Preventing Cancer

Causes of cancer can include genetics, environmental toxins and lifestyle choices.  The only cause outside of your control is genetics.

Normal cells in the body divide between 50 and 60 times and then die.  Damaged cells or rogue cells are removed from the body by a natural process called apoptosis.  A damaged cell that survives apoptosis does not begin to grow uncontrollably until something aggravates it into action.  If you could prevent a cell from doing that you would definitely give it your best shot.

Approximately 40% of all cancers can be prevented.  Unfortunately, a lot more money is spent on new treatments and finding the cure.  The amount of money being spent on prevention is minuscule.  However, we can do a lot ourselves to help prevent cancer.  Here are a few ideas that can get you started.

1.    Purchase personal care products with fewer toxins. 
2.    Eat a healthy diet with foods that help fight cancer.
3.    Do not purchase cleaning products with toxins
4.    Do not purchase cases of bottled water. Most of these ends up in land fill sites.  Purchase a reusable bottle.
5.    Use reusable shopping bags – Each year an estimated 500 billion to one trillion plastic bags are used worldwide!
6.    Do not use plastic in the microwave
7.    Do not purchase Mr. Clean Magic Erasers as they contain formaldehyde, a known carcinogen
8.    Avoid using disposable items especially Styrofoam plates and cups.
9.    Do not use mothballs they are carcinogenic.
10.    Look for paints with low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)
11.    Never use pesticides and insecticides.  These are deadly and not only cause cancer but many other diseases.

One of the first booklets I purchased was the CancerSmart Consumer Guide, a worthwhile investment for only about $10.00.  You can purchase it at www.leas.ca or www.toxicfreecanda.ca.  The guide will help you to get started on making changes to your lifestyle.   

The only way to stop my cancer was to expose myself to deadly chemicals.  Chemicals that can cause cancer, however it was a risk I had to take.  After some 70 years of research we are still using known toxic agents.  Chemotherapy treatments originated back in the early 1900’s after World War I.  Thousands were killed from the toxins from chlorine and mustard gas, however through research they used these same toxins to treat cancer.

We need to move away from some of this treatment and put more emphasis on prevention.  It is going to take each and every one of us to help make that happen, but I believe we can do it!

What to do if you are diagnosed

When you are first diagnosed with cancer your mind becomes a minefield of anxiety and emotions.  It takes some time to come to grips with the reality of knowing you need to fight this disease and you need to fight it with everything you have.  Here are some things that helped support me through my fight.

1.    Have a support system; family, friends, support groups etc…don’t keep everything inside.
2.    Educate yourself about your disease as much as possible.  Go to conferences, get 2nd opinions, research on
      the net and if you aren’t comfortable with this get someone you trust to do this for you.
3.    Look at all your options.  Every hospital and doctor has a different idea, process or are studying different
       trials
4.    See a naturopathic doctor, but ensure that your conventional doctor knows you are doing this.  Find the
       balance between both.
5.    Exercise, eat well and change your lifestyle habits to healthy ones.
6.    Do reflexology, massage, yoga etc.. Anything that will help strengthen your body, mind and soul.
7.    Listen to meditative tapes, read encouraging and inspiring books.
8.    Keep a journal for everything you need to write, but don’t want to say out loud.
9.    Don’t let cancer control you and don’t give up hope.
10.  Pray in whatever method works for you and your needs.

Bombarded with chemicals!

In 2006 the government passed regulation that all personal care products must disclose all their ingredients on the label.  This was good news for the consumer because we can now see exactly what was in the products.  However, the downfall is most people don’t have the time to check out what all those words mean!

Preservatives, foaming agents, dyes and fragrances are just a few of the chemicals that are found in personal care products.   These chemicals can cause problems.  They are not only absorbed into our bodies, but they are washed down the drain into our water systems.  These chemicals are in your shampoo, conditioner, body wash, bubble bath, hair products, deodorants, hand cream, body lotions, cosmetics, face creams, hair dyes etc. Women use on average between 7 to 11 personal care products each and everyday, exposing themselves to dozens of chemicals. 

The same cannot be said for household cleaning products.  These products do not have to disclose what ingredients are in them and cleaning products contain a lot of chemicals!  I checked one company whose product showed Tea Tree oil as the ingredient and nothing else.  I happened to be able to get an ingredient list for these products and I was astounded to see right on the manufacturers information that several of the ingredients caused cancer!  Buyers beware!

Our food is also contaminated with preservatives and additives.  These chemicals help keep the products on the shelf longer and enhance the taste, however they can also do damage to our systems.  There are also great foods that can fight cancer such as berries, green tea, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazel nuts, tomatoes, cabbage and flax seeds.  A great book to read is Dr. Richard Beliveau’s book, Foods that fight Cancer.

Check out my website to see what personal care products and cleaning products you can purchase with less chemicals www.youcare.ca  If you want to check out exactly what ingredients are in our personal care products and what harm they can do check out www.cosmeticsdatabase.com.

All these chemicals we are faced with affect our immune system.  Our immune system is our built in defense system and when it is not working correctly it leaves us at risk.  We need to remove some of these chemicals from our bodies and our environment!

Our toxic environment

Some of the facts that I uncovered in my research made me even more determined to help prevent cancer.  If even one person could avoid going through this hell then I wanted to help them do that. 

Did you know that the Great Lake Regions is one of the most toxic areas in North America!  When I read the Little Green Handbook the Great Lake Regions was actually the first one on the list for the world!  There are over 100,000 synthetic chemicals in use and between 200 and 1000 new chemicals added each year.  It takes about 3 weeks to get a new chemical on the market – it takes about 3 years to approve a new cancer drug!
Less then 20% of these chemicals are ever tested for chronic impacts to our health.  To get one of these chemicals removed from production it can take up to 30 years!  According to the National Research Council there is no information available for more then 80% of the chemicals we use in our everyday products.

Every eight minutes two Canadians are diagnosed with cancer and one Canadian dies from cancer.  According to the Canadian Cancer Society cancer is still the leading cause of premature death.  In 1970 your odds of getting cancer were 1 in 10: today your odds are 1 in 3 and in the world every three seconds someone is diagnosed with cancer. 

However, there is hope and it is within each of us.  As consumers we have the power to make better-informed choices and we can drive change.  Once we start to make better choices then manufactures and the government will take notice.

Fighting an incurable cancer

In 2004 at the age of 42, I was diagnosed with a rare incurable bone marrow cancer, Multiple Myeloma, life expectancy 3 to 5 years.   Like anyone receiving this diagnosis I was overwhelmed, the word cancer is frightening!  I had no idea about the reality I was about to face fighting this disease. 

Within weeks of my diagnosis I began chemotherapy.  I managed to get sick and lose my hair, however the treatment was not working!   In 2005 the doctors performed a stem cell transplant, I got very sick, lost my hair and it did not work!  In the fall of 2006 we tried a new chemo, which had just been approved in Ontario.  I did not get as sick, I did not lose my hair and it worked!  The cancer began to shrink.  In 2007 when the cancer had shrunk significantly I underwent a bone marrow transplant with my brother, Jim.  The transplant made me extremely sick, I lost my hair, however the good news this time was that it put me in a complete remission!

One of the causes of Multiple Myeloma is exposure to chemicals or toxins.  I had never knowingly been directly exposed, but I began to search for answers to the causes of cancer.   I began to research where I live, what I ate, what personal care products I used, what household products I used and what exactly was in these products.  What I discovered was frightening.  We are bombarded with chemicals in our lives!

I began to search large box stores for products with less chemicals.  I built a website in 2009 to share with people what products were less toxic and where you could purchase them.  I had also been working on a book during my battle because I wanted to help educate and bring awareness to the dangers that are lurking in our home and environment.  My book is entitled ‘Stop the Bitch! Cancer’ – catchy title – one definition of bitch is an extremely difficult and aggressive situation – exactly what cancer is.  Check out my website at www.youcare.ca.

See you tomorrow?

7:00pm - Doors and Silent Auction opens (cash, chq, visa & mc accepted)
DJ'S HOTROD AND DREWEFEX to entertain us in between events.
Curtis Andrews is going to cut approx. 16 inches of hair off to donate to Locks of Love.
8:00pm - Light lunch served
8:30/9pm ish - Greg Frankson a.k.a. "Ritallin" will perform a Spoken Word set. 
 http://www.facebook.com/l/f9b38;www.ritallin.com/about.htm check out his website!
9:30pm - Desert and coffee served by KATES CUPCAKES (yummy)
10:00pm - Comedy Act by:  Rachelle Todd - Catherine Doucette-Smith - Jennifer Hayward - Jennifer Woodworth.  HEADLINER to be announced!!
11:30pm  - Silent Auction closes
11:00pm - Hey Mr. DJ - LET'S DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!

To purchase advanced tickets or for more information call:  Brenda 613-298-1300

If you can't come and would like to make a donation, please contact me and I will be happy to make arrangements to meet you to pick up the donation.

For a list of silent auction gifts see facebook open event page under 2nd Annual Survivorship Social Cancer Fundraiser. OR Twitter: Survivorshipsoc

Survivorship Social - Auction, Prizes and a some dancin'

WOW! The big event is only 2 days away...I can't believe it!  I wanted to take a moment to share with you some of the evenings highlights; auction items and some of the door prizes that will be available. Even if you are unavailable to attend, I would like to encourage you to share the info with your family and friends. This social is for all survivors, their families and friends. Don't be shy, come have a great evening. The event is also family friendly before 10pm. Here's a sneak peak of some aaaamazing silent auction items and door prizes that will be available.

Silent Auction Items:
SENS signed hockey stick by Pascale Leclaire
Yuk Yuk's table for 10
Calabogie Highlands Golf Club 2 x 18 holes
Wilderness Tours day package
LeNorik Spa package
NAC package x 2
60 RMT gift certificate by Mireille Lavallee
Hot Yoga unlimited Package
Wakefield Mill overnight
White water rafting at Wilderness Tours

Door Prizes:
Golf-o-max gift certificates
Mexicali Rosa's gift certificates
Cordless phone from Bell
Kevin Haime free bucket of balls passes
and more...


Donations, tickets, details... call Brenda 613-298-1300