Encompassing Cancer

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and tobacco use is the leading cause of lung cancer and lung cancer deaths. In this episode, Lauren chats with Dr. Crystal Shen to shed light on the harms of e-cigarettes, vaping, and flavorings and how these products are dangerous for our health. We also discuss how e-cigarettes work, the troubling marketing tactics of big tobacco companies, quitting/cessation resources, and tips for helping loved ones quit. There is no shortage of amazing resources to check out below! This episode was made possible with support from the American Heart Association.

Additional Resources:

• American Heart Association 'The 101 on E-cigarettes Infographic'
  • Vaping and Changes in Cardiovascular Function
• Cancer Pathways Quit Tobacco Workshops
• Cancer Pathways eLearning course: E-cigarettes and Vaping
• WA Tobacco Quitline: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)
• 2Morrow Health app
• Truth Initiative
• NRT (Nicotine Replacement Therapy) Guide
• American Lung Association's NOTforMe
  • Lung cancer screening: Saved by the Scan
• Stanford's Tobacco Prevention Toolkit

Cancer Pathways created Project C.H.A.M.P to understand and assess knowledge and awareness about HPV and the HPV vaccine in rural communities in Washington State. We administered a pre-survey in September and October 2022 and garnered a lot of great information, as well as a few questions. This first bonus episode addresses nine of the most frequently asked questions from pre-survey participants.

Additional Resources

• About HPV (CDC)
• HPV Vaccination: What Everyone Should Know (CDC)

The holidays are officially upon us! With that, typically comes lots of planning, family time, and of course, trying to be everywhere at once. Michelle Massey, who is a social worker and manager of support services at Cancer Pathways, gives her advice for how you can care for your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, preserve your energy, set boundaries with family members, and take space and time to grieve the loss of a loved one whose no longer there to celebrate the holidays with you. You'll also hear from members of the community who share what is helpful (and what's not so helpful!) for cancer patients and caregivers when they're juggling so many things at once.

Additional Cancer Pathways Resources and Opportunities:

• Support Groups
• Quit Tobacco Workshops
• Cancer Unwrapped teen essay writing contest

In our second episode for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Lauren chats with breast cancer survivor, Liz Ryan, about how she navigated new motherhood (with twins!), a breast cancer diagnosis, and the challenges that come with survivorship – all during a pandemic. Liz shares tips on what to say (and not to say) to someone after they've been diagnosed, how you can truly support a family member or friend who has just been diagnosed, and how to manage scanxiety. We close out the episode with common misconceptions people may have about breast cancer and words of hope and inspiration. Prior to talking to Liz, Lauren shares three very important tips for how you can prepare for and get involved in the upcoming midterm elections!

Additional Resources:

• Cancer Pathways Cancer Unwrapped teen writing contest
• Cancer Pathways Support Groups
• Plan Your Vote
• Liz Ryan's blog, JustMarmalade.com

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – a time dedicated to increasing awareness about breast cancer, sharing survivor stories, and raising funds for research, treatments, and cures. In this first October episode, Lauren chats with Dr. Sara Javid, who is a board certified breast surgeon at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. She provides a clinical perspective and walks listeners through how to conduct a breast self-exam, what some of the biggest breast cancer risk factors are, important questions to ask when collecting your family history, genetic testing and counseling, and answers some common questions people have about breast cancer – like does breast density impact breast cancer risk and can men get breast cancer, too? If you are enjoying the podcast, please share with a friend and don't forget to rate and review!

Additional Resources:

• National Breast Cancer Foundation
• Breast Cancer Clinical Trials (NCI)
• National Comprehensive Cancer Network
• FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered)
• Breastcancer.org

In our second September episode, Lauren talks to Roger Moore all about hypnosis and how it can be used as a tool for healing our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Roger shares what hypnosis is and what it is not, how it can be used by people who are living with cancer (or other chronic conditions) to restructure and reshape negative self-talk, and combat feelings of anxiety, depression, and pain. A quick disclaimer that our conversation is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Hypnosis is considered a complementary/alternative medicine.

A final reminder that our blood donation campaign with Bloodworks Northwest ends Friday, September 30th! Make an appointment to donate in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. When you check in, give the front desk code CP21 or tell them you're donating on behalf of Cancer Pathways. Blood donations are critical for cancer patients and there is always a need – plus it's a quick & easy way to make a BIG impact with a blood donation taking as little as 20 minutes of your time.

Additional Resources:

• Roger's website, HypnosisHealthInfo.com
• Hypnotherapy for Cancer Webinar Series - October 2021
• Systematic Review: Hypnosis for Cancer Care: Over 200 Years Young
• Make an appointment to donate with Bloodworks Northwest!

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – a time dedicated to increasing awareness about pediatric cancer and to raise funds for research, treatments, and cures. In this episode, Lauren talks to Hanna Safley about her childhood cancer diagnosis, how impactful both in-person and virtual support groups have been for her, and why it's so important to add yourself to the bone marrow donor database. Additionally, we are partnering up with Bloodworks Northwest to host a 2-week blood donation campaign from September 16th-30th in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness. We encourage you to make an appointment to donate blood during those dates and when you check in, give them code CP21 or tell them you're donating on behalf of Cancer Pathways. Blood donations are critical for cancer patients and there is always a need – plus it's a quick & easy way to make a BIG impact with a blood donation taking as little as 20 minutes of your time.

Additional Resources:

• Make an appointment to donate with Bloodworks Northwest!
• Cancer Pathways' Support Groups
• Be the Match
• Cord Blood Donation

Can you believe it's already back to school season? That makes it the perfect time to talk about our Cancer Happens teen cancer risk-reduction program! In this episode, Lauren chats with our very own Cancer Happens program manager, Jana Mastrogiovanni, all about the topics we cover in the program, how many schools and students we've reached over the years, how we implement the curriculum, and how students and teachers can get more involved. You'll also hear from a few of the teachers who have used our program!

Additional Resources:

• Cancer Happens
• Registration Form
• Become a Teen Ambassador!
• Project C.H.A.M.P
• Teachers! Partner with us and receive a gift for your classroom.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month – a time dedicated to focusing on the importance of vaccines to prevent disease and improve public health. This month provides a great opportunity for parents and their children to check that they're up to date on all recommended vaccinations and for healthcare providers to encourage vaccinations at each visit. In this episode, Lauren introduces listeners to Project CHAMP (Cultivating HPV Awareness and Mobilizing for Prevention) and encourages you to get involved. She is then joined by Dr. Jose Rodriguez to discuss what HPV is, how the HPV vaccine can protect us from 6 different types of cancer, why this vaccine is just as important as other recommended vaccinations and what healthcare providers can do to improve vaccination rates at their clinics.

Additional Resources:

• National Cancer Institute About Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccines
• American Cancer Society HPV Vaccination and Cancer Prevention
• About Project CHAMP
• Cervical cancer and HPV Awareness Days
• National HPV Vaccination Roundtable

World Lung Cancer Day takes place each year on August 1st as a time dedicated to raising awareness about lung cancer, the need for continued research and treatments, and to honor those who are currently living with lung cancer, survivors, and those we have lost. In this episode, Lauren talks about key highlights and statistics, lung cancer risk factors, screening, treatment, what to expect if you're diagnosed, and some primary ways we can prevent lung cancer. We encourage you to check out the many useful resources listed below and remember that lung cancer impacts all of us!

Additional Resources:

• Cancer Pathways Support Groups
• American Cancer Society
• American Lung Association
• Saved by the Scan screening eligibility quiz
• Quit Smoking support
• Tobacco Cessation telephone quitline: 1-800-QUIT-NOW
• Radon Testing Kits