Have you every been a part of something so touching that it just puts a big smile on your face, warms your heart, and maybe even brings out a few tears?

Recently, I was able to get to experience that.  I am fortune to work for a non-profit organization that has many wonderful programs.  However, I am extremely passionate about one of our programs, the 24 Hours in the Canyon Cancer Survivorship Center. 

Every year, we have one large fundraising event to raise money that comes directly back to support the center.  This allows us to offer a wide range of programs FREE to cancer survivors.  I believe that it is an event that everyone needs to experience.

It all started because one person heard the words, “You have Cancer”, which thankfully turned was a misdiagnosis.  In 2007, this event started as the country’s only simultaneous 24-hour road and mountain bike event.  Over the past 10 years, the organization has raised $1,338,400 to help survivors.

This year’s event had a huge impact on me along with so many others.  As the 786 riders, from 16 different states, lined up to start the race, the survivorship center had three busloads of survivors cheering on the riders and showing their appreciation.  There are no words that adequatey describe the interaction between riders and survivors.  It was the most powerful thing I have seen in a long time.  The riders were thanking the survivors, but then the survivors were thanking the riders.  The appreciation the riders had for those that have fought cancer left me speechless. 

Cancer doesn’t sleep, so why should we?  The race continued in the beautiful Palo Duro Canyon State Park for 24 hours.  Many riders have their own reason for riding, some for competition; many have been affected by cancer, while others just wanted to join in on this one of a kind event.  But yet so many were affected by the line up of survivors at the start line.  It’s paying it forward at it’s best. 

Have you recently made a difference in your community? It all starts with one idea and can lead to something as powerful as the 24 Hours in the Canyon.  Take the challenge and make the difference for you and your community. 

Articles

Thank You, No Thank You

What is one thing that comes to mind when you hear the word massage? When I think of massage, I think of a serene room with calming music that helps me escape the reality of life. Massage can also help me be still for a moment and not worry about anything. 

The power of touch is amazing.  The power of touch for oncology patients is particularly important. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Melanie Eggleston, our Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT), who earned her certification in oncology massage to learn more about oncology massage and the benefits for patients.

There are a lot of myths about oncology massage. Many people don’t know the difference between a massage and an oncology massage.  An oncology massage is a massage that has been adjusted to specifically meet the needs of the cancer survivor.  It is based on what type of cancer they have, if they are currently in treatment, if they have any side effects, or any specific issues they may be dealing with. There is evidence that a massage has many benefits, such as reducing nausea, fatigue, pain and stress. It also improves sleep, a person’s sense of well-being, increases appetite, and improves body image.

Many patients are concerned if a massage is safe for them. Melanie’s advice is to make sure your therapist has been trained to work on oncology patients. Unfortunately a lot of LMTs feel that if someone has a history of cancer they can just be "more gentle", but that is not always the case, and everyone's idea of gentle is different. Many patients also ask if there is a time they shouldn’t get a massage. This is a little controversial, but if you are feeling well enough for it, there is no reason not to.

Melanie is a big believer in the power of the mind to help healing. She believes that just helping clients to have a moment of peace and relaxation, where they don't have to think about their cancer is incredibly restorative. She also wholeheartedly believes that massage is important, regardless of where a patient is in their survivorship journey.  

A client of hers recently summed it up perfectly when she said, "I don't think I've given myself a chance to sit and just breathe since I was diagnosed five years ago. Thank you for giving me the time to do that. "

Everyone deserves a chance to take their mind to a healthy place and just relax, especially oncology patients. Massage can be a very powerful tool to help cope with treatment and posttreatment issues. We consider ourselves very lucky to have Melanie as often as we can at our Survivorship Center. I would highly encourage you to seek out the nearest Melanie in your community.

For more information on oncology massage or for assistance in finding a therapist near you go to 

What if you could give a patient just a moment to relax and escape the reality of life?  Oncology massage is just the way to do it.

The Power of Touch

How can one word be so confusing, yet so important?

Have you ever stopped and wondered when is a cancer patient technically a survivor? Often times those that have been diagnosed with the disease along with several national organizations have different definitions of the word 

 has so much meaning, and each one identifies with it differently. 

Before the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) was formed, many defined 

 as someone who had been free of any sign of the disease for 5 years. According to the National Cancer Institute, a survivor is  “One who remains alive and continues to function during and after overcoming a serious hardship or life-threatening disease. In cancer, a person is considered to be a survivor from the time of diagnosis until the end of life.”

With so many definitions it becomes easy to see why patients become overwhelmed when asked, “Are you a survivor?” I recently had a chance to sit down with cancer survivors at the 24 Hours in the Canyon Cancer Survivorship Center and ask them when they considered themselves a survivor. Let’s face it: many of us don’t think much about the technicalities of the word survivor, but I quickly learned that cancer survivors take those two words to heart. The answers that I received when asked when did you consider yourself a survivor were all so different. They ranged from “I was a survivor the last day of radiation treatment”, to “after the surgery when I felt all the cancer was removed”, to “I am not a survivor yet and don’t know when I will be”, “I think I am in denial over it all”, and finally, “when I got released from the doctors.”

How do we, as healthcare providers, use the word 

? I think we have to take it on an individual basis.  I have heard that many do not want to be called a survivor, but instead a thriver. And even for those that have metastatic disease many think that survivor doesn’t apply to them, but would prefer to be called a “lifer”. I think we need to be sensitive to each one, but yet encourage them. Let them understand that they are a survivor from the moment of diagnosis, but may just be in a different stage of the process. They survived just hearing, “You have cancer,” and those words are a hard pill to swallow. So if it’s survivor, thriver, or even a lifer each one is a SURVIVOR.   

Cancer survivorship involves much more than the label “survivor.” Survivorship focuses on living with, through, and beyond cancer. No matter what stage one may be in, survivors should take extra measures to live a healthier life. Now is the time to encourage them more than ever. The two major things we can control in life that can help reduce cancer risk is diet and exercise. Not only do they need to focus on those two aspects, they also need to focus on their mental health. This can be done through activities like music, art, meditation, and/or counseling. Survivorship programs can give the survivor, thriver, or even the lifer the extra support they need. The common goal is to improve their quality of life.   

Survivor: one simple word surrounded by so much confusion but yet so much meaning.  

One word so much confusion...

Life is full of uncertainties. However, when you add in a cancer diagnosis, it changes the game. I hear from many survivors about all the emotions they go through once someone says, “you have cancer.” They begin to question everything. Nothing has a black and white answer and many feel like they have no control over their life anymore. It’s the “what ifs”, the “buts” and even the question of “can I beat this” that can make a patient feel like they are emotionally unstable. Many times survivors just want to hear “yes this is normal” or “it’s going to be ok”, but most of all they want someone to listen to them. Uncertainty is the most stressful feeling to have. Listening and providing ways to express and manage feelings are two of the most important parts of a survivorship program.

What are ways you have found to help patients with their feelings?

The quote, “Breathing and thinking are the two most important processes, one for sustaining life and other for giving it a purpose” by Tasneem Hameed is so true. Breathing is natural for us, but can be difficult at times. I think many of us take the benefits of breathing for granted. We recently started to offer a weekly Tai Chi class for survivors at our Survivorship Center. I decided to attend a class with them and found out that focused breathing is more difficult than I thought.

Tai Chi was developed in China as a martial art for self-defense nearly 2,000 years ago. This exercise uses slow, smooth body movements to achieve a state of relaxation of both your body and mind and focuses on deep breathing also know as a qi gong. Tai Chi has been proven to help decrease stress, anxiety and depression and helps improve mood, energy and balance. There are also studies that suggest that Tai Chi improves quality of sleep, overall well being, and boost the immune system.

Although the physical aspect of the exercise was not hard at all, (even for those that are not physically fit) the mental benefits were felt. By focusing on that one moment and being in the present, I was forcing my mind not to think about the future, the “what if’s”, the “buts”, or about the hundred other things I needed to be doing. I have to admit that it was very relaxing. Tai Chi could have many benefits to those suffering from any illness and especially those that have cancer. It helps them focus on what they can control. You have to push all the negative thoughts away and only worry about deep breathing and the smooth body movements. As I watched the survivors in this class they were all able to be in the moment and not worry about anything else. Their uncertainties were gone for that moment. 

How many times do you as a healthcare provider pay attention to the patient’s feelings during treatment? I want to challenge each of you to be in the moment with each patient and listen to his or her feelings, even if you have a hundred other things to do. Encourage them to discuss with their physician the benefits of alternative therapy such as Tai Chi, yoga, massage therapy and even water exercise as a way to cope with the stress of cancer. Don’t be afraid to recommend classes like Tai Chi to patients that could benefit from the experience and maybe go the extra step in finding local programs to suggest. It is how we embrace the uncertainty in our lives that leads to great changes. 

Life has a lot of uncertainties, but what can you do to help the emotional state of mind?  

Uncertainty

	Welcome to 2016 — a new year, new you!  How many of you made a resolution last year and kept it?   According to various reports, 40- 50% of American’s made a New Year’s resolution in 2015, but only 10-15% successfully achieved them. Why is that?

One of the main focuses every year is health. Did you know that according to American Institute for Cancer Research, about one-third of the cancer cases are preventable through healthy diet, exercising and maintaining a healthy BMI? 

I have recently heard many patients say, “My doctor told me I need to start exercising and taking better care of myself, but I don’t know how.”  I am sure we have all heard it and thought to ourselves, yes, they do need to exercise, eat healthy, and take better care of themselves, but how do we as healthcare providers help that patient? I recently sat down with Shirley Blank, certified personal trainer/oncology exercise specialist, and asked her for simple suggestions to help patients take that first step and start living a healthier life. 

When I think of exercise, I think of the gym. But after talking with Shirley, she gave me five suggestions that patients can use to take the first step to becoming healthier and active. These can even be done in the comfort of their own home.

  Go for a 5-minute bike ride before you even get out of bed. You don’t need a bike to do the motions of riding. You can simply lay in the comfort of your bed and pretend like you are riding a bike (like you probably did as a kid). Some of the benefits of this exercise are that it improves cardiovascular fitness and tones and builds your muscles — especially calves, thighs, and gluteus. 

.  As you get out of bed, do 1-minute of arm circles. Start with small circles, forward and backward, and then add medium circles and full circles in both directions. This exercise helps tone your arms by focusing on your upper-arm, shoulder, and chest muscles.

 As you are watching TV, stand up during commercials and do knee lifts. This can help with your muscle core, which includes abs, hips, and back.

 Begin with 1 to 5 minutes of guided meditation per day. This can have many benefits for the mind and body.  Meditation has been proven to help cancer patients with anxiety and stress, and is also helpful in controlling pain, insomnia, tiredness, and nausea. 

 If nothing else, drink your water daily! The recommended daily intake is 64 ounces of water. It is very important to increase your intake if you are currently going through treatment. Drinking water has many benefits. It helps to remove toxins, raises energy level, promotes healthy skin and a healthy heart, and helps to protect and cushion your vital organs.

Starting with these five simple steps can improve patients’ health. One of Shirley’s mottos is that no matter what you are doing, have fun; exercise doesn’t have to be boring. A great way to do this is to exercise to music that gets you motivated. Shirley also suggests that patients not set their sights too high; doing something is better than nothing. It is also important to remember to take deep breaths. Finally, and most importantly, patients need to educate themselves about exercise. 

As we start the New Year, remember that resolutions are not just for January. This is a time to make a lifestyle change. Educate yourself so you can educate your patients. Exercise has many benefits for patients, especially those currently going through treatment. So the next time you hear a patient say they don’t know how to start exercising, don’t just agree — educate them! 

It's a new year, new you... learn how you can help patients get on a healthy track this year.

Pam McMillan, RN

Articles

Thank You, No Thank You

The Power of Touch

One word so much confusion...

Uncertainty

1,2,3...Ready Set Go!