Cancer Day At Kroger- Wednesday, October 6
Join us, along with Kroger, The American Cancer Society, Lutheran Hospital and Parkview Hospital, on Wednesday, October 6 for the 32nd Annual Cancer Day.
The Kroger Scott’s Cancer Day 2010 event will include 19 Kroger, Scott’s and Owens stores in Northeast Indiana. Kroger will donate 2% of sales on October 6th to the ACS and CSNI. And you can help raise more money by contributing your change by rounding up your purchase from Wednesday, October 6th to Saturday, October 16th. Round up proceeds last year totaled nearly $25,000, split between ACS and CSNI, and Kroger officials hope to raise considerably more than $25,000 this year. “Kroger Scott’s Cancer Day 2009” total proceeds were $87,377.88. Over 31 years, the annual Cancer Day event has raised $4,403,878 for local cancer organizations.
Singing Cows
by Dianne May, President & CEO
When he was five years old, I had to explain to my son, that while God gave me many good gifts, he didn’t give me the gift of a singing voice. With the compassionate heart of a child my son quickly assured me that my singing was beautiful. I know better but, I still like to sing.
The memory of that conversation makes me smile. I think acknowledging shortcomings and being able to laugh at our fumbles and foibles is a wonderful road to acceptance. Sure, there are values and ideals that we hold dear and for which we should always strive. But, how many times do we place unnecessary, even impossible expectations on ourselves and others?
What would happen if the house wasn’t vacuumed today or the car washed before the weekend? What would happen if we looked at life with new eyes? If we learned to say, “Oh well, let’s give it a try anyway and see what happens!” When was the last time that you laughed at the project that didn’t go according to plan?
Laughter can have great healing power for the soul and the body. The great American painter Grant Wood said: “I found the answer (to how and what to paint) when I joined a school of painters in Paris after the war who called themselves neomeditationist. They believed an artist had to wait for inspiration, very quietly. And they did most of the waiting at the Café du Dome or the Rotonde with brandy. It was then that I realized that all the really good ideas I’d ever had came to me while I was milking a cow. So I went back to Iowa.
Give it a try, roll with the punches, laugh when it doesn’t turn out exactly right and know how good that laughter feels. Good for the soul and the body.
Something Old, Something New To Raise Funds for CSNI
Stop by Something Old, Something New, located at 2519 Lower Huntington Rd, October 7-9 and hit up the dollar sale. All proceeds from the sale will benefit Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana. Call (260) 478-6174 for more information.
Tie1On4 Prostate Cancer Seminar- A Success!
by Bill Seidel
Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana and Us TOO International sponsored a successful seminar on prostate cancer and men’s health on Saturday, September 18. The seminar was held at Cancer Services and featured six speakers addressing topics, such as PSA Screening and Active Surveillance, Surgical Options for Prostate Cancer, Systemic Treatments such as Immunotherapy and Provenge, Nutrition, Exercise and Enhancing Men’s Sexual Health. Not surprisingly the session on enhancing sexual health was the most heavily attended. All speakers provided interesting information in an entertaining format. We hope to make this an annual event.
The Us TOO Information Table. Us TOO International provides extensive information on prostate cancer in all of its various forms and ramifications. The most popular publications were made available for attendees.
Dr. Jeff Schneider, Director of Northeast Indiana Urology Prostate Cancer Center, addresses a session on PSA Screening and Active Surveillance.
Gals gather at the registration desk. Left to right are Linda Johnson, Mary Vandekeere, and Laine Seidel.
Attendees take a break in the refreshment area.
Ed Souers poses with his 1954 Hudson Hornet, an added attraction at the recent Tie1On 4Prostate Cancer© seminar. There were only 26 such cars built.
Sacred Space
by Gail Hamm, program director
Sitting with a client or family member who is expressing deep emotion can be uncomfortable. But it is equally uncomfortable for the person who is opening her heart and expressing her deepest feelings. Cancer Services’ advocates experience this opportunity on a daily basis. I say opportunity, because it is an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to actively listen and not have to offer advice or solutions; an opportunity to share sacred space with another human being.
What do you say to a man who has just told you that he has two months to live? What do you say to a mother who has just told you that her daughter will never see her sixth birthday? Advocates do not take this responsibility lightly. They realize the sacredness of the moment. It is all about being. Being present, being thoughtful, being in a listening mode. It is not necessarily about doing.
Care and compassion, empathy and acceptance…..being with our clients and their families is the greatest gift Cancer Services’ advocates can give.
Friends for Lunch- Friday, September 24
Join us on Friday, September 24 for Friends for Lunch, which is designed for those interested in learning more about Cancer Services. It includes a light lunch, tour, and a brief question and answer session. We value your time, so the program will last only one hour. Please call or email Amber for reservations if you are interested. (260) 484-9560, arecker@cancer-services.org.
If you can’t make it this month, don’t worry. We host Friends for Lunch the 4th Friday of every month.
Some Early Cancer Overtreated
Posted on msnbc.com in June, this article explores how some tumors are being found too early due to screenings. To find out more, read here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37690573/ns/health-cancer/
Save the Date- Upcoming Fundraisers
Save the Date for the following fundraisers to benefit Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana.
Friday, October 15- 3rd Annual Bust A Move Auction and Fundraiser
The Ballroom at the Freemason’s Hall
Doors open at 6 PM, Auction Begins at 7:30 PM
Tickets $10, available at Cancer Services
www.fwderbygirls.com/bustamove
Saturday, October 16- Beat BC 5K
Central Noble High School
Registration 7:30-8 AM
Fun Run 8:15 AM
Race Begins 8:30 AM
www.beatbc.org
A Delicate Dance
by Gail Hamm, Program Director
There is a certain tension between caregivers and patients- a delicate dance, if you will. Each tries to protect the other. And even if communication was good before the need for caregiving, there may still be times of conflict and hurt feelings. Important things may not be said because it is difficult to talk about the “elephant in the living room.” At other times, it is difficult to understand each other’s perspective.
I have watched this dance play out in many ways. From the perspective of the cancer survivor (a person is a survivor from the day of diagnosis, by the way)… I have heard this person ask, “How do I get my family to accept the new me?” Sometimes the “new me” looks, acts, sounds, ambulates, or eats differently from the “me” before diagnosis and treatment. The “new me” is who he is now, and cannot go back. There is no choice. The survivor is making accommodations to survive and thrive in his new way of living. It takes a lot of time and perseverance to assume the new mantle of self, find meaning from the experience, and survive day-to-day. In addition, he may also be short- tempered and frustrated, and just plain not feeling well.
It can be difficult for the caregiver to accept the “new me,” precisely because there is a “new me.” Out of love, the caregiver offers food and advice. And when the survivor refuses or only eats a little, the caregiver can become extremely frustrated. There may also be the unspoken fear that, “If I don’t feed him, he will die…. it’s my responsibility to nurture my husband and keep him alive.” There is a certain feeling of impotency and helplessness in not being able to protect and save our loved ones.
Caregivers, out of their love for the survivors, are struggling to provide assistance, but what they are offering may be rebuffed…not out of diminished love or caring, but because the survivor wants to do it in his or her own way. To the caregiver it feels like rejection. To the person being cared for, it feels like smothering. In either case, both are trying their best to maintain relationships while dealing with a new lifestyle for which no one asked nor planned.
If you are in this situation, I highly recommend the support group venue as a way to share triumphs and dilemmas. Others have dealt with what you may be experiencing. In coming to a support group and sharing, caregivers and survivors are bringing problems out into the open and finding solutions. Listening to others provides new perspectives and renewed energy for the caregiver/patient dance. Cancer Services offers a variety of support groups. Check out the possibilities at cancer-services.org or call 260-484-9560 or toll free 866-484-9560.
Tie1On4 Prostate Cancer Community Outreach
Linda Bewley, our outreach coordinator, along with volunteers Susan Swardenski and Bill Seidel, have been busy as we ramp up for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Last week they traveled throughout Northeast Indiana to put up blue ties and banners to raise awareness in our community. We’d like to thank all of the business, healthcare facilities, and government offices that are helping us with this effort by allowing us to put up our ties:
Strickler Cancer Center at Adams Memorial Hospital in Decatur, Bluffton Regional Medical Center in Bluffton, Bluffton Regional Cancer Center in Bluffton, Pill Box Pharmacy in Warsaw, Parkview LaGrange in LaGrange, Dekalb Memorial Hospital in Auburn, Cameron Memorial Community Hospital Regional Cancer Center in Angola, Parkview Whitley in Columbia City, Parkview Huntington, St. Rd. 6 on the Hayden Rental property, NEIU Prostate Cancer Center in Fort Wayne, Allen County Courthouse Lawn, The Community Center, and The Towne House Retirement Community.