Tag Archives: American Cancer Society

The dangers of secondhand smoke

Children are susceptible to dangers associated with secondhand smoke.

By Kea Norrell-Aitch, Michigan State University Extension 

 

It is not safe to smoke cigarettes around children and, more importantly, it is not safe to smoke at all. But if adults determine they want to smoke, then they can consider this information for keeping their children safe and healthy.

 

Smoking cigarettes or using smokeless tobacco is detrimental to your health. Smoking can be addicting, which makes it difficult to quit. Tobacco products damage many organs in your body and can cause heart disease and cancer.

Why is smoking bad for your health?

Tobacco contains a chemical called “nicotine” that gives smokers a pleasant feeling. People get addicted to that good feeling. Electronic cigarettes and “vapes” also deliver nicotine. Just because these products are popular does not mean they are safe. In addition to the nicotine, tobacco products have other poisonous chemicals in them. These toxic substances can poison your body over time, especially your heart and lungs.

According to the American Heart Association, some of the thousands of chemicals found in cigarette smoke or smokeless tobacco are also found in other familiar things:

  • Acetone — nail polish remover
  • Hydrogen cyanide — insecticide
  • Methanol — antifreeze
  • Cadmium — batteries
  • Hydrazine — rocket fuel
  • Toluene — paint thinner
  • Polonium 210 — nuclear waste
  • Formaldehyde — embalming fluid
  • Lead — once used in paint
  • Nitrosamines — cancer-causing substances
  • Arsenic— used in pesticides
  • Propylene glycol – automobile anti-freeze

Now that we have reviewed the chemicals found in cigarettes, would you drink any of them? Would you give your baby or child any of these chemicals in a bottle or cup? That is essentially what you are doing when you smoke around them. It may not be as potent as the exact chemical, but over time smoking will have adverse effects from secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is smoke inhaled involuntarily from tobacco being smoked by another.

Effects of secondhand smoke

Children are most affected by secondhand smoke and least able to avoid it (because they have no control over their parents or caretakers actions). The secondhand smoke can come from adults smoking at home or in the car. Children who have parents who smoke are more likely to have the following health issues:

  • Asthma and asthma attacks
  • Lung infections
  • Ear infections
  • Colds including increased coughing and wheezing
  • Tooth decay

Many people think their children will not be affected by secondhand smoke if they smoke outside, in a different room in the house or in the car with the window open. All of these scenarios are false. Children can still be affected by secondhand smoke in the above-mentioned situations. Smoke can get in the parents’ clothes, hair, skin and in the areas where children are sitting or sleeping. If you can smell the smoke, then the chemicals are entering into your body and causing harm.

 

Did you know there is also something called “thirdhand smoke?” According to the American Cancer Society, thirdhand smoke is when the harmful toxins remain in places where people have smoked. Thirdhand smoke can be found in walls and upholstery.

 

Many times, children and teens watch and mimic what they see adults doing. Research from the American Cancer Society has shown that teen tobacco users are more likely to use alcohol and illegal drugs than are non-users. Cigarette smokers are also more likely to get into fights, carry weapons, attempt suicide, suffer from mental health problems such as depression, and engage in high-risk sexual behaviors. This doesn’t necessarily mean tobacco use caused these behaviors, but they’re more common in teens that use tobacco.

 

The American Cancer Society says if you smoke, one of the most important things you can do for your own health and the health of your children is to stop smoking. Quitting is the best way to prevent your children from being exposed to secondhand smoke. It may be hard to quit, but you can talk to your doctor or your child’s pediatrician if you need help.

 

Update: Change of venue/times for Christy Paganelli memorial ballgames

 

Jake Paganelli (at bat), like his brother before him, will be playing in a game that is very personal for the family. (Supplied)

 

Wyoming’s Christy Paganelli ballgames remember past, eye a better future

 

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

This Friday, an annual baseball and softball game will held between Wyoming and Grandville high schools, the sixth to honor the person and the spirit of Christy Paganelli, who lost a courageous 18-month battle with melanoma.

 

Christy Paganelli

But the game, and its message, is really so much more — the theme is “Play for Melanoma” but, according to Christy’s widowered husband Dino, the event recognizes all cancer awareness and prevention, and is committed to making sure everyone is aware that melanoma skin cancer can happen to anyone and how to prevent it.

 

“The importance of this is to just honor lost love ones and those currently fighting a battle with cancer — any cancer — but it’s melanoma that I am really aware of, and I want young people to be aware of the significance of prevention,” Paganelli said in an interview with WKTV. “I am really scared for this generation.”

 

The two games are scheduled for May 5 at Wyoming High School’s baseball and softball fields, with both games starting at 6 p.m.

 

The players will be wearing special “sponsored” jerseys in honor or in memory of someone. As a player is announced at the beginning of the game, that person’s story will be told.

 

The players will have special sponsored jerseys, each with a story to tell. (Supplied)

“Each player has a personal connection,” Paganelli said, who saw the connection firsthand with his and Christy’s sons, who play for Grandville. “Brady played in it last year and he was really humbled by the experience, to see the leadership their mom had and showed. And now Jake is on varsity and I know he will be humbled by it.”

 

Between innings, an American Cancer Society spokesperson will be reading facts on melanoma so everyone can be aware of the dangers of skin cancer and what the risk factors are. There will also be printed information available for attendees  to take with them.

 

“She (Christy) was really reserved, she would not really like all the hype” of the games, Paganelli said. “But she would have been in favor of getting the information out there. It is a community event that I am always amazed at, the stories you hear from the sponsors, and it always takes me back.”

 

All proceeds from this game go to melanoma education and research, as well as student awareness at Wyoming high. Separately funded, the Christy Paganelli Scholarship Fund at Aquinas College, where Christy attended and played softball, funds one or two student scholarships each year.

 

“Wyoming is a very special and caring community and we are thrilled to have everyone rally around this very personal cause.” Susan Brogger,  Community Manager of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Lakeshore Division and the American Cancer Society, said in a supplied statement.

 

Wyoming high continues tradition

 

The very special cause, and sometimes very personal cause, is not lost on the student athletes either, according to the two Wyoming coaches, softball coach Troy Mast and baseball coach Shawn Veenstra.

 

A banner donated by Grandville High School for the 2016 event with Christy’s daughter Katelyn, 10, shown. (Supplied)

“I believe the event is special for our athletes as they know the event is for a great cause and they get to represent more than just themselves and their school,” said Veenstra, who with Mast has coached the games for four years, since Wyoming Park and Rogers high schools merged. Before that Rogers hosted the games.

 

“They know they are playing, not only for cancer awareness, but also for the sponsor on their jersey,” Veenstra said. “A lot of times the kids are playing in honor of a family member or family friend who either has passed away or survived cancer.”

 

Christy Paganelli, from her high school playing days. (Supplied)

Christy Paganelli played multiple sports at Rogers in the late 1980s, and went on to Aquinas College. Christy and Dino Paganelli’s three children are students at Grandville.

 

Dino’s father, Carl Paganelli, who has recently had a recurrence of a cancer, will be the honorary home-team captain of the baseball team. The honorary home captain for the softball, Terrance Sommerdyke, is a melanoma survivor, Paganelli said.

 

Carl Paganelli is a long-time Wyoming resident and patriarch of a family that includes three sons who officiate in the NFL, including Dino.

 

Cancer Screening and HPV Vaccination Save Lives

spread the word save a sisterBy the American Cancer Society

 

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and serves as a reminder to all women to talk with their physician about the risks of developing cervical cancer, what causes it, and what they can do to prevent it.

 

According to the American Cancer Society, in 2016 an estimated 12,990 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 4,120 will die from the disease. With access to vaccination and regular screening, most of these cases could be prevented.

 

The death rate from cervical cancer, which was once one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women, has dropped by more than 50 percent over the past 30 years, thanks in large part to screening with the Pap test.

 

“The majority of cervical cancer cases in the U.S. could beCervical cancer facts prevented with HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines, which have been recommended for a decade,” said Richard C. Wender, M.D., chief cancer control officer for the American Cancer Society. “In fact, about 90 percent of all cervical cancers could be prevented with screening and HPV vaccination.”

 

According to Dr. Wender, despite the enormous potential to reduce suffering and death from cervical cancer, millions of women who should be screened are not getting screened. The HPV vaccination rate among youth has been widely underutilized.

 

The American Cancer Society recommends the HPV vaccine to be given to girls ages 11 to 12. Cervical cancer screening with a Pap test should start at age 21. Women between the ages of 21 and 29 should have a Pap test every three years.  Women aged 30 to 65 should have an HPV test with a Pap test every five years. Another option is to have just a Pap test every three years. Women over 65 years who have had regular screening with normal results should not be screened. Women who get the HPV vaccine still need to get regular screening for cervical cancer.

 

Uninsured women or those without a regular health care provider are significantly less likely to receive cervical cancer screening. Still, studies show about seven in 10 women who had not been screened in the previous five years had a regular doctor and health insuranchow is your cervix doinge.

 

“Cancer is a disease that can affect anyone, but it does not affect everyone equally,” said Dr. Wender. “Statistics show that some minority populations and people who lack health insurance are more likely to develop cancer – and die from it – than the general U.S. population. The opportunity to prevent death and suffering from cervical cancer is real. Screening can find changes in the cervix before they turn into cancer, and vaccination can prevent most cervical cancers. If we can apply what we know today, it is possible we may see a day when cervical cancer is virtually eliminated.”

 

For more information, call the American Cancer Society at 800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

American Cancer Society Seeks Volunteer Drivers

ACS R to RBeing diagnosed with cancer is daunting enough for a person to deal with but many cancer patients face an additional hardship: transportation to and from medical treatments. They either have no transportation or do not feel well enough to drive.

janice_limbaughAccording to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the need for transportation is second only to direct financial assistance. That’s why the ACS began the Road to Recovery program, connecting patients with specially trained volunteer drivers who donate their time and personal vehicle to transport them. The service is free and thanks to the generosity of the drivers, it’s a lifesaver for the cancer patients to get the treatment they need.

“It’s just one less thing they have to worry about,” says Mindy Klein, West Michigan’s ACS program manager.

Unfortunately right now, Klein says the need for more volunteer drivers in Kent County is critical.

“We’re actually getting more requests than we have drivers to accommodate,” Klein states. “We have to turn them away or find another resource for them and we don’t want to have to do that.”

Currently, the active number of volunteer drivers is between 15 and 20 people she says. “We need many more drivers to accommodate the number cancer patients who need this service. Any amount of time a volunteer can give to transporting a patient is greatly appreciated – not only by the American Cancer Society but by the patients themselves.”

Klein goes on to explain that the ACS considers the volunteer’s availability and weekly schedule before matching them with a patient. It goes without saying that treatment appointments are usually Monday through Friday during working hours.  Some cancer patients need treatment daily while others may need treatment every other week. “It varies according the patient’s diagnosis and treatment plan,” says Klein.

To be eligible for the Road to Recovery services, Klein says all one needs is a cancer diagnosis and a phone call to the local American Cancer Society. To be a volunteer driver, participants are required to complete a short online training program, a background check and a motor vehicle check. It’s an easy and flexible way to make a positive impact on someone’s life.

“Many of our current volunteers have developed close relationships with their patients and often tell us that while the patient is extremely grateful, they too are greatly rewarded,” Klein says.

To find out how you can volunteer to be a Road to Recovery driver or to find out more information about this program or many other Soceity programs, contact the local office of the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

How to Look Good and Feel Better in the Face of Cancer

janice_limbaughIt’s the start of February in Michigan which means endless days of cloudy gray skies, brisk biting winds and a case of the winter blahs. For me it’s all that and more as I enter into the second phase of my breast cancer treatment, radiation.

Grateful to be done with the chemo, I am left tired, pale and hairless in the dead of winter. “From here on out, it’s growing season!” I tell myself even though looking my best and feeling better about myself is a daily challenge. From deciding what to wear on my head (for warmth and comfort rather than sex appeal), to avoiding clown makeup, getting ready to go out for the day has been less than inspiring for my social confidence and kicking cancer’s butt!

So it was indeed a godsend when I discovered a brochure for the Look Good Feel Better program at the Resource Library in Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion. Thanks to the Personal Care Products Foundation, American Cancer Society, and Professional Beauty Association,  I, or anyone with cancer, could attend a FREE two-hour makeover workshop to guide me in dealing with appearance changes during my cancer treatment. Wow! And when I signed up and was told I would also be getting a FREE makeup kit filled with quality products to take home – it was like a little ray of sunshine broke through my gloom to give me hope! Ahhh!

Cosmetology professional, Ronna Kilts has been driving from Newaygo every week for over a year to volunteer her time and talents to helping women like me feel empowered and beautiful in the face of cancer treatment. Kilts says her inspiration to do this came from her aunt, also a cancer survivor, who went through the program herself.

“The day I graduated from cosmetology school I signed up to do this,” Kilts says. “It was something I knew I had to be involved in. It’s a great program, it’s fun and it’s super rewarding!”

The Look Good Feel Better program is a step by step guide to teach women about makeup, skin, nail care, wigs and other head coverings used during cancer treatment. It is a free, non-medical workshop and does not promote any one brand. Products in the kits have been generously donated for the cause and come in light, medium, dark, and extra dark to match your skin tone.

We started our session with brief introductions before turning our attention to the contents of the Look Good Feel Better makeup kits. You’d think it was Christmas morning for the three of us who participated as we examined each item individually, impressed by the brand names at our disposal. Although no two kits are alike, they all contain the essentials such as concealer, foundation, powder, blush, etc. With ooohs and aaahs and giggles of delight, (because we were all anxious to look good and feel better!) we were eager to get underway. Kilts took us step by step through the how-to booklet provided to graciously and patiently transform our appearance and our spirits.

“It’s amazing how a few subtle make-up tips can work miracles!” one women remarked, adding, “I wish I did this at the start of my chemo. I would have saved myself a lot of frustration!”

And that’s the whole initiative behind the Look Good Feel Better program – to give women, and men too, the opportunity to look in the mirror and see themselves again! Since 1989 the program has helped well over a million patients worldwide. To find a session near you go to http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/ and search your zip code. While you’re there, spend some time browsing their helpful website. It’s bound to inspire, inform and lift spirits during the cancer journey. It certainly did mine!

For more in-depth information about cancer programs, resources and questions go to cancer.org or call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345. Representatives are available  24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer questions, provide information, or offer referrals to programs.

Two for One: Heart Healthy Foods that Reduce Cancer Risk

By: Colleen Doyle, ACS Director, Nutrition and Physical Activity

 

Good news: Many foods not only are low in calories, they pack an extra wallop because of their ability to fight disease, including a variety of cancers. Not only that, a lot of these things can also be part of a healthy diet that can also reduce your risk of developing a variety of types of cancer. A two-for-one! Now who wouldn’t love that?

 

Beans and apples

 

You’ve probably heard that we should eat more fiber. There are two types of fiber: soluble fiber, which helps reduce serum cholesterol levels and is therefore good for your heart; and insoluble fiber, which helps keep a healthy GI tract, which is good for your colon! Oats, beans and apples – along with other fruits, vegetables – are great sources of primarily soluble fiber, but contain insoluble fiber, as well. Shoot for 25-30 grams of fiber each day.

 

Bananas, berries and broccoli

 

Eating more fruits and vegetables is important for reducing heart disease risk. Low in calories and bursting with nutrients, fruits and vegetables can help reduce high blood pressure (a risk factor for heart disease) and also may help with weight control – an important way to reduce your risk of both heart disease and cancer. Shoot for at least 2.5 cups of colorful fruits and vegetables each day. Sprinkle berries on your cereal, add lettuce and tomato to your sandwich or start your dinner with a salad topped with red peppers and carrots.

 

Brown rice, whole wheat pasta and….popcorn

 

Brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and yes, even popcorn, are whole grains – foods that are packed with fiber and other nutrients that help regulate blood pressure. This same fiber and other nutrients may also help reduce the risk of colon cancer, and eating whole grains is a key component of the ACS recommendation to eat a mostly plant-based diet. Shoot for at least half your grain sources during the day to be whole grain – kick off the day with a 100% bran cereal, snack on some popcorn (skip the butter!), wrap your fish taco at dinner in a corn tortilla.

 

Salmon, tuna and mackerel

 

These fish contain omega 3 fatty acids – a type of fat that may help reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and also blood pressure. (Other sources include walnuts, flaxseed and canola oil). The American Heart Association recommends that we eat fish – particularly these types – at least two times per week.

 

While it doesn’t appear that eating fish high in omega-3’s impact cancer risk, serving fish in place of red meat like beef, pork or lamb is a healthy swap, as red meat consumption is associated with an increased risk of colon cancer. So why not swap out a filet mignon with a filet of salmon sometime this week?

 

Colleen Doyle, MS, RD is a registered dietitian and director of the nutrition and physical activity program with the American Cancer Society. Her research stresses the importance of diet and exercise in managing and preventing chronic diseases. As co-author of the Great American Eat Right Cookbook, Doyle helps you create a culinary menu that’s both nutritious and delicious.

Breast Cancer Awareness

American Cancer Society Fights to End Breast Cancer

OnPink ribbon cancere in every two women newly diagnosed with breast cancer reaches out to the Society for help

by Evelyn Barella

Did you know that  an estimated 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to occur among women in the U.S. in 2013 – including 8,140 Michigan women or 28 women in the state every day?

 

The American Cancer Society offers help and support to those diagnosed with breast cancer and their loved ones 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  In fact, one out of every two women turns to the Society for help and support following their breast cancer diagnosis.

 

“The American Cancer Society encourages all women to put their health first. We want women to understand the benefits of eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol intake, and the effect those healthy habits can have on lowering their cancer risk,” said Jenni Beamer, American Cancer Society senior manager, community events for Greater Michigan.

 

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in women, second only to lung cancer.  The Society reminds women 40 and older to have a yearly mammogram and clinical breast exam. Women ages 20 to 39 should receive a clinical breast exam at least once every three years. The American Cancer Society offers a Michigan Mammography Facility Guide that compares services, price and other information to help women choose the mammography facility best suited for them. The Michigan Mammography Facility Guide is available for free online at cancer.org/michiganmammogram. Continue reading Breast Cancer Awareness