Thursday, May 31, 2012

Hannah's Mommy Kicks Butt

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Dear Cancer,

I am well aware that you now consider yourself a part of our world. You are a miserable house guest, leaving your garbage everywhere, making us take you around to places we had not planned on going, acting like you are one of the family and hanging out with us everywhere.

You bully my daughter. You have taken her hair, her freedom,her health, her sports --you pick at her until the pain is unbearable. Don't you realize that everyone sees you for what you are? No one takes your side, they are too busy protecting Hannah's spirit---she will kick your butt when you least expect it.

We have ways of making you go. Chemo is a great ally but Chemo's power comes at a price. With no immunity, even a flu bug means a few days in the hospital. But the chemo will work--we have references:) We should be getting good news from the front lines today.

We have an army of family and friends that is unstoppable.You are no match for the love and prayer in our arsenal.

I get it cancer. you're here. You make you presence known every minute. But you can go now---like it or not, you are not welcome in our home, in our lives. Consider this an eviction notice. We will continue to use every tactic possible to get you out of Hannah's life. When you are gone, we will change all the locks and never let you near us again.

And I hope the door hits you(hard) on the way out.

Hannah's Mommy




Hannah is a lovely teenager whom I have known since birth. She was the rambunctious toddler with the corkscrew mane of wild honey-colored hair that you could pinpoint in the crowded shul on Shabbos. Hannah, like her hair, was inclined to "Tigger-bounce". She has grown into a lovely, kind, intelligent, articulate young woman (she takes after her mommy!).
On March 6, 2012, Hannah was diagnosed with stage 4b Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Opportunity to become Aware...More on BigPharma

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My alma mater is hosting another important conference. You can register and attend online. These types of forums and discussion fosters true "awareness." ~

PharmedOut
Missing The Target:

When Practitioners Harm More Than Heal
June 14-15


PharmedOut, a Georgetown University-based research project, will host its third annual conference focusing on the misinformation and patient harm that can occur from pharmaceutical and medical device marketing. PharmedOut 2012 will offer 10 CME credits and feature expert speakers including:

• Rita Redberg, M.D., M.Sc., Archives of Internal Medicine editor-in-chief; professor of medicine at UC San Francisco
• Carl Elliott, M.D. Ph.D., author of White Coat, Black Hat; professor at the University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics
• Kay Dickersin, Ph.D., director of the Center for Clinical Trials at the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health
• Susan Wood, Ph.D., professor at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services
• Julie Taitsman, M.D., J.D., chief medical officer of the Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Sharon Treat, J.D., executive director of the National Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices
• Jack Mitchell, chief of investigations for the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

The conference will be held on Thursday, June 14, and Friday, June 15, in the Lohrfink Auditorium at Georgetown University.

This conference will address radiation risks of CT scans, antipsychotic use in children, adverse effects of marketing, risks of other medical devices, prescription tracking, physician payment disclosure laws, and many other topics. Speakers include Rita Redberg MD, Editor-in-chief of the Archives of Internal Medicine, and Carl Elliott MD PhD, Author of White Coat, Black Hat.

Agenda:
Thursday morning: Marketing of antipsychotic medications and other drugs
Thursday afternoon: Potential health risks of CT scans and other medical devices
Friday morning: Legislative and regulatory updates and solutions
Friday afternoon: The role of industry, media and payers in informing and protecting patients

For more information and to register for the conference, please visit the PharmedOut website.