What You Put On Your Skin Matters ~ Scrutinze Ingredients - Here's Why!

By Jama Russano, Guest Blogger

Did you know that ninety percent of skin-care products on the market contain ingredients that can be carcinogenic, estrogenic, or teratogenic, with the potential for long-term serious neurological disorders and conditions? Skin is the body’s largest organ; everything we put on our skin can potentially end up in our bodies. Be kind to your skin. DermaQOL personal care products have been formulated with organic essential oils, extracts and natural materials and all products are free of harsh ingredients.

Be kind to your skin!  To read more about the risks of some ingredients that are frequently used in personal care product and have the potential to be harmful , please visit our new Wordpress Blog at:

http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/2013/07/30/dermaqol-personal-health-products-with-no-harsh-ingredients-an-excellent-choice-for-skin-care-during-cancer-treatment/

DermaQOL Gift Kit 

It took five years to create a solution for the most delicate and sensitive, chemically reactive skin! DermaQOL Personal Care products are specifically formulated from a select group of certified organic essential oils, extracts, and resins combined with natural materials that meet strict standards and "free of harsh ingredient list". Delicate, nourishing, and sensitive skin-care products simply glide across your skin without pulling and tugging. Feel the difference! Take the challenge and compare the DermaQOL products to the items your are currently using.

To learn more about DermaQOL products and to purchase DermaQOL products visit: http://www.lotstolivefor.com/brands/Derma-QOL.html

Please visit the Lots To Live For!  Wordpress cancer blog where you can comment on our posts, and sign up to receive new posts by email:  http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/

Jama Russano, the author of this post has over 30 years of experience in the cosmetics industry.  She developed Thorne Organics and DermaQOL Estrogenic Activity Free Skin Care Products. (You can read more about Jama's biography in the full blog post by clicking above).

Radiant Wrap – Stylish and Comfortable Radiation Therapy Gowns - Inspiration During Treatment

We have transitioned to a new blog format. You can find the full copy of this post at our new Wordpress blog at:
http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/2013/07/09/radiant-wrap-stylish-radiation-therapy-gowns/

Thanks to Maria Lucas of Radiant Wrap a visit to a radiation oncology center doesn't have to mean wearing a frayed and faded gown. The inspiration for her idea came during her treatment and it is one of her ways to "pay it forward" and help other patients feel more comfortable during treatment.

Radiant Wrap founders - Maria Lucas and her son

Maria says "I knew I wanted something that was stylish and flattering, something that was closed and secure at the back and something that didn’t have ties, buttons, Velcro or snaps. I thought if I could cut up these gowns and design a one piece wrap around that tied at the waist, I would have a beautiful alternative gown. And that is exactly what I did. I had a prototype made of my design, and a first run of forty gowns made that June, six months after I was diagnosed and one month after I finished my radiation."

Read more in the blog post, where you can also read about how to order a Radiant Wrap for yourself or a loved one.

You can view and purchase Radiant Wrap gowns at: http://www.theradiantwrap.com/

CureLauncher Offers Personalized Clinical Trial Matching

Our blog has transitioned to a new format on Wordpress.
Please click on the link below to be taken to the full version of this blog post about CureLauncher.

If you are seeking new treatments and clinical trials  CureLauncher can help give you the power and the support to make a life changing decision. Warm, compassionate, and experienced relationship managers will guide you through the process of finding a new treatment.  Taking control and knowing your options opens up a whole new world of hope.  CureLauncher can help connect you with clinical trials in your area.


CureLauncher - Take Contol Know Your Options

 For more information and to read  a testimonial from Barb Hollingsworth click here: http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/2013/06/18/curelauncher-personalized-clinical-trial-matching/

Please subscribe to our new blog - you can sign up to receive new posts by email on the home page - on the right column.

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

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

Please note that this is an excerpt from a recent blog piece posted on our new Wordpress blog.
All new blog posts will be published at:
http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/
Please visit our new blog to subscribe / sign up to receive emails when we publish new posts.
The sign up is on the right side of the template "Subscribe to Blog Via Email" 
(subscribers to this blog will not automatically be transferred to the new blog)

Our latest post is entitled:

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

The Lymphedema Breast Cancer App - A Comprehensive “On the Go” Guide to Lymphedema

The Lymphedema Breast Cancer App features information on what lymphedema is and how to reduce your risk. The App is a resource for all women who have had lymph node surgery or radiotherapy as part of their cancer treatment and who are at risk of developing Lymphedema. The App includes a “step by step” video teaching users how to measure their own arm. Users can save their arm measurements in the App’s measures diary, allowing them to track the size of their arm over time.

The Lymphoedema Breast Cancer App can be downloaded from the itunes and Google Play stores for $1.99. The App is compatible for both smartphone and tablet devices.

The Lymphoedema Breast Cancer App was developed by Kelly Foote, who is a cancer care physiotherapist and the app developer. She is a guest blogger for the article described herein and which you can access by clicking below.

Lymphodema Breast Cancer App

We are transitioning the Cancer Blog: Lots To Live For!  blog format over to our new Wordpress Blog.

You can click here to view the full post about The Lymphedema Breast Cancer App.

(http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/2013/05/07/tools-and-tips-for-managing-lymphodema/)

Please sign up to subscribe to our new blog format (you can do this on the new blog). 

If  you are a subscriber to this blog your subscription will not automatically carry over.

We appreciate your interest in our blog posts.  We have some awesome and informative posts scheduled in the near future so please be sure not to miss them!

Note: Kelly Foote is a Cancer Care Physiotherapist and the Lymphoedema Breast Cancer App Developer. Kelly resides in Brisbane, Australia.

Finished with Cancer Treatment…Now What?! Creating Your Cancer Survivorship Care Plan!

By Tambre Leighn, MA, CPC, ELI-MP (guest blogger)

Founder of WellBeyondOrdinary.com

Ring the bell, hug the nurses goodbye.  Part of you is celebrating and another part is wondering, now what?

A recent report by the Center for Disease Control, announced the great news that overall trends show lives lost to cancer are decreasing.[1]  This corollary of this is that more people are living longer as survivors…often dealing with significant challenges as a result of their cancer or treatments.

Finally, there is an increasing awareness that while the end of treatment is a milestone, it is not the finish line and, in many ways, it is just the beginning of not only recovery from cancer but recovery of your life. 

Now what?  A cancer survivorship care plan is a great place to start.  It’s now considered standard of care according to the Commission on Cancer 2012 New Cancer Program Standards The Future of Quality Cancer Care.[2]  This is new territory.   It will take time to develop guidelines, systems and processes to support the implementation of this new tool for survivors.

Being proactive requires self-advocacy, which, in turn, requires knowledge.  A basic survivorship care plan includes the following elements:

•  An organized, thorough and accessible personal health record summarizing the history of your care  including scans, test results, treatment plans, etc.  This personal health record should be portable so that you can bring it to future appointments.  It can be in the format of well-organized physical documents, created using personal health record software – or a mixture of both.
•   A schedule of follow up care including information on potential late effects of treatment
•  Guidelines for well being including physical, emotional and financial along with an outline of resources to support you.

If your medical team has not provided you with a care plan even though you’re coming up on the end of treatment or you’re finished, it is up to you to ask.  For more information, check out Livestrong http://www.livestrongcareplan.org/ (also available in Spanish) and my blog post, Survivorship Care Plans ~ Empowerment Through Awarenes.

---

[1] Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, 1975-2009 http://seer.cancer.gov/report_to_nation/

[2] www.wicancer.org/documents/McKellar_1245pm.ppt

 

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 the Annie Appleseed Project, Imerman Angels and Caring Bridge.

Seize the Days: Interviews with Cancer Patients and Survivors Provide Inspiration

Celebrating the Ways Cancer Patients Add Life to Their Days 

by Evan J. Lipson, M.D., guest blogger  

Dr. Evan Lipson is an oncologist who launched an organization called "Seize the Days" in order to celebrate people living with cancer and explore the ways they make their days meaningful. The project gives patients and their loved ones an opportunity to record and share their stories using broadcast-quality audio interviews, which are available to view at www.seizethedays.org.

Interviews on the website from over 50 patients demonstrate that people living with cancer add life to their days in all sorts of interesting and remarkable ways. Some people strengthen relationships with loved ones, becoming even closer with family and friends. Other people concentrate on activism, starting foundations or fundraising. Some derive fulfillment by creating something - art, poetry, or music. These creations help patients express emotions, leave a legacy, or regain a sense of control.

Dr. Lipson

One of the reasons for developing this site is to showcase the spirit and courage of cancer patients in order to inspire others. In addition, the website provides patients and families an avenue through which they can share and memorialize their stories and those of their loved ones. To learn more and listen to these compelling, touching interviews, visit www.seizethedays.org         

Evan J. Lipson, M.D (oncologist)

President, Seize the Days, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation

http://seizethedays.org

You can also become a facebook fan when you visit the website.

To learn about products that can help alleviate unpleasant and uncomfortable side effects caused by chemotherapy and radiation please visit www.LotsToLiveFor.com. This website offers products to soothe and heal radiation burns and radiation dermatitis, combat nausea, help compromised skin, help mouth sores and dry mouth, and more.