We have a NEW Facebook page!

Looking for information on the 2011 Walk?  Wanting to connect with others in Denver and throughout Colorado struggling with pancreatic cancer?  "Like" our new facebook page and stay connected!

https://www.facebook.com/notifications?id=161854773899129#!/pages/Lustgarten-Foundations-Pancreatic-Cancer-Fundraising-Walk-Denver/161854773899129

Healing Cancer

This powerful documentary contains vital information and perspective that you are unlikely to see otherwise in such a condensed form. It will help you scrutinize standard representations of effectiveness and side effects. It should inspire you to study the studies before starting any chemo treatment or radiation.

The key premise about conventional treatments is that they are not as effective as commonly represented. The success statistics are scrutinized by many prominent people in science and medicine, raising important questions.

The key diet premise is that our immune system is very good at killing cancer, if it is strong and healthy. Our western diseases correlate highly with the big shift in our diets over the last 100 years, from 5% animal products plus 96 whole-plant foods, to our current diet of 42% animal products plus 51% refined foods plus only 7% whole plant foods.

I lost my life partner of 11 years after a three-year battle with breast cancer. I wish we'd known this information in time to help her. I only found out about it five months after she died.

I've started collecting similar information on this web page:
http://www.kelleyharris.com/notes/cancer/cancer.html

A couple caveats about the documentary. It presents things in a relatively black & white manner, with significant moralizing about greed in the medical industry. True or not, I fear that the tone may turn off some moderates and medical professionals so that they don't hear the bigger powerful messages. While future videos may be edited to reach a broader audience, I encourage you to look past things that may bother you and be open to the bigger message. I also encourage you to explore some of the studies and quotes by very reputable people that question the degree of progress in the war of cancer.

This documentary is very important for patients, families, medical professionals, and policy makers. I bought six copies to loan to others. Get it. Watch it. Pass it on.

Available at Amazon!  http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Cancer-From-Inside-Out/dp/B002UURCAO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335841859&sr=8-1

Healthier Ways to Grill Meat and Celebrate Summer

By Laura Nathan-Garner, MD Anderson Staff Writer

Maybe you've heard: eating red and processed meats may increase your risk of colorectal cancer. That's the word according to a new report from the American Institute for Cancer Research.

News like that sure can put a damper on your summer grilling plans. After all, who wants to host a barbecue when the food could send your guests' health up in flames?

Well, here's some good news. By making a few small changes to what -- and how -- you grill, you can keep cancer off the menu at your next barbecue.

Learn about healthier ways to grill meat in this month's issue of Focused on Health. For a sweet treat, you might even want to whip up our cancer-fighting recipe for strawberry-rhubarb parfaits.

Continue reading Healthier Ways to Grill Meat and Celebrate Summer.         

1515 Restaurant in Downtown Denver Hosts Mother's Day Celebration

Lodo Restaurant Offers Uniquely Crafted Food for the entire family on Mother's Day Sunday.

Denver, CO, May 01, 2012 --(PR.com)-- 1515 Restaurant, located at Market and 15th Street, today announces their plans for a 13th annual Mother's Day Three Course Sit-Down Meal in historic Lodo. Enjoy a wonderful meal from 10 am to 6 pm in the beautiful, historic red brick building. The delectable menu will feature a fresh spring time menu offering a little of everything to please the most discerning tastes. Every diner is offered a complimentary Mimosa or glass of champagne.

This yearly tradition to celebrate mom "has been a great success," comented Gene Tang, owner of 1515 Restaurant. "Each year we see some familiar faces as well as some new ones." The certified green restaurant will be featuring many favorites from its extensive menu including for the main course a choice between Sous Vide Lamb, Sous Vide Wagyu Beef, Norwegian Salmon, and a Seared Bone-in Chicken. There is also a kids menu that can accommodate the younger patrons with having to pay the cost of a full meal. Meals can also be made gluten free as well as dairy free.

About 1515 Restaurant:
1515 Restaurant features eclectic American cuisine, an extensive wine list, and extraordinary service in a relaxed atmosphere, bringing you the very best of sophisticated dining in Denver's LoDo neighborhood. We have won Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence for the past ten years. Executive Chef, Chuck James was a guest chef at the James Beard House last July. Complimentary parking is always available for dinner guests at 16th Market Square. Please visit http://www.facebook.com/1515Restaurant or http://www.twitter.com/1515Restaurant for more information. You can also make reservations through OpenTable at http://www.1515restaurant.com/reservations.htm

Annual 5K Walk/Run Expected to Raise $60K

Another Lustgarten Research Walk Success Story ....

"(My mom's) memory is the wind beneath my wings as I organize (this) pancreatic cancer event...," Maria Rydelek, race director for Westborough's 3rd Annual 5k/10k for Pancreatic Cancer Research told Westborough Patch in an email. She continued, "It is crucial to have events that can raise funds for research as well as raise awareness. The hope is to fund research so scientists and doctors can offer early detection, better treatment plans and one day a cure (for pancreatic cancer)!"

On Sunday, April 29, more than 500 area residents, visitors, and volunteers joined together to make Maria's goal a reality. According to Maria, runners came from "Natick, Framingham, Southborough, Northborough, Marlborough, Westborough, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Uxbridge and more." She expects that the event will raise about $60,000, along with another $20,000 from a Vegas Night which took place April 27.

Funds raised by the run will be contributed to the Lustgarten Foundation, which stated in a letter, "To date, Pancreatic Cancer Research Walks have raised more than $16.1 million in support of promising pancreatic cancer research. With Cablevision's commitment to underwrite the administrative expenses of the Lustgarten Foundation, 100 percent of donations (go) directly to pancreatic cancer research."

According to Maria, "Statistics show that the average life expectancy after diagnosis with (pancreatic cancer) is just 3 to 6 months." She continued, "All of the statistics tied to this disease are just as troubling - 75 percent die within one year; 94 percent die within 5 years; ONLY 6 percent survive beyond 5 years AND (there is) too little federal funding.  Pancreatic cancer research constitutes less than 2 percent of the National Cancer Institute's budget."


It Takes a Village
A five-member committee, including Maria, Angela Callery (Westborough), Cheryl Labriola (Hopkinton), Karen Ross (Westborough), and Debbi Silverman (Westborough) assembled a network of participants and volunteers. Both Karen and Debbi lost their dads to pancreatic cancer.

The walk/race kicked off at the Westborough Tennis & Swim Club, whose employees volunteered along with other local residents. Among local sponsors were GMC Buick of Westborough, Toll Brothers, Simply Fargone, and Covidien (Mansfield, MA). A number of area grocery stores provided food and water, including Hannaford (Marlborough), Roche Brothers, Wegmans, and Stop & Shop. Coca Cola (Dasani Water), Polar Beverages, Popchips and Clif Bar also provided water and food.


Broken Hearts
Maria said, "I miss my mother every day and wish she would have been given more of a fighting chance." Maria's team included her dad from Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and her sister's and her family from Natick.

The same sentiment was repeated by participants who were honoring their mother, father, sister, brother and friends. At least thirty-eight teams were formed for the walk/run. Team names like "Lavallee's Angels," "Mark's Girls," "We Love You Missy" showed the depth of loss created by this disease.
"Plan C" walked in memory to TJ Inman, who was general manager of Wagner Motorsports. His widow Debbe (Barre) said, "TJ never gave up. When plan A and B were done, he's say, let's do plan C."
Team "Crazy Diamonds" walked in memory of Pink Floyd fan Martin Farley (Franklin). His daughter said, "My dad is now a crazy diamond shining in the sky."

"Do More for a Cure" walked in memory of Marianne McCarthy of Southborough, who very recently lost her battle against pancreatic cancer. Her son Sean said, "She was going to walk today. She'd be glad that we're here."

Another Event
Maria has also organized a second event to raise funds for pancreatic cancer research. “Beating the Odds” Vegas Night will was held on April 27 at the Knights of Columbus in Westborough. The evening featured Vegas games, music, dancing, hor d’oeuvres and a silent auction.

To learn more about the Lustgarten Foundation, and to contribution to the cause, visit its website.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on the latest Westborough news, or simply hit the "like" button at the top of this page. If you'd like to receive the Westborough Patch newsletter with our top stories, click here.

Related Topics: Fundraising walk/run, Pancreatic Cancer, Volunteers, Westborough Tennis & Swim Club, and lustgarten foundation

Meg Phillips and her inspiration

Sometimes one picture can say it all.  Below is Denver Walk Founder, Meg Phillips, at the 2011 Lustgarten walk. 

Meg is holding a Buffalo symbolizing her husband Rich who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer several years ago.  Rich continues to be her inspiration for the walk.  As one committee member said: "I think it is one of the most moving pictures I have seen.  You are surely holding Rich to your heart."

Who is Lustgarten? Get informed.

Lustgarten's Mission

To advance the scientific and medical research related to the diagnosis, treatment, cure and prevention of pancreatic cancer by:

• Increasing funding and support of research into the biological mechanisms and clinical strategies related to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of pancreatic cancer;
• Facilitating and enhancing the dialogue among members of the medical and scientific communities about basic and clinical research efforts that relate to pancreatic cancer;
• Heightening public awareness of pancreatic cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention and providing informational support for pancreatic cancer patients, their families, and friends.  

The Lustgarten Foundation Forms National Pancreatic Cancer Research ConsortiThe Lustgarten Foundation Forms National Pancreatic Cancer Research Consortium Led By Six World-Renowned Medical Institutions

BETHPAGE, N.Y., March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lustgarten Foundation announced today that it has formed a national pancreatic cancer research consortium, a collaborative effort involving six world-renowned medical institutions to advance the most promising research initiatives aimed at finding a cure for pancreatic cancer. Named the Pancreatic Cancer Research Consortium (PCRC), The Lustgarten Foundation will provide an initial $10 million in grants this year for research in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the fourth-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. The Lustgarten Foundation expects to contribute more than $25 million in funding to the consortium over the next several years.

This ambitious undertaking will be led by 11 leading cancer researchers at the following participating institutions:

• Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in affiliation with Harvard Medical School
• The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT
• Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
• Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
• The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

As part of PCRC, the scientists will share knowledge, information, expertise and technologies in a coordinated effort. The consortium will make recommendations on how to allocate funds and assess the ongoing progress of the research being conducted. Additional funding decisions will be announced by the Foundation as they are determined.

"Our strategy of focused research has produced significant advances in understanding pancreatic cancer, including identifying the genes involved in this disease," said Dr. Robert Vizza, president of The Lustgarten Foundation. "The Pancreatic Cancer Research Consortium will build on these advances by bringing together exceptional scientists and institutions who will lead the field toward a cure for the deadliest of all cancers."

Four initial grants will support research in the following areas:

• Early detection – A project led by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in collaboration with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, will develop a blood and fluid-based test to detect pancreatic cancer at an early stage, when it may be curable.
• Genetic approaches to therapeutic targets in pancreatic cancer – A collaborative project based at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory will identify targets for new drug therapies based on genetic analysis. The research will combine comprehensive RNAi screening with pre-clinical studies in mouse models to identify genetic vulnerabilities in pancreatic cancer cells, making them promising targets for drug therapy.
• Defining familial pancreatic cancer – An international project led by Johns Hopkins University will study the inherited causes of pancreatic cancer. The research will utilize the expertise that was part of the successful Genome Sequencing Project funded by The Lustgarten Foundation in 2008.
• Comprehensive investigation of K-ras effector pathways – This investigation, led by MIT's Koch Institute in collaboration with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, will study a therapy targeted at the K-ras gene pathway. The K-ras gene is the most frequently mutated gene in pancreatic cancer.  

The PCRC is led by the following 11 premier pancreatic cancer research scientists:

-- James L. Abbruzzese, M.D.

Chairman, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

-- Charles Fuchs, M.D., M.P.H.

Director, Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

-- Ralph H. Hruban, M.D.

Professor of Pathology and Oncology

Director, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

-- Tyler Jacks, Ph.D.

David H. Koch Professor

Director, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

-- David Paul Kelsen, M.D.

Chief of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

-- Scott W. Lowe, Ph.D.

Professor, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

-- Robert J. Mayer, M.D.

Faculty Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Stephen B. Kay Family Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

-- David J. McConkey, Ph.D.

Professor, Cancer Biology and Urology

Deputy Division Head for Research, Division of Surgery

Director of Urological Research

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

-- Eileen M. O'Reilly, M.D.

Associate Attending Physician in the Gastrointestinal Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

-- Bruce Stillman, Ph.D.

President, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

-- Bert Vogelstein, M.D.

Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Director, Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics & Therapeutics

Clayton Professor of Oncology & Pathology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins

The establishment of the PCRC by The Lustgarten Foundation is due in large part to Cablevision Systems Corporation, which made a multi-year commitment to underwrite all of the Foundation's administrative costs so that 100 percent of every donation to the Foundation can go directly to funding scientific research.

"We are extremely fortunate to have a corporate partner like Cablevision who is truly with us in this fight against pancreatic cancer," said Kerri Kaplan, executive director of The Lustgarten Foundation. "The amount of funding we're able to direct toward this effort is largely due to their financial support. We have great hope for the future thanks to the resources we've been able to allocate toward the establishment of this important collaboration."

About The Lustgarten Foundation and Pancreatic Cancer

The Lustgarten Foundation, based in Bethpage, New York, is America's largest private foundation dedicated solely to funding pancreatic cancer research. Founded in 1998, the Foundation provides critical support in the search for better diagnostics and treatment of pancreatic cancer, and to date has provided more than $32 million to more than 115 research projects at 41 medical and research centers worldwide.

The Lustgarten Foundation and Cablevision Systems Corporation, a leading media and entertainment company, together launched curePC, a public awareness campaign that uses Cablevision's high-profile assets to draw attention to the fight against pancreatic cancer. As part of this campaign, Cablevision made a multi-year commitment to underwrite all of The Lustgarten Foundation's administrative costs to ensure that 100 percent of every dollar donated to the Foundation will go directly to pancreatic cancer research. To learn more, visit www.curepc.org.  

SOURCE The Lustgarten Foundation

Paul Sandoval funeral draws overflowing crowd at Denver cathedral

When Paul Sandoval visited the White House he asked to be called "tamale maker." A congregation of nearly one thousand friends, family members and dignitaries gathered today to celebrate the life of Sandoval, who referred to himself as a "tamale maker" even after serving two terms as state senator and shaping several prominent political careers in an office at his Denver tamale shop. "I am just so touched that Paul was so loved," Paula Sandoval said of her husband. Just two blocks from the state Capitol, the pews and aisles of the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception filled with friends who reminisced about the moment they met Paul Sandoval, known as the godfather of Colorado politics. Photos Slideshow Photos: Paul Sandoval remembered by thousands. Sandoval died at his home Tuesday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 67. Born in Denver, Sandoval was instrumental in launching a number of political careers including U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. Bennet, along with Sen. Mark Udall, Gov. John Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, attended the service. As former Denver mayor and long-time friend Wellington Webb carried Sandoval's ashes into the cathedral, the smell of incense filled the air and the deep notes of "Amazing Grace" rang out. Former U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar's political career was engineered in the back of Sandoval's tamale shop, La Castia. Salazar delivered the eulogy during the funeral Mass. "Paul was about the person, and the people, the community, the city, the state, the nation. Not about the party," Salazar said. Salazar was elected as Colorado attorney general in 1998. He is now the secretary of the Department of the Interior. Sandoval and Salazar remained close over the years. The two spoke almost every day during Sandoval's illness. Photos: Paul Sandoval Slideshow: More images from Paul Sandoval's life and times. Doctors diagnosed Sandoval with pancreatic cancer in February 2011. "We could always tell when Paul was speaking to him (Salazar)," Paula Sandoval said. "Even when he was really sick he had a smile on his face." The packed cathedral rolled with laughter when Salazar reminisced about a trip he and Paul Sandoval took to Central City. Tears washed over the crowd when he shared one of the last moments he spent with Sandoval. "I held him, kissed him, tossed his hair. I said, 'Paul you know how much we love you,' " Salazar said. "He looked at us and said, 'God bless you all. I love you all.' " Salazar read a letter from President Barack Obama to Sandoval's family. "You know better than anyone Paul was colorful, passionate and the soundest of leaders with a big heart and deep love for his family and the Rocky Mountain West," the letter read. "Paul has left your city, state, and the West better than he found it." At the beginning of the eulogy, Salazar asked Sandoval's family to stand and the audience rang out in applause. In his final remarks, Salazar said good-bye to a friend. "Good-bye my loving friend, the owner of my heart," Salazar said. Jordan Steffen: 303-954-1794 or jsteffen@denverpost.com

Read more: Paul Sandoval funeral draws overflowing crowd at Denver cathedral - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_20505135#ixzz1tT8mYUiA
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse 

Time for Timer: Quick Breakfast

Having a good breakfast is very important to maintaining your strength through chemo and other treatments. 

Lusgarten Walks -- You can make a difference

Help raise money for pancreatic cancer research ... join a Lustgarten Walk ...


Albany Pancreatic Cancer Reserach WalkAllentown Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Bridgewater Pancreatic Cancer Reserach WalkBrooklyn Pancreatic Cancer Reserach WalkCedar Rapids Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Clinton County Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Concord Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Dallas Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Delaware Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Denver Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Dutchess County Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Fairfield Pancreatic Cancer Reserach WalkFremont Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Green Valley Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Indianapolis Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Kansas Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Lakeland Pancreatic Cancer Reserach WalkLinn Creek Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Liverpool Pancreatic Cancer Reserach WalkMonmouth Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
New England Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
New York City Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Paramus Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Pennsauken Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
St. Louis Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Tempe Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Westchester Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk
Westborough Westchester Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk/Run

Westlake Westchester Pancreatic Cancer Reserach Walk/Run

Lacey Henderson running all the way to London

While Lacey didn't have pancreatic cancer, she knows what it's like to have cancer.  Here's a great inspirational story from the Denver area.  
http://www.denverpost.com/olympics/ci_18142199


Often, someone who doesn't know Lacey Henderson will spot the prosthesis replacing much of her right leg and blurt: "What happened to your leg?"

"I had cancer," Henderson routinely answers.

"Oh, that's horrible! I'm so sorry."

Henderson smiles and responds, "I'm not. I get great parking."

Three weeks short of her 22nd birthday, Henderson is on the verge of graduating from the University of Denver, where she majored in Spanish and minored in French and international health. Shortly after finishing four years on the Pioneers' cheerleading squad, she searched for a new athletic challenge this spring and last weekend locked up a berth on the U.S. team for the 2012 Paralympics in London.

The Denver native and graduate of Regis Jesuit High School needed to crack 20 seconds in the 100 meters in an official timing format to qualify for the U.S. team in the women's "T42" Paralympic classification, for athletes with single-leg amputations above the knee. She did so at the state high school track and field meet in Lakewood last weekend.

At Jeffco Stadium on Friday, she ran in the Paralympic exhibition 100 meters, but clipped her "racing" prosthetic with that of the boy in the next lane. After falling, Lacey got up and finished. The next day, she tried again in the Special Olympics 100 at the same meet. Her time was 19.98 seconds — two one-hundredths under what she needed.

It was symbolic. When she gets knocked down, she gets back up.

"I don't really have time for the cancer to come back at this point, so I'm feeling pretty confident," she said at DU's Driscoll Student Center. "It really wouldn't work with my schedule."

"Tired of being sick"

When Lacey was in the fourth grade, the diagnoses were that she had baker's cysts or, simply, "growing pains." Doctors then detected a tumor in her right knee. It was a soft-tissue synovial sarcoma, rare and found mostly in adult men. The survival rate is considered low, but it's so rare there isn't a huge sample. The most famous victim was actor Robert Urich​, who died at age 55 in 2002.

Chemotherapy made Lacey violently ill and didn't seem to be working on the sarcoma. As doctors discussed the options with her and her parents — Linda and T.J., a longtime area high school track coach — the major one was amputation.

"I just wanted to be a normal person again and go back to school and I was tired of being sick," Lacey said. "So I said, 'Take it, I don't want it.' "

The amputation came in the spring of 1999. She also had a spot on her lung, but the chemotherapy zapped that.

"May 19 was my 12-year anniversary of being cancer free — and one-legged," she said. "I've been lucky. It has brought so many amazing things into my life, it has given me so many opportunities and so many gifts."

In early 2003, though, she was the target of harassment in her eighth-grade year at Hill Middle School. Some of it was vile or threatening online postings. Some of it was direct taunting about her prosthetic.

"It started off as people pretty sure just being uncomfortable with the leg," she said. "Towards the end, it was girls that just didn't like me."

In biology class, several girls placed remains of dissected frogs in her backpack.

Her parents moved her to Dora Moore School. The next year, she uneasily started at the girls division of Regis Jesuit, but discovered she loved it. "It was like going to camp for four years and you become close to your classmates," she said.

She was a cheerleader at Regis Jesuit, then at DU, doing all the athletic and acrobatic stunts. "I would have to watch for a while to see how people did (new routines)," she said, "and then I'd say, 'OK, this leg of mine might make me take a little bit longer, but I'm going to figure out how to do this if it kills me.' "

Denver attorney Julie Warren was DU's cheerleading coach during Lacey's stint on the squad. She admitted she wondered before Lacey's tryout about her physical capability and safety. "Then, probably within 10 minutes, I knew it was a nonissue," Warren said. "She had been so physically active during her youth and high school years, and prepared herself to do these physically challenging moves, she fit right in. That inspiration happened from Day One of meeting her.

"It was never a question of her not being able to do something the other girls did. That was incredibly impressive and a credit to her mental power and tenacity."

Advocate and athlete

While serving as a counselor at a camp for amputees last summer, Henderson started thinking more about being an advocate for their cause and about competing athletically to widen her impact.

This spring, she started working out as a track athlete, even taking up pole vaulting, which isn't included in the Paralympics. Her father was renowned for turning out pole vaulters in coaching stints at Aurora Central, Rangeview, Cherry Creek and Regis Jesuit, and now he's tutoring his daughter.

"It's not so much that I'm proud of her," said T.J., a project manager for Monarch Investment Co. "I'm inspired by her. We didn't know if she was going to live because of the type of cancer she had.

"After she got the prosthetic, when people would say 'handicapped' to her, she'd say she didn't like that word and she didn't like 'disabled.' She'd say, 'I'm not disabled, I'm differently-abled.' She doesn't let anything hold her back."

Chris Hoyt of BioDesign Inc. provided Lacey's racing prosthetic leg, and Mike Mattivi and Michael Branch​ also coach her. While training and finishing up school, she has continued her routine of working part-time as a waitress, making visits to Children's Hospital to speak with cancer patients about to undergo surgery, and appearing at local schools, as she did at Bear Creek Elementary on Wednesday.

Henderson tells other young amputees that they don't need to meekly accept such things as prosthetics that don't fit well.

"I say we've been through losing a limb, but it's no reason to live any less than you had before," she said. "And those people who are those boring, 'I have all my body parts,' able-bodied type of people, they need to realize too that we are amputees and missing a limb — it doesn't mean we have less capacity than anyone else to do things."

Terry Frei: 303-954-1895 or tfrei@denverpost.com
On the horizon for Lacey Henderson

In her T42 category in Paralympic competition, former Regis Jesuit High School and University of Denver cheerleader Lacey Henderson has few choices of events — the 100 meters and the long jump. She also probably could compete "up" in classification in the 200 meters, going against women with less extensive leg amputations.

Challenged by the consensus that athletes with a leg amputated above the knee aren't capable of getting the leg push necessary to compete in the pole vault, Henderson has taken that up too and has cleared 9 feet.

The catch is that for an event to be included in the Paralympics in London next year, six women in the same or nearly the same "T" categories have to meet the qualifying standard — and come from at least four countries.

"What we're trying to do is finagle our way to see if we can put on exhibitions in the pole vault at the Pan American Games or London," Henderson said. "I feel like if somebody just sees that you can do it, especially T42s, that's also a motivator for other people to do it."

Is it time for Hospice Care?

Calling hospice is never easy, but it can be a great resource for you and your loved one. We hated making the call, but it honestly made difference in our lives.  My dad was comfortable and we had the resources to help manage all that was happening.  They helped us through the different stages and provided the after support we needed.   


There are several options in the Denver Front Range including Denver Hospice.  

Hospice care provides comfort and support to patients with advanced illnesses, and their families. Hospice is not a place; it is a program that provides care wherever patients live. The goal of hospice care is to improve the quality of life for patients and their families by addressing their physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs.

Along with providing help with personal care needs, hospice care focuses on:

· Educating and supporting patients and their family members on care,disease progression, and treatment.

· Allowing nature to take its course.

· Placing a priority on managing pain, easing suffering, and promoting maximum comfort.

· Supporting choices in advanced illness.

Requesting Services

If you are interested in requesting services click here to have our Admissions team contact you or call 303-321-2828 and select option 1. 

http://www.thedenverhospice.org/Pages/default.aspx

Cancer Match!

Cancer Match?

Cancer Support Network, Dating and Social Support

CancerMatch is a powerful cancer survivor networking site. Meet people who are diagnosed with cancer from all over the world. With CancerMatch you can:

• Create a circle of friends who share your diagnosis, or, simply, care about you
• Build your own network of contacts who share your diagnosis
• Use built-in communication services to meet or mentor
• Write your own blog
• Join a live chat group or person to person chat
• Post your real life event or attend other members' events
• Create and lead your own live chat or support group
• Meet new friends and, maybe, even fall in love

Not a member yet? Please click here to join CancerMatch or push the "Join" button below to apply and start networking on CancerMatch!

Check it out at: http://www.cancermatch.com/

Managing Medication Safely at Home

You may have seen recent coverage of the new White House Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan, which is designed to address the growing problem of drug abusers who use prescription drugs non-medically. The program seeks to protect Americans through provider education and stricter controls.


People of every age are at risk of harm from incorrect use of prescription drugs. And geriatricians agree that overdependence on certain medications can be a significant problem for older adults. But many pain specialists also express concern that people living with chronic pain—especially seniors—are already having trouble accessing legitimate medications they need.


A recent issue of the Gerontological Society of America’s What’s Hot newsletter examined in depth the role of pain management in reducing disability in older adults. The writers confirmed that "effective pain management is crucial to the well-being of seniors today," and list medications as one of the key modes of treatment. 


“Under-treatment of chronic pain in older adults is common, contributing to unnecessary suffering,” said study advisor Deborah Dillon McDonald, RN, Ph.D.
This is only the latest "medication paradox" we’ve seen in the news. Medications can prolong and improve our lives. But they can also increase fall risk, cause depression and confusion, even result in a fatal overdose. Every week, it seems, we read about the latest exciting new drug on the market—or that a drug has been abandoned as ineffective or with unacceptable side effects. Since seniors on average take more medications, it is no surprise that they also express the most concern about medication safety.
Geriatricians suggest that older adults take three medication safety steps:

1. Talk to their healthcare provider about the prescription and over-the-counter medications they take;
2. Take medications correctly—the correct dose, at the correct time interval; and,
3. Be alert for side effects, especially when starting a new medication.

But taking medications correctly can be a challenge, especially when a senior takes multiple medications, each with its own schedule and dosage. Visual impairment and memory loss add to the challenge. Families may live at a distance, or may not be available to provide the level of supervision their loved one needs. 


In-home care may be the solution to promote both safety and independence. If a senior’s health needs are complex, skilled nursing care can be provided in the home. But in many cases, in-home companion care, which can be provided at a far lower cost, is the perfect choice. A trained in-home caregiver can support effective medication management in four important ways:


Help senior clients get prescriptions filled. Many seniors fail to fill or renew prescriptions because they can’t get to the pharmacy. Neglecting to take their prescribed medications can have serious consequences. For example, the Gerontological Society of America reports that seniors who do not take their medications are at a 50% greater risk of experiencing a fall. In-home caregivers can provide transportation to the pharmacy, or pick up prescriptions for clients. 


Remind senior clients to take medications on time, and in the correct way. In-home caregivers can provide medication reminders, and can also help the senior client use prescription memory aids, such as pill organizers, medication checklists, specially packaged doses, or medication calendars. For clients who take pain medications, the caregiver can note whether pain is adequately managed, and be alert that the client might be taking more than the recommended dosage.


Report negative drug reactions.  As we grow older, our bodies process substances less efficiently, and drug side effects become more of a concern. According to the Commission for Certification in Geriatric Pharmacy, a startling 17% of hospitalizations of older patients are due to adverse reactions to medications. And sometimes the patient is the last to notice the problem! Trained in-home caregivers can be alert for signs of confusion, weakness, depression, or agitation or dizziness.


Encourage senior clients to be physically active and engaged. You might not think of this as part of a safe medication strategy—but studies show that increasing activity can decrease the need for some medications, such as pain medications, antidepressants and even blood pressure medicine. (Note: never reduce or discontinue a medication without consulting your healthcare provider.)


As our senior population grows, it is no coincidence that the field of geriatric pharmacy is also growing. Managing medications helps seniors stay healthy and safe. And when seniors live at home, extra help from a professional caregiver provides peace of mind for senior clients and family alike.


Learn More
The National Council on Patient Information and Education sponsors the Medication Use Safety Training (MUST) for Seniors program, with information for seniors and family caregivers.


The Commission for Certification in Geriatric Pharmacy offers more information about "The Silent Epidemic" of medication problems.


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers the factsheet As You Age: You and Your Medicines.