Coronavirus and Cancer Resources for Survivors
Cancer survivors have expressed concerns and questions about COVID-19, the coronavirus, and how they may be at higher risk due to their cancer history. Here are some resources about COVID-19 generally, and its impact for cancer survivors specifically. NCCS is seeking answers from public health experts on the coronavirus and its impact on cancer patients and survivors. Please leave a comment [...]
Health Care Roundup: Executive Order on Price Transparency; Coping with Cancer; New Data on Cancer Disparities; US Health Spending; More
Executive Order on Price Transparency — This week, the Washington Post reported that the Trump administration is preparing an executive order that would require insurers and hospitals to disclose negotiated discounted rates for services. The executive order is intended to foster greater price transparency across a broad swath of the health-care industry as consumer concerns about medical costs emerge as a major issue in the lead-up [...]
Running: Fuel for My Body and Soul After Cancer
Being diagnosed with cancer stinks. It is a traumatic experience that will ripple through your life for years to come. For me it was no different. I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer at 31 and underwent treatment for a year, which included high doses of steroids. After almost two years of remission my cancer returned and had begun to spread to my uterus. My oncologist advised me that a hysterectomy was needed and within a few weeks [...]
Moving Through and Beyond Stage IV Colorectal Cancer
By Stacy Hurt, MHA, MBA. “But I’m an athlete and a non-smoker. I do everything right!” Those were my first words to the gastroenterologist who told me that the 11cm tumor in my rectum was “most likely cancer.” You would’ve thought I’d learned the whole “life isn’t fair” lesson when my son, now 13 years old, was diagnosed with a rare genetic chromosomal disorder that rendered him without the ability to walk, talk, or care for himself in any way. [...]
Health Care Roundup: House Passes Health Care Bill; Celebrating a Cancerversary; Palliative Care; Cutting Racial Disparities; More
The biggest health care bill of this session made it out of the House and is headed to the Senate, after a party-line vote late Thursday. The bill contains proposals to lower prescription drug prices and to help shore up the Affordable Care Act (ACA), making it politically tricky. It is unlikely that the bill will pass a Republican-controlled Senate. As Politico reports, “The move is likely to force most Republicans to sink the package and go on record [...]
Cancer at 30: Reflections on Post-Traumatic Growth
“Dig deep within yourself, for there is a fountain of goodness ever ready to flow if you will keep digging.” —Marcus Aurelius | In December of 2015, I was in the prime of my life. I was thirty years old, recently married, and had just launched a new business. Like most young people, I didn’t expect to get sick. I exercised regularly, ate reasonably well, and otherwise tried to take care of myself. On December 19th, I went to the doctor. I had a small lump. I assumed [...]
Finding Healing Hope – By Wendy S. Harpham, MD
Let’s discuss “hope.” After a cancer diagnosis, few topics are mentioned more…and discussed less. That’s a problem because what you hope for may mean the difference between enjoying life or feeling miserable. Maybe even between life and death. So how do you find hope? Not just any hope, but healing hope, namely hope that helps you get good care and live as fully as possible. Hope that helps you live your best life. The good news is there’s [...]
Health Care Roundup: Kaiser Health Insurance Survey; House Holds Medicare-for-All Hearing; CBO Analysis of Health Subsidies; More
Kaiser/LA Times Health Insurance Survey – Kaiser Family Foundation and the Los Angeles Times released results of a poll of people with employer-based health insurance and found that overall, most people with employer coverage feel generally satisfied with their insurance, but those with high deductibles or chronic conditions report facing affordability challenges. Those individuals with higher deductibles were more likely to skip or postpone [...]
Diagnosed with Cancer? Consider Living Life Like a Professional Cyclist
Guest Post by Mark Corroto — I recommend those diagnosed with cancer consider living life as if they are a professional cyclist. Ok, not racing 100 miles and climbing 10,000 feet of elevation, but attending to their minds and bodies as if preparing for the Amgen Tour of California. Cyclists look for every edge they can proffer to defeat opponents. For example, World Champion Peter Sagan is said to get 9 hours of sleep a night, and many [...]