Health & Wellness

Fighting Spirit

test_1 — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:11:40 -0600

I skated out to center stage, or rather center ice, 10,000 people cheering me on at The Forum in L.A. I know it sounds hammy, but I’m a performer, and all my life center stage is where I’ve wanted to be. This was my comeback performance—my comeback from testicular cancer. Everyone, including me, wanted to see if I was as good as I’d been before the cancer. It had been 14 years since I won the gold medal at the Sarajevo Olympics. My own expectations were probably higher than they should’ve been.

Better Than a Mirror

mheller — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:57:53 -0600

The hot dog vendor near my office is a friend of mine. He dispenses kielbasa and unsolicited advice in equal measures.

I was walking near his stand recently; ahead of me was a woman with an extremely short haircut.

“Hey,” the vendor said, “nice hairstyle.”

She shot him a withering look, then picked up her pace.

The vendor looked at me, arms out. “I was serious,” he pleaded.

Cancer Survivor Inspired by Armstrong

batch — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:05:05 -0600

Although many people can call Lance Armstrong an amazing source of inspiration, one man says that the cyclist's story was what helped him get through his battle against cancer.

Company Joins Cancer Awareness Campaign

batch — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 04:05:05 -0600

Stand Up To Cancer, an awareness campaign from an organization in support of cancer research and a support system for individuals living with cancer, recently paired with Comcast cable network to offer an on-demand channel that will feature music videos from more than 60 artists, according to USA Today.

In Harmony

jbloustein — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:09:51 -0500

Not long before the terrible visit to my doctor, my husband, Michael, and I bought a farm.

The farm was in Tennessee, 2,000 miles from Los Angeles and a world away from the music industry Michael and I had spent most of our lives in.

We’d lived the proverbial rock ’n’ roll lifestyle, the endless cycle of touring, recording, more touring. But we longed to settle down.

Serious Stuff

admin — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 17:44:00 -0500

I knew the news would be tough to break. when i finally told my wife, Cathy, that Lisa had breast cancer, she had to sit down and catch her breath.

The news was such a shock. Lisa was like family to us, someone who'd been with us in all our ups and downs, mirroring them in many cases, even anticipating them. "Is she going to be okay?" Cathy asked—that first question you always ask when someone has cancer.

Volunteers Send Christmas Cheer

batch — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:05:06 -0600

Thousands of families have rallied around 7-year-old Nate Elfrink to make sure he has a Merry Christmas, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

Elfrink was diagnosed with a brain tumor when he was 20 months old. After three surgeries, numerous rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, the tumor kept coming back.

Girl with Leukemia Meets President Obama

batch — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:05:05 -0600

It was Jasmina Anema's dream to meet President Obama.

The 6-year-old girl from Harlem, New York, who has been living with cancer, finally got her wish when she visited the President in the White House with the help of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, according to the New York Daily News.

Before she met with the President, Anema wrote that she hoped they would discuss leukemia and how it can affect children's lives, according to popwife.com.

Family of Cancer-Stricken Boy Looks to Help Others

batch — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:10:05 -0600

The George family was hit hard when they discovered their 10-year-old son Christopher had cancer, and they soon realized the dangers that could accompany daily errands.

According to CBS4.com, the George's were informed that grocery shopping could become dangerous to a cancer patient's immune system because of the exposure to germs.

They found gifts of food from others to be very helpful because Christopher's immediate family would have a lower exposure to germs in the store.

Sphynx Cats Offer Comfort to Patients

batch — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:10:06 -0600

Terry and Sharron True of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, have been breeding sphynx therapy cats that they bring to the town's J.W. Sommer Rehabilitation Unit, according to TimesDaily.com.

The Trues feel that this form of therapy gives a sense of comfort to the patients as the cats simply rest on their laps and stay there. While the Trues breed and train the cats, they're quick to point out that the cats naturally just curl up on a patients lap and don't leave.