Living with Cancer - Facing Cancer Together

Remembering Ann Durr Lyon

2013-02-11T15:24:01Z

Ann Durr Lyon of Camp Hill, PA passed away at her home on Thursday surrounded by family on February 7th.

Our Facing Cancer Together team is so fortunate to have met Ann and her husband Walter during an interview for this series. She shared her powerful story about fighting breast cancer and being able to give herself permission to try something new in her life. She encouraged other cancer survivors to be brave and try something new as well.

Ann said, "Being encouraged to do something I'd never done before was so strengthening and so important to me. Everybody with cancer should know that this is one of the possibilities." Adding, "It's just the business of hope."

Click here to watch the video interview.

In our interview, she also reflected on her life's adventures and how grateful she was for her loving husband and family, saying: "85 years... almost every day there was something special."

Remembering Ann Durr Lyon:

Trailblazing educator, political activist and beloved HACC Professor, Ann Durr Lyon of Camp Hill, PA passed away at her home on Thursday surrounded by family on February 7th.

Ann was born in Birmingham, AL the eldest of four daughters of famed civil rights activists Clifford and Virginia (Foster) Durr of Montgomery, AL.

Over three decades as Professor of Sociology at HACC, Ann taught a variety of popular courses. She especially enjoyed teaching about racial inequality and the history of civil rights. She founded, developed and led the Human Service Program at HACC and attained Emeritus status. She also Co-Founded the Temple University Graduate Program in Social Work in Harrisburg.

Ann founded the Harrisburg Civil Rights Oral History Project. She served as an East Pennsboro Township Commissioner, on the West Shore Council of Governments and the Cumberland Co. Board of Assistance. Ann represented local voters as a Democratic Committeewoman, was active in the league of Women's Voters and the National Council of Jewish Women and helped begin the Head Start program in Perry County

Ann is survived by her husband, Walter A. Lyon, of Mechanicsburg; daughter, Nan Lyon of Columbia, MD,, three sons, Cliff and Paul Lyon, wife Mel of Salt Lake City, James Lyon and wife Diane and six grandchildren; Brittany, Jane, Otto, Greth, Lilly and Sophie

A memorial service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday March 2nd at the Bethany Village East Side Community Center (entrance 1E).

In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made to:
The Ann Durr Lyon Human Service Student Scholarship Fund
℅ The HACC Foundation
1 HACC Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17110

How to become a more engaged e-patient

2012-11-08T13:25:00Z

“An e-Patient is someone that is empowered, engaged, equipped, and enabled,” says Christine Amy from Aligning Forces for Quality --- South Central Pennsylvania.

Amy works to help people become better so-called “e-Patients” by using technology to stay informed about their health. Scroll down to watch the video.

Amy highlights some of the characteristics of an engaged patient:

They are empowered: they know that they need to be engaged in their healthcare.
They’re engaged: they’re actively working with their healthcare system to better their health.
They’re equipped: they have the right tools. They know where to get information, either at a portal that has their lab results, or they know how to go to the right websites.
And they’re enabled,: they’re able to do all these things and do them over time.

A patient may be concerned about the quality of the information they are finding online. To that, Amy says, “I always recommend people to look at the website—if it has a lot of advertising, what’s the end of the website? Is it .gov, is it .org? Is it an association that takes care of individuals that have a disease, like the American Diabetes Association? Is it a governmental site? There’s the Medicare.gov site that has a lot of information.”

One person who turned to the web when facing a tough diagnosis is Dave deBronkart. He was diagnosed with late-stage kidney cancer a few years ago and read up on his condition online. He blogs about the importance of patients getting involved in their own health care as “e-Patient Dave.” Read his blog.

“I was an engaged patient long before I knew the term ever existed,” Dave says. “To me, it was just the way anybody sensible would be if they were buying a car or a TV set or anything. I wanted to understand as much as I could and talk to my professionals.” Dave says, “How can you tell an empowered person from a disempowered person? A disempowered person says, 'Well, there’s nothing I can do.' An empowered person says, 'What can I do?' They know what they want and they speak up. As great as medicine is, and I am alive today because of great medical science, there is still, patients are still the most underused resource.”

Amy agrees. She says, “If you want to become more engaged in your healthcare, you need to ask your provider, your doctor or your nurse, how to do that, and they have a lot of resources that can help you.”

Keys to becoming a better e-patient:

Educate yourself
Be empowered
Ask questions
And, go out of your way to make sure that you get the care that you want

Do you feel that you're engaged in your healthcare? What can you improve upon? Please share your thoughts in a comment.

New PinnacleHealth Cancer Support Groups

2012-10-15T14:10:00Z

Are you facing cancer in your own life? Or, do you know a friend and loved one who is looking for support? Three new support groups are starting up in our community.

Strength in Numbers Cancer Support Group
Mingle with others who have gone through or are going through treatment for cancer.
• Relax, share stories, and meet new friends
• Enjoy snacks, coffee, and tea
• Men and women of all ages and all types of journeys with cancer are welcome—including caregivers and loved ones

Date: Second Tuesday of every month
Time: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: New Bloomfield Firehouse
23 W. High Street, New Bloomfield

Contact us with any questions by calling the PinnacleHealth OneLine at (717) 231-8900 or by e-mailing PHone@pinnaclehealth.org.

Young Cancer Survivor Group
The Young Cancer Support Group is reserved for young women who are 45 years old or younger when they were first diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer. PinnacleHealth is pleased to offer the only support group of its kind in the area.

Date: Every 3rd Wednesday of the month
Time: 7 to 9 p.m.
Location: Community Campus, Medical Sciences Pavilion, Community Resource Room
4300 Londonderry Road, Harrisburg PA

For more information, you may contact Cecily Lamb, Nurse Navigator, PinnacleHealth Breast Care Center, (717) 657-7132.

SPOHNC: Support for Persons with Oral Head and Neck Cancer

Date: Second Wednesday of every month beginning October 10
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Community Campus, Medical Sciences Pavilion, Community Resource Room
4300 Londonderry Road, Harrisburg PA

For more information, contact Deb Witwer, Nurse Navigator, PinnacleHealth-Fox Chase Regional Cancer Center, (717) 724-6772

Families Battling Cancer are Helped by Vickie’s Angel Walk

2012-09-28T13:25:43Z

10th Annual Walk on Saturday, October 13th at New Cumberland Borough Park

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – September 28, 2012 – For the 10th straight year, Vickie’s Angel Walk is preparing for their signature fundraising event in New Cumberland Borough Park. Registration at 8:00 am, program at 9:30 am and the walk begins at 10:00 am. A local non-profit organization, Vickie’s Angel Walk helps cancer patients and their families by providing a bridge to ease financial burdens such as food, rent, fuel, car repair, and other expenses, so the family can focus on fighting the disease.

Vickie’s Angel Walk is involved with many fundraising events throughout the year, with the walk being the largest and most attended event. Mickey Minnich, founder and president of the organization, said “What makes this organization so special is that 100% of the money raised by the annual walk goes directly to local families in need.”

Vickie’s Angel Walk was established in 2003 by Mickey to honor his late wife Vickie, after she lost her battle with cancer. What started out as a single fundraising event – The Walk – has now grown to several events held throughout the year: bike rides, dances, and Zumba classes…just to name a few.

More than 300 families have been helped with nearly $800,000 raised, to date. Volunteers hope to raise more than $100,000 at this year’s walk and anticipate over 80 teams with around 1,000 walkers in all.

Teams of walkers are forming now or you can register the day of the event. For information on participating or making donations, please call Mickey Minnich at 717-774-3800, email at mickey@vawalk.org or visit www.vickiesangelwalk.org

Vickie’s Angel Walk , Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit, with a mission of helping families fighting cancer who have difficulty paying their bills because of the cancer. The goal is to take the financial worry away from the family so they can focus on fighting the cancer and not their finances. In many cases Vickie’s Angel Walk is a temporary bridge to move the family from despair on how they will pay their bills to where they can focus on Love, Faith and Hope.

2012 Farm to Table Dinner Highlights 2012

2012-08-27T15:04:00Z

A hayride and reception in the peach orchard kicked off the 2012 Farm to Table event at Strite’s Orchard in Harrisburg. “You can turn around and see the orchards where your food is coming from. It’s a special connection with what you eat and how you eat,” Louise Sukle, the event chair said.

Guests sat at long tables inside the Strite’s Orchard marketplace surrounded by pastoral scenes of fruit trees and fresh produce growing in the fields. The family-style meal showed off the seasonal flavors of PA’s local produce paired with local meats, cheeses, beer and wine.

“I like people to know where food coming from. It just tastes better. This is what a tomato should taste like. This is what beef should taste like,” commented Chef Jason Viscount, the Executive Chef at Bricco. He was charged with creating a custom menu for the event and the dinner did not disappoint. Scroll down to watch the video.

Andrew Bockis with Saul Ewing was one of the guests who praised the food. He said, “The benefit of the local connection is that the food is so much fresher, and it’s coming back to the roots of a great community.”

Some of the menu highlights included the Sugar Hill Farm smoked brisket, a caponata made from fresh Strite’s produce, and dessert was a Caputo Brothers Ricotta cake drizzled with PA blueberry wine. Each course was paired with wine from Waltz Vineyards and an array of scratch beers from Tröegs Brewery.

Louise Sukle’s hope for the event was that guests would leave with a better appreciation of where their food came from: “I hope guests will make a connection with their food that it doesn’t come in cellophane and that there are passionate people working hard, and that it also involves our health.”

We met breast cancer survivor Christiana Rau at the event. She turned to the American Cancer Society during her journey with cancer and now is giving back to others by being on the Farm to Table Committee. She said, “I hope people leave with a lasting impression of what it means to give back. Knowing we’re helping cancer patients, we are helping to really fight back.”

This second annual Farm to Table Dinner raised funds for cancer research and crucial support for cancer patients through the American Cancer Society. But a portion of the money earned will go directly to the Hope Lodge in Hershey which is a “home away from home” for cancer patients and their caregivers during treatment.

Do you share a common philosophy about how we eat and in a larger sense, and a passion to create a world with less cancer? Were you at the event? Please share your thoughts in a comment below.

Pink Hands of Hope: Outfitting cancer patients with confidence

2012-08-29T15:29:00Z

Brian Gaughan and his wife Laurie are the co-founders of Pink Hands of Hope in Mechanicsburg, PA.

"We help people and give them as much hope as we can," Brian says about the store. It's a thrift shop first and foremost, offering shoppers everything from mens, womens and kids clothing, books, and even wedding dresses.

But the main mission is to offer hope to those facing cancer, because Brian and Laurie know firsthand what a trying time it can be. "We tried to get help but nothing was out there," Brian says. So, they opened the store to help others who are facing the disease in their community.

"If somebody needs a wig, we will give them a wig for free. If someone comes in and is need of a prosthetic, which can be very expensive and not always covered by insurance, we'll give them one for free. If a woman's body shape changes and she needs help, we'll outfit her in clothes for free."

It's rewarding for Brian to see the smile on a person's face when they leave the store, because he know that he helped them feel better and gain back a bit of confidence. "A woman came in here and she looked up at me and said 'Because of this store, I feel like a woman again.' That's better than anything you can imagine," Brian says.

Visit the Pink Hands of Hope website to see how you can help out by shopping, donating or volunteering.

LifeChanges Boutique: Changing the lives of women facing cancer

2012-08-15T14:26:00Z

“Our goal is to make sure that everyone feels welcome when they come in, and that we let them know that we’re here for them.” Those are the words of five-year breast cancer survivor Diana Klunk about the store she founded called LifeChanges Boutique.

Diana’s store in Hanover sells everything from wigs and bras to jewelry and books. “I did go to a shop similar to this, and no one welcomed me. No one greeted me. Nobody asked me what I was being treated for, and I left feeling very upset. I went home and I told my husband, ‘You know, I really liked the concept of what it was, but I knew I could do it a lot better.'"

She realized through her own experiences battling breast cancer, that there were specific things that she needed in that situation and there really wasn’t a place to have them met. Scroll down to watch the video.

Diana says, “If it is a breast cancer patient… they looked pretty in their lingerie before they had breast cancer, and we want to make sure that they feel that they can look pretty in their lingerie again.”

LifeChanges Boutique also carries informational books, spiritual books, jewelry, giftware and a variety of head coverings, wigs, and scarves. “Not everybody loses their hair during chemo, so it just depends on the type of chemo, whether or not anybody’s even going to need those products,”

Diana says. “Ashlee is my salon manager, and she is a licensed PA cosmetologist, and when someone wants to come in and look at wigs, she takes them in. She’s very good assessing what their hair looks like now. She knows the wigs like the back of her hand.”

Diana adds that Ashlee shaves a lot of women’s heads because their salon is private. “It’s just one seat. There’s a door, so they have that feeling of privacy and comfort with her, someone that they’ve already met doing it, rather than going to the beauty salon and having, you know, somebody in foils on one side and something else on the other side, and here you are losing your hair.”

“Every day here is remarkable," she says. "The people that we get to meet and their stories and the look on their face when we’ve been able to help them look the way they want to look or restore them to the way that they used to look.”

Its rewarding for Diana to help other women who are facing cancer. She feels it’s a calling in her life. “I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t had cancer. I truly feel it was God’s plan for me. He wanted me to have cancer. He wanted me to understand what it was about, so that then I would follow his plan and open this and be able to help other people with it.”

Visit the LifeChanges website for more information.

The Hanover Breast Cancer Support Group meets the third Monday of each month at 6 PM at LifeChanges Boutique, 400 York St., Hanover, PA 17331. This group welcomes anyone, from those recently diagnosed to long time survivors.
Call LifeChanges Boutique at 633-1111 for more information

The story behind the yellow LIVESTRONG wristband

2012-08-15T19:51:00Z

(Austin, TX) -- Several years ago, it was difficult to walk down the street without seeing someone sporting a bright yellow wristband with the phrase "Live Strong" on it. The Lance Armstrong Foundation still sells these popular rubber wristbands today and has raked in millions of dollars to help raise cancer awareness.

witf's Megan Lello spoke with Chris Brewer of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the organization founded by the cyclist of the same name who's publicly battled testicular cancer. They discussed how the yellow LIVESTRONG wristband came to be--and how it wasn't expected to become as famous as it did:

{mp3remote}http://witf.vo.llnwd.net/o35/fmnews/fct-livestrong.mp3{/mp3remote}

"I wanted to live, but whether I would or not was mystery, and in the midst of confronting that fact, even at that moment, I was beginning to sense that to stare into the heart of such a fearful mystery wasn't a bad thing. To be afraid is a priceless education."
-Lance Armstrong
(It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life)

From LIVESTRONG.org:

WHAT WE DO
We look at the experiences of the cancer community, find problems and develop solutions. Then we roll them out to help more people in more situations.

OUR APPROACH
Explore how we are creating a relevant, vibrant cancer movement based on evidence and by investing in strategic solutions.

OUR ACTIONS
We find new ways to raise awareness, increase outreach and facilitate collaboration in an effort to improve the cancer experience

Click here to take action and participate in a LIVESTRONG walk, run, or ride

Do you wear a yellow bracelet? What does it mean to you? Please leave a comment below.

Heart and art

2012-08-09T18:21:46Z

It was October 31st, 2011, the last day of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, when Shelly Lipscomb Echeverria heard the words: "You have cancer."

As an employee of the state House of Representatives, she had passed by the pink Capitol fountain each day in October. Little did she know that she would have her own story to tell about the disease.

To cope with her diagnosis and treatment, which included surgery and chemotherapy, Echeverria turned to creating art. (She started painting at an early age and earned her fine arts degree in painting and minored in printmaking.)

“I paint because I must,” she said. “Making art brings me peace. I can lose myself for hours while I am painting. It’s what my soul was created to do.”

Her painting, “The Diagnosis,” reflects the new anxiety that a cancer diagnosis can bring. Raw questions like: “Will I die?” “What should I ask my doctor?” and “How will I pay for this?” are grouped onto an abstract body with a bleeding heart.

This piece is just one in Echeverria’s series, “So, they say I have Breast Cancer,” which was exhibited for the first time at witf in May. It paints a picture of the physical, emotional and spiritual struggles she endured and overcame while facing breast cancer.

An aggressive blue, red, black and white splatter-painted piece titled “Adriamycin: The Red Devil,” represents the anguish of the fierce battle going on within her body: chemo vs. cancer.

But, when it got tough, she leaned heavily on her faith to keep her looking forward. In “Temporary Spaces,” a dove transcends darkness — just like Echeverria facing the dark disease. “Difficult places are temporary spaces for us to grow in our faith and become more dependent on him,” she said. (pictured at top)

Her hair fell out during treatment. And, she struggled with the emotions of having a body-altering surgery. “What does it really mean to be beautiful?” she asked herself. She found her answer while painting a bald self-portrait: “Pretty on the inside makes the outside beautiful.”

“I wanted to be open and vulnerable for other people to see ‘It’s OK,’” she said.

She also wanted her two young daughters to see that beauty comes from within. Her 8-year-old, Crystal, understood that. She painted a portrait of her mom — a vibrant, smiling version complete with a hot pink headscarf and gold star.

“Although treatment and the disease have been hard on my body, the experience has been a blessing to my soul,” Echeverria said.

She said her hope is her story will help someone who is also facing cancer. She encourages cancer patients to find something that they’re passionate about. “Each of us has something that we are good at,” she said. “Find something you love — write, sing, listen to music. That can help to bring comfort. Find something that brings you pleasure and it will get you through.”

At a wine-and-cheese artist reception for Echeverria at witf, friends and family — who lovingly call her “Survivor Shel” — and members of the community gathered to celebrate her art, spirit and courage.

“I was happy to share my outward reflection of my cancer journey,” she said, looking back on the night. “Many folks that have been supporting me were there that evening. I did get to meet some other survivors that I did not know before.”

But what touched her most was when viewers silently wiped tears from their face as they walked through the exhibit.

Her last painting that completes the series is of an elegant pink swirling ribbon — appropriately titled “Hope.” For that is what Echeverria is offering to those who experience her story through her art.

In the guest book, scribbled among thoughtful comments and praises of her work, someone simply wrote: “You’re my inspiration.”

Written by
Katie Carpenter

Published in Central PA Magazine: 2012 Arts & Entertainment Issue

Click here to watch a video of Shelly's story.

Wings of Angels: Delivering comfort and hope to cancer patients

2012-08-07T16:20:48Z

“Wings of Angels to me means comfort,” says breast cancer survivor Linda Fischer. She knows just how important comfort can be after an involved surgery like a mastectomy. That’s why she started a recovery care basket business, Wings of Angels, which provides care and hope to women who are recovering from breast cancer surgery.

After discovering a lump in 2003 she got it checked out and doctors confirmed her worst fear: that she had breast cancer. “My whole world just changed,” Linda says. “I just collapsed and thought ‘I can’t believe this.’ It all came so fast and I didn’t have time to think… I went into this shock.”

Although she explored holistic options for her treatment, she ended up needing chemotherapy, and then surgery: a double mastectomy. “What we go through is such an uphill battle emotionally with this type of surgery. We’re getting rid of a big part of our identity, the first thing that makes us a woman. That’s a big part of who we are. Now I know what they mean when they say ‘Linda you’re an amazing woman to get through that.’”

She discovered through her recovery, that she was unprepared for the side-effects of breast cancer surgery and saw that there were items that she needed to get through it. “I was like ‘I need to help women get through this.’ And, I just knew that someday I would turn it into a business creating recovery care baskets for women going through this type of surgery.” Scroll down to watch Linda's story.

Linda’s gift baskets include items that will help women during their recovery, like a heating pad for muscle cramps, a camisole that opens in the front and velcros shut, and a cozy shawl with pockets designed to hold drain tubes. Simple things like a pill box and straws make a big difference when you don’t have the strength to open a pill bottle or raise a glass up to drink, she recalls. And, a soothing DVD of music and imagery can help to easy anxiety and calm the mind. But, sometimes all you need is a hug, and to know someone's thinking of you. That's where the Hug Box comes in, which holds a thoughtful and loving poem inside.

Visit the Wings of Angels website at recoverwithangels.com.

“The most exciting part of my business and what I do is when people give me a call and say they were looking for specific things, came to my site, and found comfort in knowing that the items come from the heart. And, they know that the items will help their loved ones.”

Aside from delivering useful products, Linda delivers hope. “I have talked with many women and they say ‘Linda, you’re my angel. That’s the greatest gift. I guess that’s my hope for Wings of Angels… for women to see me and say ‘That’s going to be me someday. I am going to survive.”

Extra videos:
Linda shares some tipsabout how to help a friend who has cancer.
Linda offers some practical post-op awareness tips for those facing breast cancer surgery.

What items have helped you recover? What gave you hope throughout your cancer journey? Please leave a comment below.