northern b.c. cancer centre expands research … · 2013-02-01 · the bc cancer agency, an agency...

The always perky—and quirky— DIANE KEATON doesn’t let asthma slow her down

Breath of Fresh Air

SPRING 2013

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THE IMMUNE SYSTEM: IS IT THE KEY

TO CURING CANCER?

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New Hope for Brain Cancer Patients

NORTHERN B.C. CANCER CENTRE EXPANDS RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

Exercise Could Be Vital in Breast Cancer Care

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DOWNLOAD SIGN-OFF __la____ ART ___sf____EDIT

Changing the Change

This isn’t your mother’s menopause. Relief from symptoms is closer than ever. Talk to your doctor about your options.

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8DEPARTMENTS2 For Openers

Pancreatic cancer, the challenge and the opportunity.

3 Why I Give Braiding bracelets for a cure.

4 Research Frontier Do our immune systems hold the key to cure cancer?

46 Virtual Health A video for dizziness, a stress-reducing app, and much more!

52 Planned Giving Ann Douglas gives to a charity close to her heart.

54 Highlights & Happenings A roundup of news events at the BC Cancer Agency and Foundation.

FEATURES 6 A New Link Between Breast

Cancer and Exercise A new study proves exercise is a long-lasting benefit to breast cancer patients.

10 You’re the Star Find out how you can take the lead role in your own healthcare.

14 Heart-to-Heart Four women share their harrowing stories of heart disease, along with life-saving advice.

18 Lighten Up! Get the skinny on how losing a little weight can make a big difference in your health.

20 Have No Fear Don’t let concerns about joint replacement keep you from living.

25 Work It! This easy office makeover can help you stay fit and reduce stress on the job.

34 What Are the Chances? Which behaviours are risky when it comes to cancer and which are just hype? We clear up the confusion.

38 9 Symptoms Never to Ignore When do those minor aches and pains indicate something more? Here are nine reasons to call your doctor.

42 When Allergies Attack Do you know fact from fiction when it comes to allergies?

49 World Class Care Close to Home BC Cancer Agency opens new centre in the north.

50 Oral Cancer Prevention Is Proven Possible in B.C. Healthier mouths are on the horizon with a new approach to preventing oral cancer.

56 A Top Performer in CanadaThe BC Cancer Foundation earns an honourable award for funding life-saving cancer research.

ON THE COVERBecause she has such an effervescent personality, you probably never would have guessed that Diane Keaton has asthma. But she is breathing easier now and living a full, joyful life even with the condition. And so can you!

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SPECIALTechnology Brings Hope to Brain Cancer Patients A Canadian fi rst at the BC Cancer Agency.

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I t’s not sexy. It’s not pink. And it’s time to do some-thing about it.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in our country—expected to take the

lives of over 4,000 Canadians this year.Today the prospects for people who develop pancreatic cancer are dim.The BC Cancer Foundation is on a mission to close the gap between lives lost to

this devastating disease and dollars invested into research and new treatments. The hope for survival hinges on improvements to treatment and this can happen by investing in research at the BC Cancer Agency.

The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer, the typical measure of can-cer survivorship, has remained unchanged for decades. This is in contrast to other types of cancer, such as breast, where tremendous progress has been made. Research is working as many cancers are being diagnosed earlier, side effects are

reduced, new treatments are being developed, and thousands of people are moving into the new normal of life after cancer.

In one magical evening, the 2012 Inspiration Gala raised an unprecedented $3.5 million for a game-changing program that will lead to ear-lier diagnosis and better treatment for pancre-atic cancer patients in British Columbia and across Canada. With the support of our donors, the Foundation plans to invest more than $10 million over the next four years into pancre-atic cancer research.

Cancer touches all of our lives, whether as patients or as loved ones of patients, and this ini-tiative will not only offer hope to those affected by pancreatic cancer, it has the power to shed light on the causes of and treatment strategies for more commonly diagnosed cancers.

I invite you to learn more about the Pancreatic Cancer Research Initiative and our priority cancer research projects online by visiting bccancerfoundation.com.

The power to provide years of added life for thousands of Canadians has never been closer.

Douglas NelsonPresident & CEO, BC Cancer Foundation

An Opportunity to Save Lives

For Openers

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 AgencyThe 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,™ Spring 2013, Volume 29, Number 1, 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 treat-ment and/or adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines.

The BC CAnCer FOundATiOn

Board of directors 2012Jess Ketchum, Chair

Kevin Irvine, Vice-Chair

Joy MacPhail, Vice-Chair

Dr. Samuel Abraham

John Auston

Randy Bartsch

Robert Conconi

Sue Connaghan

Dr. Max Coppes

Lynda Cranston

Greg D’Avignon

Monika Deol

Gordon Diamond

Doug Holtby

Kevin Irvine

Michael Kennedy

Joanne McLeod

Douglas Nelson

Derrold Norgaard

Anna Nyarady

Andrea Shaw

Andrew Sweeney

Kirsten Tisdale

Lorne Wickerson

Jane Young

President & CeODouglas Nelson

BC Cancer Foundation editorialAllison Colina

Laura Matwichuk

PrOduCTiOneditorialExecutive V.P./Chief Creative Officer: Beth Tomkiw

Editor-in-Chief: Shelley Flannery

Editors: Erin Feeney, Sam Mittelsteadt, Matt Morgan, Ellen Olson,

Tom Weede

designManaging Art Director: Adele Mulford

Art Directors: Rod Karmenzind, Monya Mollohan, Kay Morrow

ProductionSenior Production Manager: Laura Marlowe

Special Projects Coordinator: Jenny Babich

Imaging Specialist: Dane Nordine

Prep Specialists: Julie Chan, Sonia Washington

CirculationV.P./ Business Intelligence Group: Patrick Kehoe

Postal Affairs & Logistics Director: Joseph Abeyta

CLienT ServiCeS Executive V.P., Sales: Chad Rose, 1-888-626-8779

Contact the BC Cancer FoundationProvincial Office:[email protected]

Abbotsford and Fraser Valley:Gordon [email protected]

Southern Interior:Cynthia [email protected]

Vancouver Island & Prince George:Alyssa [email protected]

Vancouver:Sharon [email protected]

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E leven-year-old Alexis Fulton is commit-ted to finding a cure for breast cancer. The grade six student lost her mother, Theresa, to breast cancer six years ago and has since

become an advocate of awareness and an active fund-raiser for cancer research.

Alexis has put her entrepreneurial skills to work, making cards and braiding bracelets to help raise funds to support cancer research taking place at the BC Cancer Agency.

Alexis made a $184 donation to the BC Cancer Foundation, and in a letter that accompanied her gift, she wrote, “I would like to donate it to breast cancer research because, when I was one, my mom found out she had breast cancer, then when I was six she died.”

hopeful for changeAlexis and her older brother Jason now live with their aunt, Kathy Stubley, who says, “She was deter-mined to live,” of her loved one’s cancer journey. “She did every single possible treatment and just finally ran out of options.”

Kathy and Alexis both remember Theresa’s com-mitment to the cause. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, she took part in three Weekend to End Women’s Cancers benefitting the BC Cancer Foundation and breast cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency.

a little bit can make a differenceMirroring her mother’s philanthropic spirit, Alexis is determined to help find a cure.

Breast cancer does not discriminate in whom it affects. While major advancements have been made

braiding bracelets for a cureElementary student Alexis Fulton raises funds for cancer in her mom’s honour

Why I GIve

alexis Fulton holds a photo of her mother, theresa, whom she lost to breast cancer six years ago.

in prevention, early detection and treatment, breast cancer still affects 3,200 British Columbians each year. Alexis’ story is an important reminder that more research and advancements must be made in order to prevent future losses from this disease.

A Gift in MemoryA gift in memory is a meaningful and lasting tribute to

a loved one. Your gift in memory will support leading-edge research that is helping save and improve the lives of

one in three British Columbians who will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Learn more by visiting

www.bccancerfoundation.com/InMemory or at [email protected] or 1-888-906-2873

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Buy a Bracelet to Support Cancer Research

If you’d like to purchase a handmade card or bracelet from Alexis, contact the BC Cancer Foundation

at 604-877-6000 for more information.

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N ature affords some creatures and critters a natural security detail—they are born cam-ouflaged with their habitat making it difficult for would-be predators to spot them.

Within our own bodies, cancer cells don disguises designed to fool the immune system into believing these disease-causing cells belong amongst the healthy.

Dr. Brad Nelson leads the immunology research team at the BC Cancer Agency. He says that a person’s immune system often has trouble distinguishing whether “the cancer cell is a friend or a foe” and hence whether to ignore or attack the tumour.

The problem: cancer cells are a part of the body, so they partially evade the immune system’s ability to recognize them as a threat.

The result: our immune system recognizes that some-thing is not quite right with cancer cells and launches an attack, but it’s not enough to destroy the entire tumour.

Dr. Nelson and his research colleagues believe there’s a way to teach the immune system to detect the cancer cells’ true nature and to launch more potent, curative responses.

Immunotherapy: harness the power wIthInWhen researchers examine a patient’s tumour, they can see evidence of the immune system attempting to destroy the cancer.

“Our studies have shown that we have the power within our own bodies to destroy cancer cells,” says Dr. Nelson. However, our immune systems require some help to do this.

Dr. Nelson’s lab at the BC Cancer Agency Deeley Research Centre in Victoria is developing therapeutic vaccines to boost the immune response to cancer, thereby helping to naturally eliminate cancer cells.

Over 100 women are taking part in a current study by donating tumour and blood samples. These samples are being studied in the lab to determine which mutations are most strongly recognized by the immune system. The best mutations, ones essential to the cancer’s existence that can be targeted, will then be incorporated into vaccines

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Researchers seek to harnessthe power of our own immune systems to develop cancer treatments

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that educate the immune system to recognize cancer. It is expected that the fi rst clinical trial of an ovarian cancer vaccine will be launched within three years.

A PERSONALIZED IMMUNE BOOSTThe clinical trials program envisions an ovarian cancer patient having her tumour decoded using high-tech next generation sequencing. The sequencing would reveal all of the mutations in the cancer, allowing Dr. Nelson’s team to develop a vaccine that would teach the patient’s immune system to recognize the key mutations in her cancer.

“Once activated, the immune system starts to attack the tumour as if it were a foreign body,” says Dr. Nelson. The lab-based research has been very promising. “In laboratory models, we have been able to eradicate even advanced tumours within a matter of weeks,” he says.

Dr. Nelson foresees the program growing beyond ovar-ian cancer to explore this treatment option with other cancers such as breast, prostate and lymphoma.

CA

LL Inject Support into Immunotherapy

You can support the development of a brand-new Immunotherapy Clinical Trials Program at the

BC Cancer Agency Vancouver Island Centre. Contact Alyssa Grace at the BC Cancer Foundation

today to learn more: 250-519-5554 or [email protected]

THE FUTURE OF IMMUNOTHERAPYThe BC Cancer Agency Deeley Research Centre is one of four facilities in Canada dedicated to research in cancer immunotherapy. With the Agency researchers’ com-bined expertise in genome sequencing and immunother-apy, they are positioned to take this cancer treatment to the next level.

With support from the BC Cancer Foundation, an Immunotherapy Clinical Trials Program will bring novel immune-based treatments to patients in B.C. The pro-gram will conduct effective, innovative trials that offer new options for patients with advanced disease and pave the way for immune-focused treatment of the future.

The beauty of immunotherapy lies within the oppor-tunity to personalize the treatment to each patient. As Dr. Nelson points out, “We can target up to fi ve or 10 mutations at the same time, which paints the tumour into a corner and makes it hard to escape.”

Immunotherapy is a method of treatment that uses the

immune system to combat diseases such as cancer. This

can be done in a few ways:

• Using drugs that stimulate the activity of immune cells.

• Administering vaccines that target proteins or muta-

tions in the cancer that are not present in healthy cells.

• With cell-based therapies, where cells from the patient’s

immune system are activated and expanded in the lab,

and then given back to the patient.

WHAT IS IMMUNOTHERAPY?

Dr. Brad Nelson in his lab at the BC Cancer Agency Vancouver Island Centre.

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BC Cancer Agency’s study proves physician-prescribed exercise

for patients is benefi cial with long-lasting e� ects

BREAST CANCERA New Link Between

and EXERCISE

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B.C. already has some of the best breast cancer outcomes in the world, but a new study is getting underway at the BC Cancer

Agency to look at the benefi ts of physician-prescribed exercise as a stan-dard part of cancer treatment and care.

Two clinical trials conducted by the BC Cancer Agency’s Oncology Nutrition group have confi rmed the unique benefi ts exercise has for cancer patients during treatment, including improved quality of life and physical fi tness, reduced toll from treatment side effects and camarade-rie and emotional support among patients. Participants in the trials also noted the positive and long-lasting effects on not only their own health, but on that of their families as well.

EXERCISE FOR SURVIVALThe Agency is using these positive fi ndings as a starting point to defi ne the role of physical activity in the management of breast cancer for women ages 19–75. The new Vancouver-based study will be the very fi rst to evalu-ate the feasibility of exercise as a standard component of cancer care.

Lori Kittelberg can attest to the benefi ts of exercise fi rst-hand: diag-nosed with breast cancer in March, Lori has devoted her energy to yoga, running and walking during treatment and says exercise has been a key factor in maintaining a positive attitude and getting into “survival mode.”

In fact, Lori has become such a fi tness enthusiast that she signed up to participate in Bust a Move, the BC Cancer Foundation’s fi tness fundraising event for breast cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency.

Dollars raised through Bust a Move ensure innovative research is able to continue, as there is still much work to be done. Researchers must look closely at the unique fi tness needs and assess the obstacles faced by breast cancer patients and survivors and design customized exercise based on these fi ndings.

TAKING A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH Cheri van Patten, who leads the exercise study, believes that a “compre-hensive approach to care” is the way of the future and that further research may reveal the relationship between exercise and cancer recurrence. Cheri and her Agency colleagues are working closely with counterparts across the country to assess outcomes, resources, and the overall costs of integrating exercise into treatment and care protocols, so that discoveries made here will have a wide-reaching impact. She believes this compre-hensive, collaborative approach “will ensure the best treatment options for breast cancer patients across B.C. and beyond.”

Bust a Move for Breast Health: Join the MOVEment Today!If you’re ready to get moving for breast

health, now is the time to join the epic

MOVEment on April 13, 2013.

BC Cancer Foundation supporters will

gather at the Richmond Olympic Oval for

the fitness event of the year: Bust a Move

for Breast Health is a day-long fundrais-

ing extravaganza where you’ll be moving,

grooving and stretching your way through

six exhilarating fitness sessions. Work out

to the likes of Zumba, yoga and Tommy

Europe’s signature bootcamp moves.

Designed for participants of all fit-

ness levels, Bust a Move is a celebration

and an opportunity to support the BC

Cancer Foundation and life-saving breast

cancer research taking place at the

BC Cancer Agency.

Popular TV host and fitness instructor

Tommy Europe joined the MOVEment

as Chair. Tommy is Canada’s most sought-

after fitness coach and host of Last 10

Pounds Bootcamp.

BC Cancer Agency’s study proves physician-prescribed exercise

for patients is benefi cial with long-lasting e� ects

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Register for Bust a Move

Join the MOVEment at www.bustamove.ca to learn

more about what’s in store for Bust a Move, including a free per-

sonal training session with Tommy Europe for the top fundraiser.

Register today!

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B ritish Columbians receiving treatment for brain cancer at the BC Cancer Agency have a new rea-son for optimism. Thanks to the generosity of a Vancouver donor, the BrainCare BC team has

acquired a new piece of equipment that will revolutionize standard treatment options for this deadly type of cancer.

AutoLITT (Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy) tech-nology treats brain tumours via an innovative method: a minimally invasive, MRI-guided laser eradicates brain cancer cells while providing real-time thermographic analysis (a visual representation of radiation levels) of MRI images. Because brain cancer therapy is typically limited to only three treatment options—surgery, radia-tion and chemotherapy—the promise offered by this new therapeutic tool is a very exciting development for sur-geons as well as patients.

Powerful benefitsAccording to Dr. Brian Toyota, neurosurgeon and head of BrainCare BC, the benefits of AutoLITT are twofold. “AutoLITT is able to eliminate tumour cells by manipulat-ing a thin, heat-emitting laser probe, which directly targets the tumour while preventing damage to neighbouring

Autolitt technology brings Hope to brain Cancer PatientsA Canadian first at the BC Cancer Agency

Spotlight

healthy tissue. And the procedure also takes only half the time of conventional brain surgery,” he says.

The BC Cancer Agency will be the first site in Canada to treat patients with AutoLITT, thanks to the generosity of Vancouver philanthropist and owner of Wedgewood Hotel & Spa Eleni Skalbania, who made a gift of $350,000 to support the new treat-ment technology. Skalbania announced the gift at the fin-ish line of the 2012 Prospera Valley GranFondo cycling event, noting that “having hope is powerful when you’re diagnosed with a devastating disease like brain cancer, and that’s exactly what the AutoLITT technology will offer to brain cancer patients and their family members across our province.”

MAking An investMent for A tAngible iMPACtTeam AutoLITT cyclists raised an additional $70,000 in support of the project, as a lead-up to the GranFondo event. Team leader Christian Meier also has a personal connection to brain cancer: he lost his 26-year-old brother, Michael, to the disease three years ago.

Dr. Toyota is confident that this significant investment will help to change stories like Michael’s and have a tan-gible impact for patients across the province: “BrainCare BC strives to be an innovative leader, and AutoLITT fits perfectly into our mandate to improve clinical standards of care. This is very good news for the future of brain can-cer treatment in B.C.”

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Make a Gift OnlineYour support today will help to ensure

better treatments for brain cancer patients in BC tomorrow. BrainCare BC is leading the way

in genomics psychosocial research programs. Visit bccancerfoundation.com

to learn more.

Dr. Brian Toyota

Christian Meier

Brain Cancer Stats and Facts:• the brain is a frequent site for the spread of cancer (metastasis)

from other sites in the body including breast, lung, melanoma

and colon.

• Primary brain tumours may be benign (non-cancerous, slow-

growing) or malignant (cancerous, fast-growing).

• they are the most common solid tumour in children, accounting

for 25 per cent of all pediatric cancers.

• tumours that start in the brain tissue first (primary brain

tumours) can strike at any age, although most brain tumours

are found in young children and adults after age 40.

• Primary brain tumours rarely spread to other parts of the body.

• Cell phone usage has not been conclusively shown to increase

the risk of brain tumours.

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Where does your family tree lead?It’s about 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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Are you playing a supporting role in your own healthcare? Find out how to take the lead

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When it comes to

TV medical dramas, the

lives of the doctors are often

more entertaining than the plight

of the patient. After all, who wouldn’t

want to keep tabs on the ups-and-downs

of the love affairs on Grey’s Anatomy? But in

your own life, it’s important to make sure you’re

focused on getting the best care, and that means you

need to be the leading lady (or gentleman) of your own

medical drama. It may not win you any Emmys or score you

a date with Patrick Dempsey, but becoming your own healthcare

advocate can put you on the path to improved wellness.

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SAY GOODBYE TO STAGE FRIGHTWant to give a fi ve-star performance? Then it’s time to stop being shy. Your doctor isn’t there to criticize or judge, so don’t be nervous about letting it all hang out. Being honest will help your physician provide you with the right diagnosis, the right medicine and the right advice for preventing or treating illness.

“If you have something new to discuss, make it clear up front,” DeWitt says. “Don’t wait until the end of the appoint-ment to bring up you biggest concerns.”

If you are bashful about discussing certain issues like weight, depression, libido or incontinence, keep in mind that doctors have heard and seen it all.

Be honest and forthright about your symptoms, medical history, current and previous medications, past hospitaliza-tions, any herbal or alternative therapies you have used, work, home or personal stress that may be affecting you, any other doctors you have seen and been treated by, and anything at all that might affect your care, DeWitt says. Your honesty about your own health can help your doctor determine a course of action, and can ultimately affect the quality of care you receive.

“As doctors, we’re not here to condemn you. We are here to help you look at the facts, the risks and the possible treat-ments,” DeWitt says. “But as a patient, you have to have the guts to address the issue. Ultimately, it is your life and your health.”

HAVE A CASTING CALLOnce you are comfortable talking to your doctors, it’s time to evaluate their performance. If your doctor doesn’t give you time to talk, doesn’t take your concerns seriously or acts annoyed when you ask questions, it may be time to search for a new physician.

“Oftentimes, choosing a healthcare provider really comes down to convenience,” DeWitt says. “It is important to fi nd someone that is close to home and meets your scheduling needs.”

DeWitt recommends keeping a few things in mind when evaluating a practice:

REHEARSE FOR THE ROLE Have you ever left an appointment with your doctor and realized you forgot to ask about the one thing that has been bothering you the most? According to Dr. Dawn DeWitt, a professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia and co-author of Teaching in Your Offi ce, you’re not alone.

“Many people come to appointments without mapping out what they want to talk about and often end up forgetting why they’re there in the fi rst place,” DeWitt says.

So what’s the best way to combat this brief stint of memory loss? Come prepared by making a list ahead of time of the things you want to discuss with your doctor.

“Almost no idea is better than coming armed with a list,” DeWitt says. “It helps keep the conversation focused, and it can help your physician get a more in-depth sense of what the issues are.”

But be realistic when making the list. If you have a lot of issues to talk about, prioritize—put the most important ones at the top. “If you have numerous things to discuss, try breaking it up into a couple appointments,” DeWitt says. “If you’re comfortable divulging some information to the front desk staff, go ahead and give them a heads-up about what you’re coming in for. This way, the doctor can be prepared for your visit.”

If you do happen to forget one or two specifi c questions, DeWitt suggests following up through email, if possible. “Email can be hugely convenient for everyone, but be sure to be wary of what you share electronically, as it is never 100 per cent secure. I also encourage text messaging with some of my patients when they have a quick question,” she says.

As convenient as technology is, try not to rely on it too much. “Nothing can replace an in-person visit. If you have a new or serious health concern, it is best to schedule a face-to-face meeting,” DeWitt adds.

DeWitt recommends keeping a few things in mind when evaluating a practice:

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• Is the office close to your home and work?

• Do patients regularly have to wait a long time to see the doctor? Will that work for your schedule?

• Do they have a support staff that you are comfortable see-ing for routine things like blood work or prescription refills if your doctor isn’t available?

But more than anything, DeWitt says, it is most important to find a doctor you are comfortable with and is easy for you to access.

“If you can’t ever get in to see your doctor, then they aren’t really benefitting your health. And if you don’t ever want to see your doctor, then that isn’t helping you much either,” she says.

If you receive a serious diagnosis from your doctor, don’t hesitate to get a second opinion. “When it comes to things like cancer, or a big surgery or procedure, second opinions are a good idea,” DeWitt says. “For more mundane health issues, 80 to 90 per cent of the time, a second opinion won’t give you much new information. But if it is important for your peace of mind, then by all means, seek one out.”

Find Your Supporting CaStEvery great actor needs a solid cast and crew to produce an award-winning show. In addition to second opinions, when dealing with a diagnosis you’ll likely turn to a loved one to be your caregiver.

“With a new diagnosis, the caregiver evolves into de facto manager,” says Bonnie Schroeder, director of caregiving at Victorian Order of Nurses Canada, a partner in the Canadian Caregiver Coalition. “They’ll want to make sure the health-care provider recognizes their role as a caregiver and includes them in appointments and discussions. It is often a good idea to have it noted in the patient’s chart who the caregiver is.”

But make sure not to overstep, Schroeder says. “It is impor-tant that there is a conversation between the patient and the caregiver to ensure that expectations are clear.”

Even if you don’t choose one specific person to be your caregiver, it helps to have a second person accompany you to appointments.

“When dealing with illness, two people hearing the advice of the doctor is better than one,” Schroeder says. “Instructions are often forgotten or misunderstood, so having the two of you there listening, and hopefully taking notes, can help ensure that you get it right.”

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Enhance the Patient Journey

The Patient Navigation Research Project will implement advanced new patient naviga-

tion protocols and support services at the BC Cancer Agency’s Vancouver Island Centre. To support its research, contact Alyssa Grace at

[email protected].

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Strength in KnowledgeCancer patients and their support network in

Surrey and surrounding communities now have a

new resource to answer their cancer questions.

The Cancer Information Centre at the BC Cancer

Agency’s Fraser Valley Centre offers books, audiovisu-

als and online resources on a range of topics, including

cancer treatment, complementary and integrative

medicine, side effects, nutrition and survivorship. A

medical librarian and trained volunteers are also avail-

able to help people find evidence-based answers to

cancer-related questions.

Patients and family members faced with a cancer

diagnosis find strength in the knowledge they obtain

about the disease. With the opening of this library,

the Agency can empower more people to understand

and make informed decisions about their health.

A generous $50,000 donation from the Rotary

Club of Surrey to the BC Cancer Foundation made the

Cancer Information Centre possible. The Foundation

worked with the Rotary Club of Surrey to ensure its

donation would provide a lasting legacy for the public.

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Four women share their stories of heart disease

Heart-to-HeartBY COLLEEN RINGER

Sometimes a tête-à-tête with a close girlfriend is all it takes for you to move on from that unhealthy relationship, to get to the bottom of your blind-date bashfulness, to decide that, no, your mother-in-law doesn’t

have a right to comment on your cleaning habits.If each of the following women could sit you

down for a chat, they’d discuss protecting your heart, too, but from a different threat—heart dis-ease. That’s because they know fi rst-hand the dangers of this disease in women.

“Women’s risk for heart disease, heart attack and stroke increases as they reach mid-life and beyond,” says Dr. Beth Abramson, a Toronto car-diologist and spokeswoman for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

And as these four women will tell you, if it can happen to them, it can happen to you. So pull up a seat, read their stories and then pass on the mes-sage to your girlfriends.

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Name: DianneAGE AT TIME OF EVENT: 52HER STORY: A fi tness instructor and run-ner, Dianne went to the doctor every year, and every year she got a clean bill of health. So when she experienced numbness in her forearm and a little refl ux, she attributed it to the rigorous training she’d been doing. One morning, she couldn’t explain it away. “I grabbed my chest and went down to my knees just like you see in the movies.” Her husband, a police offi cer, insisted on a trip to the emergency room. Off they went, jammies and all.

As the seconds ticked by, her chest pain got worse; she was sweating and vomiting. The EKG, however, didn’t show anything. The ER staff dismissed it as a panic attack,

until Dianne grabbed a nurse and said,

“I am going to die.” A second EKG showed that she had suffered a massive heart attack called a widow maker. One stent later, the rhinoceros had been taken off her chest.

Dianne soon learned that six other peo-ple in her family had experienced the same thing—and died. “Growing up, I wasn’t aware that I had such a strong family history of it,” she says. “I don’t know why my family never talked about it.”

LEARN FROM HER: Dianne’s biggest mes-sage to women is to know your family his-tory. “You need to ask questions,” Dianne says. “This is not a disease that only over-weight or sedentary people get.”

Thanks to Dianne’s heart attack, her fi ve sisters, including her twin, Denise, and Dianne’s two daughters are keeping a close eye on their risk factors, especially blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Dianne remains active, exercising fi ve days a week. “I never want to go through that again.”

THE DOCTOR SAYS: While it’s helpful to know a little about your grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ health histories, it’s not essential. “Family history really means a close family member,” Abramson says. “A parent or sibling with early heart disease puts you at genetic risk.”

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Name: MarlaAGE AT TIME OF EVENT: 53HER STORY: Marla was fi t and played tennis regularly. But there was more happening on the court than a rous-ing doubles game. It was the only time in her day when she experi-enced chest pain. Of course, there was always a reasonable explanation: She’d had orange juice or coffee or both; she didn’t wait long enough after eating to

play; maybe she wasn’t as in shape as she thought.

Finally, a cardiologist friend suggested she get a stress test. And even though Marla passed her stress test, the doctor told her to call if it happened again. It did. A few tests, three stents and fi ve prescriptions later, Marla was immersed in the world of coronary artery disease. “My life turned upside down.”

Aside from the distressing diagnosis, the medications made Marla “feel like a zombie.” Her usual morning-person self was gone, so she told the doctor something had to change. “We started cutting back, adjusting and changing,” she says. “It was a struggle to get the right combination of medications for me.”

A year and a half later, Marla felt a pinch-ing in her left arm. This time she knew bet-ter. As a co-leader of three women’s heart disease support groups, she is all too famil-iar with the symptoms of a heart attack. “Because I knew what to do, there was no damage to my heart.”

LEARN FROM HER: “You need to put yourself before the dog,” says the mother of three. “Women are busy with children, family, friends, parents. Our health comes down somewhere after taking care of the plants.” And it’s not only that, she says. Women’s heart attack symptoms can be easy to miss. “It’s not always a Hollywood heart attack with the clutching of the chest. Women are subtle—it could be neck, jaw or arm pain.”

THE DOCTOR SAYS: “Coronary artery disease can present with stable symptoms

of chest pain all the way to a heart attack. In general, all patients should be on medi-cation to reduce future risk as well as make lifestyle modifi cations.”

Name: DinaAGE AT TIME OF EVENT: 41HER STORY: Dina just thought she had a really bad headache. She was home for the holidays, so she put on a brave face. On New Year’s Eve, the ex-athlete decided to head to the emergency room. Her blood pressure was elevated, but the staff chalked it up to holiday stress. Two days later, she was back at the ER. “I’ll never forget the look on the nurse’s face when she took my blood pressure. It was off the charts,” she says. “She looked at me as if I was going to die right there.” After an EKG, a CT scan and a chest X-ray, the doctor came in with the verdict: She had suffered a transient ischemic attack, or a mini-stroke.

Dina was shocked. She ran track in col-lege and had worked part time as a personal trainer—hardly the picture of heart disease. But genetics weren’t on her side. Many of her family members took medication for high blood pressure. “I was walking around thinking I was healthy, but I wasn’t. That’s why they call it the silent killer.”

Today, Dina’s daily routine includes tak-ing her blood pressure medication and work-ing out for 30 minutes. She eats a lot of fi sh and green, leafy vegetables, shuns fast food and tries to keep her stress level in check.

“It’s not always a

Hollywood heart attack

with the clutching of

the chest. Women are

subtle—it could be neck,

jaw or arm pain.”


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LEARN FROM HER: Dina advises women to focus on the ABCs of heart disease and stroke: Aspirin therapy, blood pressure numbers, cholesterol control and smoking cessation.

THE DOCTOR SAYS: “You can’t feel your blood pressure,” Abramson says. “You don’t know if it’s high unless you measure it.”

Name: TamaraAGE AT TIME OF EVENT: 16HER STORY: Tamara doesn’t have and has never had heart disease. Still, it has touched her life deeply. The fi rst day of her senior year of high school, she lost her mother, Anita, to a heart attack.

Tamara had just fi nished her homework when she heard her mother calling her—her voice sounded odd. “I saw her hunched over on the carpet,” Tamara remembers. “She wanted me to take her to the doctor.” They never got that far. Tamara called 911, and the paramedics rushed her mother to the hospital, but she couldn’t be revived. She was only 46.

“Having her die was totally unexpected,” says Tamara, now 34. “She was always walking around the neighbourhood, doing calisthenics. She was very active.” Because her mother kept a detailed diary, Tamara knows that her mother woke up with cold sweats and felt nauseated the day she died. She didn’t realize how serious her symptoms were. “I hear her story from so many other women,” Tamara says.

LEARN FROM HER: “I’ve gone through an evolution of what it means to be heart healthy,” she says. “After my mom died, I went to extremes—everything was clogging my arteries, I needed to be super in shape. I was vigilant in a way that was unhealthy.”

Now, Tamara takes a more holistic approach. The mother of three does yoga and takes long walks. “Being healthy is a journey, not a destination.”

THE DOCTOR SAYS: “You don’t have to run a marathon to be physically fi t,” Abramson says. “And it’s OK to have a piece of chocolate cake every once in a while. Remember: most things in moderation, except smoking.”

“I’ve gone through an

evolution of what it means to be heart healthy.”

Risk ManagementWhat’s the best way to avoid heart disease? Control your risk factors—

and be aware of the ones you can’t change. “Heart disease is preventable,”

says Dr. Beth Abramson, a Toronto cardiologist and spokeswoman for

the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

• Family history. Unfortunately, this is one you can’t do much about.

But you shouldn’t ignore it. Type up a simple document listing your

family’s health history and store it on a flash drive to take with you to

all doctor appointments.

• Blood pressure. ”If yours is high, talk to your doctor about medica-

tions and lifestyle modifications,” Abramson says.

• Cholesterol. “Watch the fat in your diet, avoiding fried foods and

high-fat cheeses,” Abramson says. Instead, load up on lean meats, low-fat

dairy products, and fruits and vegetables.

• Smoking. “Quitting smoking is a process, not an event. There are

newer treatments that are effective.”

• Waist circumference. This number is a predictor of your heart

disease risk. Go to www.heartandstroke.com and search “healthy

waists” to learn how to measure yours and what number to aim for.

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Spread the Message to Your Loved Ones

Let those you love know you’re thinking about them—and their heart health—by sending an e-card through The Heart Truth’s website. Visit www.thehearttruth.ca and click “E-Cards”

under “Get Involved.” While you’re there, you can complete a quick assessment to determine your risk for heart disease.


The Ups and downs of weighT LossLosing weight does more than shrink your jeans size. Even a 5 per cent weight loss can:

• Reduce diabetes risk

• �Decrease LDL (“bad”)

cholesterol

• Lower blood pressure

• �Cut stroke risk

• �Reduce pressure on joints

and osteoarthritis risk

• �Reduce sleep apnea risk

Down with the BaD • Increase energy levels

• Potentially increase HDL

(“good”) cholesterol

• Make movement (and

thus exercise) easier

• Improve mood

• Boost confidence

• Enhance sleep quality

Up with the GooD

Obesity by the Numbers

1/4��About one in four adults in Canada is obese

8.6% Since 1981, obesity in Canada has

roughly�doubled—in both sexes and for both children and adults

in 2008, obesiTy cosT The canadian economy

an EstIMatED $4.6 Billion—an increase of 19% from 2000

Lighten

upby AllisON thOmAs

Losing even a little weight

can make a HUGE difference

in your health

of children and youthS ageS 6 to 17

are obese

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Making Strides AgainstChildhood obeSity Childhood obesity is reaching epidemic proportions in countries around the world—Canada included. But a team of Canadian research-ers and clinicians is taking steps to move the scales in the right direc-tion by creating the Canadian Pediatric Weight Management Registry, which will, over time, study the health of children and adolescents enrolled in weight management programs at eight sites in Canada.

“We have data so far that tell us there’s modest improvement in body size when we enroll children in weight management programs for six to 12 months,” says Dr. Katherine Morrison, an associate pro-fessor at McMaster University and the study’s lead investigator. “But we want to know, how does it work in the real world? What happens after a year or so? … We hope the registry will help us provide better tools within all of our clinical programs to improve how we work with families and to help them to address childhood obesity.”

What Happens When You ...

Experts recommend losing no more than 25 per cent of lean muscle during the first weeks of weight loss,and around 10 per cent as weight loss continues. Besides boosting your metabolism and burning calories, exercise can help maintain lean muscle mass and keep your bones strong. Strength training is the most beneficial for building muscle and includes any exercise in which resistance—either from weights or your own body weight—is used.

Lose the Fat, Keep the MuscLe

You gain mostly fat: 60–80 per cent fat versus 20–40 per cent lean body mass.

You lose a combina-tion of lean body

mass, fat and water—one more reason

proper hydration is important during

weight loss.

Gain Weight?

LoseWeight?

vs.

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Four Tips for the Whole FamilyDr. Katherine Morrison and her colleagues work

with families through the Canadian Pediatric

Weight Management Registry on four main

target behaviours:

1. NutritioN. From getting plenty of fruits and

vegetables to paying attention to what you’re eating,

how much—and when—is key. “You may be skipping

breakfast thinking, ‘Well, if I don’t have those calories

that’s really good.’ Yet we know that the metabolic

effects on the body aren’t,” Morrison says. You’re

actually more likely to put on weight.

2. ScreeN time. Too much screen time has

been linked to obesity among adults and children in

Canada. Limit time in front of the TV and computer

to fewer than two hours a day.

3. exerciSe. Kids today are less likely to be

active in sports or just playing outside than they

were 20 or 30 years ago, Morrison says. “The key to

keeping them active is to make it fun, and do activi-

ties together as a family.”

4. Sleep. Good sleep habits are shaping up to

be an integral piece of the obesity puzzle. “We’re

learning a lot more about good sleep hygiene as

being critical to both maintaining appetite at a regu-

lar level and to physical activity,” Morrison says.

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Obesity and the Cancer Connection

According to the BC Cancer Agency, overweight and obese individuals are at

an increased risk of some cancers. To improve your health by losing weight,

a good place to start is by knowing your BMI. Go to www.bccancer.

bc.ca and visit the sections on physical activity and nutrition for more information on how to achieve a healthy,

balanced lifestyle.


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Does the thought of joint replacement surgery scare you? We put six common fears surrounding the procedure to rest

Fear

Have BY CHEYENNE HART


Kathy McFarland knows a thing or two about joint replacement. She should. A rare form of arthritis called calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease has led her to have six of them in the past 12 years. Although she says the first surgery scared her, they don’t anymore. “Now I’m totally fearless,” McFarland says.

If you’re facing joint replacement for the first time, you’re probably apprehensive, too. And that’s natu-ral. But arming yourself with knowledge can help put your fears to rest.

Fear: It wIll hurt.It’s true that there will be pain. It is surgery, after all.

But McFarland and others who have had joint replacement insist it’s worth it. “The pain you’re in now is so much worse than what you’ll have after surgery,” she says. The pain from arthritis is con-stant and will only get worse, whereas the pain associated with surgery is temporary and will go away in time.

“People having these surgeries are accustomed to pain—they have it every day,” says Dr. Ted Rumble, an orthopedic surgeon and past chair of the Canadian Orthopaedic Association National Standards Com- mittee. “But it’s not nearly as bad as people make it out to be.

“One of the major advancements in joint replace-ment in the past 10 years is pain control,” he says. “You will have some pain after the operation, but it’s not as bad as you’ve heard and it will subside.”

Fear: I wIll need to be off my feet for a long tIme after surgery.The idea that joint replacement surgery means weeks or months of bed rest is more than outdated. In fact, as your orthopedic surgeon will tell you, using your new joint soon after surgery is the best possible medicine.

“Most patients will be up walking the day after the operation,” Rumble says. “The joints that are put in are able to carry weight immediately. At first, you’ll need a walker, but then you’ll get to the point of using a cane and then nothing at all. Usually, the third day after surgery you can walk independently.”

Most patients can leave the hospital in three to five days. Physical therapy starts immediately. And while patients rehabilitate at different rates, most are back to their normal activities in four to six weeks.

Fear: rehabIlItatIon wIll be too hard or tIme-consumIng.Yes, rehabilitation is hard work. Joint replacement is not a surgery you can just have and then recuperate from an easy chair. A personal commitment on the part of the patient is necessary for success.

“With knee replacement, physiotherapy is essential,” Rumble says. “They will typically go two times a week. But the fact of the matter is, that’s time well spent.

“If you want the knee to function well, you really do need to do the physiotherapy. When people don’t do their exercises, the knee remains stiffer and has less range of motion. Trust me, you’ll be happier if you do it.”

McFarland is a big supporter of rehabilitation, having seen first-hand what a difference it makes.

“It’s pretty minimal what you have to do,” she says. “Do the basics and keep active, and you’ll have a lot better result. You have to keep up your end; your doc-tor can’t do everything for you.”

Fear:I won’t be able to do the thIngs I lIke to do.There may be some limitations in the activities you can do with your replacement joint. But if pain is keeping you from doing those things now, what will you be missing?

If you’re facing joint replacement for the first time, you’re probably apprehensive, too. But arming yourself with knowledge can help put your fears to rest.

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Connect with Real Joint Replacement Patients

Get the inside scoop on what to expect from joint replacement surgery by talking with people who

have done it. Visit www.orthoconnect.org to get connected today.

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PreP for SurgeryJoint replacement isn’t a surgery you decide to have overnight. it takes a lot of thought and planning. Here are

some steps you should take before having replacement surgery, according to Dr. Ted Rumble, an orthopedic

surgeon and past chair of the Canadian orthopaedic Association national Standards Committee.

Study up. learn everything you can about what to expect before, during and after surgery. Consult with

your doctor, do your own research, talk to others who have had joint replacement and attend a class on the

subject if your hospital offers it.

Build strength. Ask your doctor about exercises to do before surgery to strengthen your upper body so you

will be better able to use crutches or a cane and exercise after surgery. And while you’re at it, practice walking with

a cane. it can take some getting used to and it’s better to learn before surgery than after.

Consider your living arrangements. Getting around your home by yourself after surgery will be difficult.

Make necessary changes before surgery. For instance, you may need to move your bedroom to the first floor until

you’re able to climb stairs easily. Since most joint replacements mean you won’t be able to drive for several weeks,

you’ll need to arrange for transportation to and from physical therapy appointments. And don’t forget to stock

the freezer!


“Most people who are candidates for joint replace-ment have advanced arthritis, so their activities are quite limited as it is,” Rumble says. “Activities increase enormously after surgery. You’ll be able to do far more things than before. Running and jump-ing are really the only activities we advise staying away from.”

McFarland recommends being realistic about your new joint and being open to adapting your activities to it. “These are metal [and polyethylene] parts that don’t regenerate like your body does, and they do wear. So you probably shouldn’t do extreme sports or things with impact,” she says. “I go to the pool almost every day. Aqua jogging works for me. It may not be what you did before, but there’s always something you can do.”

Fear: The joinT prosThesis will need To be replaced again in 10 years.Joint prostheses have come a long way since the first replacement surgeries in North America were per-formed in the 1960s and are much more durable. Implants are made of varying materials, depending on the joint being replaced and the condition of the surrounding bone. Common materials include metal, such as stainless steel or titanium, and polyethylene, a durable plastic.

Some newer implants, particularly knees and hips, are made out of a special type of ceramic material

or oxidized zirconium, which are both smooth and durable. These new implants can last 20 to 25 years versus older implants with a 10- to 15-year life span.

“With modern techniques and modern prostheses, joint replacements are lasting far longer than we ever expected they would,” Rumble says. “The question is no longer how long it will last; it’s will it last the rest of my life? And the answer to that is that about 95 per cent of replacements last people the rest of their lives.”

Fear: i need To waiT as long as possible before having joinT replacemenT. Because in years past joint prostheses didn’t last as long, people used to wait until the last possible moment to have the surgery. Today, that philoso-phy has changed. Because the implants are lasting longer and because we know that the healthier you are when you have the surgery, the more success-ful it will likely be, people aren’t waiting as long in pain.

“As a general rule, the earlier in the course of the disease you have the operation done, the better the results,” Rumble says. “If you’re having more pain than you’re willing to put up with or it’s limiting your abilities, then it’s time. It makes no sense to delay the inevitable if you are suffering.”

McFarland also advocates talking to your doctor sooner than later. “There’s a concept out there that joint replacements are the treatments of last resort,” she says. “I know tons of people who wait until they’re in total agony, and I always tell them you don’t have to wait. My advice is that when it starts affecting your quality of life, go get it done. If you don’t wait until it’s so bad, you’ll have a better outcome.”

“Activities increase enormously after surgery. You’ll be able to do far more things than before.”

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By AmAndA myersWorkIt!

Four steps

to having a healthier, less stressful workspace

If you’re reading this at your desk, take a moment and look around. I’ll wait.

Do you see clutter and chaos? Are stress-inducing to-do lists tacked up all

over, reminding you in no uncertain terms that you have many, many things to do … ASAP?! Are your desk drawers hiding an emergency chocolate stash? (Yeah, mine too.)

When you think about how the aver-age Canadian spends 36.4 hours a week at work, you have to wonder why many of us aren’t treating our desks more like the Zen zones that they should be. Instead, we’re sit-ting down each day at a spot not necessarily designed to keep our minds and bodies in a healthy state—the kind of state that allows us to be productive and calm.

Perhaps, then, it’s time for an office make-over. By creating a space that promotes health and serenity, you may find it’s a little easier to face the daily grind.

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STEP 1: Give Germs the Pink Slip

You don’t even want to know how many germs are living on your desk. Just know that there are plenty—and on everything from your phone to your keyboard to that pen you sometimes put in your mouth and chew on anxiously. Germs from coughs and sneezes can live on sur-faces for up to three days, so to avoid colds and the fl u, make anti-bacterial wipes your friends. “Wipe off surfaces that are shared, like phones, a computer mouse and shared workstations,” says Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a cardiologist and the author of Dr. Nieca Goldberg’s Complete Guide to Women’s Health.

And, though it seems common sense, Goldberg stresses, “people should stay home if they’re sick.” You may think you’re noble to trudge to work despite a nagging cough, but what you’re really doing is not so nicely sharing those germs.

Finally, nix superfl uous routes of cross-contamination. “If you have a bowl of jelly beans and everybody puts their hands in it, you’re going to get their germs,” Goldberg says. And, speaking of jelly beans …

STEP 2:Close the Candy Shop

Snacks are important to keep your energy up, but having them within arm’s reach at all times makes it too easy to graze the whole day long. This adds up to far more calories per day than your body requires. Instead, bring only the snacks you need for that day with you each morning. Pre-packed 100-calorie snacks help you stay on track with a healthy diet, as do baggies of fresh fruit slices or low-sugar cereal.

Then there’s the offi ce staple: the candy bowl. There’s one in every offi ce and if it’s on your desk, give it the boot. “If you want to lose weight, keep the candy away,” Goldberg says. Consider that just three tiny, bite-sized candy bars load you up with as many as 225 calories, but an apple and a piece of string cheese are just under 140 calories. Plus, sugary snacks will cause a spike in your blood sugar, meaning you’re more likely to crash soon after. Sustaining your energy with healthy fi bre, vitamins, minerals and protein will keep you alert until closing time.


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STEP 3: Check Your Posture

Back problems can plague people who spend the majority of their workday in an offi ce chair. The reason: Many of us sit forward in our chairs, lean-ing toward the computer in front of us. “When you’re not sitting properly—straight up, abs in and with a good, strong core—there’s a lot of back strain,” Goldberg says. There shouldn’t be a space between your back and the back of the chair. Also, the doctor adds, keep your feet fl at on the fl oor. Making these small changes can prevent orthope-dic issues such as chronic back pain and pinched nerves. The benefi ts include improved fl exibility, which helps prevent back injuries down the road.

Additionally, check to make sure you haven’t glued yourself to your chair. “You should get up every hour, walk around the offi ce, drop off a paper at someone’s desk,” Goldberg advises. These moments of movement will stretch your spine and the muscles of your back and legs, pre-venting stiffness and cramping.

STEP 4: Find Your Happy Place

Keeping a positive mental attitude can have real, tangible effects on your physical health. According to research from the Harvard School of Public Health, happy people were less likely to have risk factors for high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels and obesity. Make your workspace a happy space by surrounding yourself not with end-less to-do lists, but instead, photographs or other trinkets that elicit positive memories, says Goldberg. “I have a letter from a friend of mine and I keep that in every desk I have. She was a nurse I worked with many years ago. It’s a very supportive note.”

Put fresh fl owers on your desk, which can be instant mood-lifters. If you can, incorporate natural light into your work area. You will feel sunny in no time.

Do you want to actually strengthen your core or burn calories while you work? Ask your offi ce to supply you with an exercise ball chair or a standing workstation, or invest in one yourself.


Daily Lifestyle Decisions Could Prevent 50% of Cancers!The BC Cancer Agency’s Hi5 Living program for youth is teaching

them the truth: more than 50 per cent of cancers can be pre-

vented. The first step is to get informed—get the true facts about

cancer, the risks and how to avoid those risks.

The daily decisions you make about your lifestyle matter now,

and for the future. This includes choices you make about the food

you eat, how much exercise you get, if you use tobacco and whether

you protect yourself from the sun. The good news is that because

more than half of all cancers are a direct result of behaviour that

can be changed, you can do something about it. Unhealthy habits,

peer pressure, lack of awareness and misinformation can all get in

the way of healthy lifestyle habits that promote cancer prevention

and good health in general. Having a healthy body weight, keeping

active, and eating a healthy diet also help to reduce your risk of

other chronic diseases.

Visit www.Hi5Living.org to learn more.

do

nA

Te

Donate to Life-Enhancing

ResearchExercise has a positive effect for

patients going through breast cancer treatment, and now BC Cancer Agency researchers are studying whether exer-

cise should become a part of prescribed standard of care. Contact Sharon

Kennedy at 604-877-6160 to support this life-enhancing research today.

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BY STEPHANIE PATERIK

How Diane Keaton controls her asthma and

lives life to the fullest

FreshFreshOFFreshA

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n the movieThe Lemon Sisters, Diane Keaton plays a lovably kooky charac-ter with asthma who refuses to

give up her menagerie of cats, even though they aggravate her

condition. She puffs away on an inhaler as her furry companions

strut around the house. It gets so bad she winds up in an emergency

room, zipped inside an oxygen tent.At 67, the Oscar-winning actress

has starred in nearly 50 fi lms. But the role of an asthma sufferer is one she

knows especially well.Keaton was plagued with asthma

and related breathing problems as a young girl growing up in Los Angeles.

In her 2011 memoir, Then Again, she recalls a life-threatening bout with whooping cough.

“I thought I was dying. I couldn’t breathe,” Keaton writes. “Asthma was bad enough, but this whooping-cough thing was way worse.”

Treatment options were limited in the 1950s, so Keaton’s dad held her upside down to help her catch a breath.

“When dad turned me upside down, I got my breath back almost instantaneously. It was like a miracle,” she writes. “Mom was so worried, she kept me out of school for two months of my fourth-grade year. Every day she spread Vicks VapoRub on my chest, and she gave me 7UP with ice hourly. Sometimes she’d even let me watch TV.”


The star is breathing easier now—if her active life-style is any indication. She’s nabbing major movie roles, publishing books, fl ipping historic California homes and raising two kids, whom she adopted when she was 50, no less.

Keaton is proof positive that people who have asthma can live full, joyful lives. The trick is fi nding the right medication, exercising wisely and keeping stress in check.

FIND THE RIGHT MEDICATIONucky for Keaton—and 2.5 million Canadians

who live with asthma—treatments have come a long way since the days of VapoRub and bed

rest, says Dr. Francis Adams, a pulmo-nary specialist and author of The Asthma

Sourcebook. “The way we treat asthma has changed tremendously,” he says.

When Keaton was a kid, people raced to the ER for a shot of adrenalin under the arm during a severe attack. Since the advent of inhalers, people can treat the condition at home and vaporize attacks before they begin.

There’s no cure for asthma, so the goal is to control it—that means staying out of the hospital and need-ing an inhaler no more than twice a week.

Start by pinpointing the type of asthma you have and what triggers it, Adams says. Is it stoked by aller-gies, exercise or your workplace? Does it strike in the winter or hang around all year?

Next, your doctor can tailor a treatment plan. That might include a preventive inhaler, a rescue inhaler, or anti-leukotriene medicine called montelukast (Singulair) that reduces infl ammation in the lungs. Your doctor may even prescribe a combination drug to streamline your medications, not to mention your medicine cabinet!

Newer treatments include omalizumab (Xolair), the so-called “asthma vaccine,” a monthly injection that eliminates breathing problems for many people who have allergy-related asthma. And for the most severe cases, surgeons can perform a bronchial ther-moplasty, which uses heat to reduce constriction in the bronchial tubes and open air passages.

Of course, the most important part of any treat-ment plan is to follow it. “No one likes to take medi-cine,” Adams says. “I’m a patient, too. I don’t like to take medicine, but you really have to commit to it when you have a chronic illness.”

Allergy-Proof Your HomeDiane Keaton’s home is her sanctuary. She’s known for lovingly

renovating and decorating every house she owns. Asthmatic

patients who suffer from allergies can make home a haven, too,

by removing dust mites, mould and smoke. Follow this checklist

from The Asthma Sourcebook by Dr. Francis Adams to allergy-proof

your home and breathe easier.

TO REDUCE DUST MITES:

• Remove carpets, rugs and

upholstered furniture.

• Cover mattresses, pillows

and box springs with zip-

pered covers.

• Wash bedding in hot water

once a week.

• Wash stuffed animals.

• Use a HEPA air filter.

TO REDUCE MOULD:

• Keep humidity levels at 30 to

50 per cent with a dehumidifier.

• Use a mould-remover spray

on bathroom walls, window

sills, air conditioners, humidi-

fiers and plant soil.

TO REDUCE

INDOOR POLLUTION:

• Ban smoking from your home.

• Avoid gas and wood stoves

and fireplaces.

EXERCISE WISELYor many with asthma, “exercise” is a scary word. After all, physical activity

taxes your lungs. But Keaton seems to know that in the long run it helps her breathe easier.

Photographers have spotted the actress stretching, running laps and doing yoga on a track in Santa Monica, Calif. And, being just as quirky in real life as she is on-screen, Keaton rehearses lines while jogging through her neighbourhood.

“I don’t think I can keep trying to memorize my speech while jogging on the streets of Beverly Hills,” she confesses in her memoir. “The Starline Bus Tours unfailingly drive by while I’m in the middle of rehearsing the fi nal section … when I sing a bit of ‘Seems Like Old Times.’ It’s awful. I feel like an idiot.”

Embarrassment aside, she’s doing an excellent job of conditioning her lungs. And she’s pushing past

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the fi rst eight minutes—the hardest part for someone with asthma.

“She’s doing everything right,” Adams says. “That longer warm-up gets you through that initial tight-ness that comes to everyone with asthma when they start exercising. Then that second wind comes. In the long run, exercise is going to make you healthier and even decrease your asthma.”

Take a cue from Keaton and warm up with stretches or a light jog. Incorporate yoga to regulate breath. And most importantly, exercise for 20 min-utes three times a week to condition your body.

“Studies actually have shown that if you’re in top shape, you have less need for medicine if you’re asthmatic, and you have fewer attacks,” Adams says. “This is defi nitely related to conditioning.”

Some patients are sensitive to outdoor pollutants, allergens and cold air. If that’s your case, exercise indoors or wrap a scarf around your mouth to warm the air as you breathe.

STRESS LESS, BREATHE MOREn The Lemon Sisters, cats weren’t the only trigger for Keaton’s character. Stress

pushed her over the edge. It’s a common sce-nario, Adams says.

“Asthma at some points was looked upon as a hysterical reaction, and people were often

dismissed that way, and obviously that was dead wrong,” he says. “But we do know stress can be as much of an asthma trig-ger as walking into a room with a cat if you’re allergic to cat dander.”

Why are stress and asthma entwined? Picture the rich net-work of nerves running through your lungs and bronchial tubes. When you are stressed, nerve

impulses can trigger an asthma attack, much like a muscle twitch or cramp.

Keaton is remarkably open about the stresses in her own life, from struggling with bulimia as a fl edg-ling actress in New York to losing her mother to Alzheimer’s disease fi ve years ago. Watching her mom fi ght to breathe at the end of her life struck a chord.

“Having had asthma, I knew how hard it was to work for so little air,” Keaton writes. “Inhale, hold for thirty. Exhale. Inhale, hold for forty. Exhale.”

Keaton turned to “talk therapy” in her 20s, a sug-gestion from then-boyfriend Woody Allen. Therapy

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“The best part is that I’m still here and, because the end is in sight, I treasure it all more,” she told AARP The Magazine in March 2012. “You have to live life all the way, you know? Take risks. Do things you can’t imagine. ’Cause, hey, why not, right?”

Asthma reminds us to appreciate the little things, and that can drive us to greatness, Adams notes. “Martin Scorsese was asthmatic, and he attributes that to a lot of his interest in fi lm, because he was always indoors and watching whatever medium he could watch.”

Hollywood once portrayed asthma sufferers as weak-willed inhaler-toters, doomed to the sidelines of life. Then along came Keaton with her bolero hats and “la-de-da” charm, determined to defy every stereotype.

helped the Annie Hall star overcome bulimia, and it has been a cornerstone of her healthy lifestyle ever since.

“All those disjointed words and half sentences, all those complaining, awkward phrases shaping incomplete monologues blurted out to a 65-year-old woman smoking a cigarette for fi fty minutes fi ve times a week, made the difference,” she writes. “It was the talking cure.”

Adams encourages his patients to manage stress, anxiety and depression with talk therapy, incor-porating breathing exercises to calm the body. Meditation and biofeedback help, too.

“Stress is a tremendously important source of asthma, and it’s the hardest thing to treat,” he says. “I can prescribe lots of drugs to relax the bronchial tubes and reduce infl ammation, but it’s not easy to say to someone, ‘You need to take care of your stress.’

“And we’re all stressed out,” he adds. “I will not hesitate to tell people that at a stressful time in my life, I went to see a psychiatrist, and I would rec-ommend not trying to fi ght anxiety and depression without professional help.”

READY TO INHALEeaton breathes in life wherever she can fi nd it. With a long-time passion

for photography, architecture and perform-ing, she is always immersed in a creative

project. She enjoys shuttling her kids to swim practice in her bare feet, and peppering them with questions when they return from school. The Pacifi c Ocean, Sonoran Desert and Manhattan streets delight her equally.

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The Asthma DietWhile there isn’t significant evidence about the relationship

between food and asthma, many experts believe diet is an

important part of treatment.

“I often talk about diet,” says Dr. Francis Adams, a

pulmonary specialist and author of The Asthma Sourcebook.

“The Mediterranean-type diet with lots of fruit and veg-

etables clearly is helpful.”

Adams suggests eating a diet rich in magnesium. Research

suggests this element might boost lung function and curb

bronchial irritability and wheezing. Find it in cereal, nuts,

green vegetables and dairy products.

On the flip side, some food preservatives and dyes can

trigger asthma attacks.

“Not all asthmatics are sensitive to sulfites,” Adams

points out in his book. “As a rule, however, it is best for all

asthmatics to avoid sulfites, especially if they have had

asthmatic reactions while dining in restaurants.”

That means saying “no” to processed potatoes, baked

products, fresh shrimp, fruit drinks, dried fruits, beer and

wine. And if you are sensitive to the yellow food colour

tartrazine (FD&C Yellow No. 5), avoid foods like margarine.

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Support Research for Healthier Lungs

The BC Cancer Agency is always looking at new ways to detect and treat lung cancer.

Contact Sharon Kennedy at [email protected]

to make a gift to support research to treat this life-threatening disease.


It seems as though everywhere you turn, you hear about another thing in your life that could cause you cancer. Antiperspirants. Cell phones. Artifi cial sweeteners. It all

sounds a little ridiculous, doesn’t it? Believe it or not, the researchers behind the

claims aren’t trying to scare you—or annoy you—to death. They’re trying to help you understand the risks so you can adequately protect yourself.

But before you can go about protecting your-self, it’s important to understand exactly which objects and behaviours are actually harmful and which aren’t. Let’s explore some common behav-iours, and determine which ones are most closely tied to cancer.

BY J I LL SCH I LDHOUSE

Smoking, tanning, grilling your food—fi nd out just

how risky these behaviours are when it comes to cancer

What Are the

CHANCES?

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FdVVSP1396_34-37_cancer.indd 34 12/12/12 1:38 PM

3 More to ConsiderArtificial sweeteners:

“To date, research

hasn’t shown a link

between cancer and

consuming artificial

sweeteners,” says

Dr. John Spinelli, head

of Cancer Control

Research at the

BC Cancer Agency,

“but it’s probably better

to use artificial sweet-

eners in moderation.”

Water fluorida-

tion: Existing evidence

on cancer and drinking

fluoridated water sug-

gests that a connection

is unlikely.

Cell phones:

“To-date study results

have been inconsistent,

but research is continu-

ing,” says Dr. Spinelli,

who is involved in an

international research

initiative focused on

cell phone use and brain

cancer risk in adoles-

cents and young adults.

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EATING GRILLED MEATSRISK LEVEL: 3REASON: “Grilling meat, includ-

ing red meat, is known to produce carcinogens,” says Dr. John Spinelli, head of Cancer Control Research at the BC Cancer Agency. “However, we don’t know if consuming grilled meat leads to an increased risk of cancer.”

RECOMMENDATION: There are a number of ways to alter your grilling habits to reduce the carcinogens:

• Cook at lower temperatures and turn meat frequently so you don’t burn it. If you do, don’t eat those areas.

• Pre-cook meats in the microwave or oven so they don’t need to be on the grill as long.

• Consider choosing poultry or fi sh over red meat, which is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.

SMOKINGRISK LEVEL: 5REASON: “Tobacco smoking is the No. 1 cause of cancer,” Dr. Spinelli

says. It is estimated that 85 to 90 per cent of lung cancer cases are due to smoking. In addition, smoking is a major contributing factor to oral and kidney cancers among others.

But you’re not necessarily in the clear if you aren’t a smoker. There are about 4,000 chemi-cals in cigarette smoke; more than 50 of those are known to cause cancer, and those exposed to second hand smoke are at risk.

RECOMMENDATION: If you’re a smoker, now is the time to quit. There are many tools to help you succeed, like the free comprehen-sive program offered from QuitNow Online (www.quitnow.ca). Remember that only a small percentage of people are successful in quitting on their fi rst attempt—it can take several tries.

If you live with a smoker, ask him or her to smoke outside and never near children.

USING TANNING BEDSRISK LEVEL: 4REASON: Tanning, both indoor and outdoor, is unhealthy. There is no

such thing as a safe tan, says Dr. Spinelli. Chronic tanners are exposed to more UV light, which is the primary cause of skin cancer. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, can develop in as little as 10 years after the damage has been done.

RECOMMENDATION: “Avoid indoor tanning altogether,” Dr. Spinelli says. Recently, the B.C. Government introduced legislation banning those under 18 from indoor tanning, which hope-fully will help to protect young people from the harmful effects of indoor tanning.

When outside, wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or greater, sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat.

USING ANTIPERSPIRANTRISK LEVEL: 1REASON: “From the many studies performed, we can say that anti-

perspirants are unlikely to increase cancer risk,” Dr. Spinelli says.

RECOMMENDATION: Although the research is ongoing, Canadians should feel comfortable using antiperspirants and deodorants.If you don’t smoke,

weight is the next most important

risk factor for cancer.

ing red meat, is known to produce carcinogens,”

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Being overweightRISK LEVEL: 5REASON: “Maintaining a healthy weight is the second most impor-

tant thing people can do to lower cancer risk, after quitting smoking,” Dr. Spinelli says.

Being obese, or having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, increases your risk for a variety of cancers, including breast, prostate and colon cancers, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

RECOMMENDATION: Calculate your BMI (visit www.bccancer.bc.ca/PPI.htm and look under “Prevention”), and take action if it’s 30 or greater. “Eat more vegetables, reduce your sugar and refined starch intake, and increase your activity levels. It’s not one thing—all of these pieces are key,” Dr. Spinelli says.

S p r i n g 2 0 1 3 37

You can help researchers determine the environmental

risks associated with cancer! the BC Cancer Agency’s BC

generations Project is the largest cancer prevention study

ever conducted in B.C.

the BC generations Project is part of a national effort

to explore how genetics, environment, lifestyle and behav-

iour contribute to the risk of developing cancer and other

chronic diseases. the study aims to recruit up to 40,000

British Columbians who wish to make a lasting contribution

to the health of future generations. to date, the project has

enrolled more than 24,000 participants.

Any B.C. resident age 35 to 69 is eligible to join. For

more information, or to complete the online survey, visit

www.bcgenerationsproject.ca or call 604-675-8221.

Do Your Part for Cancer Prevention

A Gift to Support Cancer Prevention ResearchSupport the BC generations project by making a gift to the BC Cancer Foundation today. Call Sharon Kennedy at 604-877-6160 or email [email protected] today.

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NECK LUMP

FAINTING

UNEXPLAINED WEIGHT LOSS

IgnoreSymptoms

Never to

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FdVVSP1300CND_38-41_symptoms.indd 38 11/5/12 11:53 AM

S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 39

From incessant fatigue to unexplained weight

loss, here are reasons to call your doctor—now

BY LORI K. BAKER

SEEING SPOTS

LOWER LEG PAIN

BLOOD IN URINE

BACK PAIN

NUMBNESS AND WEAKNESS IN HAND OR ARM

FATIGUE

UNEXPLAINED WEIGHT LOSS

“I simply don’t have time to get sick,” you mutter to yourself as you bolt out the door at 7 a.m. to head to work. Maybe you’ve been exhausted for weeks. Or you’ve had a constant, nagging backache. Or that swollen gland on your neck hasn’t gone away. Whatever it is, you say it’s nothing and convince yourself it will go away on its own.

It’s easy to play the wait-and-see game when you’re preoccupied with so many other things. But when are simple aches and pains, lumps and bumps indicative of something more? Here are nine seemingly minor symptoms you should never ignore.

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FATIGUEWHAT IT MIGHT MEAN : “It’s easy to pass off fatigue as due to stress, not sleep-ing or burning the candle at both ends,” says Dr. Dawn DeWitt, a professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia and co-author of Teaching in Your Offi ce. “But if you are getting about eight hours of sleep each night and the fatigue is still overwhelming, it could be due to a medical condition—anemia, an underactive thyroid, heart disease, depression or hepatitis.”

WHAT TO DO: If you’ve suffered from fatigue for more than two weeks, DeWitt recommends that you make an appointment with your primary care physician to fi nd out its cause and how to treat it.

A NECK LUMPWHAT IT MIGHT MEAN : It might be something as simple as a sore throat. “But it also might mean a hidden malignancy or the fi rst signs of Hodgkin disease,” Birge says.

WHAT TO DO: Make an appointment to see your physician if the lump is larger than 2.5 centimetres wide or has lasted more than two weeks, Birge advises. Your physician will determine whether the lump is a discrete mass and may order a biopsy.

SEEING SPOTSWHAT IT MIGHT MEAN : If you’re seeing specks or “fl oaters,” they may be more than annoying. They could be symptoms of retinal detachment, and you should see an eye-care professional immediately.

WHAT CAN BE DONE: Small tears can be treated with laser surgery, during which tiny burns are made around the hole to “weld” the ret-ina back into place. Another option is cryopexy, which freezes the area around the hole and helps reattach the retina. These procedures are usually performed in the doctor’s offi ce. More complicated cases may require a hospital stay.

FAINTINGWHAT IT MIGHT MEAN : If you’ve fainted or felt extremely dizzy after quickly standing up, you may suffer from more than embarrassment. Called syncopy, it can be a symptom of internal hemorrhaging from an ulcer, high blood sugar levels in people who have diabetes, severe dehydration, anemia or serious heart irregu-larities such as arrhythmias, Birge says.

WHAT CAN BE DONE: Your primary care physician may order tests to check your blood sugar level and blood count and to monitor your heart.

UNEXPLAINED WEIGHT LOSSWHAT IT MIGHT MEAN : Stepping on the scale to discover you’ve lost fi ve kilograms without even trying only sounds like a dream come true. If you haven’t changed your eating habits and you’ve lost a noticeable amount of weight, it can be a serious red fl ag. The list of suspects includes diabetes, an overactive thyroid gland and can-cer, according to Drs. Neil Shulman and Jack Birge, co-authors of Your Body’s Red Light Warning Signals: Medical Tips That May Save Your Life.

WHAT TO DO: “Go to your doc-tor,” Birge says. “This calls for a prompt investigation.”

BLOOD IN URINEWHAT IT MIGHT MEAN : There are many causes of bleeding into the urinary tract, such as blad-der infection, but “one of them is cancer, which may be in the kidney, ureter, bladder or prostate,” Shulman says. “At the time when they are still curable, these cancers often do not cause pain.”

WHAT CAN BE DONE: In addition to a uri-nalysis, your physician may order an ultrasound of your kidneys or a cystoscopy to see the inte-rior lining of the bladder. If a suspicious mass is found, a biopsy usually will be performed.


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BACK PAINWHAT IT MIGHT MEAN : Everyday back sprains from heaving heavy boxes or picking up squirm-ing toddlers don’t pose a big worry. But be on the lookout for back pain that’s constant and doesn’t change with movement, which can be a symptom of kidney disease, blood-borne infection or an aortic aneurysm, Birge says.

WHAT TO DO: To help your doctor make the diagnosis, be sure to describe other symptoms you might be experiencing, such as paleness, a rapid pulse, chills, fever or fl u-like signs.

LOWER LEG PAINWHAT IT MIGHT MEAN : If you suffer pain in the back of your calf after a long car trip, an airplane ride or a period of bed rest, it might be a symptom of a blood clot. It’s possible that a piece of the clot could break free and end up in your lungs, which can be fatal. If the pain occurs with walking and then is alleviated by rest, it could be peripheral vascular disease, a marker for heart disease.

WHAT CAN BE DONE: Your doctor may order a venous ultra-sound to detect a blood clot. Birge says blood clots can be treated with the prescription drugs heparin or warfarin. Peripheral vas-cular disease usually can be remedied with lifestyle changes—eating a heart-healthy diet and exercising at least 30 minutes a day three or more days per week. More severe cases may require medication, angioplasty, stent placement or bypass surgery.

NUMBNESS AND WEAKNESS IN HAND OR ARMWHAT IT MIGHT MEAN : You might pass it off as carpal tunnel syndrome. But it could be a transient isch-emic attack, “a red light warning signal of a stroke,” Shulman says. Other warning signs include numbness on one side of your face, slurred speech and vertigo.

WHAT TO DO: “Go to the emergency room,” Birge says. “We can now use a drug called tissue plasmino-gen activator to dissolve clots and restore blood fl ow to the brain.” But the drug must be given within three hours of the onset of symptoms to allow a chance for full recovery. And that doesn’t mean you can wait two hours and 45 minutes to get to the hospital. Given drive time and prep time, every minute counts. The best solution is to call 911 so the emergency response team can begin treating you in the ambulance and coordinate with the hospital for your arrival.

Time on Your SideWhile there are a host of medical concerns that should prompt you to call your doctor,

almost none are more pressing than the signs of a stroke, says Dr. Dawn DeWitt, a pro-

fessor of medicine at the University of British Columbia and co-author of Teaching in

Your Office.

“When it comes to stroke, a quick response is essential,” she says. “All too often, I hear

stories from patients who noticed something was wrong but decided to wait it out and

see if it would get better. The minute you notice a symptom, call 911.”

Do you know what to look for? According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of

Canada, the most common signs of a stroke are:

• Weakness: Sudden loss of strength or sudden numbness in the face, arm or leg.

• Trouble speaking: Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding.

• Vision problems: Sudden trouble with vision.

• Headache: Sudden severe and unusual headache.

• Dizziness: Sudden loss of balance, especially in combination with the other signs.

What’s Your Risk?

Take 10 minutes to learn your risk of stroke and heart disease, with this online Heart & Stroke

Risk Assessment. You’ll get a report on your

risk factors and tips for reducing your risk. Visit

www.heartandstroke.com and click

“Assess Your Risk” to take the assess-

ment now.

TOOL


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Know the facts and myths about allergies and fight back

42

FdVVSP1300CND_42-45_allergies2.indd 42 11/5/12 11:54 AM

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Achoo! Sniffle. Blow. Achoo! Ah, the sounds of allergy season. • if you’re an allergy sufferer, you know the signs well—sneezing, runny nose, congestion and watery eyes are common symptoms.

By Stephanie R. ConneR

When Allergies Attack

And if you’re an allergy sufferer, you’re far from alone. About 10 million Canadians say they suffer from allergies, according to a survey conducted by Johnson & Johnson. And 55 per cent of those people say that allergies affect their productivity.

People who are allergic to pollen from particular plants, such as grass, trees or weeds, experience sea-sonal allergic rhinitis (or hay fever).

Common indoor allergens like dust or pet dander can also trigger allergic rhinitis. Of course, if you’re allergic to these things, your allergy “season” is year-round.

Allergies explAinedSo, what’s happening when you have an allergy?

An allergy is essentially a miscue in the body’s immune system, where it senses a substance—such as pollen or mould—as a harmful invader, and causes the body to produce immunoglobulin E antibodies. An initial allergy screening will often include a blood test for these antibodies, which travel to cells that release chemicals that cause an allergic reaction.

There are steps you can take to minimize the symptoms of allergies, but perhaps the most impor-tant step is to first educate yourself.

Here are a few common myths about allergies and what you should know.

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Myth: To manage your allergies, stay away from brightly coloured flowers.

Plants are pollinated in one of two ways—by wind or by bees. Brightly coloured flowers pro-duce pollen that is too large and heavy to be spread by the wind. Bees fly from flower to flower to pollinate them. On the other hand, pollen from trees, grasses and weeds are smaller and spread by the wind.

“The plants that don’t have flowers are the leading allergen,” Gibson explains. “They’re the ones putting out the spores and ragweed. They have way more irritants than any flowering plant could hope to.”

Myth: To cure seasonal allergies, eat the local honey.

If only it were so simple. “There have been stud-ies that have shown that local honey is not medic-inal for reducing an allergic predisposition,” Fineman says. “It’s not going to hurt you, but it’s not medicinal.”

Myth: Short-haired pets don’t cause allergies.

Sorry, Fido. “There’s no such thing as a hypoal-lergenic pet,” Gibson says. The issue is not the hair itself, but the dander—or flakes of skin—that hide out in fur or feathers. The amount of dander may be less in a small and short-haired pet than a large, long-haired one, but if pet dander is your kryptonite, you’re still likely to have a reaction around even the smallest pooch.

Dander is found in mammals and birds, so if you happen to have a pet lizard or snake, you’re in the clear.

Myth: Allergies are not life-threatening.

Unfortunately, allergies are more than just a nuisance.

Myth: If you didn’t have allergies as a child, you don’t have to worry about them as an adult.

Nope. “Allergies can develop at any age,” says Monika Gibson, spokeswoman and Ontario coordinator for the Allergy/Asthma Information Association, which receives one or two calls a day from adults who have recently developed an allergy. “That’s one of the biggest target audi-ences right now.”

So, if that “cold” just won’t go away, it might be an adult-onset allergy. Talk to your doctor.

Allergies tend to run in families, notes Dr. Stanley Fineman, a contributing editor for the publication Allergy Watch, so if your parents have allergies, that might be more indicative of your risk than whether you had them as a child.

Myth: Moving to a dry climate will cure your allergies.

“It depends on what you’re allergic to,” Gibson says. “If your issue is mould, it will certainly help. (Areas with) drier temperatures tend to have less mould spores in the air.”

But desert climates still have plants, and those plants have pollen, Gibson adds.

Fineman points out that people who have moved to drier climates, such as the desert Southwest in the U.S., brought plants with them, meaning a lot of dry climates have more than simple desert plants. In the end, you may simply find yourself trading one allergy for another.

About 10 million canadians say theysuffer from allergies. and55 per cenTsay allergies affect their

producTIvITy.

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“Allergies can be life-threatening, and life-threatening allergies can develop at any point in time,” Gibson says. “You need to take that very, very seriously.”

Called anaphylaxis, these severe reactions require emergency care and are typically caused by food allergies or bee sting venom. People with allergies should carry an epinephrine autoinjec-tor and know how to use it, Gibson advises.

Myth:There’s nothing that can be done.

“Allergies are on the rise, but there are many things people can do should they develop aller-gies at any age,” Gibson says. The fi rst step is to seek out the advice of an allergist and learn what you’re allergic to.

“Allergies are not easy to diagnose,” Fineman adds. “And it does take experience, specialized training and the proper tools to really make an accurate diagnosis.”

With that information, Gibson says, you can plan your lifestyle. In addition to simply avoid-ing the things you’re allergic to, your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter or prescription medication designed to alleviate symptoms.

Another option for some patients, Fineman says, is allergy shots, which are typically recom-mended for people who have symptoms more than three months out of the year or have severe allergies. It’s not a cure, but rather a way to reduce your sensitivity to allergens.

“Allergy shots are a very effective way of help-ing patients build tolerance,” he explains. “It’s really the only disease-modifying treatment we have.”

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Study Up on AllergiesWant to learn more about common aller-

gens and what you can do about allergies? Visit the Canadian Allergy, Asthma and

Immunology Foundation at www.allergyfoundation.ca and click “Public

Information” in the top navigation bar.

Be Aware of Food AllergiesWhile seasonal allergies can be a nuisance, food allergies are

serious business. Even the tiniest amounts of allergens in food

can cause a life-threatening reaction. According to Health

Canada, there are nine key food allergens: peanuts, tree nuts,

sesame seeds, milk, eggs, fish (including shellfish and crusta-

ceans), soy, wheat and sulphites.

If you suspect you have food allergies, Monika Gibson,

spokeswoman and Ontario coordinator for the Allergy/Asthma

Information Association, suggests the following steps.

1. See an allergist. Make sure you know exactly what you’re

allergic to. “That knowledge is powerful,” Gibson says.

2. Avoid the allergens. There’s no way to build immunity,

Gibson explains. So, it’s critical for your health and safety that

you avoid those foods to which you’re allergic.

3. Learn how to read labels. Sometimes allergens might

appear in foods you don’t expect, so if you’re eating anything

in a box or a can, check the ingredients list.

4. Carry an epinephrine autoinjector. An allergic reaction

can result in trouble breathing, speaking or swallowing; hives;

faintness; or cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. An injection of

epinephrine (adrenaline) is the appropriate emergency treat-

ment for a severe reaction. As a precaution, people with food

allergies should carry an epinephrine device so that they can give

themselves an injection in an emergency.


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VIRTUAL HEALTHBY CAREY ROSSI

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to Follow for FOOD SAFETY

@CFIA_FoodWHAT THEY DO: A one-stop shop for news, tips,

recalls and other food safety information from the

Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

@eartheatsWHAT THEY DO: Tweet about food, food safety,

policy, sustainable agriculture, international news

and recipes to make the world a tastier place.

@SustainOntarioWHAT THEY DO: This province-wide alliance

promotes healthy food and farming.

@barfblogWHAT HE DOES: This Twitter handle belongs

to Doug Powell, a professor of diagnostic medicine

and pathobiology at Kansas State University. He

is passionate about reducing the burden of food-

borne illness and compels others in the farm-to-

fork food safety system to adopt best practices.

Food-borne illness is easily prevented, if you know

where to look. Check out these four Twitter

feeds to keep noshing without the nausea.

FdVVSP1300CND_46-47_virtualb.indd 46 11/9/12 11:57 AM

Change CanCer OutCOmes with a few CliCksYou can make a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer by fundraising for the BC Cancer Foundation online. There are many options to personalize your efforts, whether you want to raise funds in memory of a loved one, honour a family member or a friend on a cancer journey, or request donations instead of gifts for your birthday or wedding. You can create your own fundraising campaign. The information and tools you need are now at your fingertips. To create a fundraising page in minutes and start making an impact immediately, visit www.bccancerfoundation.com

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@bccancer for Cancer NewsThe BC Cancer Foundation

brings you news on major cancer research breakthroughs, and the

fundraising events and happen-ings in your community. Follow @bccancer on Twitter today.

FdVVSP1396_13-46_Commons.indd 46 12/20/12 11:28 AM

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VIRTUAL HEALTH

Breathe2Relax, a free app avail-able for iPhone, iPad and Android devices, provides a guided way to diminish your response to a hairy situation. It shows you the effects of stress on the body and instructs you on how to do diaphragmatic breathing—a proven technique to lessen pressure and anxiety—to manage your stress.

What’s more, Breathe2Relax was recently the subject of research at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing examining whether apps could help people deal with stress. The small preliminary study found partici-pants’ cortisol levels—a biological marker—decreased signifi cantly after using the app for two weeks.

Stress. Download. Relax.

FEELING DIZZY? Watch YouTube

S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 47

There’s no doubt YouTube can provide hours upon hours

of mindless stimulation. But a do-it-yourself cure for

dizziness? It may well do that, too!

Research examining the social

media site’s video selection about

benign paroxysmal positional

vertigo (BPPV)—an inner ear dis-

order that is a common cause of

dizziness—suggests that watching a

how-to clip and then complet-

ing an at-home

treatment for

the disorder, the Epley manoeuvre, may be effective.

A report in the journal Neurology found that health-

care providers are using the videos, such as the one at

www.tinyurl.com/d687ysz, to help patients learn about

the procedure. The researchers’ only complaint was that

there wasn’t complementary information to explain what

BPPV was (Editor’s note: BPPV is likely caused by loose

calcium carbonate crystals that move in the sensing tubes

of the inner ear. The Epley manoeuvre moves these crys-

tals out and into another inner chamber of the ear, which

does not cause dizziness). If watching a four-minute video

helps ease your fear of treatment, why not check it out?

MisguidedMULTI-TASKINGDoing more than one thing at a time may seem like the norm, but,

according to research published in Computers in Human Behavior, the type

of tasks done together might dictate the outcome. Specifically, doing

two visual tasks at once, such as texting and driving, hurt performance

much more than doing visual and audio tasks, such as talking on the

phone and driving. (Of course, both these examples have proved to be

highly dangerous and should not be done.)

What seems to be most alarming is that the researchers found that

the multi-taskers’ perception of their performance when engaging in

two visual tasks simultaneously was overconfident—meaning the partici-

pants thought they nailed each task even though their performance was

poor. In other words, even if you think you’re doing a great job of keep-

ing your eyes on the road, make that your only job at the moment.

FdVVSP1300CND_46-47_virtualb.indd 47 11/5/12 11:54 AM

VV_stroke_WarningSigns.indd 1 12/11/12 9:41 AM

The BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North has offi-cially opened its doors in Prince George, revealing the world-class facility that features cutting-edge treatment technology, highly trained profession-

als and excellent supportive care services to patients. Top-of-the-line linear accelerators—used in the delivery of radiation therapy—will offer Northern B.C. cancer patients the best treatment available, without the stress of travelling hundreds of kilometres to receive care.

The new Centre has also opened the door to more research opportunities. Now, patients like Karl Weber can take part in clinical research that may improve his outcome and the deliv-ery of cancer care for patients down the road.

Learning through cLinicaL triaLsKarl is participating in a clinical trial that’s assessing whether a new method of radiation will slow down his metastatic dis-ease. The study, coined “COMET,” delivers large, concen-trated doses of radiation (stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, or SABR) to precise areas with few side effects and may prolong the lives of patients whose cancer has spread to the lungs, brain, bone or liver.

Karl, who resides in Prince George, is extremely pleased to see research already blossoming at the new cancer Centre. “I think it’s important that you have clinical trials, because how else are you going to learn to improve treatment?” he says.

Access to radiation therapy and clinical trials in the North is quite important to Karl. “It’s a lot nicer to have family close to you, it makes a big difference.”

improving treatmentsDr. Rob Olson, a radiation oncologist at the BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North and research lead for the Northern Cancer Control Strategy, is leading the four-year COMET trial for the BC Cancer Agency in collaboration with experts across Canada and in Europe. Together, this team of collaborat-ing researchers will assess SABR’s impact on patient survival, side effects and quality of life.

“Karl and all patients who take part in clinical trials at the Centre for the North are contributing to improvements in future patients’ treatments, for those in the North, through-out the province and even globally,” says Dr. Olson.

“Plus, clinical trial participation can improve a patient’s own experience and outcome,” he continues.

Clinical research provides patients with access to new therapies and offers more in depth follow-up, which often includes a focus on quality of life after treatment.

With the new Centre fast becoming a fixture in the north-ern B.C. health community, Dr. Olson and his colleagues will be working to educate residents and patients about the impor-tance of research and the impact it has on enhancements to patient care and survivorship.

The new Centre for the North gives patients the best treatment in the neighbourhood

World-class Care Close to Home

The new cancer centre in Prince George offers an enhanced patient experience.

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Cancer Care in the NorthLearn more about the BC Cancer Agency

Centre for the North and how you can sup-port cutting-edge research by contacting the BC Cancer Foundation at 1-888-906-2873.

One Centre, All of Your Carethe Bc cancer agency centre for the north will provide a comprehensive approach to care within one centre. With the support of oncologists, healthcare providers and supportive services, the centre for the north provides:

• radiation oncology

• medical imaging

• pharmacy

• medical oncology

• provincial psychosocial program

• nutrition

• volunteer services

• aboriginal community care

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FdVVSP1396_49_Centre for North.indd 49 12/12/12 1:38 PM

BC Cancer Agency researchers have provided the world with a never-before-seen method to stage oral lesions and deter-mine which are most likely to progress to oral cancer.

The Director of the BC Cancer Agency’s Oral Cancer Prevention Program, Dr. Miriam Rosin, says, “Right here in B.C. we’ve come up with new technology and scientifi c evidence to identify early disease—years before it happens. And, we can predict which individuals are at a higher risk for oral cancer and [who] should go on to receive preventative treatment.”

She also explains that the study has identifi ed those whose lesions are not as likely to advance to cancer.

“Ideally, you want to signifi cantly decrease the number of people getting oral cancer and with that, you’ll decrease lives lost. For the fi rst time, we have the scientifi c knowledge that can allow us to make a change,” says Dr. Rosin.

PREVENTION: THE GOLD STANDARDBrenda Currie, a long-time advocate and volunteer for the program, is working to ensure this groundbreaking knowl-edge makes its way into standard care.

Brenda lost her mother at an early age to cancer that was diagnosed at a late stage. She says, “I understand that the earlier the diagnosis the better. And preventing cancer from happening is the gold standard.”

Her time spent with the BC Cancer Agency’s Oral Cancer Prevention Program, looking at high-risk populations on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, confi rmed for her the need to take action in the community and raise awareness and funds for this disease, which affects more than 500 British Columbians each year.

Brenda planned and executed a successful gala in 2012 benefi tting the BC Cancer Foundation and oral cancer pre-vention. She’s once again spearheading the 2013 An Evening to Conquer Oral Cancer gala because she believes prevention, early diagnosis and awareness will result in better outcomes for this disease, which currently has a poor fi ve-year progno-sis due to late detection.

Dr. Miriam Rosin reviews a chart that will indicate whether a patient

has a high-risk oral lesion.

Oral cancer screening can take place at your dentist’s office with the B.C.-developed VELscope.

ORAL CANCER PREVENTIONIS PROVEN POSSIBLE

COMMUNITY NETWORKING WILL SAVE LIVESBoth Brenda and Dr. Rosin see this recent breakthrough as an opportunity to engage the community, including industry partners, donors and medical professionals, to grow a frame-work for oral cancer prevention.

With Brenda’s efforts and support from the BC Cancer Foundation and a host of partners, the BC Cancer Agency’s Oral Cancer Prevention Program is on a trailblazing path to lead the international community with a standardized approach to oral cancer prevention and early detection.

Healthier mouths are on the horizon with this new approach to oral cancer prevention

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FdVVSP1396_50-51_Oral Cancer.indd 50 12/12/12 1:38 PM

ORAL CANCER PREVENTIONIS PROVEN POSSIBLE

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Contribute to Oral Cancer Prevention

ResearchYour gift will help B.C.’s Oral Cancer

Prevention Program find ways of detecting signs of the disease

before it starts. Contact John Andru at 604-707-5815 or by email

[email protected] and donate today.

Tips to Prevent Oral Cancer from Invading Your Mouth5

1 Do not smoke or chew tobacco. If you

are a smoker, even with a casual habit, make

the decision to stop.

2 Moderate alcohol consumption. If

you drink alcohol, limit your intake to one

to two drinks per day and never binge drink.

3 Brush and floss regularly. An unhealthy

mouth can inhibit your body’s ability to

naturally destroy cancerous cells.

4 Protect your lips. Always use SPF

protection on your lips when you are

in the sun.

5 See your dentist regularly (at least

every six months) and ask about oral

cancer screening.

We can predict which individuals are at a higher

risk for oral cancer and [who] should go on to receive preventative

treatment.

51S P R I N G 2 0 1 3

FdVVSP1396_50-51_Oral Cancer.indd 51 12/12/12 1:38 PM

L ike many British Columbians, Ann Douglas supports the charities that have touched her personally: “My mother was diagnosed with thyroid carcinoma. I wanted to donate and

leave my money to an organization that looked for a cure to a disease that affected my family.

“That’s the main reason I chose to support the BC Cancer Foundation. It means something to me,” she says.

There are many ways to leave a legacy and one is through Registered Retirement Saving Plans (RRSPs) or Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs), which are among the largest assets Canadians own.

Ann was interested in the tax benefits earned by making a charitable gift through RRSPs. “I didn’t want to see the money going to the government or taxed as part of my estate. This way, my RRSP money will go straight to cancer research,” says Ann, who hopes that her gift will help people live a healthy life and hopefully decrease the incidence of cancer.

Like Ann, others can direct where the money from RRSPs is going. Gifts made through RRSPs or RRIFs are one of the most convenient and cost-effective ways to leave a lasting impact. In addition, they can:

• Provide tax credits that can eliminate the taxes due when the RRSP/RRIF is included in your income in the final year and can be applied to the year prior.

• save your estate money because RRSP/RRIF proceeds paid to designated beneficiaries are not subject to probate fees.

• create a legacy for cancer research and care in B.C.—the funds can be paid to the BC Cancer Foundation in a timely manner and with minimal documentation, making gifts of an RRSP or RRIF one of the most cost-effective types of charitable gifts.

After a discussion with her bank and making a note in her will, Ann was able to set up a gift that she believes will help someone find a cure for cancer.

Legacy gifts to the BC Cancer Foundation have led to significant progress in cancer care, and today British Columbians experience the lowest incidence and some of the best cancer survival rates in Canada. But there’s more work to be done and the generos-ity of donors fuels advancements from prevention to treatment.

The BC Cancer Agency is embarking on innovative research projects, including cancer genomics and clinical trials, that will shape the future of patient care. Legacy gifts will ensure this research is able to continue.

“After all,” Ann adds, “without researchers, where would we be?”

to HerClose

Heart

planned giving

Ann Douglas chose to donate to the BC Cancer Foundation because finding a cure means something to her

Learn More TodayIf you’d like to learn more about

making a gift of RRSPs, RRIFs or other assets, contact Paola Coronado Hass,

BC Cancer Foundation, at 604-877-6156 or toll free at 1-888-906-2873 or by

email at [email protected] .

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FdVVSP1396_52-53_PlannedGiving.indd 52 12/12/12 1:38 PM

Ann Douglas supports causes very close to her heart.

The Facts on Gifting RRSPs and RRIFs

• Registered Retirement Saving Plans (RRSPs) and Registered

Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs) are among the largest assets

Canadians own.

• When we pass away, for most of us, the entire value of our

RRSPs or RRIFs is added to our income on our final tax return and

taxed accordingly.

• The tax credits provided from a gift of RRSPs or RRIFs can help

offset up to 100 per cent of the taxes owed in that year, and any excess

tax credits can even be applied to the previous year, to offset any tax

payable that year.

LEAVING A LEGACY• Approximately two-thirds of

Canadians do not have a will.

• By informing the BC Cancer

Foundation of your wish to make

a legacy gift, you’re allowing can-

cer researchers to plan for future

projects with great promise to

improve care.

• Many charities can have similar

names—changing even one word,

such as “society” instead of “foun-

dation,” can lead to a different out-

come than you intended. Our legal

name is BC Cancer Foundation.

• Recent planned gifts to the

BC Cancer Foundation have allowed

a major research study—the BC

Generations Project—to expand

recruitment in Kelowna, and are

supporting the ongoing expan-

sion of the Vancouver Island

Cancer Centre.

“I didn’t want to see the money going to the government or taxed as part of my estate. This way, my RRSP money will go straight to cancer research.”

With planned gifts from nearly 600 estates over the past 15 years, the BC Cancer Foundation has invested over $56 MILLION into life-saving cancer research and enhancements to care at the BC Cancer Agency.

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FdVVSP1396_52-53_PlannedGiving.indd 53 12/12/12 1:38 PM

IN THE NEWS

Highlights & HappeningsShowcasing people making a di� erence

54 S P R I N G 2 0 1 3

Dr. Ross Halperin, Matt Vader, Dr. Ken Mills, Dr. Jonathan Price

Pat Bried, chemotherapy nurse, with her husband, exploring the Paradiso Vineyard.

BC CANCER FOUNDATION’S GOLF CLASSIC IN MEMORY OF SINDI AHLUWALIA HAWKINSThe Foundation’s signature Golf Classic raised over $52,000 to support patient care and cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency Sindi Ahluwalia Hawkins Centre for the Southern Interior. The event’s success is thanks to community supporters, including lead-ership sponsor Valley First, committee members, golfers, volunteers and generous event donors. Since Sindi’s passing in 2010 from acute myeloid leukemia, the tournament honours her extraordinary passion and commitment to the BC Cancer Agency. Over a 15-year history, this tournament has raised more than $1 million.

AN AFTERNOON IN PARADISOPaul Esposito hosted the third annual An Afternoon in Paradiso event last fall. Guests toured the Paradiso Vineyard and tasted wine from various wineries and snacks from local food vendors. Over three years, the event has contributed $131,000 to the BC Cancer Agency Abbotsford Centre, which Esposito hopes will make a difference for cancer patients like his brother, who is receiving treatment for bladder cancer. As a gesture of appreciation for the care his brother has received, Esposito invited the Centre’s chemotherapy nurses to attend the event for free.

JOURNEY FOR HOPECancer survivors George Chan and John Lowe cycled across Canada last summer in a three-month jour-

ney to share their message of hope—that cancer can be beaten. Journey For Hope raised funds for the BC Cancer Foundation to support world-class can-cer research at the BC Cancer Agency. George and John are pictured here during a training ride on Vancouver’s Seawall. Read more about their jour-ney at www.journeyforhope.ca.

SUPPORT WITH A HEAD SHAVECancer patient Kristine Sloan has always inspired others with her smiling attitude during her can-cer treatment. As a way of supporting her friend, Michelle Mailhot started the fundraiser, Head Shave for Kristine Sloan. The event raised $6,000 to pur-chase new chemotherapy chairs at the BC Cancer Agency Sindi Ahluwalia Hawkins Centre for the Southern Interior.

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Michelle and Kristine pose with freshly shaved heads in

Kelowna, B.C.

FdVVSP1396_54-55_Happenings.indd 54 12/12/12 1:38 PM

Donors Leading the WayThe BC Cancer Foundation’s annual donor recognition

events are taking place this spring. The events held through-

out B.C. share research advancements with donors and

thank them for their continued support. Donors may join

one of the upcoming events and hear from Dr. Max Coppes,

President of the BC Cancer Agency.

2013 Event Schedule:

• Kelowna—April 18

• Surrey—April 25

For more information about attending one of these

events, contact Cathryn Wilson, 604-707-5917 or

[email protected]

• Abbotsford—May 2

• Vancouver—May 22

55S P R I N G 2 0 1 3

From left: BC Cancer Foundation staff and Jo Campbell;

Tru Value Foods’ Rob Clarke, store manager; Dean Clarke,

founder, owner and cancer survivor; Phil Greenhalgh,

general manager and owner.

TRU VALUE FOODS’ CRAB & CORN FESTIVAL FUNDRAISERTru Value Foods presented BC Cancer Foundation with a gift of over $10,000 in honour of its late owner, Wayne Verch. Wayne supported the Foundation’s Inspire the World Campaign to expand the BC Cancer Agency Vancouver Island Centre, but he passed away unexpectedly before making a donation. Tru Value Foods honours Verch’s commitment and this summer held a Crab & Corn Festival fundraiser in Victoria—a huge hit with the community.

LEARNING MORE ABOUT MESOTHELIOMA The British Columbia Insulation Contractors Association (BCICA) presented the BC Cancer Foundation with a $100,000 donation to support cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency. Pictured here are BCICA Directors David Nowak and Andre Pachon, with BC Cancer Agency’s Dr. Stephen Lam. Their donation will help boost a Mesothelioma (a rare form of cancer) pre-screening and research project.

DANNY AND SANDY JADRESKO SUMMER SOIRÉEThe Jadreskos held an outdoor Summer Soirée at their home with over 200 guests to celebrate their com-mitment to the BC Cancer Foundation and encourage others to support research at the BC Cancer Agency. Danny’s mother is a cancer survivor, and over the years the couple has lost many friends to cancer. They established The Danny and Sandy Jadresko Cancer Research Fund with the BC Cancer Foundation, committing an initial $100,000 with plans to grow their support in years to come.

FdVVSP1396_54-55_Happenings.indd 55 12/20/12 11:29 AM

I t’s a stat that needs to change: one in three Canadians will hear the words you have cancer in their lifetime. Jackie Ellis heard these words when she was diagnosed with lymphoma in her early 30s. Jackie remembers

going through treatment at the BC Cancer Agency, and dur-ing that time she says, “I prayed that some brilliant scientist would make a discovery that might help me.”

Lucky for Jackie, they did.Research is working. Treatments are more effective,

have fewer side effects and are allowing people to live lon-ger with a better quality of life. Discoveries emerging from the BC Cancer Agency, such as three world-first discoveries in lymphoid cancers over the past two years, happen when BC Cancer Foundation donor dollars are invested into game-changing efforts.

Life-Saving DiScoverieSThe BC Cancer Foundation has been selected as one of Canada’s top-performing charities by Charity Intelligence (Ci) Canada for its ability to provide high returns on donor investments.

“Charity Intelligence has confirmed what our 110,000 donors already know: giving to the BC Cancer Foundation is the best way to change the course of cancer research and care in B.C.,” says Douglas Nelson, President & CEO, BC Cancer Foundation.

As the fourth most common cancer for men and women, lymphoid cancers disproportionately strike young people, like Jackie.

The Charity Intelligence report highlights the Foundation’s long-term support of world-leading research programs, such as the Agency’s AnGELyC Project that’s focused on dissect-ing the molecular biology of lymphoid cancers at the genomic level in order to find better treatments. Major discoveries have been made, providing hope to the over 2,000 British Columbians who will be diagnosed with a lymphoid cancer this year.

Jackie believes that cancer research funding is essential to solving a disease that is continually evolving and affect-ing people we know and love. She has benefitted from breakthrough treatment protocols that increased survival outcomes, which only two years ago were very different.

“When you give a penny to the BC Cancer Foundation you give life. I know I am forever grateful to those who believe in making a difference in the lives of others,” says Jackie.

The 2012 Top Picks report is available for download at www.charityintelligence.ca. For more information on the BC Cancer Foundation and this year’s priority fundraising areas, please visit: www.bccancerfoundation.com.

Funding high-impact, life-saving cancer research brings the BC Cancer Foundation an honourable title as a Top Pick by Charity Intelligence Canada

“This year’s Top Pick Charities have proven that they are both efficient and effective. They are not only able to run

their operations cost efficiently, but more importantly, they produce bottom-line

results in enhancing the lives of their clients,” says Greg Thomson, director

of research at Charity Intelligence. The BC Cancer Foundation is among 45 outstanding charities in the country bestowed with the Top Pick ranking.

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Make a Gift and Change Cancer Care

The BC Cancer Foundation supports world-leading research initiatives that are changing the way

cancer is diagnosed and treated. You can make a long-lasting impact on cancer care in B.C.

Call 1-888-906-2873 to learn more today.

Jackie Ellis, a lymphoma survivor, underwent chemotherapy at the BC Cancer Agency.

Top Performer in CanadaA

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FdVVSP1396_56_InTheNews2.indd 56 12/12/12 1:39 PM

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..

Like Mother, Like Daughter

VV_PSA_CAN_Mother Daughter_AMM.indd 3 12/11/12 9:39 AM

April 13, 2013 at the Richmond Olympic Oval

Register at www.bustamove.ca604.675.8245 I [email protected]

M E D I A P A R T N E R S :

Bust a Move for Breast HealthTM is more than a day-long fitness event featuring six exhilarating exercise sessions, ranging from yoga to Zumba. 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.

FdVVSP1396_C4.indd 1 12/28/12 11:37 AM

northern b.c. cancer centre expands research … · 2013-02-01 · the bc cancer agency, an agency...

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