Tag: nonprofit

Middle School Boy Determined to Find the Answer to Beating Cancer


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Most middle school boys are concerned with playing sports after school, playing video games, or taking up new hobbies in their spare time. Well, one middle school boy in Atlanta, Georgia, does all of this, and more. One hobby of his is a bit extraordinary: searching for a way to fight cancer.

After 12-year-old Stephen Litt became aware of two family friends being diagnosed with breast cancer, he decided to do something about it. He began researching and found that decreased rates of the disease in Japan might be due to certain antioxidants found in green tea. Stephen wanted to test this theory and see if these antioxidants could ward off cancer cells in planaria (worms) since they are known to have stem cells that mimic cancerous cells.

Stephen and his father purchased the necessary materials for the project and began conducting scientific experiments in search of their answer. He used experimental and controlled groups of planaria in his research and studied the results under a microscope that his grandparents gave him.

His findings showed that there might actually be a link between the green tea antioxidants and fighting cancerous cells. Stephen went on to win local and state competitions with his science project and was invited to tour a real research lab at Tuft University shortly after. In the future, he would like to transplant human cancerous cells into the planaria to see if the green tea antioxidants will have the same effect. To read the full CNN story on Stephen and his work, click here.

Who knows what the future has in store for this remarkable young man! We had to share his story because wanting to help others in such a major way, and at such a young age, is a very special thing. We tip our hats to you, Stephen, and wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. With bright minds like these popping up in the younger generation, we can certainly hope that finding the cure for cancer is not too far away!

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Tara Jeanne Creates Honey Hill Naturals


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As you may or may not know, in March we wrote a blog on Tara, the 20-year-old who was fighting for her life after being diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma. Tara had an initial surgery to remove the mass and started her battle with this disease by using strictly alternative methods and eating a completely raw, organic diet. However, she has been forced to employ more traditional methods due to her tumor coming back and growing quite large.

 

Despite her unfortunate circumstances, Tara has been keeping an optimistic outlook on life and still has high ambitions with school, becoming self-sufficient, and traveling to Mexico for her brother’s upcoming wedding.  As her medical treatments have come with an outrageous price tag, Tara and her mom created a line of natural products called Honey Hill Naturals, which consists of sprays, hand soaps, and lip balms to help finance her recovery. More products are to be added soon and you can also get a #TARASTRONG bracelet on their product page.

 

Check out her natural goods below:

 

 Fine Mist Spray- $9

 

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(choose Lavender, Lemon, or Clove’s Spray)

Honey Oatmeal Hand Soap- $3

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(made with vegetable-based goats milk, organic honey, & organic oats)

Lip Balm- $4

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(made with organic coconut oil, organic beeswax, & organic vanilla extract)
Not only will you have some fantastic (and natural!) products, but you will also be supporting an amazing, beautifully-spirited young woman who is trying her hardest to find the positive in her situation. It is so often that so many of us take for granted in our lives what others would give anything to have, even if it just means having a normal day. We cannot always put ourselves in another’s shoes in order to truly sympathize, but we can do our best to make sure those shoes are nice and comfy for the bumpy road ahead. Tara, we are sending you countless thoughts and prayers and will be supporting you endlessly on your journey.

 

If you have a moment, please check out Tara’s blog and also consider dropping off a donation that she can readily use for her treatment.

 

As always, Answers for Angels appreciates your support in supporting others.

Charmane’s Journey


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Charmane M. Vaiasanisi is a talented songwriter, composer, and writer who has long been an advocate of holistic teachings and practices.  She was at one time an assistant kindergarten teacher at Rose Rock School in Oklahoma, which is a Waldorf education center.  For those unaware, Waldorf schooling balances academic subjects with artistic and hands-on activities in an effort to allow the children to get to know themselves and the world in a deeply personal way.  Children are encouraged to explore their artistic talents and passions to obtain deeper meaning and enrichment throughout their childhood and into their adulthood.  As Charmane is such a naturally artistic individual herself, she was happy to work somewhere that encouraged young souls to discover their own talents.  She says that “each child is growing into someone who is nothing less than a developing miracle who will never come again”.

  
 

During her time as an assistant teacher at the school, she began to notice that her health was declining. She hadn’t felt well for an entire year.  She had been through a recent breakup, though, and didn’t think much of an actual, physical ailment.  In May of 2014, she decided to quit her job and planned to start substituting in the fall after having some time to regain her health.  It wasn’t long after she started back with substituting that life threw her a major curve ball.

  
 

In November 2014, Charmane was enjoying lunch at a local restaurant when she experienced a seizure.  She was taken by ambulance to the ER and was eventually diagnosed with a brain tumor.  Though she now had an explanation for her fatigue and not feeling well, the news devastated her and she grieved for the hope that she had in pursuing a life-long career at the school.  This was the first job that made food stamps unnecessary.  It was a job would allow her to stand strong on her own two feet as a single mom.  She was eager to provide a better life and home for her fifteen-year-old son, and to start anew in something that she loved.  Her dreams came crashing down around her and she was forced to face the reality of a serious illness.  She stopped working.  She lost her license due to the seizure and still to this day has to rely on transportation from friends.

  
 

After her brain tumor diagnosis, Charmane worked steadily to clean up her diet.  She spent hours upon hours researching in books and on internet sites, searching for ways to heal and to make her life as natural as possible.  She went on a ketogenic diet, then full GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome), which is a diet that is intended to heal and normalize the gut.  She spent ten months seizure-free.  In September 2015, however, she was hit with another seizure.  This time she recovered faster than she did with the initial one and decided to begin supplements in addition to her GAPS diet. In February she had yet another seizure followed by a string of several more within a few days time span in May. She underwent surgery and most of her right frontal lobe was removed due to damage caused by cancer. Conventional chemotherapy and radiation were recommended, but Charmane is not one to settle for conventional nor did she want to risk harmful exposure and poisoning her body, so she looked into other treatment plans. She finally decided on visiting the Northern Baja Gerson Center in Mexico, which can be seen in a documentary The Truth About Cancer: A Global Quest, hosted by Ty Bollinger.

  
 

The center is modeled after Max Gerson’s protocol which involves juicing and supplements for healing. As Charmane had some prior experience with juicing and saw amazing results when she tried it, she knew intuitively that this was the best route for her.  That is not to say that it was easy, though, and her son had to move in with his father while she focused on her health.

  
 

Her new regimen consisted of organic fruits and vegetable juices, organic coffee enemas, and dietary supplements for healing, such as B-12 injections, COQ10, Selenium, and Frankincense essential oil. The first week of the Gerson lifestyle proved to be very difficult for her. The boreholes in her skull from surgery became sore, sensitive, and her scar itched like crazy. With exfoliation, she noticed grimy skin, dandruff, and loose hair clogging up her comb.  She coughed up phlegm every morning, vomited mucus, had a sore throat, and had profuse earwax for days.  Pimples broke out along the scar on her scalp.  She had a lot of fatigue, nausea, bloating, and up to five bowel movements per day in the beginning.  She had headaches, a fainting spell, and one episode of severe chills with uncontrollable teeth chattering. Despite all of these negative reactions, she says that they were over by the second week.

  
 

She has noticed positive effects from her new protocol as well.  A tooth that had been black and framed in calculus underneath due to a cavity is now completely fine with pink gums beneath it. The gray color in her teeth from Keppra, an anti-seizure medication, has also gone away. Her right eye, which had protruded ever since brain surgery, has now returned to normal and she can’t even see the scar from her surgery. Her eyes are brighter. Her lips are no longer chapped and bleeding. Her lungs feel clear and she finds it easier to inhale.  Her acne has cleared, her nails have become shiny, and she no longer needs deodorant. She says that her facial features look fuller and she doesn’t look as old and ‘beaten down’ as before. Most of her grey hair has disappeared! Even the pain and numbness in her foot and hip went away during her stay at the Northern Baja Center. See below pictures of Charmane enjoying a meal, enjoying the sun, and hanging out inside a hyperbaric oxygen tank during her time there.

  
 

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Even though the treatment is intense, Charmane says that she feels it is definitely strengthening her.  She said she felt a deep peace and relaxation while at the treatment center.  She has had no seizures since May 2016.  In December of this year, she will review the results of MRI scans with her doctor to talk about whether any cancer cells have returned and what to do from that point on.  She remains hopeful and is praying that she is all clear and continuing to heal.

  
 

When I asked Charmane to describe her experience and current outlook, she said,

  
 

“Yes, it has been a roller coaster—a roller coaster with no safety bars or seat belts.  Fear of the uncertain future has been the hardest part of all of this—a lingering shadow sewn to the bottom of my feet—there all the time, every step of the way.  I’m learning I never did know what was to come.  Cancer is teaching me to be much more present in the ‘here and now’ than I was before.”

  
 

She is unsure of where the future will take her.  She is living day by day and wondering if she will ever be able to sustain a normal life with a financially flourishing career.  She hopes to someday return to her old job or to even become a music teacher.  She is also faced with the possibility of moving in with her family in California in order to better manage the expenses that she has.

  
 

Answers for Angels is so honored to help such an amazing individual in battling this disease and the heavy financial burden that comes with it. We have awarded Charmane with a $350 gift card to Natural Grocers in Oklahoma to pay for items she needs that food stamps will not cover. 

  
 

The world is made brighter by souls like yours, Charmane.  We wish you all the best and will support you on your road to healing.

  
 

Check out Charmane’s musical page on YouTube to see her talents in action!

Mary’s Story- A Time of Change


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When Mary was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in April of 2016, her life changed tremendously. On top of the emotional adjustments that one must make when faced with such news, her life was also being affected in other ways. Her retirement options changed. She had to learn how to better manage her stress at work and to let go of that which she could not control. She had to finally put taking care of herself before taking care of others.

 

In those efforts to put herself and her health first, Mary sought out a nutritionist that she had heard about through a friend as she trusted natural means of healing over traditional medicine, which can be toxic. She began treatment by having a blood panel done in order to know what deficiencies she had and where to start. The idea behind correcting deficiencies with vitamins and supplements is that as you bring your body into optimal functionality, the better prepared it becomes to fight cancer. Having blood panels and other tests done can be quite revealing and also very beneficial in one’s treatment plan.

 

After Mary struggled with detox symptoms in the beginning of her treatment, her nutritionist recommended taking a True Health Diagnostics test in order to find out more information on her genetic makeup. For years Mary had known that something was off as she was incredibly sensitive to medication and also had an unusual, life-threatening reaction to anesthesia at one point. Her nutritionist hypothesized that she might not be able to process things at maximum potential and thus wanted to investigate further. Sure enough, not only was Mary missing the genetic marker for processing anesthesia, but her liver was also only detoxing at 40%. To correct this, she began taking supplements that would support and clean out her liver. She says that she already feels more energetic after starting them and will remain on them for the rest of her life.

 

Mary has also made several other changes to her life. She routinely walks and practices yoga. She has cleaned up her diet by eating tons of organic vegetables and also by avoiding dairy and sweets. She regularly sees a licensed therapist to assist her with the emotional aspects of her journey, as having such an illness can be incredibly hard on an individual, like riding on a roller coaster that you never wanted to get on in the first place. She is learning to find peace and feels empowered after her sessions. For anyone going through this journey, therapy is an amazing tool and can bring an inner peace that will strengthen your mind, soul, and physical body.

 

We wish you the absolute best, Mary, and hope that you continue with your positive steps in healing. We also hope that you continue with the swing and country dancing! Keep those feet moving, and that heart full. As Oprah Winfrey has said, “Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance”.

 

As always, we feel very blessed to be able to help support Mary on her journey and would love to help as many people as we possibly can. As if dealing with cancer itself is not enough, we understand how burdensome it can be on patients and their families to make ends meet financially when health bills, travel, and other expenses chip away at your financial security. We are dedicated to making this experience easier for those in need and couldn’t do so without the support of our amazing community. If you would like to help others fight the fight of their life, please contact our president Katie Davis at katiedavis@answersforangels.com. You can also donate by clicking the “DONATE” button in the top right area of our webpage.

 

The holidays are right around the corner and you can really make a difference in making this a special holiday for those affected by cancer! Thank you to all and God Bless.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month – Get Screened the Healthy Way


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As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, there is a lot of push for women to go get mammograms in order to detect any signs of breast cancer. There’s an estimated 200,000 new cases of breast cancer every year in the United States. One in eight women will take on this disease and it is the leading cause of death in women from ages 40 to 55. Therefore, it’s not an issue to be taken lightly.

Taking care of yourself and taking precautionary measures in preserving your health are things that should be done, but have you ever questioned if the methods in which you do so could actually be hazardous to your health?

Studies in the past few years have shown that techniques such as mammograms might actually increase your risk of getting cancer. One mammogram can potentially give you as much radiation as 1,000 chest X-rays. 1,000! A Premenopausal breast is even more sensitive to this radiation and each rad of exposure can increase breast cancer risk by 1%. A decade of screening increases your risk to 10%, and some radiologists fear that it’s even more than that. In other words, by getting checked with mammograms annually starting at the age of 40, by 50 you are at least 10% more likely to get the disease that you are attempting to avoid. That means 37 million women are increasing their breast cancer risk every single year.

Important points to note about mammograms and detecting breast cancer:

  • If you don’t have breast cancer when you receive a mammogram, you increase your risk every time you check again.
  • If you don’t have breast cancer when you receive a mammogram but receive a false positive, you increase your risk even more with repeat, unnecessary screenings.
  • If you do have breast cancer when you receive a mammogram, the compression of the machine can actually spread those cancerous cells.
  • If you do have breast cancer when you receive a mammogram, it might not save you anyway.

A study from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark suggested that those who had received mammogram screening only had a 1% reduction in risk of death as opposed to women who had not received screenings, whose risk was 2%. When you consider that you are increasing your risk 10% by just going to these screenings over the years, it starts to become apparent that you may, in fact, being doing much more harm than good.

So, are there other, safer alternatives to breast cancer screening? The answer is: of course.

Breast Thermography is a 15 minute, non-invasive method of testing one’s physiology in order to detect indications of early stage breast disease. It is a technique that was first introduced in 1956 and approved by the FDA in 1982. Thanks to technology advancement over the years, it is becoming a more reliable tool for detecting breast cancer. This procedure uses high resolution, digital, infrared cameras to detect heat patterns that may be indicative of breast abnormalities. The imaging can show very minute changes and patterns in temperature related to blood flow that might be related to the progression of tumors.

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One study at the University Hospital for Tumors showed that Breast Thermography was even more sensitive and detected more changes than Mammography. Out of 26 patients, 31 changes were detected by mammograms while 37 were detected by Breast thermograms.

A standard Breast Thermography procedure goes a little something like this:

  • Complete a breast health history form
  • Meet with staff to go over procedure
  • 15-minute wait to allow your body to reach a steady temperature
  • Positioned in front of imaging system to capture your imaging results
  • Meet with Thermologist to go over results

The findings can be rated in the below categories:

TH 1- Normal uniform non-vascular

TH 2- Normal uniform vascular

TH 3- Equivocal (questionable)

TH 4- Abnormal

TH 5- Severely Abnormal

It is important that you discuss the findings thoroughly with your Thermologist so that you understand what your results mean. You can also use the results to determine what your next best course of action is. At any rate, and even if you have to get a mammogram as a follow up, it is still safer to get 10 Thermology screenings prior to that mammogram, instead of increasing your risk of breast cancer 1% with every mammogram screening that you have instead.

Your body is a temple and should be treated as such. Ask yourself if traditional, conventional methods are worth putting your health at risk.

This October, protect yourself the healthy way! Look into Breast Thermology clinics near you.

 

 

Sources:

“Breast Thermography”. Pacific Chiropractic and Research Center. Last modified June 20th, 2016. http://www.breastthermography.com/breast_thermography_proc.htm. Accessed September 6th, 2016.

“What is Breast Thermography?” American College of Clinical Technology. http://www.thermologyonline.org/breast/breast_thermography_what.htm. Accessed September 6th, 2016.

Kolaric D, Herceg Z, Nola IA, Ramljak V, Kulis T, Holjevac JK, Deutsch JA, Antonini S. “Ruder Bosković” Institute, Centre for Informatics and Computing, Zagreb, Croatia. Published June 2013. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23941007. Accessed September 14, 2016.

Mercola, Joseph M.D. “Your Greatest Weapon Against Breast Cancer (Not Mammograms)”. Published March 3rd, 2012. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/03/experts-say-avoid-mammograms.aspx. Accessed September 6th, 2016.

Sircus, Mark, M.D. “3D Mammogram Technology – Dangerous or Safe for Breasts?” Published October 7th, 2015. http://drsircus.com/medicine/3d-mammogram-technology-dangerous-or-safe-for-breasts/. Accessed September 6th, 2016.

Cell Phones and Cancer


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Nowadays it seems as though every young kid has a cell phone. The age at which a child receives a mobile device seems to be getting younger and younger with every passing year. While there could be a number of different arguments made for why a child should or should not have a cellular phone, today we are going to talk about the big reason why it might not be a good idea: the fact that they can cause cancer.

It has long been thought that cellular devices might be linked to cancer, but now some studies are showing that they most certainly are. The World Health Organization now lists mobile phone use in the “carcinogenic hazard” category, along with engine exhaust, lead, and chloroform.

Cell phones emit non-ionizing radiation from their antennas. This radiation can be absorbed by the tissues nearest to the antenna, which would be on/in your head. The low radiation can be compared to microwaving food, only your brain is the food. When you’re holding a cell phone up to your head for prolonged amounts of time, you can imagine that you could be increasing this absorption and thus your susceptibility to cancer. The National Institutes of Health revealed that 50 minutes of cell phone use emitted enough radiation to artificially increase the activity in brain cells.

An international study on cell phones and cancer that was released in 2010 showed that participants in the study who used a cell phone for 10 years or more had double the rate of brain glioma. The same results were seen in rat studies, where male rats exposed to the same type of radiation that we are exposed to with cell phones were more likely to develop certain types of brain and heart tumors. Not only is this scary for adults who are increasingly using cell phones for work and maintaining contact with family, but it’s also an even bigger risk for children.

The scalps and skulls of children are much thinner than ours and thus can be more easily penetrated by radiation. The impact of radiation can be even greater on a child due to their cells dividing at a faster rate. Children also have more time to accumulate prolonged exposure to this radiation by using their phone and the scariest part is that the health effects might not show up for 30 years. So, while little Johnny might think that calling his friends and talking all night is the cool thing to do, it might not be so cool later down the road if he develops life-changing health issues. Protecting our children is always the number one priority and with that, here are a few things that you can tell them to do (and do yourself) to minimize risk:

  • Avoid carrying a phone next to your stomach if you’re pregnant.
  • Don’t carry the cell phone in your pocket next to your groin.
  • Don’t sleep with your phone under your pillow.
  • Text instead of talk to keep your phones away from your face.
  • Avoid using cell phones in elevators, rural areas, or buildings where your phone gives off more radiation to connect to cell phone towers.
  • Don’t use your cell phone in a Wifi area too often.
  • Use a wired ear piece instead of holding your phone to your head.
  • Use your landline instead.

Due to the fact that it takes so long to observe the damage caused by cell phone use, there are still many studies needed in the area and there are likely to be more findings in the future. In the meantime, though, take the necessary steps to protect your child. After all, better safe than sorry!

Exposure to toxins in the environment is and should be a growing concern for the public. We are seeing increasing cancer rates in younger and younger children and environmental toxins are a major reason why. Exposure to these toxins in utero or in early childhood is linked to health issues later in life, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer.

In Alaska, where there are twice the amount of birth defects as the lower 48, environmentalists have noted that this number can be attributed to pollution from the lower 48 and Asia, as well as the cold climate and poor ventilation indoors. The Alaska Community Action on Toxics will be hosting a Children’s Environmental Health Summit October 5th-6th at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage. There they will bring together parents, teachers, scientists, health care professionals, and members of the community to share information and ideas, educate, and discuss possibilities for policy changes. If you are interested in attending this summit, read more here.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Make sure you are doing your part in educating yourself and others so that we can protect our innocent children from the harmful effects of the environment and from this terrible disease.

 

 

Sources:

Estus, Joaqlin. “Scientists say cell phones, Wifi, are environmental health hazards”. KNBA. Published September 14, 2016. http://knba.org/post/scientists-say-cell-phones-wifi-are-environmental-health-hazards. Accessed September 23, 2016.

Dellorto, Danielle. “WHO: Cell phone use can increase possible cancer risk”. CNN. Published May 31, 2011. http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/05/31/who.cell.phones/. Accessed September 23, 2016.

German, Kent. “Cell phones and cancer: 9 things you should know right now”. Published June 6, 2016. https://www.cnet.com/news/9-things-you-should-know-about-that-recent-cell-phone-cancer-link-study/. Accessed September 23, 2016.