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Cancer

With genetic testing, sisters take control of breast cancer

Health Topics

Oct 24, 2017

Diedre Lewis and her sister, Kimberly, were heading down an uncertain path in 2015. Diedre, then 44, was already undergoing treatment for cancer in both breasts when she started looking into how the disease ran through her family tree. She...

“Your wife has breast cancer”: 5 words that changed my life

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Oct 11, 2017

I have been a mechanic for Southwest Airlines for many years. I fix things for a living. That’s what I do, and in many ways, that’s all I know. When something is broken, it is my job to see to...

Fearless in the face of breast cancer

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Oct 9, 2017

When 36-year-old Paola Gerber found a lump in her breast, she was terrified. Knowing she had a family history of breast cancer at a young age, she automatically assumed the worst.“I have three women in my family who were diagnosed...

4 ways survivors can look forward after breast cancer

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Oct 7, 2017

Winning your battle with breast cancer is a huge victory and while you may just want to get back to the life you had before, you might worry that everything won’t be the same. You could be faced with lingering...

Foster daughter inspires triathlete to swim for cancer research

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Sep 11, 2017

Allison Field dreams of a cancer-free world.That’s why she’s doing her part to support cancer research by swimming for the cause with Swim Across America. She draws inspiration and courage from her foster daughter, Deanna Stearn.Deanna came to live with...

Cancer survivor spreads hope, raises funds for cure

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Aug 30, 2017

Danielle Dennis remembers the day clearly. It was April 2012 and she was working outside in the yard one afternoon when she had a sudden, sharp pain in her side. Soon, she could barely breathe. She decided to call 911....

Through competitive fishing, ovarian cancer survivor uses sport to shed light on silent disease

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Aug 11, 2017

When Rhonda Reeve, 53, isn’t working full-time as a CPA, she’s with her husband, Jay, on their fishing boat competing in tournaments across the U.S. as professional tournament anglers. But life hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Rhonda.In 2015, Rhonda...

Together, sisters fight rare thyroid cancer

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Jul 28, 2017

The first time I swam with Swim Across America was in June 2014. I really didn’t know what Swim Across America was about other than fundraising for cancer research. But I had some friends swimming, and my sister Sarah had...

This woman’s small rash turned out to be a rare form of cancer

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Jun 1, 2017

How many of us have found a rash or discoloration on our skin and wondered what it was? Before going to a doctor, did you Google it, or maybe compare it to other images online? That’s what Jennifer Cordts did.A...

Caring for a parent with cancer

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May 11, 2017

My dad was a hardworking man with a servant heart for helping others. He was the oldest of three kids and had a bit of a mischievous side. He enjoyed rebuilding cars and loved to fly his model airplanes. We...

The powerful effect of bedside music as medicine

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Jan 31, 2017

“He floated 18 inches off the floor back to his room,” Benny Barrett said, smiling at the memory of a cancer patient who played with one of his musical heroes. The experience happened during one of the weekly concerts at...

I’m a physician and a breast cancer survivor

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Oct 12, 2016

Three years ago I was given a diagnosis by my doctor that would change my life. I had breast cancer — invasive ductal carcinoma-estrogen and progesterone positive, HER negative.How could this happen?I was 41.According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI)...

How green tea kills cancer stem cells

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Apr 25, 2016

It’s long been known — or at least believed — that green tea heals. Throughout history, people (especially those in Asian countries) drank it for all kinds of ailments: stomach trouble, headaches and even the common cold.Now we know they...

“Cure” vs. remission: The wording makes the difference

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Jan 23, 2016

If you listened to the news casually, it was an astounding feel-good story. Former President Jimmy Carter, who said this summer that he had skin cancer that had spread to his brain and his liver, pronounced in December that the cancer...

Fear of recurrence as an illness

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Jan 4, 2016

When diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, you have two choices: You can choose to fight, or you can choose to succumb to fear. Fighters challenge illness, embracing treatment and facing the obstacle of an uphill battle to better health. But as...

Processed meat linked to cancer? Don’t panic, expert says

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Oct 29, 2015

Processed meat has been linked to a higher risk for colon cancer, a new World Health Organization (WHO) report finds. The organization designated processed meats like hot dogs, bacon and sausage into the Group 1 category alongside other carcinogenic substances like cigarettes, arsenic,...

How to screen yourself for testicular cancer

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Mar 31, 2015

Although testicular cancer is fairly rare, it’s helpful for men to know what to look for. When testicular cancer is found, it is highly treatable with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.If you are a man or have a man in your...

Colon cancer in young adults on the rise

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Mar 25, 2015

The good news: The rate of colorectal cancer has been falling steadily.The bad news: The colorectal cancer rate for young adults has been rising for the past 20 years.Researchers who analyzed U.S. National Cancer Institute data found that the U.S....