The Day That Changed My Life - Surviving Through The Challenges

The journey is a process of ups and many downs. However, the support of loved ones is immeasurable in keeping the hope and courage through those uncertain moments. This week we feature a wonderful story that we found on the National Cancer Institute Cancer Topics channel. Melanie Nix found out that she had breast cancer, triple negative breast cancer which is known to have high mortality rates especially among African Americans. Ms. Nix shares a brief part of her journey, one that we hope will encourage and inspire others to know that survival is possible.

While each journey is unique, we all share a common theme - cancer changes our lives forever.

The Day That Changed My Life - MD Anderson Moon Shots Program Brings Hope That Will Change The Lives of Many

It all began with an invitation to attend an event at MD Anderson Cancer Center. This was not an ordinary invitation, this one was different. A major announcement of the initial cancers will be addressed as part of their Moon Shots Program, a highly-concentrated effort to rapidly and dramatically decrease suffering and death from cancer. How exciting?!! Anything that promised to make a difference in the realm of cancer - I just had to be there.

And off I went to Houston, Texas. Totally excited! Get your snacks, this is going to be good.

The big day arrived, Friday, September 21st, 2012. There was a breakfast reception where the invited guests mingled and met the President of MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Ronald DePinho. The conference room was filled with a mix of medical staff, cancer patients/survivors and their families as well as the media. I found my seat and waited with a smile. You cannot imagine how happy I was, happy for the news that will affect the lives of so many.

Dr. DePinho opened up with a welcome, introduced the guests on the stage and the moment that I waited for had come - the launch of the Moon Shots Program. This program will dramatically accelerate the pace of converting scientific discoveries into clinical advances that reduce cancer deaths.

Here are the 8 cancers that the program will target on the initial launch:
**Acute Myeloid Leukemia/Myelodysplastic Syndrome
**Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
**Melanoma
**Lung Cancer
**Prostate Cancer
**Triple Negative Breast and Ovarian Cancers - two cancers linked at the molecular level.

Tears of joy flowed as I thought of the families who would be able to enjoy their time with their loved ones - living longer lives. Weddings, graduations, concerts, births, baptisms, christenings, confirmations, bar and bat mitzvahs and other important events will be shared together.

As we follow the journeys of those whose lives have been touched by cancer, it gave me a thrill to be a part of such an ambitious program. Stay tuned for more on the MD Anderson Moon Shots Program and the wonderful people I met there. Coming soon the journey of a newlywed couple who are both fighting cancer.

The Day That Changed My Life - Following Mary Ellen's Journey

We look for a journey that will give you an insight to the life of a cancer patient/survivor and have we found a journey to share with you. Mary Ellen's shares a thorough journey filled with the first hand accounts, uncertainty, concerns on how it will effect her children, will her daughter be at risk? being a part of a trial and hearing from the healthcare team.

While each journey is unique, we all share a common theme - cancer changes our lives forever.















Now be sure to share this with everyone you know, it may be helpful too someone along the sharing process :-)

The Day That Changed My Life - Breast Cancer the Survivors

Did you know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month? Well, if you don't now you know. To find out about the low cost or free screenings are in your area, contact information for local programs is available on the CDC’s Web site or by calling the CDC at 1–800–CDC–INFO (1–800–232–4636). Although we focus on all things cancer, we salute those who have survived and shared their journeys with us. This week we hear from six women who have all been diagnosed with cancer and are now survivors. We use their journey with the hopes of inspiring and encouraging others as they take this familiar path.

While each journey is unique, we all share a common theme - cancer changes our lives forever



Diagnosis



Treatment



Monitoring



Now don't forget to share this with everyone you know. Someone of someone that you know may need to hear this.