Stay in shape with FIT Together in your own living room!
Mark and Kathy Baldridge are avid birders, and as a result, frequent visitors to “Deep Southern Arizona” from their home in University Place, Washington. You may have seen them in an AnCan Group – we’ve been supporting the Baldridges since 2021.
Recently Mark mentioned an at home exercise program in a group, so we encouraged him to tell us more so all AnCan’rs living with cancer could participate… with or without their care partner.
This October 17th, AnCan will participate in the OHSU-Fred Hutch Prostate Cancer Summit. Dr. Kerri Winters is also speaking, and Dr. E (Eleni Efstathiou), the new Chief of Genitourinary Cancer at OHSU, has already set up a time for us to meet. We’ll be writing about the Summit closer to the date. (rick davis)
Back in high school, I did multiple pushups before I went to bed. Fast-forward 50 years and I was unable to do a single pushup. Over the years, I’d fooled myself into thinking I was in ‘decent shape’ because I took long walks several times a week. The truth was that after being diagnosed with osteoporosis, 24 months of Hormone Therapy and a lack of upper body exercise, my overall strength had significantly declined.
Fortunately, I discovered an online exercise program FIT Together for cancer survivors and their partners. FIT Together is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2014 under the leadership of Dr. Kerri Winters-Stone and Jessica Sitemba. Dr. Winters-Stone has a PhD in Human Performance and has been conducting research in exercise oncology for 20 years. She has run over 15 clinical trials funded by NIH and cancer non-profits. I have participated in two of Dr. Winters-Stone’s clinical trials run through Oregon Health Sciences University – OHSU.
I’ve attended FIT Together classes for a year and can attest that the instructors are excellent. They demonstrate each exercise and then give tips to ensure each participant correctly performs the exercise. The instructors individualize and tailor movements and exercises to accommodate each person’s needs—no matter what the person’s fitness level. For instance, pushups can be performed in many different ways (e.g. against a wall/desk/chair or on hands and knees/feet).
The classes are held twice per week at various times virtually. I love the convenience of performing these exercises at home and look forward to each class. All you need for the classes are dumbbells, a resistance band, stretch strap and an exercise mat. The cost for this equipment is quite reasonable—less than $75.
There are several classes to choose from: strength training, strength/cardio and an exercise class for couples. Classes are very reasonably priced— around $5 per session for a 12 week/24 session class… even less if two of you join together.
I participate in the strength training class and physically feel much better about myself. It’s been really encouraging to see that I’ve slowly gained upper body strength. While I still can’t do a pushup on my hands and toes, I can perform 12 pushups on my hands and knees—I’m on my way to performing a full pushup.
I highly recommend these classes and hope to see some of you in a class—you won’t be disappointed!
AnCan’s ambitious CEO and Founder, Rick Davis, recently sat down with Rarity Life, the magazine published by Same But Different Creative, to share the deeply personal journey that led to the creation of AnCan.
In the interview, Rick reflects on his early days navigating a prostate cancer diagnosis — a moment that reshaped his life & his understanding of what true support should look like. Like so many survivors and thrivers, he quickly discovered that information alone isn’t enough. What people often need most is connection — the chance to speak openly with others who truly understand the lived experience of cancer.
That realization became the foundation of AnCan.
Rick shares how traditional support models don’t always meet people where they are. Geographic limitations, physical health challenges, financial strain, rare diagnoses, and even the emotional weight of walking into an in-person group can all create barriers. For many, simply showing up can feel overwhelming.
AnCan was built to remove as many of those barriers as possible.
Rick’s full interview in Rarity Life offers an inspiring look at leadership shaped by lived experience, and a reminder that meaningful change often begins with one person asking: How can we do this better?
(Here is my take on this article Therapeutic Use of Cannabis and Cannabinoids A Review JAMA Network, 11/26/25. On a personal side, I use CBD to help me sleep, and with a little (5%) addition of THC, it is a great anxiety calmer – Sally Torgeson, AnCan Blood Cancer Moderator & Multiple Myeloma Coach)
Unapproved Cannabis
The FDA has NOT approved the cannabis plant (botanical marijuana) for any medical use or indication.
Because it is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law, the FDA has not found it to be safe or effective for the treatment of any disease or condition [1.1, 1.7].
It is currently illegal to market CBD by adding it to food or labeling it as a dietary supplement in interstate commerce [2.1, 2.5].
FDA-Approved Cannabinoid Drugs
The FDA has approved a small number of prescription drugs containing either a purified cannabis-derived compound or synthetic cannabinoids:
Epidiolex (Cannabidiol or CBD): The only FDA-approved drug that contains a purified substance derived directly from the cannabis plant. It is approved to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Dravet syndrome, and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex in patients one year of age and older [1.8, 2.1].
Marinol and Syndros (Dronabinol): Contain synthetic Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Approved for:
Nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy in patients who have not responded to conventional antiemetic treatments [2.2, 2.3].
Anorexia associated with weight loss in patients with HIV/AIDS [2.3].
Cesamet (Nabilone): Contains a synthetic substance that is chemically similar to THC. Approved for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting [1.1, 2.3].
Regulatory Context
The FDA maintains its authority to regulate products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds, even those derived from hemp (cannabis with less than 0.3% THC), under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act [1.4].
The FDA supports the development of new drugs through proper clinical trials to ensure they meet standards for safety and effectiveness [1.1, 2.4].
FDA-Approved Cannabinoid Drugs and Their Conditions
* Nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy (when other antiemetics have failed) * Anorexia (loss of appetite) associated with weight loss in patients with HIV/AIDS
Cesamet (Nabilone)
Synthetic cannabinoid (similar to THC)
* Nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy (when other antiemetics have failed)
Key Takeaway
Epidiolex is the only drug approved that contains a substance derived directly from the Cannabis plant (CBD). It represents the strongest evidence for cannabinoid efficacy in reducing seizure frequency in certain rare forms of epilepsy [1.1, 1.2].
The synthetic THC compounds (Dronabinol and Nabilone) are used primarily as a last resort for severe nausea/vomiting related to chemotherapy and for appetite stimulation in AIDS patients [1.2, 2.8].
The FDA has not approved the use of the whole cannabis plant for any medical condition, stressing the importance of standardized, tested pharmaceuticals for patient safety and proven effectiveness [1.7].1
Off-Label Use vs. Unapproved Use
1. Off-Label Use (Legal and Regulated)
This applies only to drugs that the FDA has already approved.
What it is: Using an FDA-approved drug (like Epidiolex, Marinol, or Cesamet) for a condition, dose, or patient population that is not specifically listed on the drug’s official label.
Legality: It is legal for a licensed physician to prescribe an approved drug for an off-label use if they believe it is medically appropriate for their patient.
FDA Position: The FDA does not regulate the practice of medicine; however, the manufacturer cannot market or promote the drug for the off-label use. The safety and efficacy for the off-label use have not been verified by the FDA’s rigorous testing process.
Example: A doctor prescribing Marinol (Dronabinol), which is approved for nausea from chemotherapy, to a patient for chronic pain. The drug is approved, but the condition (chronic pain) is not on the label.
2. Unapproved Use (Non-FDA Approved Products)
This applies to the cannabis plant itself and most CBD/cannabinoid products on the market.
What it is: Using the whole cannabis plant (botanical marijuana) or non-FDA-approved cannabis-derived products (like most CBD oils, edibles, or topicals) for any medical purpose.
Legality:
Federal: The whole plant is a Schedule I controlled substance and is not federally approved for any medical use.
State: Use may be legal under state medical or recreational cannabis laws, but this does not change its status as an unapproved drug under federal FDA law.
FDA Position: The FDA considers these products unapproved drugs and/or illegally marketed products (especially when CBD is added to food or marketed as a dietary supplement), as they have not been tested for safety, effectiveness, or quality assurance.
Example: A patient using a CBD tincture (which is not Epidiolex) to treat anxiety, or using THC flower to help with multiple sclerosis symptoms.
To correspond with Sally, please send an email to info@ancan.org, and we’ll be sure to send along.
CNTV’s recent video features an interview with AnCan founder, Rick Davis. He explains that he started AnCan after his own diagnosis in 2007, after realizing inadequate support options, especially for those in remote areas. AnCan aims to eliminate barriers to entry for its various support groups, which range from cancer to chronic diseases. AnCan empowers patients to “Be your own best advocate” by providing them with the knowledge to speak confidently with their healthcare providers and offering peer-to-peer support.
“Someone I once loved gave me a box of darkness” –Mary Oliver
I was at a 12-Step-oriented workshop about grief recently, and it made me think about Men Speaking Freely (MSF). We are vaguely aware of grief in all MSF groups, it hangs over us, and we have at times focused on some specific griefs/losses, such as vitality, or a longer life. It is commonly thought that not thinking about a loss, not talking about it is the manly thing to do. Here in MSF we get relief by sharing our common losses with each other.
The presenter of that workshop, Marcia C., had some ways to specifically talk about grief that were new to me. She gave me permission to use some of her material here. She pointed out some types of losses that I hadn’t realized. For example, the loss of who I would have been if cancer didn’t happen, the grief of estrangement, loss of work, of status, of friendship; the loss of never having had something, that of aging, of trust, or of giving up something.
She said there is “unacknowledged grief” when such losses are never fully brought to consciousness. When I looked at her long list of examples I saw many that I have. We ought to watch for unacknowledged grief.
She described “non-finite” grief, which has no end-point other than death. Ours could be in that category, since as time goes by our loss increases instead of lessens.
Marcia said, ‘’Sharing your grief is a way to receive validation and compassionate witnessing. It can help you begin a path to healing and/or finding a way to live with grief.
Consider the questions below:
1. Are there griefs you haven’t realized you have or have been afraid to face?
2. Are there griefs about which you’d like to share?
3. Do you have grief practices that might be helpful to others?
4. Make a list of griefs you’ve experienced.
5. Choose a tool from the list that might help you process your grief.”
That list of “tools” was long; it included things like: write a letter or poem describing our loss…Create a ritual of letting go…Share with others who have had similar losses…Visit a place that is meaningful…Make or buy a talisman that helps you feel protected…Dance, run, yell to get your feelings out of your body…Plant something in remembrance or as a new beginning…Start a new tradition…Do an intentional funeral… These are ways to bring acknowledged, unacknowledged, and non-finite grief out for a conscious conversation. Moving from covert to overt, with the goal of making a relationship with the loss, and getting rid of the unconscious silent prolonged scream that I, for example, think I harbor.
We think of grief as emotional, but in “Dealing With the Physical Impact of Intense Grief” by Batya Swift Yasgur, the author describes the variety of physical reactions to grief. Ranging from elevated blood pressure to takotsubo cardiomyopathy — sometimes called “broken heart syndrome” — which is a “stress response that balloons the heart.” We often wonder about the reaction on our immune system, and its implications to our overall survival. In fact, probably nearly all our systems react to grief in some way.
There is a fairly new grief-related diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and the International Classification of Diseases, describing a “persistent and pervasive grief response” that goes on longer than a year., and is now called Prolonged Grief Disorder. In order to be diagnosed with Prolonged Grief Disorder, a person must experience at least three of eight additional symptoms that include “disbelief, intense emotional pain, feeling of identity confusion, avoidance of reminders of the loss, feelings of numbness, intense loneliness, meaninglessness, or difficulty engaging in ongoing life” according to Columbia University’s Center for Prolonged Grief. For an adult to meet the criteria for a PGD diagnosis, the death of a loved one must have occurred at least one year ago, and the symptoms must be present most days since the loss and nearly every day for at least the last month.
Our situation is different from losing a loved one (although it includes that) and waiting for the grief to go away. Instead of a major loss which goes farther and farther into the past, our major loss is in the future. We have sort of a reverse Prolonged Grief Disorder. For instance, I expect my losses to get worse and worse until death.
Mark and Kathy Baldridge are avid birders, and as a result, frequent visitors to “Deep Southern Arizona” from their home in University Place, Washington. You may have seen them in an AnCan Group – we’ve been supporting the Baldridges since 2021.
Off-Label Use vs. Unapproved Use
