Posts

Photo Shows Powerful Moment Between Mom Battling Cancer and Her Newborn Baby

A photographer’s powerful photo, showing a beautiful moment between a mother battling cancer and her newborn baby, is touching so many people.

According to photographer Kate Murray, the mom, who is not identified, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer halfway through her pregnancy. In her Facebook post, Murray says the woman had one breast removed, underwent chemotherapy while carrying her child, and then was induced at 36 weeks in order to receive more treatment.

Photo Credit: Facebook

Photo Credit: Facebook

The Facebook post:

“Baby BOY was born ready to prove to the world his strength he inherited from his strong mommy. He latched on to her remaining breast all on his own and the room erupted in so many emotions. Breastfeeding is such a sacred bond, and this one just makes my heart break and swell at the same time. I am beyond blessed to have met and gotten to know this woman and her family, and so honored she asked me to be there to document these precious moments.”

(Read more from “Photo Shows Powerful Moment Between Mom Battling Cancer and Her Newborn Baby” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Scientists Find Key to ‘Turbo-Charging’ Immune System to Kill All Cancers

cancer1_2130923bA protein which ‘turbo-charges’ the immune system so that it can fight off any cancer or virus has been discovered by scientists.

In a breakthrough described as a ‘game-changer’ for cancer treatment, researchers at Imperial College found a previously unknown molecule which boosts the body’s ability to fight off chronic illnesses.

Scientists at Imperial College London, who led the study, are now developing a gene therapy based on the protein and hope to begin human trials in three years.

“This is exciting because we have found a completely different way to use the immune system to fight cancer,” said Professor Philip Ashton-Rickardt, from the Section of Immunobiology in the Department of Medicine at Imperial, who led the study.

“It could be a game-changer for treating a number of different cancers and viruses.” (Read more from “Scientists Find Key to ‘Turbo-Charging’ Immune System to Kill All Cancers” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Dog Cancer Detection ‘98% Reliable’

germanThe Italian study backs up tests carried out by the charity Medical Detection Dogs, which is based in Buckinghamshire.

Its co-founder Dr Claire Guest said its own research had found a 93% reliability rate when detecting bladder and prostate cancer, describing the new findings as “spectacular”.

The latest research, by the Department of Urology at the Humanitas Clinical and Research Centre in Milan, involved two German shepherds sniffing the urine of 900 men – 360 with prostate cancer and 540 without.

Scientists found that dog one got it right in 98.7% of cases, while for dog two this was 97.6%.

They said the dogs are able to detect prostate cancer specific volatile organic compounds in the urine but said an important question remains of how a dog would find it in daily practice. (Read more from “Dog Cancer Detection ‘98% Reliable'” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Teen Forced to Undergo Chemotherapy, Denied Visit with Mom by Court [+video]

cassandrac_featuredA Connecticut teen, who was forced by a court to submit to chemotherapy because she has cancer, will not be allowed to see her mother, per a recent court order.

The teen, identified only as “Cassandra C.,” suffers from Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which is a cancer that strikes the lymphatic system.

Cassandra C. has been undergoing treatment at the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) since December 2014, but has not been allowed to leave.

A Connecticut Superior Court judge ruled this week that Cassandra C. must remain at the hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, and that her mother, Jackie Fortin, could not visit her.

Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) has custody of Cassandra C. until she finishes the court-mandated chemotherapy. (Read more from “Teen Forced to Undergo Chemotherapy, Denied Visit with Mom by Court [+video]” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Nine Years After Terminal Diagnosis, Woman With Same Cancer as Brittany Maynard is Still Alive

In 2006, Sandra Hilburn was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme and was given three months to live. Her diagnosis was the same as Brittany Maynard’s, the 29-year-old terminally ill cancer-patient who received national attention when she legally committed suicide with a fatal dose of phenobarbital.

After finding out she had stage IV glioblastoma multiforme and six months to live, Maynard moved from her California home to Oregon so that she could have access to the “death with dignity” prescription. Currently, in the United States, Oregon is one of five states, along with New Mexico, Montana, Washington, and Vermont that allow assisted suicide for terminally ill patients.

However, unlike Maynard, Hilburn didn’t pursue assisted suicide and is still alive today.

According to the Daily Mail, researchers at Duke University Medical Center found that a dose of tetanus vaccine let patients like Hillburn live longer when added to an experimental treatment for the brain tumor. Researcher Kristen Batich said, “[The treatment] put the immune system on high alert,’ paving the way for the experimental treatment to work better in attacking the disease.”

Now nine years and five grandchildren later, Hilburn is still alive and going strong. She said, “I think I’m good for at least another 10-years.” Hilburn, along with 11 other cancer patients, were given the tetanus shot and then doctors removed white blood cells from the patients and equipped them with a chemical target found in the tumor called cytomegalovirus. Afterward they would return the cells to the patient’s body and train the immune system to go after the cancer cells and kill them. (Read more from “Nine Years After Terminal Diagnosis, Woman With Same Cancer as Brittany Maynard is Still Alive” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Watch: A Bride’s Father Was on His Death Bed, but This Daughter Was Determined to Give Him the Last Dance

This is the heartbreaking moment a bride had her final dance with her father she wed in front of his hospital bed.

Dr. Lisa Pantoja, formerly Wilson, was so determined to spend her wedding day with her father, who had a rare form of cancer, she conducted her dream wedding next to his hospital bed.

Beautiful bride Lisa first kissed her husband Rob, before removing Dave Wilson’s oxygen mask to kiss her dad.

It was then that she took the hands of her resolute father and began one of the most emotional wedding day dances you will ever experience. (Read more about the daughter giving her father his last dance HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Disgusting Twitter ‘Trolls’ Make Account Mocking Boy With Cancer

The mother of a 23-month-old Leeds toddler battling rare childhood cancer neuroblastoma has blasted Twitter trolls who used her son’s photograph to accompany “disgusting” tweets.

Brave Riley Hoult is undergoing chemotherapy at Leeds General Infirmary after being diagnosed with the illness at the end of November.

Riley’s mother Sophie, 20, of Middleton, is sharing her son’s cancer fight story with thousands of people on Facebook and at Twitter account @RileysJourney_ in a bid to raise awareness of neuroblastoma.

Photo Credit: Yorkshire Evening Post

She was devastated to discover a Twitter account @funny_cancer had been set up using Riley’s image as the account’s profile picture.

Messages tweeted from the rogue ‘Cancer is Funny’ account, which stated it was based in Leeds, included: ‘people with cancer deserve to die’ and ‘cancer is funny because people die.’ (Read more about the people mocking the boy with cancer HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Mother Who Rejected Abortion After She was Diagnosed With Cancer, Now Cancer Free

Photo Credit: CBS A mother of six from Bayfield, Colorado, got great news this month after living with both joy and fear.

CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh first met Heather Choate when she was pregnant and diagnosed with breast cancer. January has been a month to remember for the young mother. She’s been excited about a new baby but worried about her own health. This week the whole family could finally celebrate.

CBS4 first met Ben and his wife when Heather was pregnant with her sixth child — but it was different.

“We were 10 weeks along when we found out that I had breast cancer,” Heather said.

The Choates say they were told to end the pregnancy for Heather’s sake, but the 29-year-old mother said she’d rather die. (Read more about the mother who rejected abortion HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

3 Year Old Cancer Patient Tells Friend She’s Going to Disneyland (+video)

Photo Credit: ABC News There’s nothing quite like a chat with a good friend to get you excited for an upcoming trip — even when that friend is 3 years old.

“Juni! You’re going to Disneeeylaaaand!” Violet, 3, squealed in a bon voyage video to her friend, Juniper, 3.

The girls were cancer treatment buddies battling retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer that starts in the eye. They had similar requests for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Violet wanted to meet Mickey Mouse. And Juniper wanted to meet Minnie Mouse.

Violet went to Disneyland first, and when she heard her buddy Juniper was going, she wanted to send her off with a farewell video — while wearing a Cinderella costume, of course . . .

“Juni, I’m so happy your wish is coming true,” Violet said into the camera. “I love you.” (Read more about what the three-year old cancer patient did HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Courageous Pregnant Woman With Breast Cancer Rejects Abortion

Photo Credit: Life News By Sarah Zagorski. Breast cancer during pregnancy is very rare, occurring in only one in every 3,000 pregnant women. That’s why when Ottawa mother, Jillian O’Conner, felt a lump in her breast while nursing her 1-year-old son she thought it was a blocked milk duck.

Jillian was only 31-years-old and 16-weeks pregnant when she discovered the lump and decided to visit her doctor. At first she was diagnosed with stage two cancer but was upgraded to stage four when doctors found that her liver was enlarged, which meant that the cancer had metastasized.

Her doctor, Mark Clemons, shared more with the Ottawa news. He said, “‘Jillian is facing not only the challenge of going through cancer treatment while pregnant but she knows her disease is not curable and once her baby is born, we will change her treatment to give her the best chance of long and fulfilling life.” He also said that most doctors advise women with breast cancer while pregnant to abort but he believes he can help O’Conner and her baby. (Read more about the pregnant woman with breast cancer HERE)

_______________________________________________

Woman Refuses to Abort Two of Her Three Babies After Doctors Tell Her To

By Steven Ertelt. A mother in Britain has told her doctors that she will definitely not take their advice to terminate the lives of two of her triplet babies in abortions in order to supposedly save the life of one of them.

Jaime Halsey and husband were told they were expecting twins in October but an ultrasound scan showed one baby was 25 per cent smaller than others. Her physicians recommended an abortion, but she’s refused saying she will continue the pregnancy and hope for the best even though doctors claim the chance of all three babies surviving is 50-50.

The abortion selection is known in the medical industry as “selective reduction.”

“Selective reduction” is the abortion of one or more babies in a multiple pregnancy. Basically, if a woman is pregnant with twins, triplets, or more—often through in vitro fertilization or another fertility treatment—and she decides she only wants one or two babies, she aborts the rest. (Read more from this story HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.