vim&
FALL 2012
The Tanning Bed,
the Sun and Your
Skin—What YOU
Need to Know
CANCER IN
YOUR FAMILY?
A MUST-SEE
WEBSITE TO
SUPPORT KIDS
BC Scientists
Rewrite the Book
on Breast Cancer
A New Day
MEDICAL CRISIS
AVERTED:
BC BREAKTHROUGH
IN MEDICAL ISOTOPE
PRODUCTION
page 6
JENNIFER HUDSON makes maintaining
her new, svelte shape look easy. Here’s
how she does it—and how you can, too
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Like Mother,
Like Daughter
She walks like you, talks like you—wants
to be you. Give her a positive example to emulate,
and you’ll set her up for a lifetime of good health..
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CONTENTS
SPECIAL
Research
Frontier
BC Cancer Agency
scientists rewrite
the book on breast
cancer—two major
breakthroughs.
4
DEPARTMENTS
2 For Openers
New season, new
groundbreaking
research initiatives.
3 Why I Give Former
NHL’er gives back to
cancer research.
6 Discovery Medical
crisis averted as BC
proves new method
in medical isotope
production.
46 Virtual Health Fun
apps, foodies to follow
and more!
COVER PHOTO BY JOHN P. MIDGLEY, CORBIS
52 Planned Giving Her
family deeply affected
by cancer, a woman is
compelled to make a
difference.
54 In the News
News roundup
of notable events
from the BC Cancer
Foundation.
8
10
14
18
22
32
FEATURES
The Tanning Bed, the Sun and Your
Skin—What YOU Need to Know
Dermatologist Dr. David McLean
sheds light on indoor tanning and
sun exposure.
30 Days to Better Sleep
Make these changes to your routine
to get better ZZZs.
I Can’t Ask My Doctor That!
Cardiologists reveal their answers to
the questions you’re afraid to ask.
He Said, She Said
Prostate cancer screenings and
mammograms are nothing to fear.
Here’s the lowdown from a real
couple on what to expect.
Hold On to Your Health
Do you know the top health
threats for seniors? Find out how
to eliminate them.
Your Joints: An Owner’s Manual
Learn how your joints work and
how to care for them.
36
40
42
49
50
56
Weighing Your Options
If you’re considering weight-loss
surgery, check out our checklist.
No Greater Gift
Get the facts on organ donation.
Weather Alert
Approaching menopause? Then you’ll
want this guide to better understand
the forecast.
The Trek to Better Treat
Pancreatic Cancer
New tools and technology pave the
way for doctors.
It’s Anything but an Ordinary
Journey
Is cancer in your family? A must-see
website to help support kids.
Ovarian Cancer Research Goes
High-Tech
Smartphone app improving ovarian
cancer research.
ON THE COVER
26
Jennifer Hudson, Grammy-winning recording artist,
Oscar-winning actress and Weight Watchers spokeswoman,
shed more than 80 pounds after the birth of her son.
Learn the secrets to her success.
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For Openers
The BC Cancer Foundation
New Season, New
Groundbreaking
Research Initiatives
I
Contact the
BC Cancer
Foundation
Vancouver Island:
Lori Angelini
1-866-519-5550
[email protected]
2
Jess Ketchum, Chair
Kevin Irvine, Vice-Chair
Joy MacPhail, Vice-Chair
John Jennings, Past-Chair
Dr. Sam Abraham
John Auston
Randy Bartsch
Robert Bennett
Wendy T. Chan
Sue Connaghan
Lynda Cranston
Greg D’Avignon
Monika Deol
Gordon Diamond
Brad Field
Michael Hungerford
Joanne McLeod
Douglas Nelson
Derrold Norgaard
Anna Nyarady
Brian Schmidt
Kirsten Tisdale
Lorne Wickerson
President & CEO
Douglas Nelson
t is with great momentum that we usher in the fall season.
At the Foundation, we are so pleased to celebrate another record-breaking
year, with $50.4 million raised for research and enhancements to patient care
at the BC Cancer Agency. Again and again, thanks to the generosity of our
donors, we are surpassing our past achievements and making possible even more
pioneering research.
Just one example of the partnership between philanthropy and research is seen
in our exciting new Pancreatic Cancer Research Initiative, led by Dr. Daniel Renouf,
medical oncologist and clinical investigator with the BC Cancer Agency. Pancreatic
cancer is one of the most under-funded cancers in Canada, yet it’s the fourth leading
cause of cancer death in the country.
Not only will Dr. Renouf and his colleagues be able
to unravel the genetic mysteries of one of the most
deadly types of cancer, but their research will also
result in better, smarter, more targeted treatments
and will have the potential to dramatically improve
outcomes for cancer patients in British Columbia and
Provincial Office:
beyond. I invite you to read more about the Pancreatic
1-888-906-2873
Cancer Research Initiative on page 49.
[email protected]
Tremendous things are happening in cancer
Abbotsford and
research thanks to our donors, including two highFraser Valley:
profile breast cancer breakthroughs at the Agency,
Andrea Coogan
which are advancing breast cancer knowledge
1-866-232-9974
with global impacts to care. I invite you to learn
[email protected]
more about the incredible research taking place
at the BC Cancer Agency by visiting our website,
Southern Interior:
www.bccancerfoundation.com and to become our
Cynthia Waldek-Peters
partner in discovery as we stride toward our vision
1-866-230-9988
of a world free from cancer.
[email protected]
Best regards,
Vancouver:
Sharon Kennedy
1-888-906-2873
[email protected]
Board of Directors 2012
Douglas Nelson
President & CEO
BC Cancer Foundation Editorial
Allison Colina
Jeanette LeBlanc
Laura Matwichuk
production
Editorial
Executive V.P./Chief Creative Officer: Beth Tomkiw
Editor-in-Chief: Shelley Flannery
Editors: Erin Feeney, Sam Mittelsteadt, Matt Morgan, Ellen Olson,
Tom Weede
Design
Managing Art Director: Adele Mulford
Art Directors: Rod Karmenzind, Monya Mollohan, Kay Morrow
Production
Senior Production Manager: Laura Marlowe
Special Projects Coordinator: Jenny Babich
Imaging Specialist: Dane Nordine
Prep Specialists: Julie Chan, Sonia Washington
Circulation
V.P./ Business Intelligence Group: Patrick Kehoe
Postal Affairs & Logistics Director: Joseph Abeyta
client services
V.P./Sales and Product Development: Chad Rose,
1-888-626-8779
Provincial Office
150 – 686 West Broadway
Vancouver, B.C., V5Z 1G1
604-877-6040
1-888-906-2873 toll free
Charitable Business Number 11881 8434 RR0001
www.bccancerfoundation.com
About the BC Cancer Foundation
As the fundraising partner of the BC Cancer Agency and the
largest charitable funder of cancer research in B.C., the BC Cancer
Foundation enables donors to contribute to leading-edge research
that has a direct impact on improvements to patient care.
Our vision: A world free from cancer
About the BC Cancer Agency
The BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services
Authority, provides a province-wide, population-based cancer control
program for all B.C. and Yukon residents. Its mandate covers the
spectrum of cancer care and research, from prevention and screening
to diagnosis, treatment, supportive care, rehabilitation and palliative
care. The Agency’s mission is:
• to reduce the incidence of cancer
• to reduce the mortality rates of people with cancer
• to improve the quality of life of people with cancer
B.C. has the lowest cancer incidence and cancer mortality rates
in Canada.
Vim & Vigour,™ Fall 2012, Volume 28, Number 3, is ­published quarterly by
McMurry, McMurry Campus Center, 602-395-5850. Vim & Vigour™ is
published for the purpose of disseminating health-related information for the
well-being of the general public and its ­subscribers. The information contained
in Vim & Vigour™ is not intended for the purpose of diagnosing or prescribing.
Please consult your ­physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment and/or adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines.
Vim & Vigour • FALL 2 0 1 2
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Why I Give
Cancer Goes to
the Penalty Box
A residential development
boosts cancer research
S
Mike Barrie (left) with Dr. Brad Nelson at the opening of
Mike’s Mariner’s Village Development
For Mike, the recent loss of a close friend to
cancer was also part of his motivation to help
make a difference.
He’s also committed to seeing Mariner’s
Village success continue to benefit the BC Cancer
Foundation. His hope is that future commercial
retailers will get on board and come up with
creative ways to support cancer research on
Vancouver Island.
“With our success, there’s no question of us
doing more. It’s close to our heart,” says Mike. donate
ome may wonder why a healthy 6'3" former professional hockey player would
be so keen to support cancer research.
It’s simple: Mike Barrie believes in the
power of cancer research.
Recently, he was invited to come along on a
tour of the BC Cancer Agency Vancouver Island
Centre in Victoria by a friend who is a generous
donor to the BC Cancer Foundation.
Mike was inspired.
“I was totally stunned after touring the BC
Cancer Agency,” he commented at an open house
celebration for his brand new residential development in Sooke.
“I had no idea that this level of research was
happening here on Vancouver Island and that so
many breakthroughs have had a direct impact on
cancer treatment for patients. It was completely
unexpected and exciting.”
Immediately after the tour, Mike remembers thinking, “How can I help and how can I
be involved?”
Mike and his Mariner’s Village partners
recently opened the first phase of a major residential development in Sooke. When it’s complete, the west coast oceanfront property will be
home to townhouses, condos, commercial space,
business space and medical offices.
While the Mariner’s Village site is helping
to revitalize the business community—it’s the
largest construction project in Sooke history—
the developers also wanted the project to have a
positive impact on residents in the region.
Mike and his partners decided they would
donate a portion of residential sales to the BC
Cancer Foundation and recently presented
$120,000 to help fund leading-edge cancer
research on Vancouver Island. Speaking on
behalf of the Mariner’s Village development
team, Mike says, “We’ve all lost loved ones to
cancer and felt that this was a unique way for
developers to give back.”
Support Cancer Research
For more information about the BC Cancer Foundation
and ways you can support the groundbreaking research
taking place at the BC Cancer Agency Vancouver Island
Centre, contact Lori Angelini at 250-519-5747,
[email protected]. Or visit our
website at www.bccancerfoundation.com.
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Research Frontier
A Dark Cloud
Uniform treatments for breast
cancer might be a thing of the
past with this discovery
W
Lifts
endie den Brok was diagnosed with
triple negative breast cancer on
May 13, 2005. She remembers the
date clearly because it was the same
day she was accepted to medical school.
“The emotions I experienced that day were the
highest of highs, the lowest of lows and everything in
between,” says Wendie who knew straight away that
this particular type of cancer was aggressive.
She went through the whole gamut of treatments:
surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Once her treatments were over, she was keen to move on and enroll
in medical school.
Dr. Sam Aparicio with Wendie den Brok, breast cancer survivor
4
Unfortunately, she was soon faced with a
major hurdle.
“Within one year, my cancer was back—I had
stage IV disease,” Wendie shares. It wasn’t good
news. Triple negative breast cancer is known to be
the deadliest form of breast cancer.
“This time the chemotherapy and radiation therapy were palliative,” she says.
Magic Bullet
The treatment options were limited and Wendie’s
disease was progressing. Her oncologist at the BC
Cancer Agency had one more option, a combination
of chemotherapy that isn’t typically used to treat
breast cancer but a few studies had shown it could
be effective in some women with triple negative
breast cancer.
Wendie was physically tired and says the psychological impact of living with cancer was indescribable,
but she recalls, “I had nothing to lose.”
The trial drug combination worked. It seemed to
be her magic bullet and today she is very thankful
that her cancer is stable.
However, she often wonders why her cancer finally
responded while other patients’ did not?
Research is helping to answer that question. A
major discovery by Dr. Sam Aparicio, head of breast
cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency, shows
that the diversity of mutations in triple negative
breast cancer is astounding and each one needs to
be approached as a unique entity.
Dr. Aparicio and his team revealed that this form
of cancer is not one distinct single disease, but an
extremely complex and evolved tumour with an
unprecedented range of mutations present at the
time a patient is diagnosed. Their findings have been
published in the prestigious journal Nature.
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Event
Dr. Aparicio explains, “We found that these cancers are operating with the complexity of a mini
ecosystem, and their evolution before diagnosis
may explain the ability to evade current therapies.
What’s extremely motivating with our discovery is
the opportunity to design clinical trials for patients
with triple negative breast cancer so we can explore
patient responses to treatment at the genetic level and
look at ways to improve treatments.”
As a triple negative breast cancer survivor, Wendie
is thrilled with this advancement. “This discovery
is like the lifting of a dark, dark cloud. I and many
others with this disease, as well as the women who
will be diagnosed in the future, can take profound
comfort in knowing that should future treatment be
required, oncologists will have a deeper understanding of what they are treating.”
“The days of uniform therapy for triple negative
breast cancer are becoming a thing of the past and
that means hope for a future. And that is really worth
celebrating!” Wendie says.
This study was carried out thanks to an incredible
collaborative team, including Drs. Sohrab Shah and
Marco Marra of the BC Cancer Agency and colleagues
from the Alberta Cancer Research Biorepository and
Cancer Research UK. Bust a Move
for Breast Health
Bust a Move is more than a daylong fitness
fundraising extravaganza with six exhilarating fitness sessions to a non-stop beat—it’s a
celebration and an opportunity to support the
BC Cancer Foundation and life-saving breast
cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency.
Join the MOVEment at
www.bustamove.ca, email
[email protected],
or follow us on Twitter
@BustaMoveBC for more info!
Dr. Sohrab Shah
Scientists Rewrite the
Book on Breast Cancer
New categories of breast cancer could
transform the future of research
S
cientists at the BC Cancer Agency and Cancer Research
UK have made a major discovery that could change the
way women with breast cancer will be diagnosed and
treated in the future. The global study has reclassified
breast cancer into 10 completely new categories.
Dr. Sam Aparicio led the study working with Dr. Sohrab Shah
and colleagues from Cancer Research UK in a landmark project
that provides clinicians with brand new information that will
help to more accurately predict survival in women with breast
cancer and better tailor treatment to each patient.
“This is a major step forward in building the genetic encyclopedia of breast cancer and in the process we’ve learned there are
many more subtypes of breast cancer than we imagined,” says
Dr. Aparicio. “The study has allowed us to see new features of
breast cancers, such as how the body’s immune system reacts to
certain cancers. It also gives us important clues about the genetic
underpinnings of some of the breast cancer subtypes that have a
higher tendency to relapse.”
It’s the largest gene study of breast cancer tissue ever performed. The team analyzed the DNA and RNA of 2,000 tumour
samples taken from women diagnosed with breast cancer.
Dr. Shah says, “Breast cancer is a global problem and it’s exciting to see a new framework for the disease emerge. Women who
are diagnosed and treated fairly uniformly today will, in the
future, receive treatment targeted to the genetic fingerprint of
their tumour thanks to this new information.”
This new genetic encyclopedia of breast cancer with 10 identified subtypes will point scientists to new drug targets for treating
breast cancer and helps define the groups of patients who would
benefit most. Vim & Vigour • FAL L 2012
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Medical Crisis
Averted
A BC breakthrough
puts Canada back at the
forefront of medical
isotope production
A
donate
global shortage of medical isotopes has
been troubling the medical community.
Doctors feared when the next shortage
will hit, who will supply the isotopes and
how they will continue to provide patients with
life-saving medical scans.
Those fears can now be put to rest.
BC Cancer Agency researchers are at the centre
of a recent medical breakthrough. In collaboration with TRIUMF (Tri-University Meson Research
Facility) and research partners across Canada,
Dr. François Bénard, scientific director of the Centre
of Excellence for Functional Cancer Imaging at the
BC Cancer Agency, has helped develop a new way to
produce medical isotopes, which are critical components in medical scanning.
This breakthrough is generating excitement in
medical facilities around the world as Dr. Bénard and
colleagues have proven that technetium-99m—a key
medical isotope—can be produced using cyclotrons.
Making a Difference
Through Life-saving
Technology
You can support the BC Cancer Agency’s Centre
of Excellence for Functional Cancer Imaging
and help researchers continue on their path
of breakthrough discoveries by contacting
Sharon Kennedy at 604-877-6160 or
[email protected].
6
Better yet, cyclotron facilities are already housed in
the basements of medical facilities in Canada’s major
centres. To ready them for isotope production, the
cyclotrons will require a few upgrades at a relatively
small investment.
a medical isotope crisis
Medical isotopes are a key component in imaging, as
they give off energy that can be detected by imaging
equipment, allowing doctors to better diagnose, stage
and treat cancer patients.
Approximately 80 per cent of all medical tests
using nuclear medicine require technetium-99m. In
Canada, this amounts to around 1.8 million procedures annually and the demand continues to grow.
Dr. Bénard says their breakthrough is truly a practical, simple solution to a problem that has plagued
medical facilities.
Until now, the worldwide medical community has
depended on aging nuclear reactors to produce the
medical isotope supply. Canada’s Chalk River reactor
made national headlines two years ago when an unexpected shutdown of the facility created a shortage of
these critical isotopes around the world. Chalk River
currently produces nearly half of the world’s supply.
The year-long shutdown of Chalk River not only
led to a shortage of isotopes for medical imaging—
it also caused the cost of available isotopes to spike.
Supply and Demand
The scare of another shortage led to a global race to
develop an alternative technology, one that utilizes
existing infrastructure. Dr. Bénard and his research
colleagues succeeded in finding a new production
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method, which will now lead to medical trials to
ensure the technetium-99m made in cyclotrons is of
the same quality as that produced by Chalk River.
Dr. Bénard explains, “The goal was to develop a
technical solution that would work for many people,
not just one machine or one brand of machine. Our
team has demonstrated that the existing and growing fleet of cyclotrons in Canada can successfully
produce high-quality technetium-99m to diversify
the supply of this isotope.
“Not only will this improve the availability of technetium, it will also improve the availability of other
isotopes that are used for PET imaging, which is
really the novel, growing area in medical imaging.”
Bénard estimates that only a handful of cyclotrons
would be required to meet the demand across Canada.
And he believes that since retrofitting existing
machines is relatively easy, hospitals could be capable of producing their own supply of the vital isotope
within months.
As this technology is rolled out across Canada, it will
help hospitals save time and money, and reduce the
risk of a future isotope shortage as there will be a much
more diversified supply. Medical Isotopes:
Helping Detect Cancer
PET/CT scans have become one of the most exciting tools in cancer care,
giving doctors a complete snapshot of the cancer that may be present
in a patient’s body. They are excellent for pinpointing both the location
and size of tumours. Medical isotopes work hand-in-hand with a PET
scan allowing clinicians to “see” where the cancer is and help them more
accurately plan the best course of treatment.
Dr. François Bénard, scientific director of the Centre of Excellence for Functional Cancer Imaging at the BC Cancer Agency
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Dermatologist Dr. David McLean
gives us the facts on indoor
tanning and sun exposure
V&V: Is there a connection between age and the risk of
developing skin cancer?
Dr. McLean: Yes, the earlier the damage from
UV light exposure (tanning beds and the sun), especially
in childhood and adolescents, the more likely a person is
to develop skin cancer. This is because it usually takes
anywhere from 10 to 40 years for the DNA damage to
develop into cancer. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin
cancer, can develop in as little as 10 years after the damage has been done, which is why I see people with skin
cancer in my practice in their late teens or 20s.
V&V: We’ve all accepted that a sunburn is bad news,
but what harm can a tan really have?
Dr. McLean: Sunburns are bad and so is a tan. A
suntan is the direct result of injury to the skin. There is no
such thing as a safe tan. Chronic tanners are exposed to
more UV light, which is the primary cause of skin cancer
and wrinkles. Your cumulative lifetime dose of indoor
UV light and sun exposure, even if you never get a sunburn, can compound to result in the most common form
of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma.
V&V: Will a base tan help prevent getting a burn when
heading on a winter beach vacation?
Dr. McLean: Base tans are bogus. The fact is, a
base tan offers you the equivalent protection to the sun as
an SPF 4 sunscreen, which is totally inadequate. Going to
the tanning bed to get a base tan before a sunny vacation
adds to your cumulative total UV light exposure, skin
damage and risk of skin cancer.
8
The B.C. Government announced a ban on
indoor tanning for anyone under the age of 18,
and Dr. McLean believes
this decision is true cancer prevention that will
help to permanently
influence the attitudes
of young people.
V&V: If a person has spent many hours in a tanning
bed or in the sun, what damage has been done and is
there any way to recover?
Dr. McLean: Undoing damage to the skin is not
possible. While cosmetic procedures exist to help get rid
of moles, freckles and wrinkles—all signs of skin damage—these are just surface changes. The damage doesn’t
go away. My best advice is to be conscientious and limit
your time in the sun during peak hours, cover up, and
if you are exposed, wear sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher.
V&V: What are some of the telltale signs of skin damage?
Dr. McLean: Nearly all freckles are the result of
sun damage and so are moles and wrinkles. Be vigilant: if
you have freckles, moles and wrinkles I recommend visiting your physician once a year for screening.
V&V: Are spray tans a safe alternative for those not
willing to give up bronzed skin?
Dr. McLean: Spray tans are vastly safer than a
tan from indoor tanning or the sun. The spray tan doesn’t
penetrate the skin and is a good solution for people who
want to look darker. I should add, it won’t offer any protection from the sun or tanning bed! online
The Tanning Bed,
the Sun and Your
Skin—What YOU
Need to Know
B.C. Bans Indoor
Tanning for Teens
Under 18
Practice Prevention
For more on how you can keep your skin
healthy, wrinkle-free and cancer-free, visit the
BC Cancer Agency’s online resource at
www.suntips.ca.
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Bosom
Buddies
A woman’s chance of having invasive breast cancer
during her life is about 1 in 8. When caught in its earliest stages,
breast cancer has survival rates of nearly 100 per cent. Schedule your
mammogram today—and don’t forget to remind a friend.
vim&
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY VEER
Days t
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s to Better Sleep
If you’re tired of being tired,
then this plan is for you
BY STEPHANIE R. CONNER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY VEER
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
There it is again. The dreaded sound of your alarm clock.
Every morning, it disrupts your slumber—that is, on the
days you aren’t awakened by a crying baby, construction
noise or roaring engines.
Regardless of what brings us out of Dreamland, many
of us aren’t getting the quantity or the quality of sleep
we need.
In a poll by Leger Marketing for CBC News, six out of
10 Canadians reported getting about an hour less than
the recommended six to eight hours per night. What
seems to be the problem? Lack of time and an abundance
of stress are the main self-reported culprits.
WHY SLEEP MATTERS
People who are chronically sleep-deprived
may see an impact on their metabolism and
hormones. In fact, poor sleep habits have
been connected with slowed glucose processing and weight gain. Plus, lack of sleep
can increase your risk for cardiovascular
disease and diabetes as well as your risk
for accidents.
“Several nights of sleep deprivation is
comparable to a blood alcohol level of 0.08,”
notes Dr. Tracey Marks, a psychiatrist,
psychotherapist and author of Master Your
Sleep: Proven Methods Simplified. “That’s
how impairing it can be to your judgment
and reflexes.”
If you’re tired of feeling tired, our 30-day
plan is just what the doctor ordered. Take
the time to examine your habits, reset your
internal clock and get the sleep you need.
Let’s get started.
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5
10
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ANALYZE YOUR
HABITS.
Start your one-month
journey to better sleep by taking a close look at your current
habits. What time do you go to
sleep and wake up? How long
does it take you to fall asleep?
DETERMINE
YOUR OBSTACLES.
What’s preventing you
from getting the sleep you
need? “We have a culture that
is crazed,” says Marcelle Pick,
MSN, a certified Ob-Gyn nurse
practitioner and author of Are
You Tired and Wired? Your Proven
30-Day Program for
Overcoming Adrenal
Fatigue and Feeling
Fantastic Again.
“We don’t ever
shut down. Our
body’s not made
to do that.”
3
4
SET A SLEEP
SCHEDULE.
Experts say that
going to bed and waking up
at the same times every day
improves the quality of your
sleep. It doesn’t have to be to
the minute, Marks says. “It can
be a range—between 10 and
10:30 p.m., for example.”
12
REMOVE
ELECTRONICS
FROM THE BEDROOM.
“Bedrooms are for sex and sleep,”
Pick says. Don’t have a TV or
computer in your bedroom.
SKIP THE LATENIGHT SNACK.
Avoid eating two
hours before bed (especially
sugary foods) because a spike
in blood sugar can affect sleep,
Pick says.
KNOW WHEN
TO GIVE UP.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, experts say, get up
and read a book or do a puzzle.
But stay away from the television or computer, which can
make you feel more awake.
Regular exercise—
ideally 30 minutes
a day, five or more
days a week—helps
improve sleep,
Marks says.
7 12
13
17
The ideal temperature for
sleep is 20 to 23 degrees
Celsius, Marks says. If you
can’t adjust the thermostat that
low, consider a fan.
DO A SOUND
CHECK. If noises
outside your room
are keeping you up, consider
purchasing an ambient noise
machine.
8
PASS ON THE
NIGHTCAP. “We
know alcohol has
a major effect on your ability to
get into deep sleep,” Breus says.
“It doesn’t put you into good
sleep.” He recommends not
having any alcohol within three
hours of bedtime.
14
18
15
19
20
LOWER
THE
THERMOSTAT.
EAT DINNER
EARLIER. When you
eat dinner too late, your
body might not be done digesting the food before bed, and can
keep you awake. It can also cause
nighttime heartburn, Marks says.
PULL THE
SHADES.
The darker your
room, the better for sleep.
Nicotine, a stimulant, can disrupt
sleep. Plus, because smokers
CHECK IN. You’re
experience nicotine withdrawal
halfway through
at night, their sleep may be
the plan, and you’ve
affected. A 2008 study showed
already made a number of
that smokers are four
changes! This is a good time to
times as likely as
see how you’re feeling.
non-smokers to
say they don’t
QUIT
feel rested
SMOKING
after sleep.
9
16
HIT THE GYM.
BUT NOT
TOO CLOSE
TO BEDTIME.
A workout boosts energy and
may make it hard to go to sleep.
Plus, your body temperature
increases during exercise, and the
body needs time to cool. Experts
suggest working out more than
two hours before bedtime.
KICK THE
CAFFEINE.
To optimize your
sleep, avoid caffeine in the
evenings. But everyone’s body
is different, Marks notes, so to
be on the safe side, consider
avoiding caffeine after noon.
GET COMFORTABLE. That might
mean investing in a
new mattress, better pillows or
softer bedding.
CHECK IN.
OK, just 10
more days to go.
Are you sleeping at least seven
hours a night? Are you waking
up feeling rested?
THERMOSTAT IMAGE BY DREAMSTIME, OTHER PHOTOGRAPHY BY THINKSTOCK
ESTABLISH SLEEP
AS A PRIORITY.
“You can’t fool Mother
Nature. Your body is going to
react,” says Michael J. Breus,
Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and
author of Good Night: The Sleep
Doctor’s 4-Week Program to Better
Sleep and Better Health. “The less
sleep you get, the more problems
you’re going to have.”
CREATE A BEDTIME
ROUTINE. An hour
before bedtime, begin
your routine. Start by turning off
the TV and computer, then get
ready for bed and do a quiet activity like reading or doing a puzzle—
something you find relaxing.
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23
SIMPLIFY.
Clearing physical
clutter can be a
good way to ease mental clutter
and help you relax.
NAB A NAP.
“Power naps
under 20 minutes
can be wonderful,” Marks says.
Just don’t nap too long or too
close to bedtime.
24
TURN OFF ALL
ELECTRONICS.
“Recent studies have shown the impact of
chronic light on decreasing melatonin production,” Marks says.
“We need melatonin, which is
the sleep hormone in our brain.
When you have less of it, that
impairs sleep.” Stop watching
TV, using your computer and
playing on your phone for as
long as possible before bed.
Stay hydrated, of course, but
try to limit how much water
you drink before bed. A trip to
the bathroom in the middle of
the night can disrupt sleep.
25
GO EASY ON
FLUIDS
26
27
KICK FIDO
OUT. Your dog
might be snuggly,
but that doesn’t mean he’s helping you rest.
STRESS LESS.
Stress is a known
obstacle to good
sleep. Find a coping mechanism
that works for you, such as yoga,
deep breathing or meditation.
28
GET ENOUGH
DAYLIGHT.
While it’s important to avoid lights at night,
it’s also important to get some
sunlight during the day (or use
a light therapy box to simulate
the light if you need to) to help
regulate your body’s melatonin
and sleep-wake cycle. Breus recommends starting each day with
15 minutes of sunlight.
29
ENJOY YOUR
DOWNTIME.
“If your day is too
intense and compact, even if you
get to your evening and you’re
ready to collapse, your mind
might still be racing,” Marks says.
Take 15 to 30 minutes to listen to
music, meditate or simply enjoy
some quiet time.
30
FINAL CHECK.
Have you made
progress to
more and better sleep? If you’ve
tried our tips and are still tired
during the day (or struggle
to fall asleep at night), talk to
your doctor. “If you’re feeling
sleepy consistently for one to
two weeks and you’re getting
seven and a half hours of sleep
or more, it’s time to see a sleep
specialist,” Breus says.
Could Improved Sleep
Habits Reduce Breast
Cancer Risk?
Studies have linked rotating shift workers and permanent night shift workers to an increased risk of breast
cancer. Now, researchers at the University of British
Columbia and BC Cancer Agency are taking this link and
delving further with a new study. The researchers are
looking to better understand the relationship between
female shift workers and breast cancer.
It is believed that improving sleep in female shift
workers will have a positive effect on overall quality of
life and risk factors associated with breast cancer.
The study will directly address and identify lifestyle
cancer-causing risk factors with the hope of improving
cancer prevention behaviours and outcomes through
improving sleep quality in shift workers.
This study represents a first step in developing an
effective program to reduce cancer risk in shift workers—potentially affecting a large number of people in
British Columbia. Participation will help researchers
better understand how to prevent breast cancer in
shift workers for the future. If you’d like to learn more,
visit: www.cancerprevent.spph.ubc.ca/research/
shiftworkers.
donate
21
JUST SAY NO.
If you find you
still aren’t getting
enough sleep, it might be time to
say no to optional responsibilities at work and at home.
How Lifestyle, Genes and the
Environment Affect Cancer Risk
A BC Cancer Agency study, BC Generations
Project, is helping researchers explore
how genetics, environment and
lifestyle contribute to developing cancer.
To learn how you can support this project,
visit www.bccancerfoundation.com.
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a
t
T !
k
s
A
t
’
I Can ctor
o
D
y
M
photography by getty images
Cardiologists answer
five important
questions you might
be afraid to ask
By Stephanie Paterik
Have you ever sat on a doctor’s table with
a question rolling around your gut, practically burning a hole through that exam
gown, and felt too scared to ask it?
It’s no wonder we feel vulnerable at the
doctor’s office. After all, we share things
with our doctors that we wouldn’t tell a parent or a priest. But when we’re dealing with
a heart condition, we need to make sure
we’re in the know.
We did the hard part for you, posing five
embarrassing questions to top cardiologists.
Here are their frank answers—no blushing
necessary! >
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Q:
One of the top contributors to heart disease is smoking. When people
quit, they reduce their risk of heart disease, lung cancer, breast cancer
and other health conditions.
Yet, quitting is a very difficult challenge for patients, says Dr. Martha
Gulati, co-author of the book Saving Women’s Hearts: How You Can Prevent
and Reverse Heart Disease with Natural and Conventional Strategies.
“They might quit for a short term and go back to it. It is an addiction
and something they should never go through alone or give up on,” she
says. “When they are ready to quit, they can do it.”
There are many resources for smokers, including medication, hypnosis
and smoking cessation counselling. Gulati has found counselling to be very
effective treatment.
Start by setting a quit date. Then, let your friends and family know
your plans so they can help you keep your vow.
Q:
“When can I have sex
after a heart attack?”
Q:
Q
“Will you
know if I don’t
exercise?”
While blood tests offer a precise look
at your eating habits, they reveal far
less about your exercise routine.
Doctors rely on your word, and
common sense.
“I can’t look at someone per se
and tell they haven’t been exercising,” Gulati says. “I have a hard time
if patients tell me, ‘I’m eating right
and exercising this much,’ and their
weight is exactly the same. It won’t
add up.”
Gerber checks blood pressure,
cholesterol, blood sugar, height,
weight and body mass index. Also,
a stress test can reveal a sedentary
lifestyle, which is a major factor in
heart disease.
Ultimately, lying to your doctor =
cheating yourself.
“There isn’t any reason to lie to
your doctor,” Gulati says. “They want
to help you achieve optimum health
and prevent diseases, so it’s better to
be honest with them so they can help
you achieve healthy practices.”
photography by getty images
This is one of the most pressing questions after a heart attack or
bypass surgery.
“Patients rarely ask it, and cardiologists don’t really bring it up,”
says Gulati, a cardiologist who was educated at University of Toronto and has
appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. “Patients don’t feel that they get counselling on this very important topic that affects their quality of life after a heart
attack, and affects not just the patient but their partner.”
The good news? If you can handle moderate activity like walking up two
flights of stairs or walking briskly without experiencing chest pain or shortness of breath, then your heart can handle sex, according to the Heart and
Stroke Foundation.
“There is a fear of having sex and how vigorous it should be,” Gulati says,
“but the risks are actually quite low.”
Most people can resume sexual activity two to three weeks after leaving
the hospital, the Heart and Stroke Foundation advises. Some medications can
affect libido and sexual function, so be sure to talk with your doctor about
these concerns.
Also, recovery time after a heart attack can vary depending on age, physical
condition, severity of the heart attack and level of emotional stress, says Dr.
Thomas C. Gerber, who is on the board of directors for the North American
Society for Cardiovascular Imaging and the Society of Atherosclerosis
Imaging and Prevention.
Talk with your doctor about cardiac rehabilitation, which strengthens your
heart and restores energy.
“We want our patients to have a healthy life,” Gulati says, “and part of that
is helping them safely resume sexual activity.”
16
Q
“I’ve tried to quit smoking but can’t.
Is there hope?”
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Cardiologists are experts on the physical heart. But sometimes, they delve into
the metaphorical heart, too.
“That’s truly a hard one,” Gerber says.
“I’ve seen patients in the practice who have been tearful when they
talk about life after a heart attack. I suspect that sadness has to do
with loss—the feeling of invincibility that is lost.”
It’s common to feel depressed and anxious after a heart attack
or bypass surgery, Gulati says. It’s vital that you seek treatment for
depression, because patients who don’t are more likely to have repeat
heart attacks.
“We cardiologists may not be equipped to give you the medication
or the counselling you need,” she adds. “But we can refer you to someone who can help. ... You shouldn’t suffer in silence.”
:
Q
interactive
Q:
“Why can’t I
shake this sadness?”
“Is it possible to
‘cram’ for my checkup?”
photography by getty images
It’s tempting to scarf salads and pop fish oil pills the week
before a cholesterol test. But will your cardiologist know
you haven’t maintained a healthy diet?
The answer is yep—you’re busted.
Your body is full of clues that help doctors piece together a picture of your
health. The most telling clue is a little thing called the hemoglobin A1c test,
which measures the average amount of sugar in your red blood cells over the
past 90 days.
“It’s like a picture of what you did the last three months,” Gulati says. “You
can’t do anything about that. It’s one of the ways we can make sure you are
eating right.”
There are other clues. “If someone hasn’t been adhering to a diet, their
cholesterol and blood pressure will be proof,” Gerber says.
Cardiologists check your lipid panel, otherwise known as your fasting cholesterol panel. This test shows what is circulating in your blood right now.
That’s why it’s important to fast at least 10 to 12 hours beforehand.
“If you eat a really bad meal right before coming to the doctor, those numbers will be awful,” Gulati says. “If you eat a diet very high in fat, cholesterol
or a heavily carb-related diet, we will see that.”
High-carbohydrate foods such as beer and chips make your triglycerides spike. And fasting glucose, which can signal diabetes, rises with poor
eating habits.
“If you’re consistently eating diets high in sugar or carbs, you most likely
have a high fasting glucose, particularly if you’re an apple-shaped person
rather than a pear-shaped person,” Gulati says. “If your abdomen enters the
room before you do, your risk of diabetes is higher.” Learn How to Get a
Healthier Heart
Find out if you are at risk for heart disease by
taking the Heart & Stroke Risk Assessment
at www.heartandstroke.com. Then,
use the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s
website to learn ways to live a longer life.
The
Most Valuable
Question logist,
visit a cardio
The next time you
the mos t imporm ake sure you ask
: “What can I do to
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C
18
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATHERINE STREETER
ancer is no laughing matter. The screenings?
Well, those can lead to a chuckle or two once
they’re in your rearview mirror—and you’re
in the clear. Take two common screenings:
the mammogram and the prostate exam.
Many men and women consider them embarrassing,
which could be one of the reasons people put them off.
But studies show that detecting cancer at an early stage—
before symptoms appear—usually decreases the chance of
dying from the disease. And screenings are one way to do
just that.
Consider putting peer pressure to work in a positive way
and partnering with someone you care about such as a
significant other, best friend or relative. Then, make a pact
to get the tests done as a team. That’s what we do.
Knowing we’re taking charge of our health together
is empowering. And we’re here to tell you, these screenings aren’t that bad. A take-charge attitude and a healthy
dose of humour go a long way in getting past the poking
and prodding.
So, let us put your mind at ease about these screenings.
Here, as husband and wife, we share our perspectives on
what prostate cancer screenings and mammograms are
really like. >
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His-and-her
accounts of those
all-important
cancer screenings:
the mammogram
and the prostate exam
BY BETH TOMKIW AND
JOHN TOMKIW
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATHERINE STREETER
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Unravelling
the Mystery of
Mammograms
video
The risk for breast cancer goes up as you age,
so it’s important to have regular screening
mammograms. In B.C., you can book an appointment with the BC Cancer Agency’s Screening
Mammography Program (SMP). It’s pretty
easy. Simply call 1-800-663-9203 to book your
appointment or go to www.smpbc.ca and fill
out a quick and easy form to let us know when
to give you a call.
When you visit www.smpbc.ca, you’ll
discover a wealth of information, including
informational videos. There is a video that takes
the mystery out of the procedure by showing
a step-by-step guide to having a mammogram.
Another mystery for women is why the breasts
need to be compressed between two plates.
Watch the video to better understand the
importance of compression when looking for
changes in the breast.
We encourage everyone to learn more by
visiting the SMP’s website at www.smpbc.ca.
You might be surprised what you learn.
He Said
So here’s the thing. Men don’t like going to the doctor.
It’s part of the Guy Code, along with a secret handshake and unspoken oath. But, as I’ve gotten older,
I’ve gotten smarter … plus my wife “insists” louder.
So we have an agreement. Every year, the first week
of January, we make our appointments and trundle
off to see our respective docs. Except this year, mine
threw me a curveball.
Apparently, when you peel a page off the old calendar of life and turn 50, you need to develop a, um,
special relationship with your physician. And this
doesn’t mean going out for a few beers during hockey
season. Nope. Age 50 means getting the dreaded
prostate exam for the first time.
A prostate exam is the easiest way to detect abnormalities in the small gland—whether it’s lumpy,
swollen or overly hard. And all those things can be
symptoms of prostate cancer, which, according to
the BC Cancer Agency, is expected to claim the lives
of over 540 British Columbian men in 2012.
The exam is pretty simple. The doctor examines
your prostate while wearing exam gloves. There’s a
wee bit of discomfort but nothing you need to discuss
with the boys down at the pub. In fact, it’s over in less
than 30 seconds.
Based on the digital rectal exam (that’s the highfalutin’ term for it), your doctor may ask for more
diagnostic tests, such as a blood screening called the
prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which is used
to detect abnormalities. Mine came out normal, so I
don’t have to give this another thought—until next
January, when my wife and I will once again pick up
the phone together.
Become a Partner
in Discovery
Help unravel the driving forces behind
breast and prostate cancer by partnering with the BC Cancer Foundation by
supporting leading-edge research. Visit
www.bccancerfoundation.com to
learn more about our fundraising priorities.
20
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She Said
I’m actually as bad as my husband when it comes to scheduling doctor’s visits. I’ve used all the
excuses: “no time,” “no need,” “no way!”
In fact, until we formed our pact, I had gone more than five years between my first mammogram
and my most recent one. But cancer killed my mother, and my father died from complications
caused by a slew of chronic yet preventable health conditions. These are facts my husband reminds
me of (in a nice way) each time the excuses start flying. So, now I confer with my physician during
an annual physical, and schedule my screenings according to his recommendations.
This year, it was mammogram time. As always, I was anxious about the potential pain. One way
to minimize the discomfort, physicians recommend, is to avoid scheduling the screening the week
before your period, when your breasts are most tender. So I did that and showed up bright and
early—without deodorant, as they also advise. (Deodorant, perfume and powder can leave white
spots on the X-ray, which could be misinterpreted and require a follow-up exam.)
Within moments of checking in, a nurse led me to the changing area, where I was given a gown
and a locker for my belongings. After I was properly attired, she led me to the room where the
machine awaited. Yes, it’s intimidating, but the technician was sensitive, talking me through each
step: “I’m going to place your breast on the plate.” … “It might pinch a little at your armpit.” … “I’m
going to lower the top plate; you’ll feel a squeezing sensation.” … “Stand very still.”
She walked over to a panel of buttons and pressed a few. The machine hummed, and after a few
seconds, she was back by my side. Lifting. Chatting. Assuring. Pressing more buttons. Then we
were done.
It took about 15 minutes total. And as I walked back to my locker and dressed for the day, I felt
empowered. I was taking care of my health. While I can’t fully control what ailments may occur in
the future, I can do my best to prevent them and to catch them early through screenings.
A few days later, I got a call from the lab telling me that my breasts were fine. Vim & Vigour • FAL L 2012
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Don’t be
robbed of
your wellness
as you age
BY SHELLEY FLANNERY
O
lder adults are right to want to protect
themselves and their homes from harm.
They invest in alarm systems, move
to secure communities and buy fiercesounding dogs (of course, behind the door, Fluffy is
all bark and no bite). But what about protecting their
bodies from the top health threats? Unfortunately,
there’s no alarm system for that. Also unfortunate is
that the number of health threats increases with age.
“It happens at the molecular level. Cell structures change as you age,” says Dr. Roger Y.M. Wong,
president of the Canadian Geriatrics Society. “In
general when a person becomes older, there are certain changes in the body that happen even without
disease. Most will age successfully. A small number
will have multiple medical illnesses—both physical
and mental.”
But don’t give up and let your guard down just
yet. There are ways you can protect yourself. And
the earlier you act, the better off you will be. Here’s
how you can identify and eliminate the top health
threats to seniors. >
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL COGLIANTRY, GETTY
22
on
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your
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL COGLIANTRY, GETTY
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Suspect:
Why it’s a threat: Heart disease is a leading killer of both
men and women, and risk increases with age. Coronary
heart disease is caused by plaque buildup in the arteries
that narrows or blocks the passage where blood flows. It
can lead to heart attack and heart failure.
How to recognize it: Chest pain or discomfort (known
as angina) is the most common sign. You also might feel
pain in your neck, jaw, shoulder, arms or back. It may come
on with activity or emotion, then subside with rest. Other
symptoms include shortness of breath, sweating, lightheadedness and nausea.
Arrest it: Prevent heart disease by eating a low-fat,
low-sodium diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, whole
grains and omega-3 fatty acids; getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week; and
not smoking.
“Cigarette smoking has long been identified as an
independent risk factor for many diseases, including
heart disease, lung disease and cancer,” Wong says. “It
can be challenging. There is a high relapse rate, and it’s
higher in seniors than younger people because they’ve
been smoking longer; there’s more of a physical and
mental dependency. Talk to your doctor for help.”
Also, discuss your risk factors with your doctor; he
or she will tell you how often you need to have blood
pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose tests. If you
experience any of the symptoms listed above, call 911
right away.
Suspect:
Alzheimer’s Disease
Why it’s a threat: Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia, is a chronic, progressive and fatal condition. It mostly
affects people older than 65.
How to recognize it: Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of
aging. Symptoms include serious memory loss, confusion
and difficulty remembering newly learned information.
“It’s more than forgetting your neighbour’s name every
once in a while. It’s memory impairment that affects one’s
ability to function on a daily basis,” says Mary Schulz,
director of education at the Alzheimer Society of Canada.
“For example, someone who’s done something most of
their lives, like mowing the lawn, might look at the lawn
mower and wonder, ‘How do I get started?’ ”
Arrest it: Alzheimer’s disease has no cure. But early
detection and intervention with medication and lifestyle
changes can prolong life by years. “When a diagnosis is
24
made and support is given, people have a better sense
of what to expect and plan for not only the future but
today,” Schulz says. “You can have a lot of time. The
sooner you know it, you can be more in control as the
disease progresses.”
Suspect:
Stroke
Why it’s a threat: Strokes are basically heart attacks that
happen in the brain and can lead to disability and death.
While they can happen at any age, most strokes occur in
adults older than 65, according to the Heart and Stroke
Foundation of Canada. Your risk is further increased if a
close family member had a stroke before 65.
How to recognize it: Because stroke affects the brain,
the person having a stroke may not be able to recognize it. That’s why everyone should learn the warning
signs, which come on suddenly: numbness or weakness
in the face, arm or leg, even if only temporary; confusion or trouble speaking or understanding; trouble seeing in one or both eyes; dizziness or loss of balance; and
unusually severe headache with no known cause.
Arrest it: If you notice the above symptoms, call 911
or your local emergency number right away. Stroke
prevention is similar to heart attack prevention—eat a
healthy, low-sodium diet; get plenty of regular exercise;
don’t smoke; and keep up with screenings.
Suspect:
Osteoporosis and Falls
Why it’s a threat: Literally meaning “porous bone,”
osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a loss of
bone mass and density that makes bones weaker and
more susceptible to breaks. Aside from being painful,
bone breaks affect quality of life and can even lead to
death in older adults. In fact, 23 per cent of adults who
suffer a hip fracture die in less than a year, according to
Osteoporosis Canada.
“Accidental falls are one of the most common causes of
death in older people,” Wong says. Once you fall, you’re
more likely to fall again.
How to recognize it: All too often, the first sign of
osteoporosis is a broken bone. Don’t let that be your case,
and talk to your doctor about getting a bone density scan.
Arrest it: Even though the majority of bone mass is
built by age 16 in females and by 20 in males, continue to
strengthen your bones throughout life by getting plenty
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photography by dreamstime
Coronary Heart Disease
of calcium and by performing regular weight-bearing exercise. “You may need to take a vitamin D supplement considering the amount of sunlight we get in Canada,” Wong says.
Also, don’t smoke, and drink alcohol only in moderation.
To prevent falls, clear your home (especially floors and
stairs) of clutter, make sure every room is properly lit, and talk
to your doctor about medications that may cause dizziness.
Overt Tactics to
Evade Cancer
Cancer is the num
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u
sm oke an d your lev
el of ac tivity.
He re are five lifes ty
le choice s th at can
he lp
prevent your ch an
ce s of ge tting canc
er
:
1. Be to bacco free !
2. St ay at a he alt hy
body weight .
3. Eat nutritiou s fo
od . Choose m ore ve
get ab les , fruit, who
le grain s, be an s, nu
ts
an
d
seed s. Choose less
red m eat an d suga
ry
,
sa
lty
an d processed food
s.
4. Be ac tive ever y
day. Choose a varie
ty
of ac tiv iti es to im
prove yo ur st re ng
th ,
fle xi bi lit y an d fitne
ss .
5. Be su n safe . Cr iti
ca l in yo ur ea rly
ye ars, th is re m ain s
an im port ant lifelo
ng
lifes tyle habit. Wea
r a hat, sunglasse s
an d
SPF 30 + sunscree n.
SUSPECT:
Depression
Why it’s a threat: Depression affects between 15 and 20 per
cent of seniors, according to the Canadian Psychological
Association, and increases risk of death by two to three
times. It is under-recognized and under-treated in older
adults. That’s because older adults remain reluctant to
discussing psychological issues with their doctors, the association says. Second, many believe it’s a normal part of aging,
which it isn’t.
How to recognize it: Depression often accompanies other
chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke,
Parkinson’s disease and cancer. Fortunately, it can be treated.
The first step is recognizing it. Signs include persistent sadness or feelings of emptiness, irritability, fatigue, a loss of
interest in once-enjoyed activities, difficulty concentrating,
insomnia or excessive sleeping, overeating or loss of appetite,
and thoughts of suicide.
Arrest it: Depression is treatable through medication and
therapy. But you have to talk to your doctor to get help.
SUSPECT:
Why it’s a threat: The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, caused by wear and tear, is the breakdown of the
cartilage that cushions the joints between your bones. It leads
to pain and stiffness in the affected joint, limiting range of
motion and mobility.
How to recognize it: Risk increases with age, although not
everyone will get osteoarthritis. It often affects the knees,
hips and hands, and sometimes the shoulders. Pain and stiffness are typically worst first thing in the morning, during or
immediately after use, and after long periods of non-use.
Arrest it: While osteoarthritis may cause pain during
movement, it’s important to keep active. Try low-impact exercises such as swimming and walking. Losing weight if you’re
overweight can help. Over-the-counter and prescription medications are available in addition to physical therapy, assistive
devices and surgery, including joint replacement.
download
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DREAMSTIME
Arthritis
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The BC Cancer Agency cares for people with cancer
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The Prevention Program helps people practice
prevention that can lower the risk of cancer by over
50 per cent. MORE THAN HALF OF ALL CANCERS
ARE PREVENTABLE. For more information visit:
www.bccancer.bc.ca/ PPI/prevention.
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A
BY
ALISSA
EDWARDS
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Jennifer
Hudson makes
maintaining
her new, svelte
shape look easy.
Here’s how she
does it—and how
you can, too
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN WINTER, GETTY IMAGES
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ennifer Hudson feels good—she tells us so in her Weight Watchers commercials. And she’s looking good, too. The Grammy-winning recording
artist and Oscar-winning actress appears stunning, slender and confident
in curve-hugging ensembles.
Since shedding more than 80 pounds after the August 2009 birth of
her son, David Jr., the former American Idol “loser” and Weight Watchers
spokeswoman has been one busy—and successful—woman.
“After I had the baby, I made up my mind I wanted to go in a different
direction and find a better lifestyle,” Hudson told Good Morning America.
“I feel like I’ve conquered the world.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBYN BECK, GETTY IMAGES
THE ‘SECRETS’
TO HER SUCCESS
In addition to playing her most cherished
roles—fiancée to pro wrestler David Otunga
Sr., and mom to now three-year-old David
Jr.—Hudson spent the past year and a
half fi lming two movies. She spent four
months abroad fi lming Winnie, in which
she plays controversial South African politician and activist Winnie Mandela, and
the second half of 2011 filming The Three
Stooges, in which she plays Sister Rosemary.
She also released her second studio album,
I Remember Me, and two new music videos,
Where You At and No One Gonna Love You.
Add to that TV appearances and penning
her first book, a memoir, and it makes her
weight, and time-management skills that
much more impressive. Despite a head-spinning schedule, the Dreamgirls star has kept
the weight off for nearly two years now. So
how does she do it?
“Studies show that the vast majority of
people who lose weight will regain it within
three years,” says Dr. Barbara Berkeley,
author of Refuse to Regain! 12 Tough Rules
to Maintain the Body You’ve Earned. “What’s
really impressive about Jennifer’s weight loss
is that she’s maintained it—and even lost a
little more—despite her incredibly busy and
demanding lifestyle.”
Here, we spill some of the not-so-secret
ways Hudson is successfully maintaining
her weight loss—and how you can, too.
1
SHE STICKS
TO WHAT WORKED.
When it comes to keeping the weight off, it’s
not rocket science, Dr. Berkeley says. “Just
keep doing what got you there in the first
place.” For Hudson, that means sticking with
her Weight Watchers maintenance program
and working out regularly.
“I always tell people to keep it simple;
choose a couple of healthy breakfasts,
lunches and dinners you really enjoy and
have them over and over,” Dr. Berkeley says.
One of Hudson’s favourite meals? “Baked
turkey wings, greens and sweet potatoes,”
she says in her “What’s Working” video blog
on www.weightwatchers.ca.
“I will not call it a diet because it’s not a
diet,” Hudson says of her new, healthier lifestyle. “I know better; I have a better sense of
judgment. I feel more … educated in the decisions and choices I’m making [about] what
I’m eating.”
Dr. Berkeley adds: “Realizing that you can
never go back to your old ways is critical to
keeping the weight off for good. The only
way to be good at maintenance is to learn to
love your new way of life.”
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SHE STAYS ACTIVE.
Double-dutch jump rope. One-on-one basketball.
Having a dance-off with a toddler.
It’s all part of Hudson’s exercise routine. “I love
basketball because it’s fun. You don’t even realize
you’re working out,” she said on The Oprah Show
in February 2011. “That’s how I get my workout
in now—having fun by doing things that I did as
a kid.”
Though she started with just 30 minutes of
walking a day, a healthier Hudson says she now
enjoys doing physical activity that was once too
difficult for her.
“Before, running was out of the question,” she
told Oprah. “A lot of times you get intimidated
coming into the gym and you see all the fit people
and you think, ‘I’ll never get there.’ But [now] I
love running. Out of all the machines, the treadmill is my favourite.”
“Almost without exception, people who successfully keep the weight off are regular exercisers,” Dr. Berkeley says. “Staying active does
more than just burn any extra calories you might
consume. It can improve your mood, boost your
metabolism and even help you sleep better.”
Lose a Little,
Gain a Lot
Beyond the numbers on the scale, better fitting clothes and the positive
changes you see in the mirror, losing those extra pounds you’ve been
carrying around can deliver big benefits, including:
A spring in your step. Losing just 10 pounds of excess weight can
reduce the pressure on your knees by 40 pounds.
An improved mood. People who are overweight are more likely to
be socially isolated and to experience depression.
A better night’s sleep. People who are at a healthy weight are less
likely to suffer from sleep disorders like sleep apnea.
A longer life. Losing weight lowers your risk for several kinds of
cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Source: livestrong.com
30
Those are all good things when you’re trying
to balance a family, an acting and music career,
and regular TV appearances.
Like anyone, Hudson says there are days
when she just doesn’t feel like working out. “I
feel lazy sometimes,” she said in a recent interview posted on Weight Watchers’ Facebook page.
“[But] I tell myself … ‘Out of all the hours you
spend in the day, this hour is the most changing,
the most crucial.’ ”
3
SHE ROLLS WITH
THE PUNCHES.
Life is full of unexpected turns. But whether it’s
the death of a loved one, a serious injury or an
illness, it doesn’t have to derail your hard work.
Hudson was briefly hospitalized last year for
food poisoning. She took it easy for a few days,
but she didn’t let it bring her active lifestyle to a
screeching halt.
“If your day-to-day choices reflect a consistently healthy lifestyle, little breaks won’t cause a
significant weight gain,” Dr. Berkeley says. “And
during times of stress, staying physically active
can actually help you cope.”
When her schedule gets too hectic to fit in her
usual workout, Hudson doesn’t stress. “It’s about
balance and finding what works for you,” she told
Good Morning America. “Something is better than
nothing.”
4
SHE HAS LOTS OF
SUPPORT AND SHARES
HER SUCCESS.
Whether you’re still losing weight or simply trying to maintain your shape, surrounding yourself with positive, encouraging people can help
keep you on track. Hudson says she’s encouraged
by the support of her fans and fellow Weight
Watchers members, and has even been known to
drop in on a meeting every now and then.
“We are all the same,” she says in her Weight
Watchers blog, “Jennifer Powered.” “We all have
struggles, but if we support each other, we can
get through anything.”
Sharing your weight-loss tips and goals with
others can help them, but it can also help you, Dr.
Berkeley says.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRIS CONNER, GETTY IMAGES
2
“ We are all the same.
We all have struggles,
but if we support each other,
we can get through anything.
”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRIS CONNER, GETTY IMAGES
TOO SMART TO FAIL
A new study published in the International
Journal of Obesity found that in a one-year
weight-loss program based on lifestyle changes
more than 40 per cent of participants gave up
before reaching their goal. Within three years,
those who finished the program regained 75 per
cent of the weight they had lost.
So, will Hudson be one of the few who succeed
in keeping it off for good? Dr. Berkeley says she
thinks so. “Jennifer demonstrates many of the
principles that we find in people who succeed
at maintaining their weight loss: She’s staying
true to the healthy habits that got her where she
is today.”
Though Hudson says she has always been
comfortable with her body—big or small—she
has no intentions of going back. “I’m in the best
shape of my life!” Hudson told People magazine.
“This is the way I want to be and the way I want
to stay.”
Kitchen Cleanup
Keeping the weight off might be as simple as cleaning out your fridge
and pantry. Dr. Barbara Berkeley, a specialist in obesity management,
shares her tips for a kitchen that’s conducive to keeping those extra
pounds at bay.
1. Put healthy foods in plain view. When you open your fridge,
what are the first things you see? Prepare healthy snacks and put them at
eye level toward the front of the shelf.
2. Get rid of the junk. Bring those leftover brownies and bags of
chips to work to share, or just throw them away. “Hiding food from yourself never works,” Dr. Berkeley says. “You’ll always remember where you
put it, or you’ll find where someone hid it from you, if you really want to.”
3. Feed your family the way you feed yourself. It may take some
clever cooking and a bit of convincing, but the best way to ensure that
you’ll stay on track is to get everyone else on board, too. “By feeding
your family the same way you feed yourself, you eliminate the junk that’s
brought into the house and improve everyone’s health,” Dr. Berkeley says.
ONLINE
“Telling people about your goals can help
keep you accountable, and sharing how you’re
doing helps solidify those new skills in your
mind,” she says.
Plus, having someone going through the same
thing you are can make a big difference.
“There is a camaraderie there, a support system that can make you stronger than if you tried
to go it alone,” Dr. Berkeley says.
Cancers Crave Carbs
This BC Cancer Agency study, published in Cancer Research, provides one more reason to limit your trips to the cupcake shop. To
support research into nutrition and cancer, contact the BC Cancer
Foundation representative in your area, listed on page 2, or to
learn more, visit www.bccancerfoundation.com.
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Y ur J
PHOTOGRAPHY BY THINKSTOCK
An
Owner’s
Manual
32
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r Joints:
Joints are susceptible to injury, overuse and
arthritis, all of which can spell pain. Stay pain-free
with this how-to guide | by Amanda Myers
M
any new moms wish their babies had come with
PHOTOGRAPHY BY THINKSTOCK
owner’s manuals. That would be handy, no doubt,
but humans don’t come with instructions.
Until now.
Understanding how your joints work is the first step in knowing
how to properly care for them. Here’s what you need to know.
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The Knee
What it is: The knee joint is the largest joint in your body
and is where four major ligaments and three main bones
come together: the femur (thighbone), tibia (shinbone)
and patella (kneecap). The fibula (outer shinbone) plays a
key supporting role.
What it does: Your knee joint is one of the main players in your body. It helps you walk, run, bend, jump—
you name it and the knee is involved.
Common injuries: You may have heard of someone
twisting a knee. Dr. Jonathan Kerr, family physician
and a member of the College of Family Physicians of
Canada, says this is common. “Someone knocks you to
the ground and the foot you have planted on the ground
turns sideways,” he says. The result is twisting or tearing the ligament surrounding the knee.
Precautions: Sports are a frequent cause of injury,
Kerr says, but simply landing on your foot the wrong
way when walking can do it, too. Make sure you have the
proper footwear—shoes that fit well are important. And
keeping your leg muscles strong will also help support
the knee joint.
Treatment: For minor injuries, remember RICE—rest,
ice, compression and elevation. A twisted joint can take
days or weeks to heal. “Try to avoid running or playing sports,” Kerr says. A tear, on the other hand, is more
severe and may require surgery.
Hip Joint
34
Troubleshooting
for Joints
Your knee is swelling up like a water balloon after that run.
You thought you were in shape to go five kilometres, but
maybe four should have been your max. Now what? When
one of your joints protests in pain, the RICE method—rest,
ice, compression and elevation—is usually the first step. But if
you run into any of the situations below, it’s time to head to
your doctor.
• You are unable to walk or put weight on the joint.
• You feel numbness, severe tingling or a radiating pain
from the injury.
• Your symptoms worsen after you have tried the
RICE method.
• The injured area looks crooked or has a hard lump over
the joint.
• You are unsure about the seriousness of the injury.
photography by Thinkstock
What it is: The hip joint is a ball and socket where the
head of your femur meets the lower region of your pelvis.
What it does: This joint helps support the weight of
your body and retain your balance and posture.
Common injuries: “The number-one injury I see,”
Kerr says, “is a break, usually from a slip and fall.” He
adds that a broken hip is more common in those who have
lost bone density because of osteoporosis.
Precautions: While osteoporosis can be hereditary,
you can help reduce your risk factors by quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and getting enough calcium and vitamin D. To prevent falls, Kerr says consider
yoga and tai chi to enhance your balance. And fall-proof
your home by doing away with dangers such as slippery
throw rugs and by installing grab bars in risky fall spots,
such as the shower.
Treatment: If you have a family history of osteoporosis, talk to your doctor about getting a bone density test.
A hip replacement may be an option in severe cases of
joint degeneration.
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SHOULDER
What it is: Three bones come together at the shoulder—
the clavicle (collarbone), scapula (shoulder blade) and
humerus (upper arm). Muscles, ligaments and tendons
add to the complexity.
What it does: The shoulder is one of our most mobile
joints, allowing arms wide movement. Think of all the
times you move your arms, raise them above your head,
steer a car, reach for something—shoulders play a part.
Common injuries: Excessive, repetitive motions in
sports such as swimming or tennis and even everyday
activities like gardening can cause shoulder trouble.
Among common injuries, Kerr says, are rotator cuff
tears. “People can strain these pretty easily. You could
fall or be lifting something that’s a little too heavy,” he
notes. You could also wind up with a shoulder dislocation, which is painful.
Precautions: Make sure the muscles around the
shoulder are strong, Kerr advises. Work out the deltoids,
trapezius, or “trap” muscle, and biceps. “Those other
muscles will hold that shoulder in place,” he explains.
Treatment: For a mild rotator cuff tear, the treatment
will be the RICE method again, along with some antiinflammatory medication. “Things usually get better in
four to six weeks,” he says. In rare cases, people tear the
rotator cuff and surgery is required.
BACK
video
What it is: While there is no “back joint” specifically, the
back is made up of the vertebral column, which houses
17 vertebrae consisting of more than 30 bones. Think of
vertebrae as shingles on a roof.
What it does: The back supports the weight of the
head and the trunk of the body, and allows you to move
and flex.
Common injuries: Lower back pain can occur from
bending over the wrong way or lifting something that’s
too heavy, Kerr says. You may walk a little crooked, and
you will feel a hard lump where the spasm is occurring.
Bust a Move
Keep your joints happy while Busting a Move
at this unique daylong fitness fundraising
extravaganza where participants will take part
in six exhilarating hour-long fitness sessions in
support of breast cancer research!
Visit bustamove.ca today.
The back is also susceptible to degenerative disk disease,
many types of fractures and osteoarthritis, where cartilage between the bones wears down over time.
Precautions: To prevent lower back pain, keep your
abdominals in shape, Kerr says. And prevent overexertion—don’t lift things that are obviously too heavy.
Treatment: If you have strained your back, rest. “Heat
can also really help,” Kerr says. Massage may be beneficial,
and your physician might recommend anti-inflammatory
medication or steroid injections. In more severe cases,
surgery is an option.
Extend
Your
Warranty
How often do you check in with your joints to make
sure they are doing what they should be doing—and
without pain? One in 10 Canadian adults is affected by
osteoarthritis, characterized by achy, stiff joints due to
the wearing down of cartilage over time.
There is no cure, but there are ways to improve your
joint function and relieve some of that pain, slowing
the disease’s progression. Start with just two simple
steps from Dr. Jonathan Kerr, a family physician and
member of the College of Family Physicians of Canada:
1. Don’t wait—lose weight. “Being overweight
puts more stress on the joints. The more weight
you carry, the more force is going through those
joints. Over the long term, that sets you up for osteoarthritis,” Dr. Kerr says. Talk to your doctor about a
weight-loss program.
2. Be strong. Strengthening your joints through
exercise that includes weight-bearing activities (think
squats and lunges) reduces your risk of falling, one of
the main culprits of joint injuries.
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BY AMY LYNN SMITH
p
O tIoNs
YOUR
If you’re considering weight-loss
surgery, use this checklist as a guide
to help you make your decision
FdVVFA1200CND_36-39_Weight5.indd 36
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GETTY IMAGES
Read enough magazines or watch enough infomercials and it’s easy to lose sight of the real goal
of weight loss. Achieving a healthy weight is
about more than looking good in a swimsuit.
So much more.
People who are in a normal weight range have less risk for
chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Losing weight also lessens the burden on your weight-bearing
joints.
For people who are extremely overweight, weight-loss surgery
can be a way to put them on track, making it easier for a healthy
diet and regular exercise to have their intended effect.
Are you a good candidate? Use this checklist to find out. >
5/18/12 3:51 PM
Where
Does My
Family
Fit In?
s
An important issue to consider before having weightloss surgery is whether your
family will be supportive.
Talk to your family
members about everything
involved so they understand the expectations, suggests Doreen A. Samelson,
Ed.D., a clinical and medical
psychologist specializing in
weight-loss surgery.
“People sit down at the
dinner table together, they
may cook together, and if
your family doesn’t understand the fact that you’re
going to have to really
change your eating, it can
make it difficult,” she says.
If you’re not the cook
in the family, talk to the
person who is about how
you will need to eat before
and after surgery. The good
news is that the healthy
eating plan you will be
following will be a smart
choice for everyone.
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38
online
You can support leading-edge cancer prevention
research looking into the effects a low carb/
high-protein diet has on preventing the incidence
and progression of cancer. Make a gift today,
visit www.bccancerfoundation.com.
Considering Surgery? Find
Out More
Want to calculate your BMI, find a support group or
simply learn more about weight-loss surgery? Visit the
“Patients & Public” section of the American Society for
Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery website at asmbs.
org.
photography by thinkstock
Most cancerous tumours have a
huge appetite for carbohydrates.
They are highly dependent on
glucose to grow and survive.
Normal, healthy cells are much
less so. Researchers at the BC
Cancer Agency have been studying the effect of low-carb diets
on the incidence and growth of
tumours. Dr. Gerry Krystal and
his colleagues have found that
low-carb, high-protein diets not
only slow tumour growth and the
number of new cases of cancer,
but also substantially increase
the effectiveness of a number of
cancer drugs, especially Celebrex.
Their research could also have a
major impact on cancer prevention strategies and on the understanding of how cancer drugs
work effectively.
online
The
Metabolism
of Cancer—
BC Cancer
Agency
Researchers
Put Cancer
on a Lowcarb Diet
Diet Impacts on
Cancer Incidence
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I have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more,
or a BMI of 35 or more along with an obesityrelated condition such as type 2 diabetes.
This is the standard criterion for determining the
need for weight-loss surgery. Dr. Daniel W. Birch,
a spokesman for the Canadian Association of
General Surgeons, says the guidelines established
by the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. and
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are
somewhat universal and include Canada. The FDA
has approved a specific procedure (the Lap-Band)
for people with a BMI as low as 30 if they have an
obesity-related condition.
I have already tried dieting and exercise to
lose weight.
Healthy eating plans and portion sizes are important for everyone, Birch says. But sometimes diet and
exercise aren’t enough.
“People need to understand how their current
lifestyle differs from a healthy one if they’re severely
obese,” he explains. “There’s a very strong role for
education and trying to help people gain insight
about changing their lifestyle, regardless of whether
they’re going to have surgery.”
In fact, it’s especially important to eat right and
exercise if you’re going to have weight-loss surgery,
says Doreen A. Samelson, Ed.D., a clinical and medical psychologist and author of The Weight Loss Surgery
Workbook: Deciding on Bariatric Surgery, Preparing for the
Procedure, and Changing Habits for Post-Surgery Success.
“The research is clear that people who are unwilling to lose weight or start exercising before surgery
are at risk for not losing enough weight or regaining
what they lost,” she says.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY THINKSTOCK
I know weight-loss surgery isn’t a quick fix
and that I have to maintain a healthy lifestyle
after surgery.
Starting a healthy eating and exercise program before
surgery is a great way to make sure you can stick with it
after the procedure. It’s also important to fully understand personal reasons for wanting to trim down.
“Sometimes people assume that everything in
their life is attached to obesity and that all their problems will go away after they lose weight, but that’s
not necessarily true,” Samelson says.
Even positive changes can take adjustment for you
and the people in your life.
What’s more, because many people put back on at
least some of the weight they have lost, a maintenance
plan is important. Keep a food diary to prevent overeating, and be ready with a strategy if you gain more
than a few pounds.
I have learned about the
different kinds of surgery.
There are a number of surgical options. The best
way to choose the right one for you is to consult with
a surgeon.
But bear in mind that some procedures can
change your body’s metabolism. This means they
are more likely to improve or resolve weight-related
issues such as type 2 diabetes. Of the three most
common types of surgery in Canada, all but the
laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding procedure
have metabolic effects.
I know there are risks involved with surgery.
Any surgery has risks, although those specifically related to weight-loss surgery are low.
But there are possible long-term issues to be aware
of, says Birch, including the chance of vitamin or
protein malnutrition. Because you will eat a lot less
after surgery, your prescribed vitamin supplements
are essential.
Birch cautions strongly against “medical tourism”
for bariatric surgery, which he says is a significant
issue in Canada. Having the surgery performed away
from home can limit access to the necessary follow-up
care and guidance.
I have health issues that might
be helped by weight-loss surgery.
Depending on the type of surgery, benefits may
include improvement or remission of a number of
obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes,
heart disease, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure
and high cholesterol levels.
“It’s important to remember that weight-loss surgery isn’t a cure for anything,” Samelson says. “But
if people are willing to make the necessary lifestyle
changes, it’s a tool that can really help.”
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The facts about
organ donation
in Canada—
and why you
should consider
becoming a donor
No 16.3
Greater
Gift
in 1 million
By Alissa Edwards
From 2001 to 2010, organ donation in Canada rose
18 per cent, according to the Canadian Institute for
Health Information (CIHI). It’s an inspiring thought.
Still, because of a critical shortage of organ donors, more
than 200 Canadians die each year while on ever-growing
waiting lists.
Experts call it the “widening gap”—the growing discrepancy between the number of individuals who need
an organ transplant and the number of available organ
donors. Here, we shed some light on this incredibly
important, life-saving issue.
/
1,022
Number of Organ Donors in 2010
Thanks to 1,022 individuals living and deceased, a total
of 2,103 organ transplants were completed in 2010.
40
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There were 16.3 living organ donors
per million population in Canada
in 2010, the CIHI says, compared
with 17 per million in 2006. The
rate for deceased donors was also
down, from 14 to 13.6 per million
population.
8
Number of Lives
You Could Save
by Becoming an Organ Donor
In addition to saving lives, organ
donors can enhance many more
through tissue donation, which helps
patients recover from everything
from trauma to burns.
Number of Canadians Awaiting
Organ Transplant in 2010
More than 4,400 Canadians needed an organ transplant
in 2010, and 229 died waiting for one, according to CIHI.
An additional 511 individuals withdrew from the list, likely
because they had become too sick.
4,406
5/18/12 3:51 PM
80% to 95%
Success Rate of Organ Transplants
One Year afTer surgerY
The CIHI reports that transplants are highly successful on average, and that most
recipients and living donors go on to live healthy, active lives for decades to come.
1954
The Year the
First successFul
Organ Transplant Took Place
Performed at what is now known as Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston,
Mass., the first successful organ transplant recipient was 23-year-old Richard
Herrick, who received a kidney from his identical twin brother, Ronald.
KidneY
The Most Commonly
TransplanTed Organ
online
Kidney transplants, on average, account
for more than half of all organ transplants,
with 1,248 in 2010. But 3,362 people were
on the waiting list, CIHI says.
LIVE LIFE.
PASS IT ON.
Help to save the lives of others and
become an organ donor. Take two
minutes now to register your decision
online at www.transplant.bc.ca,
then share your decision with
friends and family.
The Gift
of Life
We all know that organ donation saves lives—one donor
can provide the gift of life
to as many as seven others.
People living with cancer
often assume they are not
able to give the gift of life
by donating their organs.
According to BC Transplant,
this is not always true. While
any medical condition may
prevent a certain organ from
being donated, it does not
mean the answer is always no.
For those living with cancer,
or those who have survived
cancer, it may still be possible
to be an organ donor.
There are many criteria
that need to be met for a person, with or without cancer,
to become an organ donor.
Before a donation is considered, an extensive series of
tests are conducted to determine if any of the organs are
viable for transplant.
BC Transplant encourages
all British Columbians to register their wishes on organ
donation and to talk about
that decision with friends
and family.
LIVE LIFE. PASS IT ON.
Register online at www.
transplant.bc.ca.
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Weather
Alert
If perimenopause is sending signals that your
body is changing, get ready to ride out the storm
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CORBIS
“What’s wrong with me? Am I going crazy?”
At 43, Magnolia Miller couldn’t help but
ask these questions as she faced mounting
changes that proved something strange was
happening to her.
The only way the stay-at-home mother
of three knew how to cope was to pencil in
the words “hell week” across her calendar
on that dreaded week before her menstrual
cycle. Like clockwork, she was hit by “crazy,
insane mood swings, heart palpitations
and vertigo, and deep, debilitating bouts of
depression.”
BY LORI K. BAKER
Then the storm cleared as abruptly as it
had arrived, “and I’d feel normal again,” she
says. “It was just insane.”
Like so many women in the prime of their
lives, Miller was too busy with life’s responsibilities to pay attention to perimenopause’s
first signals.
“Here I was, right in the middle of the age
range when women start going through perimenopause, and yet I didn’t put two and two
together at first,” she recalls.
With perimenopause—the transitional
phase before periods end for good—in every
woman’s forecast, it’s time to decode the signals and discover how they can interrupt
day-to-day life, and explore practical strategies to weather the storm. >
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Irregular Periods
Signal: Your menstrual cycle’s
droughts—and floods
Storm advisory: Miller says she
had very regular periods until age 41, when a “phantom period” mid-cycle turned her life upside down.
The disruption in her normal menstrual cycle led
to an unexpected pregnancy, and after the birth of
her third child, “I started having heavy, heavy menstrual cycles to the point that I could not leave my
bedroom,” Miller says. “I would go through a whole
package of pads in two hours. It was just awful. And
then the next one would literally be spots. It went
back and forth like that for a number of months.”
How to weather it: Dr. Margery L.S. Gass,
executive director of the North American Menopause
Society (NAMS) and a certified menopause practitioner, says a change in your menstrual cycle is one of the
first clues you’re in perimenopause. In the beginning,
your periods may come a week early or a week late.
“The more common that pattern becomes, the
greater the likelihood that a woman is entering perimenopause,” Gass says. “The peculiar thing that is a
characteristic of perimenopause is to have irregular
bleeding. But irregular bleeding can also be a sign of
problems, such as endometrial cancer or hyperplasia.
So breakthrough bleeding throughout the month, or
cycles that have gotten noticeably heavier or longer,
could be normal but are definitely things to check out
with your physician.”
Gass says a woman may choose to stabilize her
erratic periods by taking birth control pills (if she
doesn’t smoke, have high blood pressure or a history
of blood clots) or progestin, the synthetic form of the
hormone progesterone.
Hot Flashes
Signal: The hormonal heat
wave known as “hot flashes”
Storm advisory: As Miller
discovered, hot flashes can hit
when you least expect them.
Miller recalls a road trip to
her husband’s 20th high school reunion during an
icy winter. Outside temperatures had dipped below
freezing. Yet, she was sweating and asked her husband to crank up the car’s air conditioner.
“I was sitting there in short sleeves, no coat,
with my arms raised up over the vent to get cool air
because I was having waterworks under my left armpit. Meanwhile, my husband was wearing a hoodie,
44
a scarf and a big heavy jacket, and he was just freezing. When we got to the reunion, I ended up putting
on a jacket and never taking it off because it was just
too humiliating.”
How to weather it: Perimenopausal women
may get occasional hot flashes when their estrogen
levels drop, usually around the time of their period,
says Gass, who offers simple coping strategies:
“First, try to stay cool—both physically and emotionally. Having emotional reactions can trigger hot
flashes, as can letting your body get a bit too warm.
So wear layered clothing that you can take a layer off.
Also, keep the temperature around you cool.”
Low-speed fans can do the trick, along with clothing made of fabric that can wick moisture away from
your body.
Sleep Disturbances
Signal: Night skies with a
slight chance of sleep
Storm advisory: Miller can
never forget her sleepless nights.
“During the warring part of menopause, I had horrendous insomnia, and I took [the prescription sleep
aid] Ambien for about three years because I just
couldn’t sleep at all,” Miller recalls.
How to weather it: Some women experience
menopause-related sleep disturbances, especially
if hormone changes provoke hot flashes (or “night
sweats”) during the night.
To get more adequate shut-eye, women should first
focus on improving their evening routines, including
avoiding heavy meals and adjusting levels of light,
noise and temperature.
“As people get older, having caffeine and chocolate, especially dark chocolate, may be a stimulant
that prevents falling asleep easily, so they should be
avoided after late afternoon,” Gass recommends.
To minimize night sweats, she suggests avoiding comforters that trap heat and opting instead for
lightly woven bed linens that breathe. Also, keep the
air circulating in your bedroom by setting an overhead fan on low.
Mood Swings
Signal: Dark moods and
widely scattered emotions
Storm advisory: Miller
called it “PMS on steroids” or
simply “hell week”—the week before her period
when she felt fragile and furious.
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“The mood swings and rages where I’d lose complete control were probably what freaked me out
the most,” she recalls. “I would scream so loud that
I would lose my voice and start shaking. It was just
rage. Absolute rage. And then I would swing over
to depression. And the depression would be so dark
and heavy that I would start crying, and I’d cry for
two or three days at a time. And then it was like a
switch would go off and it would pass, and then I’d
feel completely normal.”
How to weather it: Gass compares the moodiness and irritability that many women feel during
perimenopause to premenstrual syndrome or postpartum depression.
“It’s good if women can realize it’s a phase; it’s not
going to last forever,” Gass says.
Emotional health during this pivotal time of life
requires a healthy balance between self-nurturing
and the obligations of work and caring for others.
“It’s an important time to get enough sleep, exercise,
stay active and engaged, and get out of the house to
do things that you find rewarding and enjoyable,”
she says.
When lifestyle changes aren’t enough, hormone
drugs (such as oral contraceptives or estrogen therapy) may help stabilize moods. Other women may
benefit from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs), such as Prozac, Zoloft or Celexa. The important thing to realize, Gass says, is that the need for
hormones or SSRIs is only temporary.
Mixed Signals
If you’re a woman age 38 to 40, chances are
your hormones may have started going a
little haywire as your body prepares to enter
“the change” known as menopause. Most
North American women experience menopause, when their periods fully stop, between
the ages of 40 and 58, with the average age
being 51, according to the North American
Menopause Society (NAMS).
Dr. Margery L.S. Gass, executive director of
NAMS and a certified menopause practitioner, warns that there are symptoms that you
shouldn’t automatically chalk up to perimenopause. “Be aware of things that would raise
a red flag at other points in your life,” Gass
says. “Menopause gets blamed for a number
of things that probably aren’t menopause.” If
you experience the following conditions, for
example, report them to your physician:
• Heavy bleeding. “A characteristic of
menopause is irregular bleeding, but it could
also be a sign of a problem, such as endometrial cancer or hyperplasia,” Gass says.
• Depression. For more than a simple case
of the blues, “if you are suffering from depression, you should seek help from a professional,”
she says.
• Significant weight change.
It has been 12 years since Miller
was first jostled by hormonal
whims. She entered menopause
a few years ago, and she has now
reclaimed her happy—and healthy—
life as an active blogger (“The Perimenopause Blog,”
theperimenopauseblog.com) and a graduate student
pursuing a master’s degree in health and human
development with a focus on healthcare consumer
advocacy for women’s health.
“I’ve discovered there’s a real need to blog about
this topic, from the perspective of a woman who has
‘been there, done that’ and who can empathize, have
compassion and reach out to women to say, ‘Yes, it’s
real. And no, you’re not going crazy.’ ”
Better yet, as Miller has realized, perimenopause
is a passageway to a brand-new part of life when
many women feel more confident, empowered and
energized than ever before. interactive
Sunny Skies Ahead
Track Your Symptoms—
and Solutions
You can track your perimenopause changes, learn
more about them and record treatments you used
each day by downloading the iPhone app “myPause”
at www.myappsolution.com/mypause.
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VIRTUAL HEALTH
BY CAREY ROSSI
DON’T FORGET
Your Mammogram
Y
OU CARRY YOUR SMARTPHONE
with you all the time. Let it help you remember important appointments. The next time
you schedule your mammogram, visit www.
smpbc.ca and fill out a quick and easy form to let us know
when to give you a reminder call. And when you schedule your next Pap test, use our Pap Test Reminder tool—it
sends you an email when it’s time to get your next Pap!
Pap tests can find abnormal cervical cells so they can
be treated before they develop into cancer. Regular screening is important to ensure these cells are found. For more
information on Pap tests, and to sign up for the Pap test
reminder, visit www.LaceCampaign.com.
BENEFITS
of Blogging
46
PHOTOGRAPHY BY THINKSTOCK
Your anti-social teen might benefit from increasing his or her online
presence, according to a report in the journal Psychological Services. Israeli
researchers found that teens who reported difficulty making or relating to their friends benefitted from keeping an online journal, or blogging, twice a week for 10 weeks.
In fact, those who blogged about their social awkwardness increased
self-esteem and decreased social anxiety and emotional distress
more than teens who either did nothing or kept private journals. To
get your teen (or perhaps yourself) started, check out www.blog.ca,
www.blogger.com, www.wordpress.com or www.tumblr.com.
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Inspiration for healthy eating lies only as far away as your Facebook feed. Here
are three chefs who will keep you eating well.
ROCCO DISPIRITO, author of Now Eat This
Sample status: “Is everyone ready for another Football Sunday? If you are
having people over why not treat them to some of my ‘Fried’ Cheese Balls
http://bit.ly/uOko9x”
SARMA ONELUCKYDUCK (aka Sarma Melngailis), author of Living Raw Food
Sample status: “Daniel’s special app tonight, half eaten by Sarma (me):
Chanterelle Turnip Ravioli, Nasturtium Truffle Cream, Oak Aged Sherry Vinegar,
Citrus Marigold http://twitpic.com/6a5id1”
JAMIE OLIVER, founder of Food Revolution
Sample status: “#recipeoftheday lovely mince pie cookies from #jamieschristmas
http://t.co/7nDOsrT6 enjoy! Jx”
GOOGLE YOUR CHANCES
OF GETTING THE FLU
PHOTOGRAPHY BY THINKSTOCK
Johns Hopkins researchers found that the popular search engine
Google may help emergency rooms prepare for a spike in flu-related
visits. Reporting in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, the group
found a correlation between the number of Internet searches for “flu”
and the volume of patients visiting for flu-like symptoms.
It isn’t just hospitals that use the search engine giant to improve wellness—you
can, too. By checking the Google Flu Tracking Tool at www.google.org/flutrends/
ca/#CA, you can monitor the flu in your province, then take precautions such as
getting a flu shot, being hypervigilant about hand washing, getting enough rest
and avoiding people who have the flu.
Bust a Move is the BC Cancer
Foundation’s newest daylong fundraising fitness event in support
of breast cancer research at the
BC Cancer Agency. On April 13, 2013,
participants will move, groove and
stretch their way through six exhilarating fitness classes and commit to
raising a minimum of $1,000 along
the way. Once registered, participants
will have access to online resources to
help them achieve their fundraising
goals, including a personal fundraising
page that allows participants to keep
track of their progress.
To make fundraising and training easier, participants will receive
email updates with training tips
from fitness leaders and other exciting announcements.
ONLINE
Three Foodies to
Follow on Facebook
Online
Fundraising
Made Easy
with Bust
a Move
Bust a Move
on Facebook
Don’t forget the Bust a
Move Facebook page, a great
resource for participants and
volunteers to swap fundraising
ideas and share their experiences about the event. So
what are you waiting for? Visit
www.facebook.com/
bustamovebc.
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Leading-edge tools and technology
are opening doors for researchers
I
magine attempting to summit K2, the world’s second
highest peak and most dangerous climb, without modern tools such as a climbing harness, GPS and Gor-Texshelled, down-filled clothing to protect you from the
vicious elements.
Modern technology allows us to consider new ways to
approach even the most extreme challenges.
Like the climbers from decades ago who struggled with
insubstantial resources to reach the uncharted peak of K2,
clinicians have been attempting to treat pancreatic cancer—
a challenging and resistant disease—without the knowledge
and tools that only today’s technology can offer.
Researchers and clinicians at the BC Cancer Agency are
embracing a new era in which tools that were once fit for science-fiction novels can now be utilized to unravel the complicated genetic makeup of pancreatic cancer and to develop
better, smarter and more targeted treatments for patients.
Advanced genome sequencing technology is driving the
pancreatic research team forward on its expedition to analyze
the genetic details of pancreatic cancer. By tapping into a new
tumour tissue bank and cancer outcomes unit, they will go on
to help identify which mutations are significant, which can be
targeted with new or exciting drugs, and most importantly,
which patients will benefit from the new treatments.
A New Era of New Treatments
Despite some forward movement with therapies for pancreatic cancer in recent years, the fact remains: it’s the fourth
leading cause of cancer death in Canada and claims the lives
of nearly 600 British Columbians each year. New treatments
are critical.
This is where Dr. Daniel Renouf, medical oncologist and
clinical investigator with the BC Cancer Agency, comes in.
He specializes in clinical trials for pancreatic cancer and he’s
excited about the coming together of leading-edge genome
sequencing technology, nanomedicine and clinical trials for
pancreatic cancer.
With the peak in sight, a K2 climber uses the best equipment and tools available in the effort to summit the dangerous mountain. Likewise, on the uphill climb, Dr. Renouf and
his colleagues will use cutting-edge technology and emerging
tools such as new drug therapies in their trek to find solutions
to save and extend patients’ lives.
Dr. Renouf explains, “Pancreatic cancer is resistant to most
traditional drug treatments. In addition, most patients are
diagnosed with advanced disease, which is currently incurable.” However, he believes that new tools are opening the
door to “improve early detection and find potential new targets for new drug therapies and avenues to determine which
patients will benefit from which treatments.”
“My main goal is to make my patients live longer, improve
their time living with cancer and reduce the symptoms from
their cancer,” says Dr. Renouf.
Pancreatic cancer is driven by multiple mutations, which
means Dr. Renouf and his colleagues will need to identify
multiple “magic bullet” treatment protocols. New technology
enables them to tackle this challenge. Donate
The Trek to
Better Treat
Pancreatic
Cancer
Partner for the
Pancreatic Cancer
Research Initiative
The BC Cancer Foundation’s 2012 Inspiration Gala
on November 1 will support the Pancreatic Cancer
Research Initiative. While building clinical and
scientific leadership, the multidisciplinary research
program at the BC Cancer Agency will combine
the forces of genome analysis, clinical trials and
cutting-edge nanomedicine technology with a new
cancer outcomes unit to advance pancreatic cancer
research and care. Contact John Andru at
604-707-5815 or [email protected]
to support researchers as they uncover the
driving forces behind pancreatic cancer.
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It’s Anything but an
Ordinary Journey
Cancer in My Family is a site created to let children
explore and learn in a comfortable, safe online
environment. It gives them options for fun activities
to help them address how they feel about cancer.
V&V: How are children affected by
cancer in their family?
Sara: It’s important to recognize that cancer can affect the
whole family, including children. Simple changes to a child’s
schedule or having to possibly take on new responsibilities
can affect them.
Many children can be confused about the emotions they
are experiencing. Some children may think they should feel
sad all the time because their family member is sick. When
something exciting happens in the child’s life they might feel
guilt around that. It’s important to make children aware that
it’s OK to feel this range of emotions and it is normal for these
changes to take place in the family.
In other cases, children can have misconceptions or misunderstandings about what cancer is. Depending on their age,
some children believe they may have caused the cancer from
something they did.
V&V: What’s your role in working with
children who have cancer in their family?
Sara: Part of the work we do in Patient & Family
50
Counselling is to help children understand how to put cancer and
its treatment into perspective. This website is one of the tools we
have available to help families go through that learning experience with their children.
Also, in experiencing cancer, individuals can feel very alone,
and we hope this site helps children to understand that families
experience this together, so they are not alone. Children can find
buddies on the website and choose an avatar, like a virtual friend
in the website, to help them connect with people they can talk to.
V&V: Why a web-based resource for children?
Sara: Some families are unable to visit a BC Cancer Agency
centre together, so we wanted to create a tool that would be available 24/7 and accessible in rural or remote locations. The website
is designed to support families, and encourage communication
between family members and children. It allows people to learn at
their own pace and is useful for those who prefer to learn independently. We also wanted to have a resource for teachers and counsellors for younger school-age children.
The website is also a great supplement to the BC Cancer Agency
Children’s Group, which operates at most of the centres in BC. We
share this website with families who cannot make it to a session
because it contains a lot of the same information and resources
as the Children’s Group. It’s also great to have this information
available to a wider population. Email
T
he BC Cancer Agency’s Patient & Family Coun­selling
Services team led the development of an award-winning website for children six to 12 years old called
Cancer in My Family, www.cancerinmyfamily.ca.
Since the site launched in 2009, it continues to receive recognition for its unique approach to educational and applied
arts learning. Developed to help children address how they
feel about cancer in their family, the website is now a oneof-a-kind resource for children and parents who are affected
by cancer.
V&V met with Sara Prins Hankinson, Art Therapist with
the BC Cancer Agency’s Provincial Psychosocial Oncology
Program, to learn more about the website and some of the
resources it offers.
Support
If you are interested in supporting projects like
this or Patient & Family Counselling services at the
BC Cancer Agency, please contact Sharon Kennedy
at [email protected] or
by phone at 604-877-6160.
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d
e
i-
e,
es
d
d
o.
y
lte
n
at
nl-
y
We
n
es
n
Useful Tools
and Activities
on the Website
What People Are Saying
About Cancer in My Family
Patient & Family Counselling has received lots of
feedback about the website. Children like it and
some older children help their younger siblings
with it, too.
“My favourite thing about the website is that
after you play a game you get the answer to the
question about your family member’s cancer.”
—Maria, age 12
“I find that when I discuss the
www.cancerinmyfamily.ca
resource with families they
most often seem extremely
thankful that someone’s
thinking of them and simply
relieved as well that they have
some sort of resource they can
access together with their
kids.” —Gregory Huebner,
clinical counsellor and
practice leader at BC Cancer
• Children learn through play and this is a significant element of the website’s design. Activities
and tasks on the website include a Home Tree, pictured at left, and Explorer. Also, weather is a great
metaphor for emotion with children and they can
control the weather on the site as often as they
like. Activities like the Submarine memory game,
Sandcastle sand painting, Secret Garden pong-like
game, Rocket Ship scavenger hunt and Rock Wall
cave drawing help children explore their emotions
and learn about cancer along the way through creative expression.
• After completing each game or activity on the
website, children can write in the travel journal
about their experience.
• Children and parents can work through sample
pages from an activity book called Time for Me,
which encourages communication about their cancer journey together. Principles of art therapy are
used throughout the site to reflect the ways that
children learn.
• Reaching Out to Your Children When Cancer
Comes to Your Family: A Guide for Parents is a
resource designed to support parents by sharing
different communication techniques for them to
use with their child.
• Cancer in My Family is a safe place where children
can go online to play and express what they are
experiencing. In addition, there are educational
components for the whole family.
Agency Abbotsford Centre
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planned giving
Will
The Three W’s
of Your
Ask yourself these three questions when
you are considering a gift to charity in your will
Q
What would you like your gift to
accomplish?
A gift to charity in your will allows you to create a
legacy for a cause that may have touched your life or
that of a loved one. For most charities, gifts by will
are essential to their ability to continue to make a
difference in the lives of people in their community.
The Way to a Will
Before you see your legal advisor to have your will prepared,
consider this:
1. What do you own?
Make a list of your assets—your home, car, pensions, RRSPs,
other investments, insurance policies and any personal items
of significant value. Are you the sole owner of the asset?
Bring any relevant documents when you meet with your
legal advisor.
3. Who will be your executor?
Choose an executor you trust and who will likely outlive you. Appoint an alternate executor in case your
first choice is not able to act. If you have a complex
estate or investments or need someone to take over
the operation of a company, consider naming a professional executor, such as a trust company.
4. Who will be the guardian of any
minor children?
Appointing a guardian for your minor children is
important to avoid confusion in your family if both
parents die before your children become adults.
52
CALL
2. WhoM do you wish to benefit?
List the family and friends you would like to benefit, as well
as the charities you want to support.
Consider what kind of impact you would like to have
on the lives of others and discuss it with the charity
of your choice to ensure that your wishes can be met.
Q
What is the correct legal name of the
charity you wish to benefit?
Q
How will your family feel about you
including a gift to charity in your will?
Once you have decided which cause you would like
to support, consider which charity you would like to
benefit. Many charities may be supporting different
aspects of a cause and may have similar names. Also,
some charities may be known by names other than
their legal name. Be sure you use the correct legal name
of the charity you wish to benefit, to avoid confusion
and possibly extra expense to your estate. Make sure
the organization is a registered charity so your estate
will receive a charitable gift receipt for tax purposes.
It is important to discuss your philanthropic wishes
with your family so they know what your intentions
are and how important your legacy is to you. Then,
when the time comes, they will understand the charitable gifts in your will. Partners in Discovery
The BC Cancer Foundation is the bridge
that connects philanthropic support and
research breakthroughs in cancer knowledge.
We fund with the goal of finding solutions.
Legal name: BC CANCER FOUNDATION
Registered charity number: 11881 8434 RR0001
To make a gift in your will to the BC Cancer Foundation,
in support of cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency,
please contact Alyson Murzsa at 604-707-5905,
toll free at 1-888-906-2873, or email
[email protected].
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A Lasting Legacy
to Commemorate
Her Family
B
etty Newell is a retired paediatric nurse
currently living in Victoria, B.C. At 86, she
has always called British Columbia home.
Her family’s journey with cancer has
been intense, experiencing firsthand the cancer
statistic that one in three British Columbians will
develop some form of cancer in their lifetime.
In 1964, Betty’s 22-month old daughter was diagnosed with bilateral-retinoblastoma, or cancer of
both eyes. She says, “She was desperately ill. One
eye was removed immediately and the second eye
underwent radiation treatment, followed by a round
of chemotherapy.
“It was many months, treatments, hospitalizations
and anesthetics before it was thought her cancer was
in remission. The main unknown was, if she was to
live, would her second eye have to be removed. We
lived with that possibility for five years.”
Although her second eye was spared, Betty’s
daughter was left legally blind, and would live to the
age of 41 with a compromised immune system due to
the cancer treatments from decades ago.
Betty adds, “Throughout the ordeal we were supported by the caring, compassionate and thoughtful
BC Cancer Agency staff. They lightened our burden
as much as they were able.”
Sadly, cancer affected another loved one in Betty’s
life. “My second husband was diagnosed with nonHodgkin lymphoma. After a series of radiation and
chemotherapy treatments he was declared ‘cured.’ ”
Ten years later his cancer returned. The treatments he received allowed him to live for seven more
years before he succumbed to his illness.
“There was a spirit of cheerful optimism and
joie de vivre among the staff and patients in the
photo, Bet ty Newe
Rem inis cin g ove r a fam ily
wit h Vim & Vigour
ll shares her story
chemotherapy department of the BC Cancer Agency
that had to be experienced to be believed. My husband never gave up hope, and today, thanks to the
progress in research, he would have an even greater
reason for optimism.”
After Betty’s husband completed treatment, he
wanted to give back to cancer research through the
BC Cancer Foundation. Betty has since carried on
donating in his memory and says, “It has become
habit to donate now.”
“I’d also like to think we can reach a point where
children do not have to suffer through prolonged
treatments that are devastating to their current and
future health.” Betty adds, “Hopefully with research
they can find less invasive treatments when treatments are called for.
“Thank you to all the team at the BC Cancer
Agency Research Centre. We hope to help others
through donating and relieve others in the future so
they don’t have to go through what we did, and find a
cure,” Betty says.
Now through a bequest in her will to the BC Cancer
Foundation, Betty can leave a legacy in support of cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency. She says, “I
wanted to commemorate my husband and my daughter and put my money to use with more of a lasting
legacy than just a one-time gift. It’s not a big bequest,
but I believe good will eventually come of it.”
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IN THE NEWS
Highlights & Happenings
Showcasing people making a difference
HONOURABLE GESTURE
Danny and Sandy Jadresko, owner-operators of
Woodmere Holdings Corp., made a significant
$100,000 donation to establish The Danny and
Sandy Jadresko Cancer Research Fund with the BC
Cancer Foundation. The couple wants to support cancer research with an impact at the BC Cancer Agency
Vancouver Island Centre, and honour Danny’s
mother—an 11-year survivor of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. “We were impressed and inspired by the
level of dedication the researchers and the caregivers have,” says Sandy, pictured with her husband,
Danny. “We know it is only through research that
discoveries can be made to help those facing a diagnosis of cancer.”
BATMOBILE ROLLED INTO
VANCOUVER IN SUPPORT OF
CANCER RESEARCH
Andy Smith, Batmobile builder and local cancer survivor, brought the “Tumbler” to the lower mainland
in an effort to give back and say thank you to his
care team at the BC Cancer Agency and to help the
BC Cancer Foundation raise awareness and funds for
cancer research. Andy is an engineer, stuntman and
special effects veteran in the film industry. “Three
years ago, I had my run-in with cancer,” Andy shared
with local media. “I was diagnosed and the Cancer
Agency fi xed me. I thought, now I’ve got a chance to
give something back.”
TEAMING UP TO TREAT BREAST CANCER
The BC Cancer Foundation and Canadian Friends of the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem have teamed up to fund an important research initiative between the BC Cancer Agency and the
Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada. The research project will look at genetic markers in breast cancer and how they
can play a role in detecting cancer earlier and improving treatments of breast cancer. A recent gala raised $1.3 million to support Dr. Karen Gelmon (centre), medical oncologist and senior
scientist with the BC Cancer Agency, and the international study
team as they explore early genetic and immunological changes
occurring in breast cancer patients.
54
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UNITE TO END CANCER
Surjit and Vinay Tumber’s family and friends come
together once every second year as this dynamic
couple hosts an intimate dinner and dance for 500
of their closest friends at Surrey’s Bombay Banquet
Hall. Over six years they have raised nearly $50,000
to support the BC Cancer Foundation and the work
of the BC Cancer Agency for a cause very close to this
family’s heart. Hosted by Punjabi Power 96.1FM’s
Lady B and entertained by the Shiamak Devar dance
group, the evening is made possible by the strong
community and business support in the room.
HALLOWEEN CIRCUS
SUPPORTS CANCER RESEARCH
For the Shreve family of Surrey, Halloween is a big
night and they go all out with one of the most decorated and entertaining houses in the entire city.
Hundreds of families flock to see their “Halloween
Circus,” a fundraiser for the BC Cancer Foundation.
The event is held in memory of Diane Shreve’s
father, Aires Moreira, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2011. This year the family hopes to pull
off the most spooktacular event to date, visit www.
bccancerfoundation.com for more information!
Upcoming
Signature Events
Visit www.bccancerfoundation.com for more
details or to secure tickets today and support leadingedge cancer research in British Columbia.
Inspiration Gala
The BC Cancer Foundation’s annual Inspiration Gala
will take place November 1, 2012 in support of the
Pancreatic Cancer Research Initiative. As one of
Vancouver’s premier gala events, tickets for this stunning event sell fast.
Discovery Luncheon
The BC Cancer Foundation’s second annual Discovery
Luncheon in Kelowna will be November 14, 2012 at the
Coast Capri Hotel. This luncheon will secure funds to
support the PREDICT program, which allows patients to
play an active role in critical cancer research.
Jingle Mingle
Save the date for the BC Cancer Foundation’s annual
holiday event in Victoria—Jingle Mingle—taking place
November 29, 2012. Chaired by Bonnie Campbell, the
illustrious event raises funds for innovative cancer
research on Vancouver Island.
Bust a Move
Join the MOVEment—Bust a Move is a daylong fitness
fundraising extravaganza with six exhilarating fitness
sessions to a non-stop beat, taking place April 13, 2013 at
the Richmond Oval. It’s a celebration and an opportunity
to support the BC Cancer Foundation and life-saving
breast cancer research taking place at the BC Cancer
Agency. Register Today! www.bustamove.ca.
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Ovarian Cancer
Research Goes
high-tech
A new smartphone app allows real-time updating
from surgery to outcomes unit
56
“My wife, Diana, was diagnosed with a rare sub-type of
ovarian cancer, ovarian clear cell carcinoma, in May of
2008. She has been in remission for three and a half years
since she completed her surgery and chemotherapy and
lives a full life. I was interested in giving to the BC Cancer
Foundation to support a sophisticated clinical database project, of which the app is a small part. I saw this project as an
opportunity to augment clinical research knowledge of ovarian cancer that could benefit patients and possibly my wife
going forward,” says Gray.
The new app is a part of a comprehensive enhancement to
the Cheryl Brown Ovarian Cancer Outcomes Unit, which will
upgrade technology, software and functionality, so that customized patient data can be inputted from the entire health
team and extracted and analyzed in “real-time” for clinical
treatment. This could enhance patient care while providing a
superb clinical database for research purposes.
Gray believes this app and further enhancements will
“continue B.C.’s international leadership and positive reputation as leaders in the field of ovarian cancer scientific and
clinical research.” donate
A
n innovative new smartphone application is making it easier for gynecologic oncology surgeons
in B.C. to record details from an ovarian cancer
patient’s surgery into the Cheryl Brown Ovarian
Cancer Outcomes Unit in real-time.
Thanks to a BC Cancer Foundation donor, the app is now
up and running to help enhance the data available for ovarian
cancer research in B.C.
Dr. Sarah Finlayson, a gynecologic surgeon and researcher
with the Ovarian Cancer Research Program of B.C. (OvCaRe),
says, “Surgeons treating ovarian cancer patients across the
province are already using this custom app on their smartphones to record critical intra-operative details straight to the
outcomes unit. This saves time and enhances accuracy, as the
app prompts surgeons to enter all the relevant details.”
Dr. Finlayson describes the beauty of this app, “As soon
as the case is finished, I can pick up my iPhone and enter
all of the vital information from the procedure we just
performed.” The system is secure and only accessible to
approved researchers.
This means that critical data is immediately available for
leading-edge ovarian cancer research initiatives that are
approved and anonymized.
Dr. Anna Tinker leads the Cheryl Brown Ovarian Cancer
Outcomes Unit at the BC Cancer Agency and explains the
incredible value in this data. “Gaining new understandings
about the biology of ovarian cancer and patient responses to
treatment hinges on the completeness and accuracy of the
data stored in the outcomes unit and gynecologic cancer tissue bank, which lay the groundwork for breakthroughs in
care. To date, this type of data has supported a significant
number of research projects,” she says.
Doug Gray is a proud supporter of OvCaRe. He believes
in the program’s scientists and clinicians and their ability to
transfer knowledge from lab findings to clinical treatment.
Advance Ovarian
Cancer Research
OvCaRe has made significant strides in
expanding the understanding of ovarian cancer,
improving treatment and introducing a new
surgical prevention strategy thanks to donor support. Learn how you can support leading-edge
researchers and clinicians on their road to discovery.
Contact Sharon Kennedy at 604-877-6160 or
[email protected].
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Where does your
family tree lead?
It’s a
bout more than tracing your roots.
Children of parents with heart disease are more likely to develop the
condition themselves. Talk to your parents about their health histories—
and talk to your doctor about the screenings you need.
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Bust a Move for Breast Healthtm is more than a day-long fitness fundraising extravaganza
with six exhilarating fitness sessions to a non-stop beat. It’s a celebration and an
opportunity to support the BC Cancer Foundation and life-saving breast cancer
research taking place at the BC Cancer Agency.
Join the MOVEment - Register Today!
www.bustamove.ca
604.675.8245 I [email protected]
M E D I A PA R T N E R S :
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