Cancer

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Over the next few weeks, OncoLink will feature blogs about common mental health challenges faced by cancer patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. Please remember, if you are in crisis, help is available. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255 National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) Helpline 800-950-6264 How are you doing?

Figures released this week show the first year of COVID-19 and the impact on health services. The numbers lay bare what many have seen first-hand – the devastating impact COVID-19 has had on people with cancer, health service capacity and the efforts to recover. They also give an indication of COVID-19’s legacy and the scale

by Ashley Drake BSN, RN March 11, 2020. No longer a placeholder on the calendar, but rather an inflection point in life as we knew it. Nurses around the world have undoubtedly played an intimate, yet integral role in this monumental event, the COVID 19 global pandemic. A threat was introduced and all eyes were

A new analysis, published in Academic Radiology, suggests that almost a quarter of interval breast cancers could have been caught earlier than they were. The term “interval breast cancer” refers to cancers that present themselves or are detected within about 12 months after a mammogram that came back normal. They are considered “interval” cancers because

One of psychotherapy’s main beliefs is that putting thoughts and feelings into words may produce mental health benefits. Of course, this also applies to cancer patients, who face the countless psychological issues that can arise in the face of a serious illness. Participating in therapy, however, isn’t the only way to give voice to one’s internal world

When Kate King-Scribbins rescued her cat, she never expected the friendly feline would one day rescue her too. But that’s exactly what she believes happened. 35-year-old Kate resides in St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband and her four pets, including a cat named Oggy, who she rescued 15 years ago. Oggy has always been snuggly,

“The effort from the start was to save lives of women with ovarian cancer. To build evidence for a screening programme that the NHS could introduce. To have an impact on the lives of thousands of women who are affected by ovarian cancer each year.” Professor Usha Menon, a gynaecologist at University College London, has

For the first episode of That Cancer Conversation, we explore infertility and cancer. From teenage body worries to an intercontinental surrogacy story, we chat to Max, Kreena and Eleanor – 3 people whose cancer journeys affected their fertility in some way. Is freezing sperm and egg cells the only option? Not necessarily. We sit down

This past weekend I had the chance to see some nursing friends I hadn’t seen in a while. All vaccinated and sitting at an outdoor table for brunch, it felt like no time had passed. Of course, over a year had gone by since we were able to sit face-to-face and enjoy each other’s company.

After a breast cancer diagnosis, many patients and survivors focus on doing what they can to stay as physically healthy as possible. Many also seek to improve their mental health by joining support groups with people who understand. A new group in Minnesota is looking to tackle both needs at the same time. New Ulm

On Thursday 6 May, voters turned out to decide who would form the next Scottish and Welsh Governments, as well as who would take on the mayoralties of 8 city regions in England. Voters in England also voted in 143 local council elections. It was a big day for many reasons – determining who’s responsible

If you’ve ever heard of BRCA genes, chances are you’ve wondered a time or two whether you might be one of the unlucky individuals who has this type of gene mutation. Whatever your questions are about the BRCA genes, their mutations, and testing, we’ve got your answers here. What are BRCA gene mutations? BRCA1 and

The Women’s Treaty and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, also known as CEDAW, calls for the equal treatment of women everywhere with regards to domestic violence, maternal health, economic security, and human trafficking. According to the United Nations, the Convention defines discrimination against women as “…any distinction, exclusion

Laurie Zoll has always been fearful of mammograms and hesitant to get any form of radiation. She didn’t think it was necessary, since there was no history of breast cancer in her family. But now she’s encouraging other women to get mammograms after being accidentally diagnosed during a training session at work. “I was hard-headed…I

Diana Serano and her daughter, Miriam Fajardo, have always been close. People say they are a lot alike. They both have three children. And the list goes on. But despite their similarities, Diana and Miriam were never expecting to be diagnosed with the same type of cancer around the same time. Diana was the first

“Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.” – Emory Austin I love this thought from Emory Austin. I am reminded of an experience with my grandmother. I called her Mom Mom. I loved her deeply. She lived far away from me, so it was always a celebration when she came

After the death of a beloved parent, you can find yourself wanting to carry their legacy forward in their absence. One man in Ohio took on the task, and the effort is helping breast cancer patients in need. Lavar Jacobs lost his mother to breast cancer in 2009, when she was just 49. The experience

For the past 19 years, nurses have ranked #1 on the list of the most ethical and honest professionals in an annual Gallup poll. I don’t think this ranking would come as a surprise to most. Nurses are taught how to care for you from the time you are born until you die and every

For women living with metastatic breast cancer, handling day-to-day symptoms, treatment fallout, and stress can often be a bit overwhelming. Finding ways to alleviate these issues is helpful and needed. That’s where a new project from Penn State comes in. A team from Penn State’s College of Medicine and College of Information Sciences and Technology

by Dawn Heiderscheidt Once you’ve been diagnosed with something like breast cancer, your mind may be swimming in “what-ifs” and “what aboutisms.” It can be terrifying. You may have concerns about what it means for you in regards to maintaining your life roles, engaging in your favorite activities, or how to continue to live your

Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis at a young age can be very unexpected and carry with it unique concerns. Among those concerns is a possible loss of fertility. A new study says this worry can often impact which treatments women will undergo. Researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute spoke with young women navigating a breast cancer

Most people know the hormone prolactin as the breastfeeding hormone, the one responsible for breast growth and development and the production of milk. However, a pair of recent studies have found that it may do much more than that. Hormones contain proteins on their cell surface called receptors. These receptors receive and send biological messages