by Rick Davis | Oct 26, 2020 | Cancer Resources, Advocacy, Blood Cancers, Cancer Caregivers, Health Resources, Men 'Speaking Freely', Men's Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Recent News, Thyroid Cancer, Women's Breast Cancer
Peter Kafka’s musing this week, looks at how invention and innvation can be a two-dged sword.
Please bear with me on these thoughts, because I don’t know where I am going but I think it important to consider. Yesterday my son and I went out to change the brake pads on my Toyota. I am the middle man in a three-generation tradition of shade tree mechanics. The notion is that “if it was put together by a human then it can be fixed by one”. I believe that many men carry the DIY gene, and women too. This notion changed a bit when our creations became super complex and computerized and we had to seek expert help in certain repairs that were beyond the scope of a You Tube video. But still the tradition carries on. The DIY gene has not mutated.
When it comes to the break down of the human body, or the interruption of certain natural cycles in the world at large this “Do It Yourself” gene springs into action. As a result, truly amazing achievements have been made in the field of medicine and science in recent years and there seems at times to be no end in sight. The notion is that if we “put our minds to it” we can fix anything. This is currently being played out with great intensity to find a vaccine for Covid-19.
I know my life has benefitted from the many advancements of science and medicine. I am not complaining. My life has been extended, like many millions for whatever purpose. But like many things, it is a two-edged sword. The extended life expectancy and health of human beings on this planet has been at the expense of many other life forms in the plant and animal kingdoms. This thought should give anyone great pause. Perhaps I should leave it there. Make of this paradox what you will.
by Rick Davis | Oct 23, 2020 | Webinars, mCRPC, nmCRPC, Press, Prostate Cancer, Recent News
AnCan & Patient Power partner for Prostate Cancer Webinar Series
Answering your Prostate Cancer Questions
To watch these seminars, folow these links:
“Prostate Cancer and Making Sense of nmCRPC Options” – Rick & Len speak with Drs. Eleni Efstathiou and Tom Beer
“PSA Test & Imaging for Prostate Cancer Patients” – Len & Peter Speak with Drs. Scott Tagawa and David VanderWeele
“How to Manage Side Effects & Reduce Suffering” – Peter and Rick speak with Dr. Atush Choudhury –
Three of AnCan’s senior and most knowlegeable prostate cancer moderators, Len Sierra, Peter Kafka and Rick Davis, team up to host and interview five expert and renown genitourinary medical oncologists in three separate webinars during October and November. Len, Peter & Rick along with Jake Hannam moderate AnCan’s 4 times per month High Risk/Recurrent/Advanced Prostate Cancer video chat virtual support group.
Our hosts will be interviewing:
Eleni Efstathiou MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Genitourinary
Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine,
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Tomasz Beer MD, FACP
Deputy Director, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute
Scott T. Tagawa MD, MS, FACP
Professor of Medicine and Urology, Weill Cornell
Medicine; Physician, NewYork-Presbyterian -Weill Cornell Medical Center
David VanderWeele MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Northwestern
University Feinberg School of Medicine; Medical
Oncologist, Lurie Cancer Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Atish D. Choudhury MD, PhD
Co-Director of the Prostate Cancer Center,
Dana-Farber Cancer Center
For dates, topics and live registration links to each webinar, click Patient Power AnCan CRPC Series
by Rick Davis | Oct 22, 2020 | Cancer Resources, Advocacy, AYA, Blood Cancers, Brain Tumors, Cancer Caregivers, Maui, mCRPC, Men 'Speaking Freely', Men's Breast Cancer, nmCRPC, Ovarian Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Recent News, Thyroid Cancer
Sometime over the past month, a man attended one of AnCan’s video chat, virtual support groups with a big problem on his mind. This man had been on hormone therapy – more precisely androgen deprivation therapy, for close to 12 months and he was suffering, physically and mentally from having little or no testosterone in his body. He was fatigued, had “Lupron Brain” – brain fog, and was emotionally on the edge … all the time. Moreover, & understandably, he didn’t want to let his employer and workmates know he lived with advanced cancer. Result ….. he unintentionally upset colleagues, couldn’t complete his work tasks and …. received an offiicial employment warning.
This fellow came to us for support, and the best we could do was to suggest he speak to Human Resources under confidentialty; and/or seek an employment lawyer. What we didn’t know is that there is a non-profit out there to assist … and in their own words, this situation is their bread and butter.
Cancer & Careers is dedicated to tackling cancer-related problems in the workplace. Whether involving healthcare, employment, job seeking, employment law, Covid, or working through treatment – Cancer and Careers will help you resolve any of these issues and more, both one on one and through webinars, handouts, and other educational supplements. Check out their website and don’t hesitate to reach out to them if you have a question that needs answering.
What’s more, Brian Morvant, a senior program coordinator at Cancer & Careers told us just today in a presentation for our Male Breast Cancer Virtual Support Group that Cancer & Careers still offers a maximum grant of $500 per family experiencing financial challenges … apply now!
by Alexa Jett | Oct 21, 2020
Episode 3 of 3 in Your Prostate Cancer Questions Answered.
Talking honestly about one’s medical realities in the doctor’s office takes practice, but it is a crucial step to take. Tune in as experts discuss how transparent doctor-patient relationships can improve prostate cancer outcomes.
Join us for the final segment of our prostate cancer Answers Now series, streaming on Monday, November 16th at 10:30 am PT/1:30 pm ET. This event will be hosted by AnCan Founder Rick Davis and Peter Kafka, AnCan Prostate Cancer Moderator. They will speak with Dr. Atish Choudhury, Co-Director of the Prostate Cancer Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Center about the importance of open communication between patients and physicians. What are the best treatment options? What side effects may I experience? What will my quality of life be? Expect all of these answers and more.
Have any additional questions? Get them answered live! Send your questions ahead of the program to prostate@patientpower.info. If you are unable to register for the event, reach out to us at comments@patientpower.info.
Register here: https://patientpower.info/events/event/honest-doctor-patient-relationships-improve-prostate-cancer-out/2020-11-16/1030
MORE INFORMATION ON OUR PROSTATE CANCER VIDEO CHAT VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP CAN BE FOUND AT: https://ancan.org/prostate-cancer/
by Alexa Jett | Oct 21, 2020
Episode 2 of 3 in Your Prostate Cancer Questions Answered
In this edition of our prostate cancer Answers Now series, we’ll learn about the latest in testing and imaging for prostate cancer with hosts & AnCan Prostate Cancer Moderators, Len Sierra and Peter Kafka. They will be joined by Scott Tagawa, MD, Professor of Medicine and Urology at NewYork-Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City and David VanderWeele, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine. We invite your questions as we cover what PSMA PET and Next Generation Imaging can mean for patients at different points in their prostate cancer journey.
Join us for our live webinar on Wednesday, November 11th at 10 am PT/1:00 pm ET. Get your question answered live. Send your questions now to prostate@patientpower.info. If you are unable to register for the event, reach out to us at comments@patientpower.info.
Register here: https://patientpower.info/events/event/what-pet-psma-and-next-generation-imaging-means-for-prostate-ca/2020-11-11/1000
MORE INFORMATION ON OUR PROSTATE CANCER VIDEO CHAT VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP CAN BE FOUND AT: https://ancan.org/prostate-cancer/
