You hear stories of childhood cancer – always focusing on the cancer. But what about after the battle is over – once it’s been won so to speak? At times, the battle to return to a normal life can be just as daunting as battle with the disease itself. It requires continued courage and strength to get back to your life when cancer is all you’ve known for so long.
Ronnie Gordon has been off therapy since 1993. Since then, he has accomplished many of his dreams that he at one point did not think would be possible. He graduated from Buford High School in 2005. Then went to Jacksonville State University where he was a Marching Southerner for two years. He is also a member of Alliance Drum and Bugle Corp, who took the title of DCA World Champions in 2008.
Ronnie loves to spend his time helping others. He has been a very active part of Camp Sunshine since 1994. Since 2006 he has put together a parade with his fellow musicians for the kids at Camp Sunshine. Even after such hard times at one point in his life, Ronnie is still focused on others.
Ronnie is currently a satellite technician for Mastec Advanced Technologies. He is also active in a community theatre group by the name of Fifth Row Center. In addition to being a satellite technician, Ronnie is also a videographer and has many of his creations on You Tube.
CURE Childhood Cancer celebrates Ronnie and his recovery.
“The worst thing you write is better than the best thing you don’t write.”
~Mike Dambra ~
You could discover the cure for cancer or the secret of time travel, but if you don’t follow through and do something about it — write it down, record it, put it into action — you’re no closer to Success than you were the day before your ‘discovery’.
An excerpt from Stand Up & Succeed by Tim Reynolds from Cometcatcher Press.
Yeast infections are actual accepted in women. At atomic of women ache with pregnancy remedy it already or added in their lives. This infection additionally occurs in men but the arrangement is appreciably low in allegory to women. Itching in the Cure For Infertility vagina abscess of the vulva afire in the Pregnancy Remedy vagina and about the vulva white vaginal discharge affliction during animal action are some Pregnancy Cures accepted affection of it. But accustomed cures for aggrandize infection can be afflicted beneath able guidance.
Yeast is the Pregnancy Remedy accepted name of Candida Albicans fungus. Candida Albicans are tiny bacilli that commonly abound either on bark or about and central vagina. The acerb ambiance central vagina is anon accompanying with accident of aggrandize infection.
The acerb akin central the vagina changes due to assorted reasons. Some of these are pregnancy diabetes aberrant menstruation common use of antibiotics steroids chemicals acclimated in soaps bedraggled conditions bearing ascendancy pills common acknowledgment to semen bound panties etc. Most of the accustomed remedies accept continued abiding aftereffect than the adverse remedies. Following time-tested accustomed cures of aggrandize infection will be accessible to you.
The bacilli in yogurt are actual advantageous in alleviative it. The apparent and absinthian yogurt delivers acutely abatement aftereffect on the adulterated breadth of the skin. Home-made yogurt can additionally be acclimated to cure aggrandize infection Soak a blockade in apparent yogurt and admit it into the vagina or aloof rub some yoghurt aqueous alfresco of vagina. Yogurt should Pregnancy Cures be acclimated alert or thrice a Pregnancy Remedy day until the infection lasts.
Diluted apple-cider alkali is acclimated to cure it. It is Cure For Infertility acclimated internally and evidently both. The best way to use apple-cider alkali is to mix Pregnancy Cures a cup of apple-cider alkali in your bathwater. This will bear a abatement aftereffect on Cure For Infertility the adulterated breadth as able-bodied as it will cure the infection.
Garlic is additionally acclimated to cure infection To cure the infection admit a apple-pie garlic abysm Cure For Infertility into Pregnancy Cures the vagina afterwards every two or three hours. However in the market some garlic tablets are additionally available.
One of the added pregnancy remedy accustomed cures of aggrandize infection is assimilation of oregano assemble oil. Drink oregano assemble oil as per directions. Application of tea timberline oil on the adulterated breadth is addition accustomed cure of aggrandize infection.
One of the pivotal events in the destruction of America is the case of Harry Hoxsey. Hoxsey’s great grandfather had been a veterinarian (in the early 19th century). His favorite horse developed cancer on its forelimb, and Dr. Hoxsey put the horse on a distant pasture so that he would not have to see it die. He came out a few weeks later to collect the corpse but found the horse in full health prancing around with great energy and no sign of cancer. Dr. Hoxsey went over that field with a fine tooth comb and found 4 herbs which, when combined, cured cancer. However, he was afraid of persecution by the cancer establishment of his day and never went public with the cure, instead keeping it as a family secret. This lasted until the early 20th century when his great grandson, Harry Hoxsey, went public with it. The herbs were: red clover, Oregon grape root, poke root, sarsaparilla, stillingia, buckthorn, burdock, cascara sagrada, prickly ash berry, licorice and Irish moss.
Harry Hoxsey opened clinics around the country. The district attorney in Dallas, TX sided with the establishment and tried to shut Hoxsey down. Then the DA’s brother got cancer; he went to Hoxsey, and Hoxsey cured him. The DA (to his credit) did a 180ยบ about face and became a big Hoxsey supporter and later Hoxsey’s attorney. Then the Journal of the AMA called Hoxsey a quack. Hoxsey sued for libel, brought in his cured patients and proved to a jury (“12 good men and true”) that he indeed could cure cancer. In 1960, the FDA banned the Hoxsey treatment. His nurse moved to Tijuana, Mexico and set up a Hoxsey clinic which still operates today.
The medical-industrial complex would be out billions. The FDA protects corporations, not you.
Infertility can be authentic as disability to accept afterwards one abounding year of normal approved heterosexual heirintercourse afterwards the use of contraception. In added words it is the disability of a brace to accomplish a abundance afterwards one year of approved caught animal intercourse or the disability of the woman to backpack a abundance to alive birth.
Male infertility causes the disability of carrying able abundance of accustomed agent low agent count to the woman s vagina which is clumsy to beget the egg. It pregnancy treatments is the action that interferes with the macho changeable agency that makes the man beneath fertile.
But in this issue we are not Pregnancy Homeopathic apropos to changeable infertility but male. In this case macho infertility can be authentic as the ache of macho changeable arrangement which hinders the adeptness to accomplish changeable action or disability to aftermath accustomed agent for fertility. Admitting apperception seems to be simple and accustomed but its action depends on able action of pregnancy treatments abounding factors which is abounding of complications.
For a abundant brace that is accepting approved caught sex the affairs of apperception in every menstrual aeon is admitting best couples accept aural one year of caught sex. In every alliance that adventures infertility it is consistently the woman s affair while the macho is the accidental cause.
Most of the couples with infertility botheration accept no audible or identifiable account of t infertility afterwards medical investigation some accept added than one agency that causes their disability to conceive. As you go in details you will acquisition what these factors are all about and how you should go about it.
In conclusion infertility should not be aloof a woman’s concern. It should be apparent as a botheration that the macho is the sole cause or may be a accidental cause in any barren couples.
#49: Desaparecidos/Read Music, Speak Spanish (2002) — Conor Oberst can categorically be described as a hipster voice of this decade. But save for a few tunes here and there under his Bright Eyes moniker, it was really his harder rocking outfit that got me between the eyes. Read Music… was a beautiful pastiche of fuzzed out guitars, atmospheric keyboards, and middle-class rants and raves. Check out: ‘Man and Wife, the Former (Financial Planning),’ ‘Greater Omaha,’ and ‘The Happiest Place on Earth.’
#48: Depeche Mode/Playing the Angel (2005) — If there were ever a band who could come back from a bunt (Exciter, 2001) to hit a homerun again, it’s Depeche Mode. While the album could be summed up in one song (‘Precious’) it is again a summary judgment that propels this album into my Top 50 of the decade. Check out the ferocious opener ‘A Pain That I’m Used To’ the driving ‘Suffer Well’ or the silver lining of ‘Nothing’s Impossible.’
#47: Cure/Bloodflowers (2000) — At the start of the decade, the Cure unleashed what has been described as the third installment in a trilogy of albums (Pornography and Disintegration, making up the other two…) The lazy, almost seven-minute opener, ‘Out of This World,’ is classic Cure, replete with acoustic guitar, piano and jazzy drumming. From there, Smith and Co. launch into the 11-minute ‘Watching Me Fall,’ and fourth track, ‘Maybe Someday,’ is the melancholy pop-gem fans have grown to love. Epic closer ‘39,’ rounds things out in typical gothic muse. An easy selection for T50 of the decade.
#46: Radiohead/In Rainbows (2008) — As Radiohead worked to turn how we absorb music on it’s ear in 2008, what almost gets missed is the fact that this album was their most complete body of work since The Bends. This is not to say they did not release some stunning music throughout the decade, but In Rainbows is just one of those apex points and culmination of their entire body of work. Love them or hate ‘em, there are great tunes throughout. Check out: ‘All I Need,’ ‘Reckoner,’ and ‘Videotape.’
#45: Audioslave/Revelations (2006) — it amazes me how great a songwriter and vocalist Chris Cornell is when he’s got a band behind him — when he strikes out on his own? Yeah, not so much. Audioslave’s stamp on the decade was only three album deep and two of them are absolutely essential. In the 45-spot, Revelations picks up where the self-titled debut left off – an amazing rhythm section, a great guitarist and soulful, funky rockin’ tunes from a former godfather of grunge. Check out: ‘Sound of a Gun,’ ‘Original Fire,’ and ‘Wide Awake.’
#44: Richard Ashcroft/Keys to the World — There are just some albums that you don’t listen enough to that you should. This is one of them…because every time I do, I say to myself ‘Damn, this is a great album!’ While Ashcroft’s first two solo forays post-Verve would not compare in any meaningful way to Urban Hymns, this is British pop rock in all it’s semi-brooding finest. It’s upbeat, driving and subdued. While Ashcroft may never get the solo success he feels he deserves, I for one thoroughly enjoyed this effort when I was about to give up on him. Check out: ‘Break the Night with Colour,’ ‘Keys to the World,’ and ‘Cry ‘Till The Morning.’
#43: Coldplay/X&Y (2005) — love or hate Coldplay, you have to admit they are some talented musicians. While, at times they can come off a bit pretentious, I’d challenge that their music is more heartfelt than anything Jack White’s done. Such is the case of apples and oranges or in this case, X’s & Y’s. This album upped the band’s ante and produced their most complete album of the decade. While overlooked from a Grammy standpoint, this album featured more heart than anything U2 has put out this decade – and you can quote me on that. Check out: ‘Fix You,’ ‘Speed of Sound,’ and ‘Swallowed in the Sea.’
#42: Killswitch Engage/Killswitch Engage (2009) — finally, on their third album, KSE live up to the potential I’d hoped they had. This is arena rock in 2009 in all of it’s anthemic glory. Howard’s vocals soar, Adam’s melodies outshine the darkest corners, and the drumming is spot on. Eff Roadrunner for not doing more with this record. These guys should be out on tour with either Metallica or Slayer right now. Check out: ‘The Return,’ ‘A Light in a Darkened World,’ and ‘In a Dead World.’
#41: Kings of Leon/Because of the Times (2007) — I remember getting this album just prior to my Placebo roadtrip with McCabe and Sarah and terrorizing them with it in the hotel room in Boston. I was just blown away by how good it was and wanted to play it over and over again. Any confusion as to whether this band was going to fall into obscurity after 05’s Aha Shake… were quickly dispelled. Caleb Followhill managed to learn how to enunciate just enough for listeners to understand what he was singing about and the backdrop of sound helped paint the stories. Check out: ‘Knocked Up,’ ‘Charmer,’ and ‘On Call.’
#40: Low vs. Diamond/Low vs. Diamond (2008) — I’m alive today because of this CD. They’re a more earnest/less pretentious version of the Killers. In the midst of a deep depression, this CD landed on my desk and kept me playing ‘air drums,’ and brooding on a pair of headphones until I snapped… out of it. It’s a theme record about recovery and lifting up the spirit and soul without being a Christian record. We need more bands like Low vs. Diamond. Check out: ‘Killer B,’ ‘This Is Your Life,’ ‘Actions are Actions,’ and ‘Song We Sang Away.’
The agent of herbal infertility analysis dates aback to age-old China to A.D. In China infertility of both men and women were auspiciously advised with assorted kinds of herbal cure for infertility concoctions. And the aftereffect was that couples anxious for a babyish were able to accept anon afterwards the analysis started. When approved medical procedures abort to annihilate infertility Cure For Infertility abounding couples opt for herbal Cure For Infertility infertility analysis of the affectionate accomplished in age-old China.
Let me account a few herbs which can advice Pregnancy Remedy in your infertility problems and let you accept a baby.
Black Cohosh
Used by Native Americans for bags of years to anticipate abortion it is Cure For Infertility accepted for its hormone acclimation furnishings due to the phyto-estrogen it contains. Pregnancy Remedy Phyto-estrogens are substances in plants that resemble the hormone estrogen and are anticipation to advice antithesis anatomy hormones.
False Unicorn Root Chamaelireum luteum
This assemble has balmy estrogenic properties. It is generally acclimated to amusement abortion of ovulation aching or aberrant periods pelvic bottleneck or deepening including salpingitis an infection of the fallopian tubes.
Evening Primrose Cure For Infertility Oil
Evening primrose oil the abbreviate anatomy of Pregnancy Cures which is EPO assists the anatomy in bearing abundant cervical fluid brings about advancement of pre-menstrual affection and additionally lowers cholesterol.
Women who ache from PMS are absolutely Pregnancy Remedy defective in blubbery acerbic – GLA or gamma linolenic acerbic which is present in EPO. And EPO additionally aids the anatomy to accomplish egg white Pregnancy Remedy cervical fungus which is stretchy clear adulterated and attenuate and facilitates the agent in pond through the uterus and entering the fallopian tube. Then the agent unites with the Pregnancy Cures egg.
It is during the aeon from menstruation to ovulation that a woman should booty EPO. EPO is conceivably the best herbal infertility analysis and abundance of women adulation to battery praises on it.
Ginseng
Male fertility macho abstention can be bigger with the advice of the assemble ginseng. Agent mobility agent count animal desires are added through the assimilation of ginseng and alike testosterone levels are raised.
These are alone some Pregnancy Cures of the able herbal infertility analysis that I accept described but there are cure for infertility affluence of others.
I’m finally cured of OCWSS - Obsessive Compulsive Web Surfing Syndrome. A good friend of mine who recognised the symptoms had commented on the fact that my productivity and earning potential had suffered by spending considerably more time spent on the internet surfing and commenting on web forums, blogs and other photography related websites than what would be considered healthy.
Recognising the Symptoms
Lets go back to 2001 when I was invited to act as a field editor for naturephotographers.net this was rather unfortunate if I’m honest as this only served to compound what was an already serious case of OCWSS a disorder which if I did get my hourly fix I’d start to have serious withdrawal symptoms. In common with any addiction recognising the fact that you have a problem is the first step on the road to being cured.
The Cure
I’m only allowed access to the internet for a maximum of 30 minutes a day in which time I have to review my inbox for my emails and only use the internet for market reasearch. I have blocked viewing rights to all other photographers websites by password which was set by my girlfriend which in effect means I cannot peruse any site even if I wanted too. After all what benefit or purpose does it serve to view other photographers latest images as in effect they have no commercial value to my business and serves no purpose what so ever. And I’m at a stage in my career that I know I can produce. My only means of viewing the work of other photographers is to peruse the pages of editorial and book publications when I make my monthly pilgrimage to Borders.
Time to get a life
I feel now its time for me to produce my best work in terms of image making and begin the journey of writing books, collaboration, projects, revitalising my photography and outlook on life in general. It’s time to get a life and fulfill my potential and not care what others are doing, as other will always do what they want to do. This is a very liberating feeling and has instantly made me less anxious, its time to move on, to reaquaint myself with real people doing everyday activities – No! to Twitter….. No! to Facebook………. and more importantly No! to time-wasting surfing the net aimlessly.
Look to the future
Since I first picked up a camera in the summer of 1995 I’ve learnt a lot about photography - I’ve also met some amazingly interesting and wonderfully gifted people and kindred spirits in the world of photography. I’ve also met some …. lets not go their!
Well the first step is to take time away from photography until the New Year. Spend time with friends climbing some peaks in Snowdonia, sleep in freezing cold mountain bothes, have fun and get fit in mind and body. Recce some new sites for nature photography projects in 2010.
And then?
Come back in the New Year – revitalised with high spirits and a fresh perspective. After all this is the first self-imposed break from photography in 15 years and how I need it.
In conjunction with the CURE Golf Classic and the GMTA Fleet Expo, a fantastic raffle was held with the main prize of a fishing trip to Costa Rica. This raffle was a big success and $7,500 was raised for CURE Childhood Cancer. The raffle was drawn early November at the GMTA Fleet Expo and the winner was Mike Medici, President of Premier Transportation. Mike so generously donated the trip back to CURE to raise more money for childhood cancer research. And to sweeten the deal, Mike has included 4 roundtrip airline tickets!
This fantastic trip is being auctioned off to the highest bidder. The Costa Rica vacation includes airfare and accommodations for 4 at the beautiful Las Ventanas del Mar for 5 days and 4 nights and a full day of fishing* at the resort with world famous fisherman, Gary Carter on his million dollar boat, the Silver-Rod-O. This package is valued at $6,500. Click here to check out the Ventanas del Mar Resort.
All proceeds from this auction will benefit CURE Childhood Cancer. Hurry and place your bid now on this Costa Rican vacation! Please contact Joe Coleman at joe.c@volinc.com and place your bid. All bids must be in by Monday, November 23rd so hurry before you miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity!
Check back here for updates on the most current highest bid!
*To take advantage of the fishing opportunity, the trip must be taken between January 29, 2010 and February 8, 2010 or between February 19, 2010 and March 7, 2010. (This is the prime season for billfishing)
Body abscess can sometimes be actual difficult to accord with. It requires acute patience assurance and backbone from the one adversity from it. It charge not be said though that anatomy abscess is cureless – because it is
Body abscess cures however do not appear in one amalgamation alone. It usually comes as a aggregate of several anatomy abscess products treatments and able bark maintenance. It charge additionally be acclaimed that a anatomy abscess band-aid that works for one abounding not necessarily assignment for addition because every being has a altered bark blazon and acceptable anatomy abscess treatment.
There are articles and treatments admitting which accept been accurate to be able in abbreviation and alike allowance anatomy acne. Below are some of these articles and treatments that accept been broadly acclimated in alleviative balmy to astringent anatomy acne.
Curing Balmy to Abstinent Anatomy Acne
The capital aberration amid the access in abating balmy anatomy abscess and the access in abating abstinent anatomy abscess lies in the adjustment and blazon of articles used.
For balmy anatomy acne cure for infertility contemporary products which are alone activated on the afflicted breadth of the body are usually able in alleviative the acne. Among the best notable contemporary articles acclimated to cure anatomy abscess are benzoyl peroxide retinoic acid sulfur salicylic acerbic and azelaic acid.
A activated contemporary artefact accepting acceptance afresh is niacinamide e.g. Acnessential . Contemporary niacinamide uses Vitamin B which zeroes in on sebum assembly as able-bodied as deepening in anatomy abscess patients.
Moderate anatomy acne on the added hand usually involves demography in articulate decree on top of applying contemporary articles on the skin. Doctors usually appoint ibuprofen isotretinoin spironalactone tetracycline and doxycycline.
Treating Astringent Anatomy Acne
Severe anatomy abscess is the trickiest to cure back no distinct contemporary artefact or articulate anesthetic can accomplish it disappear. A being who has a astringent case of anatomy abscess should seek the advice of a specialized dermatologist who can analyze accurately and be able to appoint the best acceptable analysis for the patient’s anatomy abscess because his or her all-embracing bloom condition.
Most dermatologists and added doctors acclaim a aggregate of articulate medicines and concrete treatments such as acknowledgment of the bark to sunlight hormone treatment steroidal injections and bark exfoliation through dermabrasion and agnate techniques.
In dust, I trust. Or what was meant to be the trust I lost builds up continuously. In this unreality, frequently I look into your beholders eye asking why I keep on believing those damn lies. Don’t recognise or even realise ignorance exists just for my own disquise. My intellect must react on this fact, in this conflict. Before it lurch me in, in my own illusion. Got to take conclusion from the only solution is an inner revolution.
Still keeps me in, still keep on going, still keep on climbing, still keep on rising until my fingertips touch the flames of the sun.
Sweet tender loveliness, want to feel your happiness. Childeren won’t cry if you sing that lullaby. It has past me by. Although I’ll keep on flying in to the doubtfull skies. Try to hide for that peace I feel inside. Caught up in this web of intrigue, it’s my mind that’s under siege. It’s my soul not my mind I try to free. Unless it’s the fulness of the unfulfilled won’t give me my greatness. Still keep me in nothingness, kept me in this blackness. Wickedness.
I was mesmerised, what keeps me in made me realise. Neutralise desperate question, for sure. In every little measure may lay the final cure.
A special group of middle school students team up to raise awareness for childhood cancer when their own classmates are affected.
The Junior Beta Club at Worth County Middle School asked their students to bring in any spare change to donate to CURE Childhood Cancer. The fundraising was in memory of Adam Giddens, who lost his battle to cancer. Adam was the son of Terry Giddens, a teacher at the Middle School. The students were also donating in honor of Christopher Oates, (who is) a student currently battling Ewing Sarcoma, a form of childhood cancer. All-in-all the students collected a total of $450.00, which they donated to CURE.
We greatly appreciate everyone at Worth County Middle School who donated, as well as the Beta Club Officers, who decided to help raise awareness of childhood cancer at their school and honor both Adam and Christopher.
The Song: “New Clouds, Not Clouds“
The Artist: Spiral Beach
Notable Lyrics: “Just try to smile, your sound is just a style.”
Why This Song Appeals To Me: It may be cliche to say this, but this song is unlike anything I have ever heard. Their use of the synthesizer will drive your mind wild. You may recognize this song from the movie Charlie Bartlett, in which they appear along with two other songs of theirs.
The Song: “Bomb” The Artist: New Young Pony Club (NYPC) Notable Lyrics: “Oh, oh, oh, battle was fought and won. Who took advantage and who was defenseless?”
Why This Song Appeals To Me: This song will embed itself in your brain, and it will be stuck in your head for days. It’s so darn catchy! When it’s on, you can’t help but break out and dance along. They don’t call NYPC “new rave” for nothing!
The Song: “Homecoming” The Artist: The Teenagers Notable Lyrics: “On day two, I fucked her. It was wild. She’s such a slut.”
Why This Song Appeals To Me: This song is strangely erotic. Unlike most artists, The Teenagers sing their songs in a “talking” style which adds to the provocative vibe of the song. The spoken and sensual lyrics are accompanied by an interesting repetitive riff.
The Song: “Healer” The Artist: Chromatics Notable Lyrics: “Waving, from rusted balconies.”
Why This Song Appeals To Me: Ruth Radelet’s voice makes this song what it is; absolutely stunning. This song haunts you with is simple but beautiful lyrics softly sung along to what it possibly the best bass line ever.
The Song: “Vanished” The Artist: Crystal Castles Notable Lyrics: “The smell of your sweat, just lures me in.”
Why This Song Appeals To Me: Alice Glass and Ethan Kath are a super duo who create some of the best electronic music I have come across. They commonly use a vocoder to distort the vocals, which makes this song more interesting than it already is. Even though the song is upbeat, it is soothing and puts you in a mellow mood. Lay back, and enjoy the beat.
The Song: “Lullaby” The Artist: The Cure Notable Lyrics: “Don’t struggle like that, or I will only love you more.”
Why This Song Appeals To Me: It should be apparent that this is my favorite Cure song. In fact, the title of this very blog comes from this song. A majority of this song is whispered in a sultry voice by Robert Smith. This song, although it has a dark subject matter, is very relaxing.
The Song: “Ancient Curse” The Artist: Peter, Bjorn, and John Notable Lyrics: “Don’t get me wrong now, but we were doomed from the start.”
Why This Song Appeals To Me: I could listen to the song on repeat, and never get sick of it. Peter, Bjorn, and John are one of the many wonder bands to emerge from Sweden. The haunting melody alone makes me love this song. Though, the lyrics are my favorite part. I feel like I can relate to this song.
The Song: “I Know I’ll See You” The Artist: A Place To Bury Strangers Notable Lyrics: “Holding dear the last breath in my lungs.”
Why This Song Appeals To Me: While their music is bordering along the line of noise, there is something appealing about their songs; this song in particular. This song never fails to send shivers down my spine. They make New York City proud.
The Song: “Future Primitive” The Artist: The Papercuts Notable Lyrics: “Well we cross the river once, and we’ll do it once again. The valley will open, and the mountains fall to their knees.”
Why This Song Appeals To Me: This song has some of the most beautiful lyrics. The lyrics are stunning. In fact, most of their songs are beautiful. It’s shocking that this band hasn’t merged onto the mainstream scene.
The Song: “Magic” The Artist: Ladyhawke Notable Lyrics: “One life here with me and it’s magic.”
Why This Song Appeals To Me: The title of the song might as well be the best definition to describe it. Magic. This song was love at first listen. This song is so catchy, you can’t help but sing along (that is, if you know the lyrics). Ladyhawke has several amazing songs, but this song of hers is by far the best.
My new favorite dogmatist of the day are the Chinese Medicine converts.
If you read an advertisement for Seven Star Acupuncture, located here in Portland, Oregon, you will discover a list of conditions that Acupuncture can magically cure…(I embellish for lack of recollection and for the pure fun of it).
1) Epilepsy
2) Parasites
3) Cancer
4) Irritable Bowel Syndrome
5) Trick knee
6) the list goes on.
These are some powerful little needles. It matters not the etiology, whether unnatural cell growth, stomach critters, or broken bones. It can all be remedied with a rebalancing of your Chi.
Lovely.
Sarcasm aside, and to be fair, I do recognize the shortcomings of Western Medicine. It is an astute observation that our treatments should be moving towards treating causes rather than symptoms and whole bodies instead of body parts. However, it is difficult to dispute the effectiveness of certain treatments.
For example, as flawed as modern cancer medicine is, can one honestly believe that acupuncture is the anathema? This is difficult to swallow. Unless you are an ideologue. .
As much as I believe in the benefits of positive vibrations, I will probably never rely solely on Raki to combat a live virus inside of my body.
For those who have come this far and discovered no supporting evidence, just a fool’s rant, you are a keen observer. But, such is the nature of blogs, correct?
The Ouroboros is a very ancient symbol, depicting a snake in the shape of a circle, eating its own tail.
Yeah, that’s great Josh. So what?
Well, to me it represents something else, that I’d like to share with you.
Traditionally, the symbol signifies the cyclical nature of things. The eater is also eaten, and is reborn through the process.
Jung saw it as the feedback process of life. In human psychology, it would be the assimilation of the “shadow” side of the personality into a cycle of continuing psychological rebirth.
But, just as a hammer only sees nails, I see “systems” in this symbol.
The only reason that a human being would create a symbol like the Ouroboros (and it wasn’t just one, many cultures used this symbol), was if they saw it in nature. Of course, the “ancients” paid much more attention to natural cycles than we do now, and put much more emphasis on those cycles in daily life (often of necessity – farming requires delicate attention to changes in annual cycles).
The only way they could recognize the cycle outside of themselves, was if they experienced it on some level internally.
The Ouroboros represents the nature of any system.
Any energy fed into a system, automatically is used to reinforce that system.
Now, here’s a “for instance.”
Production (in terms of industrial production, as we use it now) increases the incidence of cancer.
In the system that is the concept of life-via/as/through-production, the solution to cancer must be…
production.
That is, a solution must be produced! Something must be made to cure the cancer!
The “cure” in such a system is found in pharmaceuticals, radiation treatment, etc.
But those systems require “production” – in a very real, very industrial sense.
They feed directly into the systemic pollution that (actually) caused the cancer to begin with.
With a gift of $25,000 or more, CURE Childhood Cancer will establish, at your request, a fund bearing the name you designate. These named funds offer ways for friends, family members, neighbors, colleagues, foundations and/or corporations to commemorate special individuals, such as a child who has battled cancer or an individual who has demonstrated dedication to the field of pediatric cancer.
Individuals and families or other groups may combine gifts made over time to meet the minimum amount. Once a named fund is established, gifts may be designated to the fund at any time. Families and friends may choose to let others know that the fund has been established and invite others to join them in support of this lasting tribute.
Generally, donations to named funds are directed to a range of research and program areas conducted or supported by CURE Childhood Cancer, dictated by areas of greatest need. However, funds may be restricted to a mutually agreed upon purpose that fits within CURE’s mission and organizational goals.
If your interested in learning more about how you can create at Named Fund at CURE Childhood Cancer, contact Executive Director Kirstin Connor at kirstin@curechildhoodcancer.org or 770.986.0035.
Our Current Named Funds
The Sam Robb Fund was created in memory of Sam Robb who lost his battle with cancer on June 25, 2007. The purpose of the fund is first to fully fund one of the two CURE Fellows and secondly to help pay for prosthetic devices for children diagnosed with cancer.
The Catie Wilkins Memorial Fund was created in memory of Catie Wilkins who battled cancer for 3 years and 4 months before succumbing to this disease. The primary purpose of the Catie Wilkins Memorial Fund is to fund clinical research on childhood cancers.
The Hayley Hunter Research Fund was created in honor of 9-year-old Hayley Hunter who battled cancer in 2008 and is currently in remission. The purpose of the Hayley Hunter Research Fund is to provide funding for basic and clinical research relating to neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer of the central nervous system.
“Press On”: The Patrick R. Chance Fund for Neuroblastoma Research was created in honor of 3-year-old Patrick R. Chance who was diagnosed with cancer in 2006. The purpose of Press On (the Patrick R. Chance Fund for Neuroblastoma Research) is to provide funding for basic and clinical research relating to neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer of the central nervous system.
Trenton W. Kindred Research Fund was created in honor of Trenton Kindred, the five year-old son of Greg and Ginger Kindred, who was diagnosed in 2005 with high risk, Stage IV Neuroblastoma. However, Trenton has now been free of cancer since June 2006. Proceeds from the Trenton W. Kindred Research Fund will be used to support childhood cancer research, supporting the doctors and scientists of the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Services of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine.
I was re-setting my phone because it has been acting up the past month or so, turning itself off and being generally slow and buggy…
Being a total moron like I am , I forget to copy my contacts to my memorystick, and therefor all of them, all of the close to 200-300 people are now gone…POOF, like that.
I mean shiet…I had some numbers saved on my SIM card, but most of them are useless because they were saved from early 2008, and since then I have gathered so many more.
I did however notice, that I still had my ex’s number on the SIM, which reminded me…why hadnt I deleted that long ago?
Now it is done, the last remains of a long reign of terror, gone. How could I be so careless?
One does foolish things when in distress, and I am feeling alot of that right now :/
I am feeling slightly recovered from my illness, had a very good sleep a few hours ago.
Been drinking a lot of water as well, got several ottles in the freezer for ultimate coolidge!
I am however feeling mental distress too, extremes colliding and making negative sparks. Love, depression, anger, stress…
Sometimes I wish I didn’t know anyone and only had myself and myself only to depend on. -Isn’t there some part of the brain you can cut away to relief the mind from caring?
To block out all elements of trouble so I could focus on that which is most important…no love, no nothing.
But then again, how much would I miss from life that way?
Pretty much…
Mental surgery, yeah I have heard of some people who have been so fucked up that was their only way out.
It is very sad though, I cannot imagine being so torn up and destroyed deep inside to have to go to such meaures.
I mean, I have been very depressed…but not close to some others.
Trying to turn to a brighter state of mind though, being thoughtful of the future, rather than the present. But like Buddha says;
-Be weary of the future, but aware of the present.
We welcome business partnerships and appreciate companies that want to help support CURE Childhood Cancer. There are several organizations that are using their business to help raise money for CURE. Each business donates a portion of its proceeds to benefit CURE.
One of these businesses is Babble Babywear. Babble babywear™ is a dynamic, sassy new company designed to tell the world what babies are thinking through original sayings and fun graphics. These colorful onesies have been described as that “favorite t-shirt with minimal design and maximum impact but with great baby humor.” Show off your bundle of joy in baby gear with attitude or show up at the next baby shower with the gift that everyone will be talking about.
Visit www.babblebabywear.com to order and use code BABBLECCC and $1 will be donated to CURE Childhood Cancer for every onesie purchased.
For more information on these sponsors and products, click here.
For questions on how your business can get involved, please contact CURE’s Executive Director, Kristin Connor at 770-986-0035 or kristin@curechildhoodcancer.org.
The CURE Golf Classic was a huge success this year, on Friday, September 25th. The tournament hosted 144 golfers at the Oaks Course in Covington and raised over $28,020.00 for CURE Childhood Cancer. Aside from slight water marks on the trees where the flood water had receded in the days preceding the golf tournament, there was no indication that just 2 days earlier there had been any concern. Dick Schulz and his staff did an amazing job and the course was beautiful. Golfers enjoyed a day starting with breakfast served by Chick Fil A, two shot gun starts at 8:30 and 1:30, and lunch provided by Bradley’s BBQ. This year there was no exception with fantastic prizes for the raffle and the auction. We saw many new faces on the course this year, however, many of the players have been coming for 20 years. We want to thank both our golfers and our sponsors without whom this tournament would not have been possible.
The CURE Golf Classic 2009 Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor
BB & T/STEPHENS & COMPANY
Platinum Sponsors
Cintas
Vanguard Truck Center of Atlanta
Bradley’s Bar-B-Que
Diamond Sponsors
Custom Werks
QuikTrip Corporation
Southeast Trailer Mart, Inc.
Gold Sponsors
Atlanta Commercial Tire
Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions
EZ Fuel & Tank Solutions
Atlanta Tire Specialists
Specialty Raffle Sponsor
Gary and Sherrell Carter, Las Ventanas del Mar – Costa Rica
I love my soda’s, but this year I have tried to stay away from them because they usually cause me to not want to do anything else except chill on the couch watching tv or a movie. I also want to get stronger, so that is one reason why I have switched from drinking soda’s to drinking water. I recieved an email a long time ago, and definitely didn’t read any of it because it was totally about water. Here is one cool thing I learned that can cure something up in the body pretty quick:
11 Miracles in Your Faucet
The remedy for your medical problems may be as close as your faucet! Pigs will fly before the medical establishment will disclose something simple and free in lieu of costly (and frequently dangerous) medications; but they do tell us to do this, they just don’t know, or don’t tell us the great benefit. In forty years of practice I have seen many apparent miracles produced solely by plain water. You won’t believe what 8-10 eight-ounce glasses of water per day will do for many maladies. There is one major problem: People won’t drink that much due to the inconvenience of frequent urination; a small price to pay for better health. If your urine is not a very pale yellow or even clear, you are not getting enough water. When I speak of water I do NOT refer to coffee, sodas or tea. Distilled or spring is best but tap water will work just fine for most people. Some places have water which has an odor and is not at all that tasty. Put a jug in the fridge for a few days and it will taste better. In addition, much of the chlorine will vanish. Prior to drinking, shake it vigorously for a while. This will oxygenate it. Cure #5: Migraines. Migraine Headache may be a sign that water is needed by the brain and the eyes. Migraine may be prevented by keeping dehydration from establishing in the body and may be totally cleared up by treating for the condition of dehydration. This particular type of dehydration might eventually cause inflammation of the back of the eye and possibly loss of eyesight.
Pretty insightful, and I am excited to keep drinking that wonderful, natural, health giving… water.
The most genuine treatment for erectile dysfunction, which is a common sexual condition in men, is available on the market. With medical advances in the past decade, new drugs have been introduced into the market offering genuine treatment for erectile dysfunction. Some of these popular drugs are Viagra, Cialis and Levitra.
Viagra pioneered the oral impotence treatment
The first genuine treatment for erectile dysfunction in men is Viagra, which was introduced in the market in 1998. Before Viagra, there was no effective oral treatment for this sexual condition and most of the sufferers lived with the condition for many years. But within short period of time after its approval, Viagra became very popular among men who reported symptoms of erectile dysfunction and took its treatment in consultation with a medical doctor. The manufacturer of Viagra, Pfizer reported record sales within few months of introducing this drug into the market.
Viagra is also popular among men as a blue pill because of its blue color. These blue pills have offered new hope to millions of men who suffered from impotence problems. It’s easy to take and one can take it as and when needed.
The clinical trials of Viagra have shown positive results. With few exceptions, this drug can be taken by men of all ages, providing they suffer from genuine problems of impotence and Viagra proves suitable for them.
Contraindications of Viagra
Viagra may not suit well when taken along with other drugs, especially nitrates like nitroglycerin, which is prescribed to men for the treatment of chest pain. This combination, if taken can drop the blood pressure in the body to unsafe levels. Viagra is also not suitable for men who take alpha-blockers, which are prescribed to men for the treatment of prostate problems.
Usefulness of Viagra
Viagra may be suitable for you, even if you suffer from other health problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, prostate problems and depression. But you need to do a proper consultation with a healthcare practitioner to check the severity of these conditions and your suitability for Viagra.
How Viagra works?
Viagra works by increasing the flow of blood to the penis and its surrounding areas. It acts as a tonic for arteries and veins that surround your penis. Because of the regulated blood supply in the penis, it becomes easy to achieve an erection, providing you are sexually stimulated.
One recommended dose of Viagra remains active for about 4 hours in your body thus providing sufficient time to couples to find their right moment for lovemaking. It’s important to stress here that Viagra should not be taken as an aphrodisiac as many people generally think about it. It can’t increase your sex drive.
Although Viagra is a proven and tested treatment for impotence in men, it’s not free from undesirable side effects. Some of the common side effects of Viagra are headache, facial flushing, upset stomach, blurred vision, and sensitivity towards light. But these side effects are generally mild and well tolerated by the majority of users. If you take it under proper medical care, the intensity of these side effects can get reduced.
Viagra may not be considered as permanent cure for your impotence problems but it is certainly one of the genuine treatments for men who suffer from this common sexual condition in men.
Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction erectile dysfunction articles Erectile Dysfunction Symptoms
These are some excerpts from an article by Carly Weeks in the Globe and Mail paper today:
“Can stress cause cancer, or even hasten a patient’s death? It’s a daunting, emotionally charged question with no simple answers, but it represents a growing field of research that scientists hope could eventually lead to breakthroughs in cancer treatment.
The premise driving the theory is that stress has been found to weaken the body’s immune response and cause some physiological changes, such as the secretion of certain hormones, that could contribute to the development of cancer.
Traditionally, much of the study in this field has focused on the effects of stress on the immune system.
But now, attention is shifting to the relationship between stress and gene function, an area many scientists believe is the key to unravelling this mystery.”
… “led by Suzanne Conzen, associate professor of medicine in the Ben May Department for Cancer Research at the University of Chicago” , the researchers studied the stress levels of mice living in groups as they normally do, or alone which creates a stressful situation for them.
“The study provides some of the strongest evidence to date that an individual’s stress level may be linked to the progression of cancer. But the quest to understand why – and, perhaps more importantly, how those factors might be used to help prevent or treat cancer – is still in its infancy.”
“This is an area that has a long way to go in terms of understanding how these factors play out in humans,” said Caryn Lerman, a professor of psychiatry and scientific director of the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania.”
“Stress doesn’t give you cancer, but it is a risk factor like genetic differences, like environmental carcinogens,” said David Spiegel, associate chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. “There are a whole bunch of risk factors. Not everybody that smokes tobacco gets lung cancer.”
This is a comment about my personal experience which I posted after the article on the Globe and Mail website:
I’m convinced that stress increases the growth of cancer cells, so I’m very pleased to see research being done in this area. What this theory allows people to do is to manage their stress levels so they give the body a fighting chance to overcome cancer. If stress is using up much of the resources in the body, then the normal process which controls the growth of cancer is compromised, and the cancer takes over.
I learned about the link between stress and cancer from books and some health professionals when I was going through chemo in 1987.
At first I blamed myself for having cancer, which didn’t feel very good at all. Then after a course in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, I had an Aha moment. I thought that if my high stress levels had fuelled my cancer to grow, I could possibly reduce the growth of cancer by lowering my stress level.
I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. By managing my stress, I hoped to live long enough to see my children grow up, and I’ve managed to be cancer free since 1987.
It’s a simple idea but not an easy one and required much work on my part to change my stress levels, as well as building in a healthy diet, exercise, and good sleep patterns.
I have to say that every day is a blessing and my appreciation of life is so much greater than before my cancer diagnosis when I took my health for granted.
Literally…Food that nature provides us in its original form.
That means
FRUITS….VEGETABLES….
GRAINS….SEEDS……NUTS…….
HERBS…..basically all edible plant life.
Of course now the questions begs to be asked….
What is false food?
In essence……
DEATH
Literally……Food that has been altered from its original form.
That means highly
processed foods made
with chemicals and additives…..
hydrogenated and damaged oils……
refined sugars…….starches……..flour…..salt
basically, dead food.
We all start out as a single fertilized egg cell smaller than the period at the end of this sentence. By the time we reach adulthood, it is estimated that we are made up of approximately 50 to a 100 trillion cells depending on our body size.
Every single day of your life
your body sheds an estimated
90 billion Dead Cells
to make room for
90 billion NEW cells.
Where do you think the body gets the raw materials required to make these new cells? Well, it can only come from on of these two means….
From nutrient dense true foods or
Over time, the body will steal nutrients from its own bones, tissues and vital organs.
We may be living in a modern age…
but that does always mean we are wiser.
There is this wise old saying….
An ounce of PREVENTION
is worth a pound of cure.
Nothing could be closer to the Truth when we are talking about our health. By eating highly nutritious true food, we can prevent rapid degeneration of our bodies.
Prevention has been practiced by ancient cultures for thousands of years…
It is well known in the East that disease is really a manifestation of imbalances within the body. By combining, enhancing and concenrating whole foods into specific formulas that actually nourish the body’s stressed organ systems,
the body begins to function in a more natural, balanced state.
Nature always seeks BALANCE so does your body.
Disease is your body’s way of Telling you that you are malnourished and out of balance. It is literally a cry for Help.
True food can help. Of course you can suppress this cry for help by taking drugs to mask the symptons, but be aware of the adverse drug reactions….
WARNING: May cause chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, constipation, headache, muscle pain, drowsiness, depression, stupor, hallucinations, confusion, speech disorder, chest pain seizures or sudden death, just to name a few.
Over two thousand years ago, Hippocrates, who originally wrote the Hippocratic Oath, which all doctors pledge to uphold said,
“Let food be your medicine and let medicine be your food.”
Do you remember the old saying….Have we forgotten?
An apple a day keeps the doctor away?
Back when this saying was first coined, these was a ripe truth wrapped in the core of this meaning…
Unfortunately, now you have to eat 26 apples to get the same vitamin and mineral content that 1 apple from the early 1900’s used to supply.
Why? What happens? It is because we stopped replenishing the earth.
So does this mean we should forget about eating apples or other fruits and vegetables and simply depend upon multi-vitamins instead?
NO, because vitamins are only a small part of the big picture.
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Join us today, September 29, 2009 as CURE Childhood Cancer honors CURE Kid Ward Wright. Join our fight as CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time! Donate to Ward’s Fund.
Ward Wright’s Story:
What seemed to be a simple visit to our pediatrician for a tummy ache turned out to be the most devastating day of our lives. Our son, Ward, was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma at age three and a half. A million questions raced through our minds but the biggest one was “how?” We had always made such a great effort to preserve our son’s health. The only conclusion we could come to was that it was just bad luck. On April 22, 2009 we thought we were embarking on a hopeless journey. However, to our surprise, this “hopeless journey” actually proved to bring more strength and hope to our family than we had ever experienced. Our family grew closer, our faith grew stronger, and we learned how to offer support to others who were traveling a similar road.
We have been overwhelmed and amazed by the volume of people and organizations, such as CURE, that have a genuine desire to ease the burden of childhood cancer. From the first day we arrived at Children’s Health Care of Atlanta at Egleston we were surrounded by people who have a real passion for finding a cure for this disease. But it doesn’t stop there. Not only do they endorse cancer research but they support the individual needs of each family represented. Our family has been truly blessed by their presence.
Ward is approaching the end of chemotherapy and is scheduled for tandem bone marrow transplants, surgery, and radiation. His spirit has not been shaken in the least by this dreaded disease, nor has his faith in God’s healing power waivered. He has fallen in love with our new “cancer family” and is able to find enjoyment in each hospital visit.
Ward just celebrated his fourth birthday and continues to live each day to the fullest. He has taught our family and all who know him how to fully rely on God. Each day is a victory in this battle with cancer and Ward can’t wait for the day when he can proclaim to the world that he is cancer-free!
About September & CURE’S Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time:
September is recognized as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This September, CURE Childhood Cancer has committed to raising awareness and raising money to help find a cure for childhood cancer in our lifetime and put an end to this terrible disease through a special program CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time!
Please help us in our goal of raising $30,000 in the month of September while honoring special CURE kids each day of the month who have been affected by childhood cancer.
For more information, please click here.
About CURE Childhood Cancer:
Founded in 1975, CURE Childhood Cancer is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through research, education and support of patients and their families. Since its establishment as a grass-roots organization, CURE has focused its efforts on improving the care, quality of life, and survival rate of children with cancer.
The founders, parents and a dedicated pediatric oncologist, joined forces to support laboratory research that would translate into immediate care for children with cancer.
Since that time, CURE has raised millions of dollars to fund cutting edge research at the Aflac Cancer Center Blood Disorders Service at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine.
Through innovative programming, CURE also provides support for stricken families, providing them comfort and support during their time of devastating need.
Donate to Ward’s Fund
Visit us online at www.curechildhoodcancer.org for more information.
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Join us today, September 28, 2009 as CURE Childhood Cancer honors CURE Kid Keith Towells. Join our fight as CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time! Donate to Keith’s fund.
Keith Towells’ Story:
Keith Dewayne Towells, my first and only son, entered this world on March 24, 2003, weighing 8 lbs and 4 oz. The first 18 months of his life were ‘normal’ and he was perceived to be in perfect health. In October of 2004, that perception quickly diminished revealing an unfathomable reality: Keith was diagnosed with AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia).
Keith’s treatment protocol included three intensive rounds of chemotherapy at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Scottish Rite Campus). He bravely fought through each round and bounced back with the uncanny resolve of a true champion. In January 2005, the doctors confirmed Keith was in remission and scheduled him for a bone marrow transplant to conceivably give him the greatest chance of being cured.
Keith’s bone marrow donor was his older sister Morgan (surprisingly she was a PERFECT genetic match)! The bone marrow transplant took place in Baltimore, MD at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Morgan was only 6 years old at that time, but she was very brave and excited to help her brother.
90 days post-transplant, the doctors discovered that Keith had relapsed; the Leukemia was back and even more aggressive. Unfortunately, there were no other viable treatment options for Keith, so I made the decision to take him back to the familiar surroundings and people of our home in Atlanta, Ga.
For the next month, we enjoyed all the comforts of home while suffering through the pains of not knowing what was next. How many more months, days, hours, or minutes were we going to be given to share with Keith? No one knew.
I am so grateful that we were blessed with 1 month and 8 days more, as Keith Dewayne Towells’ body exited this world on June 6, 2005. Keith peacefully passed away at home in his race car bed at the tender age of two. His physical presence with us was limited, but his spirit will thrive in our hearts forever.
My ‘new-normal’ reality, being a bereaved parent, is one I have found no word to adequately describe. There will never be a word. However, there is hope that no other parent will be faced with searching for that word. CURE is the epitome of that hope because it advocates for much needed pediatric cancer research.
Sincerely,
Keith’s mom
About September & CURE’S Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time:
September is recognized as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This September, CURE Childhood Cancer has committed to raising awareness and raising money to help find a cure for childhood cancer in our lifetime and put an end to this terrible disease through a special program CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time!
Please help us in our goal of raising $30,000 in the month of September while honoring special CURE kids each day of the month who have been affected by childhood cancer.
For more information, please click here.
About CURE Childhood Cancer:
Founded in 1975, CURE Childhood Cancer is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through research, education and support of patients and their families. Since its establishment as a grass-roots organization, CURE has focused its efforts on improving the care, quality of life, and survival rate of children with cancer.
The founders, parents and a dedicated pediatric oncologist, joined forces to support laboratory research that would translate into immediate care for children with cancer.
Since that time, CURE has raised millions of dollars to fund cutting edge research at the Aflac Cancer Center Blood Disorders Service at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine.
Through innovative programming, CURE also provides support for stricken families, providing them comfort and support during their time of devastating need.
Donate to Keith’s fund
Visit us online at www.curechildhoodcancer.org for more information.
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Join us today, September 27, 2009 as CURE Childhood Cancer honors CURE Kid Elena Tate. Join our fight as CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time! Donate to Elena’s Fund.
Elena Tate’s Story:
Who would have thought three little words could change our lives so drastically? Our daughter’s pediatrician said, “It is leukemia.” On April 6th of this year, our daughter, Elena was diagnosed. It felt like the world had stopped turning. We have to admit that at the time we knew very little about this disease or how it was treated and we were scared. We couldn’t believe that we would have to tell our nine year old daughter that she had cancer. We couldn’t process it all ourselves. We waited overnight before telling her. Three difficult months followed Elena’s release from the hospital. Elena was unable to do anything unassisted except eat and drink. We juggled work, weekly clinic visits, our younger daughter, Olivia, and learning how to care for Elena. After these first three months, life began to settle. We have been richly blessed with amazing support from our friends, family, church, and even strangers. They have helped us make this transition and continue to be there with us as we fight this battle against cancer.
Does Elena have a long road ahead of her? Yes, she will continue receiving chemotherapy treatments every seven to ten days for the next six months. She will not be off treatment until sometime in mid 2011. Do we find joy in each day? Yes, even if you have to look for it; it is there. Elena was a non-stop, very active girl before being diagnosed. She loved soccer, running, and riding her bike. She’ll be able to do these things again. Since being diagnosed with leukemia, Elena, now 10, has discovered new things. She loves cooking, photography, and scrapbooking.
While our lives have been forever changed, God has been in the details, and He has blessed us along the way. CURE Childhood Cancer has been one of the many blessings. Over the past five months, the work CURE has done has touched our lives. We spent almost a week in the hospital when Elena was diagnosed. One of the first nights we were there, a CURE volunteer delivered a tote bag to us. The tote included a booklet containing information and encouragement we needed to hear those first few days. During clinic visits, Elena loves talking to the CURE volunteers and eating the sweet treats they bring.
Elena has said, “It doesn’t really feel like I have cancer because cancer is such a big word.” Cancer is a big word, “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) Though the road is long and there will be bumps along the way, we will take each day, step by step, trusting the Lord with the path He has for our daughter and our family.
Mark and Christy Tate
About September & CURE’S Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time:
September is recognized as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This September, CURE Childhood Cancer has committed to raising awareness and raising money to help find a cure for childhood cancer in our lifetime and put an end to this terrible disease through a special program CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time!
Please help us in our goal of raising $30,000 in the month of September while honoring special CURE kids each day of the month who have been affected by childhood cancer.
For more information, please click here.
About CURE Childhood Cancer:
Founded in 1975, CURE Childhood Cancer is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through research, education and support of patients and their families. Since its establishment as a grass-roots organization, CURE has focused its efforts on improving the care, quality of life, and survival rate of children with cancer.
The founders, parents and a dedicated pediatric oncologist, joined forces to support laboratory research that would translate into immediate care for children with cancer.
Since that time, CURE has raised millions of dollars to fund cutting edge research at the Aflac Cancer Center Blood Disorders Service at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine.
Through innovative programming, CURE also provides support for stricken families, providing them comfort and support during their time of devastating need.
Donate to Elena’s Fund
Visit us online at www.curechildhoodcancer.org for more information.
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Join us today, September 26, 2009 as CURE Childhood Cancer honors CURE Kid Catie Wilkins. Join our fight as CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time! Donate to Catie’s Fund.
Catie Wilkins’s Story:
Catie Wilkins was the firstborn child of Tre’ and Jenny Wilkins. A slight gross motor delay led to an eventual diagnosis of medulloblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor, on her first birthday. Catie and her family were plunged into a world of doctors and surgeries and chemotherapies and medicines with little warning.
Catie’s treatments included 12 surgeries, 4 different chemotherapy protocols and 6 weeks of radiation. Her tumor continued to persist and eventually grow even through very harsh treatments. She battled cancer for 3 years and 4 months before succumbing to a common virus due to an immune system that was compromised because of chemotherapy.
Catie battled cancer for most of her life, but more importantly, she lived FULL for her entire life. Often people who hear that she fought this wretched disease for all but her first year feel that she must have had a rough existence. Folks who think this did not know Catie. She crammed a whole lot of living and fun and laughter into her all too short 4 years and nearly 4 months.
Catie was funny and tough, loving and mischievous. She was quick to tease her daddy and you should have heard her laugh when she pulled something off on him. Her favorite place on earth was the beach where she loved to catch hermit crabs and play in the sand. She was an animal lover, with dogs and tree frogs topping her list of favorites.
It’s impossible to capture the essence of Catie in just a few words. She was, in some ways, just a normal kid. But she was an old soul with a wisdom beyond her years. Those who knew and loved Catie were forever changed by the enormity of her spirit and determination to live FULL in spite of what life threw at her.
About September & CURE’S Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time:
September is recognized as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This September, CURE Childhood Cancer has committed to raising awareness and raising money to help find a cure for childhood cancer in our lifetime and put an end to this terrible disease through a special program CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time!
Please help us in our goal of raising $30,000 in the month of September while honoring special CURE kids each day of the month who have been affected by childhood cancer.
For more information, please click here.
About CURE Childhood Cancer:
Founded in 1975, CURE Childhood Cancer is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through research, education and support of patients and their families. Since its establishment as a grass-roots organization, CURE has focused its efforts on improving the care, quality of life, and survival rate of children with cancer.
The founders, parents and a dedicated pediatric oncologist, joined forces to support laboratory research that would translate into immediate care for children with cancer.
Since that time, CURE has raised millions of dollars to fund cutting edge research at the Aflac Cancer Center Blood Disorders Service at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine.
Through innovative programming, CURE also provides support for stricken families, providing them comfort and support during their time of devastating need.
Donate to Catie’s Fund
Visit us online at www.curechildhoodcancer.org for more information.
Many people suffer from ringing, whistles, crackling in the ears. These sounds are continually called “tinnitus” by scientists. Their persistence because they are very disabling.
What’s more unpleasant, more annoying than hearing all day long (even at night) the noise in the ears? These invaders, they leave no breathing space, which leads inexorably insomnia, fatigue, depression, or depression.
Tinnitus is very diverse in their manifestations. They may involve one or both ears, giving you the impression that they invade your cranium.
They are from diverse backgrounds. They can be caused by illness or other circumstances “external” hard to identify.
The medical causes are, for example, infections, tumors, ear infections, circulatory problems, deafness, etc..
The causes “outside”, for example, age, Wax, dental problems, trauma, stress, prolonged or repeated exposure to decibel too high, etc..
This last question in particular, is that more and more young people suffer from tinnitus. The sonos nightclubs, mp3 players, stereos in cars are a major threat for young ears. The state seems to have been some concern by asking manufacturers to curb their devices. But there is still some way to go before everything is perfect. Youth education must be priority: too few are aware of the risks!
This diversity of possible causes that it is not always easy to diagnose and find the right cure.
Many tracks are exploited in recent years.
Traditional medicine can provide solutions in specific cases when the causes are medical. In treating the disease at the origin of tinnitus, they may disappear. Sometimes a simple hearing aid can also be mitigated significantly.
When the causes are not precisely defined, can be used, sometimes successfully, to natural medicine. The hardest part is finding the cure for everyone. There are so many different tinnitus that what may work for one person may not work for another.
The homeopathy, relaxation therapy, aromatherapy, relaxation, acupuncture, hypnosis, massage, yoga, mesotherapy, osteopathy – tracks are exploited and sometimes produce good results.
Finally, a healthy and balanced diet can help reduce problems caused by tinnitus. Healthier, your body will be better able to fight them. Avoid caffeine, tobacco, decrease your intake of salt, sugar, saturated fat; privileges certain vitamins such as vitamin A (eg carrots), B3 (eg oysters), D (fish, sun), E (soybean for example), trace elements (magnesium, manganese, iodine).
Of course, it is important that you consult a specialist before choosing a particular treatment.
Do not you despair. There is certainly a therapy that matches your type of tinnitus. It is for you to find it using all possible avenues to try to rid yourself of that haunting sound, haunting spoiling your life.
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Join us today, September 23, 2009 as CURE Childhood Cancer honors CURE Kid John Michael Osborne. Join our fight as CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time! Donate to John Michael’s Fund.
John Michael’s Story:
I was diagnosed with Acute Myloid Leukemia (AML) on January 5, 2005 when I was thirteen. Although I had very few symptoms, 95% of my bone marrow was malignant cancer. I was hospitalized the next day for my first round of chemotherapy. I stayed for over a month fighting the side effects of my various chemo drugs. My next bone marrow aspiration showed me to be cancer free! Because AML is so aggressive, we had lots more to do before the battle was over to keep it from coming back. I had three more rounds of chemo to wipe out all of the marrow (even the healthy) in my bones, to prepare for a bone marrow transplant (BMT). My sister turned out to be a good enough match to donate her bone marrow. After her surgery, where two surgeons removed marrow from 100 different places along her hip bones, I was transfused with this life saving blood producer. 10 days later I was in ICU fighting for my life. I had developed several life threatening side effects from the chemo and BMT, including Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD), blindness, diabetes, VOD (liver failure), and Avascular Neucrosis (AVN). I have had almost 200 blood and platelet transfusions, taken more pills than we can count, had two central lines and a portacath, spent more time in the hospital than at home the year of my diagnosis, had 7 bone marrow aspirations, drove to Atlanta from my home, 4 hours away, once a week, for several months, lived in Atlanta for 3 months during my BMT, missed being in school full-time for almost two years after my diagnosis, had two hip surgeries to help my AVN, had two hip replacements, repeated my childhood immunizations, and been isolated from friends and family for long periods of time.
Through all this I have grown closer to my family and to God. I know He has a purpose for my life. Cancer is not the title to the book of my life, it is merely a chapter. Even though I have been lucky to become cancer free, lots of kids every year don’t make it. We have to fight for the day when there is a CURE for every kid diagnosed with cancer. We also have to aggressively pursue CURES with less side effects.
John Michael’s story in his own words
About September & CURE’S Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time:
September is recognized as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This September, CURE Childhood Cancer has committed to raising awareness and raising money to help find a cure for childhood cancer in our lifetime and put an end to this terrible disease through a special program CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time!
Please help us in our goal of raising $30,000 in the month of September while honoring special CURE kids each day of the month who have been affected by childhood cancer.
For more information, please click here.
About CURE Childhood Cancer:
Founded in 1975, CURE Childhood Cancer is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through research, education and support of patients and their families. Since its establishment as a grass-roots organization, CURE has focused its efforts on improving the care, quality of life, and survival rate of children with cancer.
The founders, parents and a dedicated pediatric oncologist, joined forces to support laboratory research that would translate into immediate care for children with cancer.
Since that time, CURE has raised millions of dollars to fund cutting edge research at the Aflac Cancer Center Blood Disorders Service at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine.
Through innovative programming, CURE also provides support for stricken families, providing them comfort and support during their time of devastating need.
Donate to John Michael’s Fund
Visit us online at www.curechildhoodcancer.org for more information.
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Join us today, September 23, 2009 as CURE Childhood Cancer honors CURE Kid Abby Smith. Join our fight as CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time! Donate to Abby’s Fund.
Abby Smith’s Story:
Abigail Grace Smith (aka Abby) has been battling cancer for more than half her life. In mid February 2006, Abby developed balance issues which were not allowing her to walk without falling. On March 3, 2006, Abby was diagnosed with a golf ball size medulloblastoma brain tumor at the age of 23 months old. She had a 100% tumor resection on March 6, 2006. Unfortunately, Abby developed posterior fossa syndrome within days after surgery which caused her to lose most of her gross and fine motor skill capability for a period of time. Abby initially underwent 4 cycles of chemotherapy, 30 days of radiation and then 8 maintenance cycles of chemotherapy (21 days on, 7 days off).
She completed her treatment in late May, 2007. Abby began thriving and improving and was a picture of health. After a routine follow-up head and spine MRI on September 28, 2007, Abby was diagnosed with drop metastases in her spine in multiple places. She exhibited no symptoms. All of Abby’s MRI’s and spinal taps had been clear to date with no evidence of cancer since March 6, 2006. From October 2007-March 2008, Abby endured three cycles of high dose ICE chemotherapy and a cord blood and bone marrow stem cell transplant. Abby spent 50% of this time in the hospital. Abby went on to receive 25 cranial/spinal proton beam radiation treatments during late May/June 2008. She completed her relapse treatment on June 30, 2008. Only two small places remained on Abby’s spine which continued to improve or stay stable.
For eleven months, Abby was on a 14 day cycle of Accutane as a drug/maintenance therapy. She continued to get stronger and thrive during this time. Fifty one weeks post relapse treatment, Abby had a routine follow-up MRI. Unfortunately, her scan revealed a grape size tumor in her head and haziness in her spine. Two inconclusive spinal taps raised further concern. Again, Abby showed no symptoms. Abby has started a metronome chemotherapy regimen with four drugs that are currently being administered at home on July 20, 2009 as we battle this second relapse. Abby has mostly recovered from her posterior fossa syndrome. She still has gag reflex issues, speech and processing delays and is still physically impaired with her balance issues and inability to consistently walk unassisted. She has suffered hearing loss from all of her treatments. We are continuing to pray for a complete and total healing and recovery.
Since Abby’s cancer diagnosis, she has lived out the meaning of her middle name. Abby is one of God’s special children and has faced all of her hospitalizations, treatments and pricks and prods with such grace that can only come from above. She is a very determined little girl and a true fighter. Her big blue green eyes and her beautiful heartwarming smile connect you to her immediately. She enjoys playing with her baby dolls, her kitchen, sticker books, painting, arts and crafts, books, and board and card games. She is girly girl from head to toe, loving the color pink, bows, jewelry and painted nails. She loves her family with the most sincere affection and is happiest when we are all with her. Our Christian faith has been our stronghold throughout our journey with Abby.
About September & CURE’S Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time:
September is recognized as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This September, CURE Childhood Cancer has committed to raising awareness and raising money to help find a cure for childhood cancer in our lifetime and put an end to this terrible disease through a special program CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time!
Please help us in our goal of raising $30,000 in the month of September while honoring special CURE kids each day of the month who have been affected by childhood cancer.
For more information, please click here.
About CURE Childhood Cancer:
Founded in 1975, CURE Childhood Cancer is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through research, education and support of patients and their families. Since its establishment as a grass-roots organization, CURE has focused its efforts on improving the care, quality of life, and survival rate of children with cancer.
The founders, parents and a dedicated pediatric oncologist, joined forces to support laboratory research that would translate into immediate care for children with cancer.
Since that time, CURE has raised millions of dollars to fund cutting edge research at the Aflac Cancer Center Blood Disorders Service at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine.
Through innovative programming, CURE also provides support for stricken families, providing them comfort and support during their time of devastating need.
Donate to Abby’s Fund
Visit us online at www.curechildhoodcancer.org for more information.
Clincal studies regarding the medicinal properties of marijuan have been going on for over 30 years. We are only now beginning to see the numerous medicinal benefits that the plant has to offer and the results are amazing. It looks like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main ingredient found in marijuana, can do more than just cause an increase in the appetites of cancer patients. In fact, recent studies released by Harvard show that marijuana can cut lung cancer tumor growth in half, which also completely stops the spread of cancerous cells to any other part of the body. Mice used in the 2007 Harvard study also showed “about a 60 percent reduction in cancer lesions on the lungs in these mice as well as a significant reduction in protein markers associated with cancer progression.” Marijuana has also shown “anti-tumoral” properties for those suffering from skin cancer and brain cancer. Researchers in Spain have shown that THC actually makes brain cancer cells feed on themselves, essentially killing the brain tumor completely. Two patients suffering from glioblastoma multiforme, perhaps the most aggressive form of brain cancer, enrolled in a study in which THC was used to treat the tumor. Amazingly, both patients showed a reduction in tumor growth and neither showed any toxic effects from the marijuana/THC. We are beginning to see more and more medical breakthroughs coming from marijuana/THC and unfortunately the powers that be continue to ignore them…for now anyway…
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Join us today, September 21, 2009 as CURE Childhood Cancer honors CURE Kid Joshua Metz. Join our fight as CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time! Donate to Joshua’s Fund.
Joshua Metz’s Story:
On August 18, 2003, I walked my small son into the hospital for an MRI I was sure he didn’t need. A head CT in June for eye symptoms and headaches had come back clear; still the pediatric ophthalmologist had ordered this scan. I helped two nurses restrain him so they could start an IV in his little arm. I held him and rocked him as he screamed and fought and gradually fell asleep from the sedation meds. I stood in a hall and watched the nurses carry my sleeping son into a large room with a giant machine and lay him on a table. I watched them hook him up to oxygen and all types of monitors and strap his body down. Then, they closed the door. I sat in our patient bay for an hour & a half listening to the strange mechanical noises of the machine scanning my son’s head and wondering how much longer it would take. When it was over, the nurses brought him to me. He was floppy, drugged, and belligerent as he recovered. After he had awoken sufficiently I walked out of the hospital with his young three year old body in my arms, convinced it had all been an unnecessary trauma and colossal waste of time. I couldn’t have been more wrong. About five hours later I answered a phone call I never imagined I would receive. It was a doctor telling me a mass had been found in my son’s brain – that he had a tumor. A tumor we would soon learn was inoperable. I honestly don’t remember much about that day or the following week, but I do remember the moment of realization when I understood our lives had been changed dramatically.
Joshua is now nine years old, six years post diagnosis, and currently two years off-treatment. Since diagnosis he has persevered through two tumor progressions, 128 doses of chemotherapy over two different protocols, and two and a half years of outpatient therapies to battle symptoms of the tumor and side-effects of the chemo. Despite the many challenges of being sick for so long, he has managed to grow and thrive through it all. We have watched him overcome so much and develop great compassion towards others who are suffering. Because Joshua’s tumor is inoperable, and chemo has only stabilized it, we know our lives hold no guarantees for the future. His tumor could progress again at any time. However, we have chosen to live with joy and gratitude – and hope for the future. CURE Childhood Cancer is one of the reasons we can maintain that hope. Throughout everything, CURE has been part of our support system. CURE has not only provided family and patient programs and services, but they provide hope through their dedication to funding pediatric cancer research. It is through this research our doctors will be able to offer better cures and treatments to our children battling cancer.
Joshua’s Mother
About September & CURE’S Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time:
September is recognized as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This September, CURE Childhood Cancer has committed to raising awareness and raising money to help find a cure for childhood cancer in our lifetime and put an end to this terrible disease through a special program CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time!
Please help us in our goal of raising $30,000 in the month of September while honoring special CURE kids each day of the month who have been affected by childhood cancer.
For more information, please click here.
About CURE Childhood Cancer:
Founded in 1975, CURE Childhood Cancer is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through research, education and support of patients and their families. Since its establishment as a grass-roots organization, CURE has focused its efforts on improving the care, quality of life, and survival rate of children with cancer.
The founders, parents and a dedicated pediatric oncologist, joined forces to support laboratory research that would translate into immediate care for children with cancer.
Since that time, CURE has raised millions of dollars to fund cutting edge research at the Aflac Cancer Center Blood Disorders Service at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine.
Through innovative programming, CURE also provides support for stricken families, providing them comfort and support during their time of devastating need.
Donate to Joshua’s Fund
Visit us online at www.curechildhoodcancer.org for more information.
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Join us today, September 20, 2009 as CURE Childhood Cancer honors CURE Kid Eric Meraz. Join our fight as CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time! Donate to Eric’s Fund.
Eric Meraz’s Story:
The story below is about my hero, my son Eric.
Eric was born on October 7, 2004. He was a perfectly healthy little boy, the only time he got sick was a normal baby runny nose and maybe one ear infection like so many babies get.
We were in Mexico on Christmas Vacation in 2006 he seemed fine on the way there. On December 23, 2006, I woke up to check on Eric around the time he would want a bottle. It seemed weird to me that he had not cried for his bottle. I went over to him and noticed that he was awake, and he was touching his little head. At this time he would have cried or called out for his bottle, but didn’t. I turned the light on to see him. Eric was having a seizure, although I had no idea what was going on at the time. I woke Rick and told him Eric did not seem well. Eric started to throw up but it was only water. Every minute after that was terrifying; Eric’s temperature was dropping. We rushed him to the nearest ER where he was stabilized, and then he finally started to cry. After an hour or so of monitoring him the doctor told us we could take him home that everything was all right.
Terrified of what just happened Rick, and I requested a CT scan or an MRI. After an all day wait, he finally got an MRI. We were told that he had a “mass” in his little head. The doctor advised us to come back to the US as soon as possible to take him to the pediatrician.
On January 2, 2007 we took him to his pediatrician. He asked us if we had gas in our car and to head straight to Children’s Health Care of Atlanta (Scottish Rite). Not knowing what to think at this time, the doctor told us he would be doing surgery on Eric on January 4, 2007. Eric had a five-hour cranial surgery to reveal to our devastation that he had a malignant brain tumor ATRT (one of the most aggressive and fast growing brain tumors). Only 90% of the tumor was taken out. He was then put on steroids, which made him feel hungry all the time; he couldn’t sleep, and had mood swings.
Eric began high dose chemotherapy two weeks after diagnosis at the age of 27 months. During his treatment he endured countless MRI and CT scans, sedations, tests, blood and platelet transfusions, spinal taps, not to mention the trips to the ER and many hospital stays. He lost a lot of weight and eventually had a feeding tube inserted into his abdomen to get his nutrition. I would try to get him to eat during the day, and at night.
Eric relapsed during the second protocol and there was evidence of some cancer cells in his spine. We still remained hopeful, he’s strength gave Rick and I our strength to keep hoping and never give up. He had another surgery where he had a VP shunt put inserted to help with the pressure in his little head. He faced all this with bravery and courage. All together Eric relapsed three times during treatment. During all this Eric looked healthy and was jumping and playing whenever he felt well enough. To our horror the cancer would not go away; it came back again.
The day Eric was going to start his third protocol (at home) he had another seizure. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance to ICU floor. We made sure we had all his favorite toys that he was going to ask for when he woke up.
The Lord had other plans. Eric was in ICU for three days, our sweet little angel had a stroke. We were told that there was nothing else they could do. The cancer had spread.
My sweet little boy gave all he had until the very end. He was still fighting. No parent should ever go through this pain of seeing his or her child suffer with this dreadful, horrible disease. No parent should lose his or her child to cancer. Please help make that happen by donating to CURE. This wonderful cause helps families like ours from the time of diagnosis to doing research for more treatments that may help other children survive. They can’t do it with out your help.
Amanda Meraz, Eric’s Mom
About September & CURE’S Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time:
September is recognized as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This September, CURE Childhood Cancer has committed to raising awareness and raising money to help find a cure for childhood cancer in our lifetime and put an end to this terrible disease through a special program CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time!
Please help us in our goal of raising $30,000 in the month of September while honoring special CURE kids each day of the month who have been affected by childhood cancer.
For more information, please click here.
About CURE Childhood Cancer:
Founded in 1975, CURE Childhood Cancer is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through research, education and support of patients and their families. Since its establishment as a grass-roots organization, CURE has focused its efforts on improving the care, quality of life, and survival rate of children with cancer.
The founders, parents and a dedicated pediatric oncologist, joined forces to support laboratory research that would translate into immediate care for children with cancer.
Since that time, CURE has raised millions of dollars to fund cutting edge research at the Aflac Cancer Center Blood Disorders Service at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine.
Through innovative programming, CURE also provides support for stricken families, providing them comfort and support during their time of devastating need.
Donate to Eric’s Fund
Visit us online at www.curechildhoodcancer.org for more information.
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Join us today, September 19, 2009 as CURE Childhood Cancer honors CURE Kid Christina Karem. Join our fight as CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time! Donate to Christina’s Fund.
Christina Karem’s Story:
We had often discussed how devastating it would be to have a child diagnosed with cancer. How could you watch someone that you cherished more than anything suffer so much? Then we received Christina’s diagnosis, suddenly and only 4 days after her 8th birthday. She had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Christina was a happy, strong and very active little girl. One evening after riding her bike with friends, we noticed that the veins in her chest were very prominent. She had no other symptoms, but we called our pediatrician who recommended that we bring her in the following morning. We tried to remain positive, but deep down we knew that something was desperately wrong. Then, we were in the emergency department for a CT scan and the horror of a tumor was clearly imaged in her perfect little chest. It felt as though our hearts were being torn from our chests. Within 24 hours, Christina was in surgery for a thoracoscopy and biopsy, confirming her diagnosis, changing our lives forever.
Ironically, Christina’s greatest fear was of needles. She was to endure many needles. She received daily injections in the beginning of her treatment. She worked through her fear, and demanded that she give injections to herself. Her treatment included 6 cycles of chemotherapy. During treatment she was hospitalized twice with fevers, a sign of potential infection. With cancer treatment you fear cancer, but you also fear the treatment that could kill due to her inability to fight infections. We were fortunate that Christina was diagnosed very early and she has been in remission since the 2nd cycle of chemotherapy. Previous research had shown that children diagnosed in early stages of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma could be cured without radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is one of the biggest risk factors for future health problems, like the development of other cancers. We were so thankful that previous research made this information available to us and that she could be successfully treated without these risks.
Christina has never gotten angry about her diagnosis, or asked why. Although we tried hard to be brave in front of Christina, it was impossible to keep our fears hidden. She’d never seen this fear in either of us before, leading to her initial question, “Will I die from cancer?” We assured her that she would get treatment and would be cured. From that point, she had the ability to move forward. Throughout her treatment, she had faith that everything would be OK. She continued going to school, playing soccer, and having fun. There were so many times when she felt horrible, yet she never complained. She has taught us so much about courage, grace and strength.
Christina’s cancer is in remission and she has now been off treatment for 1 year and 9 months. You might wonder why you would be so exact, but every day off treatment is like a deep breath and the hope that this will mean a healthy, lifetime free of cancer. When asked for top three wishes at her oncologist appointment, Christina’s #1 was “I wish cancer never existed!”
By Karen and Kevin Karem
About September & CURE’S Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time:
September is recognized as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This September, CURE Childhood Cancer has committed to raising awareness and raising money to help find a cure for childhood cancer in our lifetime and put an end to this terrible disease through a special program CURE’s Kids Conquer Cancer One Day at a Time!
Please help us in our goal of raising $30,000 in the month of September while honoring special CURE kids each day of the month who have been affected by childhood cancer.
For more information, please click here.
About CURE Childhood Cancer:
Founded in 1975, CURE Childhood Cancer is dedicated to conquering childhood cancer through research, education and support of patients and their families. Since its establishment as a grass-roots organization, CURE has focused its efforts on improving the care, quality of life, and survival rate of children with cancer.
The founders, parents and a dedicated pediatric oncologist, joined forces to support laboratory research that would translate into immediate care for children with cancer.
Since that time, CURE has raised millions of dollars to fund cutting edge research at the Aflac Cancer Center Blood Disorders Service at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University School of Medicine.
Through innovative programming, CURE also provides support for stricken families, providing them comfort and support during their time of devastating need.
Donate to Christina’s Fund
Visit us online at www.curechildhoodcancer.org for more information.
You hear stories of childhood cancer – always focusing on the cancer. But what about after the battle is over – once it’s been won so to speak? At times, the battle to return to a normal life can be just as daunting as battle with the disease itself. It requires continued courage and strength to get back to your life when cancer is all you’ve known for so long.
is also active in a community theatre group by the name of Fifth Row Center. In addition to being a satellite technician, Ronnie is also a videographer and has many of his creations on You Tube.
