by familial pancreatic cancer -- where the disease has affected two or more first-degree relatives. First-degree relatives are either parents and children, or siblings.

Pancreatic cancer, whether due to an inherited gene or not, has a dim prognosis. Only about five of every hundred patients are still alive 5 years after diagnosis. That's largely because it is rarely caught early. The symptoms include weight loss and liver problems that cause the skin to turn yellow, but those usually don't show up until the cancer has spread.

It would seem to make sense to screen people from families affected by familial pancreatic cancer, but there are still many questions. For example, researchers are not sure which tests can reliably detect pancreatic cancer in people without symptoms, which people from affected families should be screened, or at what age screening should start.

For the new study, Ludwig and her colleagues offered screening to 309 relatives of people with familial pancreatic cancer. Some had at least one first-degree relative who developed pancreatic cancer before age 50. Others had family members who developed pancreatic cancer at any age - not just a parent, child or sibling but also a grandparent, grandchild, aunt or uncle, or a sibling's child.

Some participants had gene mutations linked to hereditary pancreatic cancer, plus a family history of the disease.

Over 7 years, 109 people in the study underwent screening at least once with MRI scans of the pancreas. If the MRI showed something suspicious-looking, they could have further testing with endoscopic ultrasound, where an ultrasound probe is threaded down the throat and into the small intestine, where it is then aimed at the pancreas.

Overall, MRI scans caught potential problems in 18 study participants. Nine -- or 8 percent of the whole group - had abnormalities that could become cancer. Six later had surgery to remove these lesions, while the rest refused surgery and decided to keep up with screening.

Six of the nine patients with abnormal lesions were older than 65. Perhaps, the researchers say, this means screening after age 65 could prove most useful -- but that requires further study.

In fact, the usefulness of screening at all is still debatable. A number of groups worldwide are looking into this issue, and not all of the studies have had positive findings. In a study of 76 high-risk relatives, German researchers found that screening with endoscopic ultrasound detected a potentially pre-cancerous lesion in just one relative over 5 years.

"No single group has definitively proven that routine screening is of benefit," Ludwig told Reuters Health in an email. "Our findings, we feel, add to the growing literature that suggests screening may be worthwhile. None of us has proven it."

She said that larger, long-term studies at multiple centers are needed to figure out how, when and how often to screen relatives from affected families -- and to see whether screening actually saves lives.

"The real end point to screening is, 'Do we save lives?'" Ludwig said. And the only way to get that answer, she added, is with large multi-hospital studies that keep close track of participants for many years.
Screening apparently healthy people for a disease always has downsides. It often, for instance, leads to "false-positive" test results -- suspicious findings that later turn out to be nothing to worry about. In the meantime, however, false-positive results can lead to invasive procedures people don't really need, and unnecessary anxiety.

So studies are done to try to make sure that the benefits of screening outweigh the risks.
Right now, pancreatic cancer screening is not widely available. Furthermore, since its value isn't proven, insurance companies are unlikely to pay for it - and an average out-of-network MRI scan in the northeast U.S. costs nearly $3,000, according to information from an Aetna Inc. website.

Ludwig suggested that people from high-risk families who are interested in screening try to enroll in one of the studies being run out of several academic centers worldwide -- which, besides Sloan-Kettering, include centers in Baltimore and Seattle in the U.S., and Liverpool in the U.K.

SOURCE: bit.ly/gyZ8WQ American Journal of Gastroenterology, online April 5, 2011.

For more information: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/20/us-pancreatic-cancer-screening-idUSTRE73J5K720110420

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Golden Gallop Race to Defeat Pancreatic Cancer in Colorado

The Golden Gallop: Race to Defeat Pancreatic Cancer is an annual 5K & 10K race held in Golden, Colorado. 


All net proceeds from the event go to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, an orginization that is striving to advance research, to support patients fighting the disease, and - most importantly - to create hope.



Friday, April 22, 2011

University of Colorado: Cancer research fellow wins GI ASCO Award for pancreatic cancer research presentation



Sujatha Nallaparedy, MD, a senior fellow at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, won an award for her presentation about a pancreas cancer clinical trial at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium in January 2010.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Famous People Who Suffered From Pancreatic Cancer


To see the full article, visit: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/402933/famous_people_who_suffered_from_pancreatic_pg2.html?cat=70
 
Pancreatic cancer doesn't discriminate. It doesn't care whether you are tall or short, orange or blue. No one is completely immune to this deadly disease. The pancreas is a gland behind your stomach, in front of your spleen. It produces juices that help break down food and helps in the production of hormones that regulate blood sugar level.

According to the National Cancer Institute pancreatic cancer is diagnosed in more than 29,000 people every year. It spreads quickly and can be difficult to treat. Even if you don't know anyone close to you that has it, every time you turn on your television you may see a movie star from the past that has battled this cancer. People that you haven't thought about in years. The famous people I am about to mention have perished from pancreatic cancer. May they rest in peace.

Michael Landon- Born Eugene Maurice Orowitz on October 31,1936 in Forest Hills, New York. Everyone knew him as Joseph "Little Joe" CartWright from the tv show Bonanza. He also was a writer, director, producer on the 70's series Little House on The Prairie and the 80's tv drama Highway To Heaven. Which he also starred in. While he was working on a pilot for a new tv show called "US" he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Nearly 3 months after his diagnosis on July 1, 1991, we lost Micahel Landon. He was 54.

Joan Crawford- She was born on March 23,1905 in San Antonio, Texas. She started out acting in silent films in the 1920's and would continue acting well into the 1970's. She was one of the greatest stars to hit the movie screen for over 50 years. She starred in movies such as Mildred Pierce and Above Suspicion. She was voted the 47th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly. Pancreatic cancer took her life on May 10,1977.
Fred Gwynne- On July 10th 1926 in New York City Fred Gwynne entered this world. The son of a stockbroker. He graduated from Harvard University in 1951. His career started off the ground in 1952, which included Broadway performances. In the 1960's he landed a role on the tv show The Munsters as Herman Munster. Along side acting he also wrote and illustated children's books. On July 2,1993 at the age of 66 he died from this cancer.

Donna Reed- You may remember her as the housewife on the Donna Reed Show. In 1946 she played along side Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life. On January 14,1986 Donna Reed passed away from this disease at the age of 64. After her death the Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts was organized. This non-profit organization grants scholarships for performing arts students.

According to Mayoclinic.com pancreatic cancer is seldom detected in it's early stages. Which is one of the reasons why it's a leading cause of cancer death. Symptoms of the disease may not appear until the cancer has progressed. At that point the cancer has likely spread to other organs in the body which may make surgery impossible. Researchers are understanding this disease even better than years ago. Hopefully this will lead to new treatment options.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Pancreatic cancer vaccine underway


PressTV
April 17, 2011

UK Scientists are testing a new vaccine for treating pancreatic cancer in more than 1000 patients suffering from advanced forms of the disease.

TeloVac, which is now being tested in 53 UK hospitals, would not protect individuals against infectious diseases or cancer but would help the immune system to recognize and kill malignant cells in patients with pancreas tumor.

Researchers at TeloVac trial, who are using the new vaccine in combination with chemotherapy, hope the shot would boost the effects of the treatment by stimulating the immune system to fight the disease.

The vaccine, also named GV1001, contains small sections of telomerase -- a protein that is over-produced by cancer cells. The injection of the vaccine, therefore, presents the immune system with telomerase, helping T-cells to recognize and target the cancer cells more effectively.

Previous smaller studies have shown that patients who received the vaccine in addition to chemotherapy lived in average three months longer than those who had only undergone chemotherapy.

“"The problem is tumors are clever and are able to turn the immune cells into traitors which help to guard the tumor,” said Professor John Neoptolemos from Royal Liverpool University Hospital, who is helping to co-ordinate the trial. “The vaccine takes away the masking effect of the tumor.”

If TeloVac passes the current trial successfully, it would be available for treating advanced forms of pancreatic cancer by the end of 2013. However, more studies would be underway to assess its effectiveness in preventing pancreatic cancer and treating patients suffering from earlier stages of the disease.

Scientists hope the method could work on other types of cancers as well and therefore have planned a trial on patients with lung tumor for later this year.

“We strongly believe this has the potential to overcome the limits of other current cancer vaccines and become part of the standard of care not only for pancreatic cancer but for various other types of cancers,” said Jay Sangjae Kim, the founder of GemVax, the Korean company developing the TeloVac vaccine.

“In other words, a truly 'universal' vaccine will be available in the near future,” he added.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/175280.html

Monday, April 18, 2011

Pam Saunders Charity Events



This fundraising effort was established in 2004 in honor of Pam Saunders. She was an Emmy Award Winning Television Producer for ABC News/Channel 7 in Denver.

She lost her courageous two-year battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 44 in January 2003, leaving her husband Steve and two young boys, Ryan and Dylan.



The video also features Meg and Kim Phillips as they share their story about Rich's battle with pancreatic cancer.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

New Home Instead Senior Care Survey/Web Data Indicate Stress Takes a Dramatic Toll on Those Caring for Older Adults

She awakens in the morning still exhausted after a fitful night of sleep and immediately feels overwhelmed. There’s the report due at work today that she hasn’t had time to prepare, her son’s afternoon soccer practice and a school board meeting that night.

And, she’s also a family caregiver for a senior – meaning she has to find time for her mother, who’s 84-years-old and lives at home alone.


Her mother can’t drive anymore, or reach into the cupboard to pull out a cereal box, or even see well enough to take her correct medication dosages. And today, just like yesterday, there are no easy answers about how to fit her mom into the never-ending juggling act that, for her, is just a typical day.

This is the life of the family caregiver – who totals one in every four Americans, according to various studies. New evidence and interviews with long term care family caregivers reveal a disturbing trend of the debilitating stress that often accompanies this role, although most still say that, in spite of the challenges, the job also comes with many rewards.

A recent stress test conducted by the Home Instead Senior Care® network demonstrated that of the family caregivers who participated, more than three-fourths (77 percent) reported their aging loved one’s needs to be overwhelming, 90 percent said they have episodes of feeling anxious or irritable, 77 percent say caregiving is taking a toll on their family lives, and 56 percent seem to become ill more frequently.

“Every day we encounter these family caregivers who love and want the best for their aging family members, but don’t know how to fit it all in,” said Jeff Huber, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Home Instead Senior Care network. “For these people, stress is a constant companion.”

The following stories are but a few true-life family caregiving stress examples.

Arlene Romilly, a nurse practitioner from Pittsburgh, PA, moved her parents into her home prior to her mother’s death in September of 2005.

“It became so stressful as my mom’s memory faded and she could no longer cope with daily activities without direction,” Romilly said.” “And my father just wasn’t capable of being a caregiver. This created distraction for me at work. I had problems sleeping and was neglecting my own health care. For a while, I was treated for depression.”

Things are better now that Romilly has a Home Instead Senior Care CAREGiver to look out for her father while she’s at work. But in spite of the challenges, she believes the joys of elder care caregiving helped balance out the stress. “I was pleased to be able to care for my family,” she said.

And Cat Tenorio, of Grass Valley, CA, had just been promoted to a new position at her accounting job when she gave it up to care for her mother, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

“As my mother’s Alzheimer’s worsened, I had to move her into my bedroom because she was wandering,” Tenorio said. “Consequently, I didn’t sleep at night, and when she would sleep during the day, I would take sleep medication so I could, too. I gradually became addicted to it.”

That’s when Tenorio’s husband had to step in and say, “We can’t do this anymore.” They moved her mother to a convalescent home, where she was comfortable until she died three months later. And instead of going back to her accounting career, Tenorio became a Home Instead CAREGiver so she could help others in elder care situations similar to hers.

These examples each illustrate how extremely important support is to the overall equation – it’s one of the key survival tools for any family health care caregiver.

According to Patricia Volland, MSW MBA, senior vice president of The New York Academy of Medicine and director of the Academy’s Social Work Leadership Institute, “This generation of seniors is living longer, and their children often are still raising families. They’re not prepared for their older parents’ needs, and the dynamic between adult children and aging parents is not a simple one.”

In an effort to better prepare the social workers they train, Volland and her team commissioned a study, released late last year, entitled Squeezed Between Children and Older Parents: A Survey of Sandwich Generation Women1. The poll, which surveyed women ages 35 to 54, showed that more than 60 percent of women concerned about an aging relative’s health said they have difficulty managing stress, compared with 48 percent of women for whom an aging relative’s health was not a concern.

Women concerned about an aging relative’s health were about three times more likely (34 percent) to say they worry “a great deal” about having enough time for family than those who were not responsible for the care of an aging loved one (12 percent).

“Working through the maze of helping a loved one can be more than a full-time job,” Volland said. “Social workers are uniquely trained to provide comprehensive care coordination. This begins with a comprehensive assessment, which includes identifying resources, managing the complexity of the relationships between the many care systems people encounter such as health, payment, and formal and informal supportive services, as well as dealing with family dynamics.”

Social workers and other senior care experts often recommend resources like Home Instead Senior Care to help the elderly remain independent and their family caregivers manage stress. Home Instead CAREGivers provide older adults companionship and assistance with meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders, shopping and errands – thus providing a valuable respite for weary family caregivers, as well.
“Our services can be just what harried family members need to help fill in caregiving gaps they may be experiencing, as well as to alleviate the stress and worry that caregiving can bring to their lives,” said Hogan. “Most family caregivers agree that there are many rewards associated with this job, and that additional support can make all the difference.”

Caregiver Survival Tools

If you’re currently experiencing caregiver stress, try the following senior services survival tools recommended by Home Instead Senior Care:
  • Work Out: Exercise and enjoy something you like to do (walking, dancing, biking, running, swimming, etc.) for a minimum of 20 minutes at least three times per week. Consider learning a stress-management exercise such as yoga or tai-chi, which teaches inner balance and relaxation.
  • Meditate: Sit still and breathe deeply with your mind as “quiet” as possible whenever things feel like they are moving too quickly or you are feeling overwhelmed by your responsibilities as a caregiver. Many times you will feel like you don’t even have a minute to yourself, but it’s important to walk away and to take that minute.
  • Ask for Help: To avoid burnout and stress, you can enlist the help of other family members, friends, and/or consider hiring a professional non-medical caregiver for assistance. There is no need to feel guilty for reaching out.
  • Take a Break: Make arrangements for any necessary fill-in help (family, friends, volunteers or professional caregivers). Take single days, a weekend, or even a week’s vacation; just make sure you line up your support system so you can be confident that your loved one is safe and happy. And when you’re away, stay away. Talk about different things, read that book you haven’t been able to get to, see a movie. Only a real break will renew and refresh you.
  • Eat Well: Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and proteins – including nuts and beans – and whole grains. Indulging in caffeine, fast food and sugar as quick “pick-me-ups” also produce quick “let-downs.”
  • Take Care of Yourself: Just like you make sure your loved one gets to the doctor regularly, make sure you get your annual check-up. Being a caregiver provides many excuses for skipping your necessary check-ups, but you cannot and should not compromise your health.
  • Indulge: Treat yourself to a foot massage, manicure, nice dinner out or a concert to take yourself away from the situation and to reward yourself for the wonderful care you are providing to your aging relative. You shouldn’t feel guilty about wanting to feel good.
  • Find Support: Find a local caregiver support group, which will help you understand that what you are feeling and experiencing is normal for someone in your position. This is a place to get practical advice from people who are in your situation and to bounce off those feelings of stress, since everyone is likely to be in the same situation and can empathize.
  • For more helpful tips and information, visit www.caregiverstress.com. Reference: 1. Online at www.socialworkleadership.org.
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Saturday, April 16, 2011

Community Resources -- Colorado Cancer Resource Guide

More community based resources, right here in Colorado ...

Colorado Cancer Resource Guide

At CCRG we know that receiving a diagnosis of cancer is physically and emotionally challenging. That's why we've put together this online guide of resources serving Coloradans. The listings are here to assist you, your family, and friends during and after a cancer diagnosis. Listings are both national and local resources ranging from informational to financial aid.

CCRG is a non-profit organization that depends on people like you to keep us informed of available resources. Please feel free to let us know of any resources that should be included in the directory.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

7 Steps to Instant Calm

instant-calm-bed-pillows

When diagnosed with cancer, managing your stress as the patient and/or the caregiver is critical.  Here are a few tips from Health.com to help you find an instant calm.

Serenity now

By Leslie Barrie
Between your busy work schedule, taking care of the kids, running errands, and, oh, the hundred other things you have to do in a day, it's easy to forget the amount of stress you're actually under.

But your body is well aware. All that tension could start a chain reaction of health problems. "When you repeatedly get stressed, your nervous system stays keyed up, so even small amounts of stress can make you feel overwhelmed," says Henry Emmons, MD, author of The Chemistry of Calm.

That's why it's so important to build in a relaxation routine for those times when life goes haywire. Learn how to cultivate calm with these simple suggestions.
Next: Look for the signs

For the full article, visit http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20425626_1,00.html at Health.com. 

Monday, April 11, 2011

Meet Black Cumin: Yummy Spice Adds Delicate Flavor, May Treat Pancreatic Cancer

Black cumin seeds and oil are used in traditional medicine by many Middle Eastern and Asian healers for a broad array of diseases, including some immune and inflammatory disorders.


black-cumin

I’m a spice freak. It’s virtually impossible for me to pass up the chance to fritter time away in exotic markets of any ethnicity—which is why my husband will often remind me that “we’re supposed to be walking briskly, honey” when I pull him into some eye-catching, aromatic shop whose aisles are jam-packed with herbs and spices.

Once I’m inside a culinary casbah, I’m on the lookout for spices I’ve never tried before, because I love to cook and to experiment with new flavors. Recently, I came home with a little bag full of tiny seeds labeled as “black cumin.”

I know regular cumin, of course—I use it all the time in Mexican and Indian dishes. The black cumin seeds I bought didn’t look anything like the cumin I know—these obviously were from a different plant entirely.

I tasted them and liked their interesting thyme-oregano flavor—which, I discovered, was delectable when sprinkled liberally on broiled salmon filets. They also make a tasty addition to breadcrumb or panko toppings for sauteed chicken breasts or fish.

So I was intrigued when I got a press release a couple days ago from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Researchers there have been studying black cumin (Nigella sativa) and discovered that a chemical in its oil called thymoquinone (which, by the way, is also present in the essential oil of thyme—hence the flavor similarity), is an anti-inflammatory that seems to inhibit the development of pancreatic cancer in lab studies.

Turns out, black cumin seeds and oil are used in traditional medicine by many Middle Eastern and Asian healers for a broad array of diseases, including some immune and inflammatory disorders, says Hwyda A. Arafat, MD, PhD, associate professor, departments of surgery and pathology, anatomy and cell biology at Jefferson Medical College.

The Greek physician Dioscorides supposedly used black cumin seeds to treat headaches and toothaches. One famous botanical historian, Maud Grieve, quoted Mohammed as saying that “black cumin cures every disease but death itself,” in her 1930s classic, A Modern Herbal.

Arafat and her team discovered that when they treated pancreatic tumors (developed in animals for the study) with thymoquinone, 67% of the tumors shrunk significantly, and levels of inflammatory markers in the cells dropped substantially.

What’s exciting about these results is that patients with chronic pancreatitis, which is associated with the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, might one day be able to benefit from black cumin oil treatment, says Dr. Arafat. “The herb and oil are safe when used in moderation, and have been used for thousands of years without reported toxic effects,” she says.

According to my favorite Indian cookbook author, Madhur Jaffrey, black cumin seeds (nigella) are sold as kalonji in Indian and Pakistani markets, and as siyah danch in Middle Eastern markets. She says they’re used in Bengal vegetable and fish dishes.

Try sauteing fresh spinach with ginger, hot chili, and a teaspoon of black cumin seeds, sprinkle it on fish before baking or broiling, or add a spoonful to lentils as you’re cooking them. Find black cumin seeds online at Zamouri Spices.

For more information visit: http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20428635,00.html at health.com

Saturday, April 09, 2011

Soft Drinks Could Boost Pancreatic Cancer Risk

MONDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) — People who down two or more soft drinks a week may have double the risk of developing deadly pancreatic cancer, compared to non-soda drinkers, new research suggests.

But the overall number of people developing the malignancy remains low, with the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimating 42,470 new cases last year.
“Soft drinks are linked with a higher risk of pancreatic cancer,” said Noel Mueller, lead author of a study appearing in the February issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. “We can’t speculate too much on the mechanism because this is an observational study, but the increased risk may be working through effects of the hormone insulin.”

Still, the report should not cause undue alarm, some say.
“The study was well designed but smaller than some previous studies that did not find a link between sugar-sweetened soft drinks and pancreatic cancer,” noted Eric Jacobs, strategic director of pharmacoepidemiology at the American Cancer Society. “Direct evidence linking sugar-sweetened soft drinks to pancreatic cancer remains limited.”
And adult soda drinkers may also engage in other lifestyle habits, such as smoking, which could contribute to the elevated risk.

“It’s an interesting finding but if you look at the people who had the high soft drink intake, they also had other issues that may also predispose you to pancreatic cancer,” said Dr. Colin D. Weekes, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Denver. “It’s hard to make any true associations from this. “We could argue that smoking could be the issue here and not the soda intake.”
Although the study didn’t differentiate between regular and diet soda, it was conducted in Singapore, where most soda consumed is regular, Mueller said.

The study was a collaboration between the University of Minnesota and National University of Singapore. Mueller, formerly at Minnesota, has since joined Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, DC, as a research associate.

The analysis involved more than 60,000 middle-aged or older Chinese Singaporeans. Researchers calculated how much juice and soda the participants drank on average and followed them for 14 years to see how many developed cancer of the pancreas.

Those who drank two or more sodas a week were 87 percent more likely to develop this kind of tumor than individuals who didn’t consume any soda.

Researchers found no link between juice consumption and cancer risk, perhaps because fruit juice has less effect than sugary sodas on glucose and insulin levels, the authors noted.

Previous research in U.S. and European populations has suggested an association between sweetened sodas and juices and pancreatic cancer. This is the first study to examine the association in an Asian population, although the authors feel the findings can be extrapolated to Western nations.

“We believe that because Singaporean adults have a lot of the same mannerisms as Western countries, which is a tendency to eat fast food and also go shopping, one could say that these findings may be generalizable to other Western countries,” said Mueller. “Genetically they are very different from Caucasians, however their lifestyle is similar to Western countries.”

The findings are biologically plausible.

Type 2 diabetes, a disorder of blood sugar levels and insulin under-activity, has also tentatively been linked to pancreatic cancer.

The researchers speculate that elevated blood sugar levels associated with soda-drinking and the associated increase in insulin levels prompt pancreatic cells to divide abnormally.

“Drinking sugar-sweetened soft drinks has been linked to weight gain, obesity and diabetes. Both obesity and diabetes are associated with higher risk of pancreatic cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer death in the United States,” Jacobs said.

The soft drink industry disputed the findings, however.

“The [study] authors are skipping several steps in trying to connect soft drinks with pancreatic cancer, including an allegation regarding an increase in insulin production,” Richard Adamson, a consultant to the American Beverage Association and former scientific director of the NCI, said in a statement.
“The fact remains that soft drinks do not cause cancer, nor do any authoritative bodies, such as NCI, name soft drinks as a risk factor for pancreatic cancer,” he added. “You can be a healthy person and enjoy soft drinks. The key to a healthy lifestyle is balance — eating a variety of foods and beverages in moderation along with getting regular physical activity,” Adamson added.

Others took a more cautious view.

“The bottom line is that limiting consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks can help in maintaining a healthy weight, which in turn will reduce risk of many types of cancer and other serious diseases,” Jacobs said.


More information
The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more on pancreatic cancer.
By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter


SOURCES: Colin D. Weekes, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine, University of Colorado Denver; Noel Mueller, M.P.H., research associate, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C.; Eric Jacobs, Ph.D., strategic director, pharmacoepidemiology, American Cancer Society; Richard Adamson, senior scientific consultant to the American Beverage Association and former scientific director and director of cancer etiology of the National Cancer Institute; February 2010 Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention


Last Updated: Feb. 08, 2010
Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

See the full article at: http://news.health.com/2010/02/08/soft-drinks-could-boost-pancreatic-cancer-risk/