Suffering from emphysema and in the final stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, DeWayne Wadsworth was wheeled into the Allen Noble Hall of Fame in his wheelchair by his grandson Alex Wood with daughter Michele Alidjani and granddaughter Marissa Jones following closely behind. “This is my last game. It means everything. This is special to me — I don’t want to get all tearing up now — but ya, it’s special.”
Read MoreMany nonsmokers, like McAfee, assume they are safe from contracting lung cancer. But lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death every year in the United States — more than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined.
Read MoreIn 2014, the women were motivated to start their own 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, calling themselves Bustin’ Out Of Boise (BOOB), for the purpose of raising funds for breast cancer and distributing them locally. A year later, they formulated a strategy that refocused and refined their efforts. Many women fighting cancer experience gaps in their home life, especially during the time they are in treatment. Now, the group is dedicated to these women by helping ease the burden of the daily tasks so that the women can focus on their health and healing.
Read MoreWhen it comes to finding local cancer support groups designed specifically for men, you won’t find many. “Men by their nature are closed off and don’t naturally gravitate to talking about stuff like cancer. They are taught to be stoic — to tough it out. It used to be when you got your head dinged playing football you were told, ‘Get back in there, you got your bell rung, now go play!’ It’s just part of our nature to be strong, so men think that talking about things like cancer will be seen as weakness, even when deep down they are scared as hell,”
Read MoreI received a phone call last month from a local pastor looking for a photographer for a 25th wedding anniversary and renewal of vows service. I would soon learn that this wasn’t the typical type of celebration. The wife, Marcia, was in the very end stages of her struggle with ovarian cancer. The event in her backyard would also be serving as her goodbye party with her closest friends.
Read MoreIt all started in a math class. Aspen Phillips was a freshman at Boise State University in fall 2014 when friend Tristin Harris asked her if she had ever heard of a new national movement called Love Your Melon. That simple conversation launched the effort to bring the group to Boise State.
Read MoreIn early 2012, Ryan Sterns found out his 5-year-old niece, Faith Canfield, had acute lymphocytic leukemia. Sterns soon realized that his sister’s family would incur significant financial challenges because of the illness, so he decided to start a charity.
Read MoreIn January 2013, I was contacted by a photographer who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Debbie Gibb and her husband, Mike, asked me to capture their journey through photos.
What I learned over the next 18 months changed the way I view patient rights and advocacy. I have met some wonderful, talented and caring doctors, nurses, surgeons, therapists and social workers in our hospital systems. I have also experienced, with Debbie and several other breast cancer patients, how some areas of patient care can easily fall through the cracks.
Read MoreIn October 2013, I wrote an article about metastatic breast cancer (MBC) for the Idaho Statesman. I profiled four Idaho women whose breast cancer had spread to other parts of their bodies, a condition for which there is currently no cure. Two of those women have since passed.
The numbers around breast cancer are staggering: One in eight women are diagnosed with the disease and around a third of those have their cancer metastasize. While it isn’t the facts and figures that have motivated me to advocate for MBC research, this past year I determined that if I cared about seeing the lives of my MBC friends extended, I needed to focus more on the numbers.
Read MoreIn 2015 I profiled six Idaho women whose breast cancer was Stage 4 meaning the cancer had spread or metastasized outside of the breast tissue and into other parts of their body.
Read MoreThere is a common perception that once a woman finishes the major components of breast cancer treatment — surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and reconstruction — that she is on the other side of the disease, and her life can go back to normal. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Read MoreChad Estes of Boise, Idaho Joins Nearly 150 Volunteers From Across Country for ‘One Voice Against Cancer’ Lobby Day
This is the press release sent out to media stations across Idaho after my recent trip to Washington D.C.
Read MoreUnfortunately, too many of our friends find out they are facing breast cancer of another color than pink. The current numbers are staggering. As many as 30 percent of those who have battled breast cancer, like my friend Trina, will see it come back. And if it spreads, 97 percent of the
time it can be slowed, but not stopped.
Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) steals the lives of 97 percent of its victims. There is no cure; it is basically a death sentence. Treatments won’t cure the disease; they just keep it at bay as long as humanly possible, or until the patient says, “I’m done. … ”
Many breast cancer patients don’t realize these harsh statistics. Even some oncologists stumble when it comes to explaining the severity of breast cancer if it metastasizes.
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