Three Baskets

Three Baskets' Visioning Retreat - A Huge Success

2012-03-25T21:41:00.003-04:00

On March 23, 2012, 11 DYNAMIC women gathered together at the Light Center in Black Mountain ( http://www.urlight.org/ ) for a Visioning and Planning Retreat for Three Baskets. What a POWERFUL experience! The synchronicity was strong, the energy high, and because of the passion and commitment of this group, Three Baskets has been brought to the next level.

Led by internationally renown organizer and activist Linda Stout ( www.SpiritInAction.net ), the following people joined forces for Three Baskets: Aditi Sethi-Brown, MD, Janet Weiss-Quate, LPT, Laura Rand (counselor & cancer survivor), Jan Howard (cancer survivor), Kimberly Doyle (cancer survivor) , Nancy Kehr, DC, Susan Hayden, founder, Susie Sloan, RN, LMBT, Janice O'Brien, and myself, Terri Balog, LMBT.

After an intense weekend of getting to know one another, building relationships, teamwork, creating a common vision and strategizing, Three Baskets now has a strong Board, a number of very passionate advisers, a very proactive fundraising and program committee and a goal of raising one million dollars for development of the Three Baskets' Cancer Information and Resource Center here in Asheville by the end of the year 2012!

Stay tuned for more exciting news as this extremely progressive nonprofit becomes a household name, and more importantly, achieves it's mission of providing resources,support and collaboration of health care services for the mind, spirit and body of all of those affected by cancer, their families and the entire community!

Three Baskets: Living in the Light

2012-02-05T18:21:00.000-05:00

Three Baskets: Living in the Light

Living in the Light

2012-02-05T18:14:00.002-05:00

Living in the Light

By: Laura Hankins

You probably don’t remember me, but I wrote an article about my own breast cancer experience in 2004 for WNC Woman (www.wncwoman.com/0404bodymindsoulvoice.html). I will celebrate 10 years out from my diagnosis in February—so much has happened since then—and I have a lot more to say about living in the light of traumatic illness.

While I physically survived my breast cancer, I found very little emotional and spiritual support during my dark days and thereafter. I decided to go against standard protocol, and after my surgery to remove the lump, I decided against chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone treatment. Doctors called, friends and family fretted—but I simply found I could not follow through with the standard treatments. I had done much research and felt confident for my own particular case that my body could take care of itself, could rest and heal itself.

I believe I made the right decision. I do not give advice to others about what they should do. How could I know what is right for someone else? So I quietly went my own way.

I decided four years ago, however, to do something along a different line to help others going through the trauma of diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. I went back to graduate school. I pursued a degree in mental health counseling at Western Carolina University and now am a licensed counselor. My goal was to open a private practice working with cancer patients and their families, as well as those with other illnesses and life transitions. I am not a doctor and do not give advice about treatment. I do, however, understand the trauma of a diagnosis such as cancer. I can sit with those going through the questions of mortality and identity, their concerns about such things as work, family, finances, spirituality. I can identify with their fears for themselves and those who love them.

When I woke up from my lumpectomy, my mother came into the recovery room to see me. I remember grabbing her and saying, “I just want my children to have a mother.” When my four children saw me, I was all smiles. The surgery had gone well. I was ok. I could not let them see the internal struggles and pain I was feeling. I needed to be strong for them. But who could I talk with about how I really felt? I wasn’t sure. I didn’t want anyone close to me to worry. I felt quite alone during this time, putting on a show of strength.

What I needed was a therapist. What I needed was a trained, compassionate, yet dispassionate person who would not be disturbed when I expressed my deepest fears. Someone who could hold that space with me while I processed my life.

Asheville is blessed to have a plethora of cancer resources including hospitals, skilled doctors, nurse navigators, and support groups. I am getting to know many in this community who are offering services. They are sincere and tireless and provide help and hope. I have gotten to know the Beauty through Cancer folks and find their focus on physical restoration and inner beauty to be inspiring. I am also involved with a fairly new endeavor called Three Baskets. Three Baskets’ mission is to offer family retreats, referral services and health fairs that introduce local Integrated Medical Professionals and Holistic Health Practitioners to those living with cancer, their families and the entire community as a complement to conventional medicine.

I have been meeting with cancer support groups around town and the inspiration I find there keeps me focused on my goal of standing by and with cancer patients and their families.

We often think of mental health as something we have or lack. Even when I talk with some medical professionals, they assure me that if a cancer patient is having mental health issues, they are referred to therapists. My concern is this: Isn’t it “normal” for someone who is going through the trauma of a cancer diagnosis and treatment to have questions and concerns without being diagnosably mentally ill? I believe that “normal” includes questioning and struggling with issues of mortality and identity. For women, in particular, our breasts are closely tied with our identity as females. They are right out front, where everyone can see. They are symbols of femininity and fertility and sexuality. Isn’t it “normal” to struggle with the loss or scarring of such potent representations of our gender? I believe it is.

In a perfect world, I see our Western medical model shifting to include other modalities, such as acupuncture, massage, yoga, herbs, and mental health. I see some movement beginning to happen as some of these are beginning to be integrated with Western medicine. When I was going through my cancer experience, no medical professional referred me for any type of emotional support. I felt disconnected from my body, as if I were split in two. I needed help. I needed to talk and process the trauma of my diagnosis. I needed someone to help me integrate my emotions with what was happening to my body.

Body, mind, and spirit. We in the West are beginning to learn that we cannot, and I say must not, split ourselves and treat only the body. We are whole people with feelings and questions and spirituality. I would have benefited from someone to help me identity, clarify, and explore what was happening to my body and to my inner person. I believe others in similar situations need the same.

That is my motivation, at age 58, to make a new path for myself—and to offer help to others finding their paths. The world looks different to me now. The poet, Rumi, wrote: “Don’t turn away. Keep your gaze on the bandaged place. That’s where the light enters you.” Centuries ago, he understood that there is a direct relationship between our wounds and our awakening. That is the journey for us all as we navigate the transitions of our lives. Yet that is what we are called to do by those wiser than I am. And in that turning, we ultimately find our souls healing and the light entering. Our scars can remind us that there is more work waiting—and there is more light ahead.

Laura Hankins Rand is a 10-year cancer survivor and licensed counselor. After writing this article she was hired by Park Ridge Hospital as a counselor on their oncology unit. She has a blog at: http://.cancerquests.blogspot.com and a website: www.laurarand.info

Medical Herbalist: Cheri Wagner

2012-01-26T22:29:00.000-05:00

HEALING WITHOUT HARM...

One of only 16 academically and clinically trained Medical Herbalists in America today, her background encompasses four years of coursework in anatomy, biochemistry, botany, materia medica, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology and physiology. She acquired over 500 hours in clinical training at the Clinic of Herbal Medicine in London. She completed her internship with Kerry Bone at MediHerb in Australia.

She went on to play a major part in establishing one of the nation’s first fully-integrated wellness centers in Rochester, New York. Following this, Ms. Wagner moved her practice to Fairfield, Connecticut where she worked alongside Donald Yance at The Well-Spring Clinic specializing in Cancer and Chronic Illness.

Now in her fifteenth year of practice in America, and her unusually high rate of success with patients, it’s no wonder she has become both nationally and internationally recognized by her peers as a leader in herbal medical care. Her honors also include a grant from the TVA and the state of Virginia for the promotion of Alternative Crop Options for Farmers.

Three Baskets: Essential Oils Cancer Research – Part 2

2012-01-18T17:10:00.001-05:00

Three Baskets: Essential Oils Cancer Research – Part 2: Posted on January 15, 2012 | 1 Comment 7 Votes Jackie McLaughlin – Oils guru Some of the information I am sharing with ...

Three Baskets: Essential Oils Cancer Research – Part 2

2012-01-18T17:10:00.000-05:00

Three Baskets: Essential Oils Cancer Research – Part 2: Posted on January 15, 2012 | 1 Comment 7 Votes Jackie McLaughlin – Oils guru Some of the information I am sharing with ...

Essential Oils Cancer Research – Part 2

2012-01-18T17:09:00.000-05:00

Posted on January 15, 2012 | 1 Comment

7 Votes

: Jackie McLaughlin – Oils guru

Some of the information I am sharing with you today in Part 2 of our discussion of Essential Oils Cancer Research comes from Nicole Stevens‘ publication called: Essential Oil Cancer Research. To order a copy of her work and to see the results of the screening, go tohttp://www.essentialeducators.com

Keep in mind that when I am discussing the effectiveness of essential oils in a therapeutic environment, I am not talking about oils that you can purchase at a health food store or online that say things on the label like: “For External Use Only”. These oils are not therapeutic grade, even if they say they are 100% pure and organic. Please refer to my earlier blog “Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils” for a more indepth explanation of the differences.

In Nicole Stevens‘ Essential Oils Screening Study, 69 oils were tested. Of the 69 oils tested, 58% were active against at least one of the cancer cell lines by at least 70%. Thirty-four percent of the 69 oils were observed to inhibit one or more of the cancer cell lines by at least 50%, while not affecting the healthy 3T3 control cells by more than 25% – indicating a cancer-specific inhibition. Seven oils demonstrated inhibitory action against two or more cancer cell lines.

Of particular interest in the study were essential oils that did not inhibit healthy cells while they did inhibit the cancer cells – as some of the problems with cancer drugs is, they can be very toxic to non-cancerous cells in the body.

According to the Essential Oils Desk Reference it is important to note that many natural therapies – especially those using essential oils – work best in the early stages of cancer. In fact, citrus oils, high in d-limonene, including orange, grapefruit and tangerine, work better as cancer preventatives than cancer treatments, although they have been shown to have powerful anti-cancer properties on all stages of cancer.

The Essential Oils Desk Reference also states that a 1996 study at Charing Cross Hospital in London, UK, achieved close to a 15% remission rate in patients with advanced colon and breast cancer using doses from 1 to 15 grms of d-limonene from orange oil as their only treatment. In patients with only weeks or months to live, limonene treatment extended patients’ lives by up to 18 months in some cases (Vigushin DM et al.)

Emotions play a huge role – in fact, it is suggested that emotions can contribute to the onset of disease and may enhance its spread. Any kind of negative emotion – anger, fear, rage helplessness, abandonment – can worsen a cancer prognosis and hasten its spread. Essential oils used as the core of an emotional treatment program can have powerfully positive effects in improving emotions and potential disease outcomes. Essential oil blends, such as Young Living’s White Angelica, Release, Grounding, Inner Child, Trauma Life, Peace and Calming and SARA can be a tremendous help when used as the core of any emotional treatment regimen. You can search the product catalog to see more about these oils here.

In my next post, we will be talking about using therapeutic grade essential oils for emotional health – not only critical when battling cancer, but also as a preventative from many other diseases, including cancer.

In the meantime, if you would like to see Dr. Suhail’s interview about his success with Young Living’s Sacred Frankincense and his cancer patients, click here.

Jackie McLaughlin is an essential oils educator whose passion is to make a difference in the world by helping people find natural, healthy ways to support themselves physically, emotionally & spiritually through the use of essential oils and oil-enhanced products. As an Independent Distributor with Young Living, Jackie is available to assist those who want to purchase the products at retail, or help them establish a wholesale account and save 24%. For those who choose to try Young Living through her sponsorship, she offers free guidance and training in the use of essential oils for better health. Purchases can be made through her sponsorship by clicking HERE.

Three Baskets: Three Baskets' Vision and Planning Meet-Up a Great...

2012-01-18T17:03:00.000-05:00

Three Baskets: Three Baskets' Vision and Planning Meet-Up a Great...: What a exciting night! The enthusiasm was high, and the participation was inspiring. The first Vision and Planning Meet Up was well attend...

Three Baskets' Vision and Planning Meet-Up a Great Success!

2012-01-17T22:38:00.002-05:00

What a exciting night! The enthusiasm was high, and the participation was inspiring. The first Vision and Planning Meet Up was well attended, we are grateful that so many helped to make it such a success.

This evening we all introduced ourselves and shared how we came to be interested in Three Baskets. The discussion moved on to explain how Three Baskets plans on fulfilling it's mission - with a downtown Cancer Information Resource Center, and a Health Fair later in the spring.

Several of the participants showed interest in being on the Board of Three Baskets. There will be a day/weekend (to be determined) visioning retreat scheduled in the next month for the members of the Board. The retreat will be held at the Light Center in Black Mountain.

Many questions were answered, and many new friendships were formed. The common concern and the core inspiration for Three Baskets was shared - how can we best help those affected with cancer? How can Three Baskets empower them with choices during their course of treatment?

We have much fulfilling work ahead of us, and we are honored to have everyone on board!

The Role of the Body’s Natural Defenses in Preventing and Treating Cancer - UCTV - University of California Television

2011-12-28T21:19:00.000-05:00

The Role of the Body’s Natural Defenses in Preventing and Treating Cancer - UCTV - University of California Television

Anticancer Action - Dr. David Servan-Schreiber

2011-12-28T21:18:00.000-05:00

Anticancer Action - Dr. David Servan-Schreiber

Mission Hospital Integrative Health: Dana Park

2011-12-02T00:35:00.002-05:00

Three Baskets: my body, my mind, my soul, my inner voice by laura...

2011-12-02T00:32:00.000-05:00

Three Baskets: my body, my mind, my soul, my inner voice by laura...

my body, my mind, my soul, my inner voice by laura hankins

2011-12-02T00:31:00.002-05:00

Three Baskets: In Memory

2011-12-02T00:10:00.000-05:00

Three Baskets: In Memory: In Memory of Suzanne M. Ringersen BORN: February 8, 1958 DIED: August 10, 2011 The Inspiration for Three Baskets Family Retreats

Three Baskets: In Memory

2011-12-02T00:09:00.000-05:00

Three Baskets: In Memory

Three Baskets: For Nutritional Punch, You Can't Beat Plant-Based ...

2011-12-02T00:08:00.000-05:00

Three Baskets: For Nutritional Punch, You Can't Beat Plant-Based ...: For Nutritional Punch, You Can't Beat Plant-Based Foods Still, 90 percent of Americans eat too few fruits and veggies, health experts say ...

Three Baskets: Tender Breasts From Combo HRT Linked to Higher Cancer Risk

2011-12-01T21:38:00.001-05:00

Three Baskets: Tender Breasts From Combo HRT Linked to Higher Cancer Risk

For Nutritional Punch, You Can't Beat Plant-Based Foods

2011-12-01T21:29:00.000-05:00

For Nutritional Punch, You Can't Beat Plant-Based Foods

Still, 90 percent of Americans eat too few fruits and veggies, health experts say

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Nov. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Those in the know consider fruits and vegetables among the healthiest foods around.
U.S. government health experts now encourage Americans to fill half their plates with fruits and vegetables. Weight Watchers' new system assigns no points to nearly all fruits and vegetables, making them a truly "guilt-free" option.
But, really, what's the big deal? Why is it so important to eat more veggies?
Nutritionists can rattle off a long list of reasons when asked that question. Vegetables and fruits are dense in nutrients but light on calories. They contain rich amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Eating more veggies and fruits has been linked to decreased risk for such health problems as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer.
Despite this, many people seem to have a hard time eating vegetables, something that's developed the reputation of being a chore rather than a pleasure. President Barack Obama even likened the need to finish difficult debt ceiling negotiations to the need to "eat our peas."
More than nine of 10 Americans consume fewer fruits and vegetables than the daily amount recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines, which ranges from 2 cups to 6½ cups, according to the "Fruits and Veggies -- More Matters" health initiative, a national program aimed at increasing consumption of plant-based foods.
"I would say many of my current clients get maybe a cup of vegetables and maybe a fruit throughout the day, if I'm being generous," said Jessica Crandall, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator in Denver and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Getting a serving of vegetables or fruit is not difficult because a single serving is not a large amount, said Angela Ginn, a nutrition education coordinator and diabetes educator at the University of Maryland Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology at Maryland General Hospital, who's also a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
"A whole cup raw or a half-cup cooked is considered a serving for vegetables," Ginn said.
But there's a lot of nutritional power packed into that cup or half-cup. Though the precise benefit varies by type of fruit or vegetable, it could include a significant amount of:

Calcium, which promotes healthy bones and teeth, and is needed for proper functioning of muscles and nerves.
Folate, which reduces a woman's chances of having a child with a birth defect.
Iron, which is necessary for healthy blood and cell function.
Magnesium, which prevents muscle cramping and high blood pressure and is needed for healthy bones and proper enzymatic function.
Potassium, which helps maintain healthy blood pressure.
Vitamin A, which keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps protect the body against infection.
Vitamin C, which aids in healing cuts or wounds and helps keep teeth and gums healthy.

Even the micronutrients that give fruits and vegetables their color are important sources of antioxidants, which have been shown to help prevent an array of diseases.
"Your phytonutrients that have all those vibrant colors, those are things that fight against chronic diseases," Ginn said. "You find them in your fruits and vegetables more in abundance than you will in whole grains or in meat or dairy products."
According to Crandall:

Blue and purple fruits and vegetables contain anthocyanins, which have been shown to help fight some cancers and are helpful in anti-aging and memory function. They are found in blueberries, blackberries, plums, grapes, figs and raisins.
Green fruits and vegetables contain luteins, which lower cancer risk and help promote better vision and strong bones and teeth. They are found in avocados, kiwi fruit, pears and apples.
Red fruits and vegetables contain anthocyanins and lycopene, which can help keep the heart healthy, maintain better memory function and lower the risk for some cancers.

Fruits and vegetables also contain a large amount of fiber. Fiber has a number of health benefits and also helps make people feel more full, reducing their consumption of other higher-calorie foods, Crandall said.
"Most people think fiber is just good for digestion," she said, "but it's also helpful for lowering cholesterol, keeping your blood sugars stable and helping you feel full throughout your day."
But even those who are already sold on eating more fruits and veggies sometimes find it tricky to work sufficient amounts into their day-to-day eating, say both Crandall and Ginn. They suggest getting creative.
For instance, work veggies into recipes that don't normally contain them. "It's just the little things you can do, even if you add grated carrot to your favorite muffin or grated zucchini to your pancakes," Ginn said. "You can sneak them into your food in ways where you don't even taste them, but you receive the nutritional benefit."
They also suggest cutting up fruits and veggies so they're bite-sized and available for snacking. As Crandall said, "Make a vegetable tray so they are easier to use, so you don't have a cucumber rotting in the back of the fridge."
And don't worry about whether you're eating fresh, frozen or canned vegetables. They're all good for you. Fresh or frozen vegetables might have slightly more nutrients, Ginn and Crandall said, but canned veggies are cheaper and available throughout the year. Just be sure to rinse canned veggies, to reduce the amount of sodium they contain, or buy low-sodium alternatives.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on working fruits and vegetables into your diet, including interactive tools, tips and recipes.
For ideas on how to solve the dilemma of consuming enough vegetables, read about one woman's story.

SOURCES: Jessica Crandall, R.D., C.D.E., Denver; Angela Ginn, R.D., L.D.N., C.D.E., education coordinator/nutrition diabetes educator, University of Maryland Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Maryland General Hospital, Baltimore
Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

FDA Revokes Approval of Avastin for Breast Cancer

2011-11-21T22:13:00.000-05:00

FDA Revokes Approval of Avastin for Breast Cancer

Drug isn't safe or effective for women with metastatic disease, agency says

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Nov. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Saying the risks outweigh the benefits in patients with advanced breast cancer, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg said on Friday that the agency has rescinded its approval of the cancer drug Avastin for that use.
Avastin (bevacizumab), however, will remain available for treating some types of colon, lung, kidney and brain cancer.
"Today, I am revoking the FDA's approval of the breast cancer indication for Avastin after concluding that the drug has not been shown to be safe and effective for that use," Hamburg said during a late morning press conference.
"Sometimes, despite the hopes of investigators, patients, industry, and even the FDA, the results of rigorous testing can be disappointing," she said. "This is the case with Avastin when used for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer."
The risks of Avastin include severe high blood pressure, bleeding, heart attack or heart failure and the development of perforations in different parts of the body such as the nose, stomach and intestines.
"These are considerable risks from taking Avastin, and can be justified only if there is good evidence that the use of the drug will benefit the patient," Hamburg said. "In breast cancer, it was clear that there was no proof of benefits that would justify the risks."
The FDA's decision was based on an expert panel's unanimous recommendation in June that the drug was not safe or effective when used for women with metastatic breast cancer. The drug had been approved for use along with the cancer drug Taxol (paclitaxel) for an aggressive type of breast cancer called HER2-negative breast cancer.
In 2008, Avastin was approved to treat metastatic breast cancer under the FDA's accelerated approval program, Hamburg said. Under this program, a drug can gain approval before final data on its safety and effectiveness is complete if its use appears promising in treating serious and life-threatening conditions, she explained.
Avastin's approval was based on results from one study that suggested it extended the lives of certain breast cancer patients.
After its approval for this use, Avastin's maker Genentech completed two clinical trials that found only a small effect on tumor growth without evidence that patients lived any longer or had a better quality of life compared with standard chemotherapy alone.
Some said Friday that they thought the FDA's decision was a sound one.
In a statement, the National Breast Cancer Coalition said it "applauds the FDA and Commissioner Margaret Hamburg for the decision to revoke the approval of Avastin in the first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer. We understand the devastation of metastatic breast cancer and the fact that we do not know how to prevent or cure it. We remain committed to and focused on finding those answers."
However, Genentech took issue with the agency's decision.
"We are disappointed with the outcome," Dr. Hal Barron, Genentech's chief medical officer, said in a statement. "Despite today's action, we will start a new phase III study of Avastin in combination with paclitaxel in previously untreated metastatic breast cancer, and will evaluate a potential biomarker that may help identify which people might derive a more substantial benefit from Avastin."
Several experts also questioned the FDA's decision.
"I can only say it's not good," said Dr. Stefan Gluck, an oncologist at the University of Miami's Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. "They have been agonizing over it, and they still made the wrong decision."
Avastin gives a subset of patients a large advantage over chemotherapy alone, Gluck said. "In metastatic breast cancer, we give therapy to improve symptoms and improve quality of life and occasionally to improve quantity of life," he explained.
Avastin should only be used in late-stage breast cancer where the disease has spread to other organs such as the lungs, liver, bone or kidneys, Gluck said.
"I would not use Avastin in an older woman with small tumors in the lung without symptoms," Gluck said. "But in a young woman with huge lung masticates, then I need a quick response and a long-lasting response, and this is only available if you add chemotherapy and Avastin together," he said.
In these cases, "the cancer is worse than the side effects," Gluck said. "I need to weigh what is worse at the moment, the side effects, which may not happen, or the cancer. Eventually, the cancer kills the patient, but until the cancer kills the patient I want to give her the best quality of life."
Gluck noted that doctors can still use Avastin for breast cancer patients on an off-label basis. However, the FDA decision may mean that the drug will no longer be covered by insurance companies for use in treating breast cancer.
Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society, said in a statement: "The full impact of this decision is difficult to determine at this time. This decision will obviously lead insurance companies to review their payment policies regarding Avastin in breast cancer. Other experts have made their opinions known that in their experience Avastin has proven beneficial for breast cancer patients. Whether those opinions will provide sufficient reason for insurers and government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid to pay for this treatment remains unknown."
"At the least, we would hope that insurers will continue to cover treatment with Avastin in those women with metastatic breast cancer who are currently on the drug and who are showing a benefit from its use," he added. "Ultimately, as noted by the Commissioner, this was a difficult decision to make, but one that had to be made based on the science."
Elizabeth Thompson, president of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, said in a statement that "as a patient advocacy organization, we want to ensure that women who are successfully using Avastin today continue to have access to the drug, and that their treatment be covered by third-party payers."
"This decision underscores the need for aggressive research to develop treatments that will allow women to live full, high-quality lives even with advanced and metastatic breast cancers. At the same time, we encourage continued research into biomarkers that will help identify which patients will or will not benefit from certain treatments," she said.

SOURCES: Stefan Gluck, M.D., professor, medicine, and oncologist, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center; Nov. 18, 2011, statement, Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer, American Cancer Society; Nov. 18, 2011, statement, Elizabeth Thompson, president, Susan G. Komen for the Cure; Nov. 18, 2011, Genentech statement; Nov. 18, 2011, teleconference with: Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Three Baskets: Parents, Doctors Often Differ on Chemo for Incurable Kids

2011-11-02T10:08:00.001-04:00

Three Baskets: Parents, Doctors Often Differ on Chemo for Incurable Kids

Parents, Doctors Often Differ on Chemo for Incurable Kids

2011-11-02T10:06:00.000-04:00

Parents, Doctors Often Differ on Chemo for Incurable Kids

Health professionals would usually opt for supportive care alone, study shows

TUESDAY, Oct. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Parents of children with incurable cancer tend to prefer to continue aggressive chemotherapy rather than pursue supportive end-of-life care, researchers have found.
The study findings revealed that if given the choice, the health care professionals treating these very sick children under the age of 18 would opt for supportive care alone to alleviate their patients' discomfort, according to the report published in the Oct. 17 issue of CMAJ, the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
"The choice between palliative chemotherapy and supportive care alone is one of the most important and difficult decisions for parents of children whose disease cannot be cured," Dr. Lillian Sung, of the division of hematology/oncology at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, said in a journal news release.
In conducting the study, the researchers compared the treatment preferences of 77 parents whose children had little chance of surviving cancer to those of 128 health care professionals, including the doctors, residents, nurses and social workers, who care for children diagnosed with cancer.
The investigators found that 55 percent of parents preferred chemotherapy over supportive care. In contrast, only 16 percent of health care professionals would make the same choice.
Although parents placed a high value on their child's quality of life, the study also revealed that parents would choose chemotherapy for their child even if it reduced their quality of life and survival time.
The researchers pointed out that one reason for this discrepancy is the health care professionals viewed supportive care more positively than parents. The professionals' previous experiences with other children in similar circumstances may have something to do with that, the study authors suggested in the news release. Meanwhile, parents may remain hopeful that their child has a chance for survival regardless of their poor prognosis, the researchers added.
"This study is important because it highlights the incongruity between the preferences of parents and health care workers," Sung's team explained. "However, it may be that this incongruity masks a greater concern: miscommunication or unrealistic expectations."
The study authors concluded that health care professionals should be aware of parents' views on aggressive chemotherapy and communicate information about the child's quality of life and survival when making treatment decisions. They noted, however, that parents can remain hopeful while still optimizing their child's quality of life.
More information
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization provides more information on palliative care for children.

SOURCE: CMAJ, news release, Oct. 17, 2011

VPI: Coaching for Excellence: The Entrepreneur

2011-09-12T00:35:00.000-04:00

VPI: Coaching for Excellence: The Entrepreneur

Article; Science Based Medicine

2011-08-31T12:08:00.002-04:00

In Memory

2011-08-20T13:21:00.001-04:00

In Memory of
Suzanne M. Ringersen
BORN: February 8, 1958
DIED: August 10, 2011

The Inspiration for Three Baskets Family Retreats

Three Baskets

Three Baskets' Visioning Retreat - A Huge Success

Three Baskets: Living in the Light

Living in the Light

Living in the Light

Medical Herbalist: Cheri Wagner

Three Baskets: Essential Oils Cancer Research – Part 2

Three Baskets: Essential Oils Cancer Research – Part 2

Essential Oils Cancer Research – Part 2

Three Baskets: Three Baskets' Vision and Planning Meet-Up a Great...

Three Baskets' Vision and Planning Meet-Up a Great Success!

The Role of the Body’s Natural Defenses in Preventing and Treating Cancer - UCTV - University of California Television

Anticancer Action - Dr. David Servan-Schreiber

Mission Hospital Integrative Health: Dana Park

Three Baskets: my body, my mind, my soul, my inner voice by laura...

my body, my mind, my soul, my inner voice by laura hankins

Three Baskets: In Memory

Three Baskets: In Memory

Three Baskets: For Nutritional Punch, You Can't Beat Plant-Based ...

Three Baskets: Tender Breasts From Combo HRT Linked to Higher Cancer Risk

For Nutritional Punch, You Can't Beat Plant-Based Foods

For Nutritional Punch, You Can't Beat Plant-Based Foods

Still, 90 percent of Americans eat too few fruits and veggies, health experts say

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

FDA Revokes Approval of Avastin for Breast Cancer

FDA Revokes Approval of Avastin for Breast Cancer

FDA Revokes Approval of Avastin for Breast Cancer

Drug isn't safe or effective for women with metastatic disease, agency says

By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter

Three Baskets: Parents, Doctors Often Differ on Chemo for Incurable Kids

Parents, Doctors Often Differ on Chemo for Incurable Kids

Parents, Doctors Often Differ on Chemo for Incurable Kids

Health professionals would usually opt for supportive care alone, study shows

VPI: Coaching for Excellence: The Entrepreneur

Article; Science Based Medicine

In Memory

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter