Tips to Combat Cancer Side Effects and Improve Comfort During Cancer Treatment

by Margot Malin, Founder and CEO of Lots To Live For, Inc.

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Tips to Improve Comfort During Cancer Treatment / How To Combat Cancer Side Effects

Starting either chemotherapy or radiation oncology treatment can feel overwhelming. There are logistics and arrangements to consider, medical research and treatment options to review, as well as getting through daily tasks.  Patients often forget to explore how they can reduce cancer treatment side effects.  Reducing unpleasant and uncomfortable side effects is important because the more comfortable you feel during treatment, the more likely you will be to continue through treatments uninterrupted, and the better your outcome will be. In addition, you will be able to carry on a more normal lifestyle, and have a better overall frame of mind.

Lots To Live For, Inc. provides Comfort During Cancer

In the post we offer concrete suggestions about how to combat the inevitable debilitating side effects of treatment. We share information about a variety of products that can make you more comfortable during chemotherapy and radiation. We offer tips and resources about nutrition and exercise during cancer. And perhaps most helpful, we offer suggestions for a "goody bag" of helpful items to take with you to radiation and chemotherapy treatments to enhance your comfort.

Please click here to view the full blog post.

To learn more about products to help reduce and relieve the unpleasant and uncomfortable side effects of chemotherapy and radiation please visit us at: www.LotsToLiveFor.com

Imerman Angels - Connecting Cancer Fighters, Survivors and Caregivers

By Jonny Imerman
Chief Mission Officer, Imerman Angels

Imerman Angels provides personalized connections that enable 1-on-1 support among cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers.      

On a Thursday morning in October 2001, my world came to a standstill. At 26 years old, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Although the surgery to remove my left testicle went well, it soon became clear that the cancer had spread, or “metastasized”. The disease was making its way up my body.

I knew what was nextchemotherapy -but I did not understand what that meant. What color is it? How will it make me feel? I called my brother. I started sobbing. I could barely talk. My world was shattered. But, I was not going to give up.

My oncologist told me that the treatments might make me sterile. So, I went to a cryogenics laboratory to bank sperm. After that, it was time to start intense cycles of chemotherapy.

The treatment weakened my body and wiped out most of my white blood cells. In fact, I was in such bad shape, the doctors were forced to delay my chemotherapy while my body recovered between cycles. In addition, the chemotherapy caused many side effects: throat sores, mouth sores, skin rashes, dry skin, cystic acne, extreme fatigue, hair loss, numbness in my fingers and toes, and partial hearing loss. But the most damaging side effect was a blood clot that developed in my left arm. The clot formed around my port, a medical implant that was an access point for my chemotherapy. The doctors had to remove my port, pull out most of the blood clot, and then pump me with blood thinners to break up the rest.

At last, after five months of brutal chemo treatment, I thought my fight was over. I slowly returned to the gym, started going out socially, and got back into life. Although I was happy to be alive, every day was a challenge. I did not have as much energy. I looked different. I struggled to find my post-cancer identity. Just as I was getting comfortable with myself, I learned the fight was not over.

Nearly one year after chemotherapy, a routine CT scan showed four tumors along my spine. Rather than risk cutting the spine, the surgeon went in through the stomach. He made an 11-inch incision, placed my organs to the side, and took out each tumor. The surgery lasted for four hours. It was successful, and finally I was freed from the disease and able to begin my road to recovery.

But my journey was certainly not over. I had made a vow to myself during the time that I was battling cancer. I had looked at others in the oncology clinic and realized that I was different. Each day, my room was filled with family members, close friends and my great doctors. With so much support, I did not have a chance to lose hope. However, in many of the other rooms, hope already seemed lost. As I walked down the hall with my chemotherapy IV-pole on the way to the bathroom, I saw other people fighting cancer alone. They were lying in bed, motionless, watching television or staring in space. Their only stimulation was a nurse checking in for a minute or two on the hour. I knew this was not right. It upset me.

So, my vow was to start helping my fellow fighters in the simplest way that I could. I walked into the other rooms, one at a time, and introduced myself. “Hey, what’s up, I’m Jonny. What’s your name?” Although they were exhausted just like me, everyone was friendly and welcomed my conversation. We shared stories, emotions, and different opinions about many things in life. Our common bond? We were all fighting for life.

Although I had my network of support in my family, friends and doctors, once I started introducing myself to these fellow fighters I realized that they were providing me something valuable that my caregivers could not. From deep discussions about the fears with fertility issues, to simply learning that sucking on Lemonheads candies alleviates the metallic taste from chemo, talking to others who also faced cancer was a powerful, insightful and uplifting tool.

I wondered: “What if every cancer fighter could talk to a cancer survivor who was uniquely familiar with their experience; who not only had beaten the same type and stage of cancer, but who also was the same age and gender as the fighter?” The cancer survivor would be an angelwalking, living proof that the fighter could win, too. What an amazing connection. This is why I created Imerman Angels.

What does Imerman Angels do?

Imerman Angels carefully matches and individually pairs a person touched by cancer (a cancer fighter or survivor) with someone who has fought and survived the same type of cancer (a Mentor Angel). Cancer caregivers (spouses, parents, children and other family and friends of fighters) also receive 1-on-1 connections with other caregivers and survivors. These 1-on-1 relationships inspire hope and offer the chance to ask personal questions and receive support from someone who is uniquely familiar with the experience.

The service is absolutely free and helps anyone touched by any type of cancer, at any cancer stage level, at any age, living anywhere in the world. Imerman Angels is a federally registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

Visit www.ImermanAngels.org for information on how to support or join the network of cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers.

Today, we have the largest network of cancer survivors in the world; more than 4,000 cancer survivors and over 1,500 caregivers. They live in all 50 states, and over 60 countries.

We help thousands of families with cancer, across the world, every year.

1-on-1 cancer support works for one reason: we all BELIEVE.

Jonny Imerman, founder of Imerman Angels

No one should fight this disease alone. 

The author, Jonny Imerman is a young adult cancer survivor who strives to make sure no one fights cancer without the support of someone who has already triumphed over the disease.  After being diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 26, Jonny decided to found Imerman Angels, a non-profit organization, which carefully matches a person touched by cancer (a cancer fighter or survivor) with someone who has fought and survived the same type of cancer (a Mentor Angel). Imerman Angels now has more than 4,000 cancer survivors and more than 1,500 caregivers in its network, and has been featured by dozens of news organizations including The Wall Street Journal, Harpo Radio’s “Oprah and Friends” with Dr. Oz, Men’s Health, NBC5 Chicago, CBS2 Chicago, ABC7 Chicago, ESPN Radio Chicago, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Detroit Free Press, LIVESTRONG Quarterly, and Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing.  Jonny received a 2012 CNN Hero Award; 2012 Lincoln Park Young Professionals ‘Chicago Best of The Best’ Award; 2011 Twilight Foundation Detroit’s Civic Leadership Award; 2011 Chicago Social Magazine’s ‘Who is Chicago’ Award; 2010 Jefferson Award for Public Service; 2010 University of Michigan Humanitarian Service Award; 2009 Ulman Cancer Fund For Young Adults ‘Hope Award’; and 2007 Daily Candy ‘Sweetest Thing’ Award.  Jonny has been invited to speak at cancer centers such as MD Anderson, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Mayo Clinic, Dana-Farber, City of Hope, Northwestern, Rush, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.  Jonny grew up in Bloomfield Hills, MI and lives in Chicago.
Visit Imerman Angels at: www.ImermanAngels.org
Follow Imerman Angels on twitter: @ImermanAngels

This blog post is part of the Resource Roundup series sponsored by Cancer Blog: Lots To Live For! in which the spotlight is shined on a resource that can help improve the journeys of cancer patients and caregivers. Past Resource Roundup stars have included Creating the 10 to Thrive eBook, Annie Appleseed Project and Caring Bridge, among others. To view products that can help alleviate the unpleasant and uncomfortable side effects of chemotherapy and radiation please visit www.LotsToLiveFor.com.
Lots To Live For, Inc. ~ Comfort, Hope, Inspiration

Help to spread the word about Imerman Angels by winning a free T shirt like Jonny is wearing above - visit www.facebook.com/LotsToLiveFor and "like" the both the page, and the link for this blog post to be entered in a raffle. The contest will end on 1/22/13 and the winner will be announced on 1/23.

Eight Awesome Tips To Help Cancer Patients

Acts of Kindness To Help Make Life Easier for A Patient Undergoing Cancer Treatment
By Margot Malin     

It may be an awkward moment when you learn that a friend, loved one, or coworker has been diagnosed with cancer. You may initially be at a loss for words and yet you want to offer empathy and comfort. Here are 8 Tips and Helpful Gifts of Kindness so you can create your own plan to help the cancer patient you know along his or her journey.

Food – Go grocery shopping – stock the refrigerator with fresh, healthy and easy to prepare items. Cook dinner for the family and deliver it.

Childcare – Cancer patients get tired, sometimes very tired. You can offer to baby sit for young children. Offer to arrange and take older children on play dates. If you know the children well, take them on a little outing – to the playground, to a movie, to a show or museum. During this stressful time, school work might suffer. Offer to tutor, or arrange for a tutor for those subjects that are particularly challenging right now.

Laundry and other daily chores – Laundry can be easily postponed when someone is not feeling well. Offer to do the laundry – at your home or theirs – or take it to a wash and fold service. Helping with other daily chores and activities can be a great way to relieve the patient of some activities which might be repetitive, tiring and stressful.

Chemotherapy and Radiation sessions – Offer to drive to radiation oncology sessions and chemo appointments. Sitting and receiving an infusion can be cold and lonely. Stay during chemo to help the time pass – you can write letters, read aloud, listen to music, or look at poetry during these sessions. Bring a warm and cozy blanket with you. Other things you can bring to pass the time: an ipad, a laptop, a Kindle, craft supplies.

Doctor appointments – Offer to drive to a doctor appointment or accompany the patient on public transportation – and if the patient is open to the idea – be present when the patient speaks with the doctor. A second set of ears is a welcome addition during this stressful time. Maybe you can think of questions that the patient might be too overwhelmed or nervous to consider. You can also take notes about the visit to be sure that the important takeaways are remembered.

Medical record keeping and medical research – You can help by doing medical research about the patient’s diagnosis as well as research into complimentary and alternative therapies. Personal health record keeping is especially important during treatment and beyond. Consider purchasing either a special loose leaf / workbook to keep track of paper records, or the Minerva Health Manager, electronic personal health record software.

Side effect solutions – There are many products to help unpleasant and uncomfortable physical side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. For example, you can find products to help radiation dermatitis, radiation burns, hair loss, dry mouth and mouth sores, nausea, and more. To learn about products that can help reduce and relieve cancer treatment side effects visit www.LotsToLiveFor.com.

Books, CD’s and Music – There are many inspirational books written by, and about cancer patients. Just two examples are: From Incurable to Incredible – Cancer Survivors Who Beat the Odds written by Tami Boehmer, a cancer survivor and When Cancer Hits – A Complete Guide to Taking Care of You Through Treatment authored by Britta Aragon, also a cancer survivor. There are rest and relaxation CD’s. Breast Cancer Yoga has created a CD for breathing and meditation and a DVD for gentle yoga. Recovery Fitness also has an Exercise for Cancer Patients DVD. There are also CD’s and DVD’s available to reduce stress and enhance relaxation.

A little thought and creativity can help you come up with many other helpful ideas. You can even ask the patient to give you a wish list of what kind of help they might appreciate for their situation. Some of the best expressions of support are inexpensive and some are free – but they are all priceless to the patient receiving your kindness.

Margot Malin is the CEO, President and Founder of Lots To Live For, Inc. which sells carefully selected products to reduce and relieve the uncomfortable and unpleasant side effects caused by chemotherapy and radiation. Lots To Live For, Inc. was founded after the passing of Margot’s mother and grandmother who both fought courageous battles against cancer.

To find products to help reduce and relieve the uncomfortable and unpleasant side effects of cancer treatment please visit: www.LotsToLiveFor.com
Visit our facebook page at: www.facebook.com/LotsToLiveFor for information and inspiration!

The Genesis of Lots To Live For, Inc.- An Interview with IdeaMensch

IdeaMensch is a community of entrepreneurs who share how they bring their businesses to life. Margot Malin, the founder of Lots To Live For, Inc. was interviewed by IdeaMensch on September 4, 2012. IdeaMensch probes about the genesis of the business with insightful questions that let the founder's ideas, beliefs and experiences shine through.

Some excerpts of the interview:

"Where did the idea for Lots To Live For, Inc. come from?

The genesis and inspiration for the company came from watching both my mother and grandmother fight courageous battles against cancer while simultaneously trying to maintain normal lifestyles. Lots To Live For, Inc. offers one-stop shopping and solutions for cancer patients, by selling products and offering tips to alleviate, reduce and relieve unpleasant and uncomfortable side effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

Side effects from cancer treatments can be debilitating. During my mother’s and grandmother’s treatments, we found some really helpful products after exhaustive searching. It occurred to me that consolidating these items in a single place would be extremely helpful to others who are going through treatment. Our business slogan is: We recognize that you have lots to live for, and we offer solutions so that you can improve the quality of your life."

In the interview Margot also offers some advice to aspiring entrepreneurs - below is a quick quote:

"As an entrepreneur what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Keep your eyes and ears open. Treat customers and suppliers with respect. Read a lot. Try to think outside of the box. Look for disruptive technologies and try to jump on the wave. Never fall into the OPM (other people’s money) mentality. Treat equity investors’ money as if it were your own. Don’t spend frivolously."

In another section of the interview, Margot offers some personal inspiration to readers.

"Can you offer some words of advice for our readers’ personal lives?
1. Always act with integrity.
2. Accept personal responsibility.
3. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Take time to have fun and reflect. Smell the roses.
4. Believe in yourself.
5. Dare to be different.
6. Be careful of the footprints you leave. Unfortunately, your indiscretions or social media gaffes can haunt you."

To read about some of the challenges in bringing Lots To Live For, Inc. to life, as well as thoughts about business opportunities, and general observations and advice about life you can read the complete interview with Margot Malin on the IdeaMensch website by clicking here.

Please visit www.LotsToLiveFor.com to learn about products to help relieve the unpleasant and uncomfortable side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Lots To Live For, Inc. welcomes you as a facebook fan at www.facebook.com/LotsToLiveFor.

Help for Using the Internet to Research a Significant Health Diagnosis

In this book Andrew Schorr gives helpful advice on how to best navigate the internet if you are researching a significant health diagnosis.

According to the book review on the Amazon website: Gone are the days when patients take life-changing diagnoses lying down. The first place people go to learn more about their health, especially when it is at risk, is the Internet. But this unregulated channel can be as harmful as it is beneficial when it comes to medical content. As a step-by-step guide, The Web-Savvy Patient: An Insider’s Guide to Navigating the Internet When Facing Medical Crisis explores topics such as wading through search engine results, connecting with online communities, defining conditions, identifying the specialists, and organizing the outcome of your research so that doctors will listen. Delivering practical instruction and supplying real-life reassurances, author and recognized patient empowerment pioneer Andrew Schorr encourages individuals and family members to retain control rather than fall victim to fear and worry. Schorr offers up true stories of empowered patients alongside the details of his own experience as a cancer patient, revealing how the Internet led him toward the physician, hospital, and treatment that he believes saved his life. Enlightening and logically organized, the book is easy to read and easy to relate to. Respected medical experts, support groups, and patients agree that when it comes to improving the quality of online health content, Schorr, a longtime patient educator, medical journalist, and leukemia survivor, is the ultimate expert.