The Inspiring Story of Katie Kirkpatrick Godwin

 

  We hope you are as inspired by Katie Kirkpatrick Godwin’s story as we are.

This is Katie Kirkpatrick, age 21, on her wedding day. The groom, Nick Godwin, had loved Katie since the 11th grade. Katie had chased away cancer once, only to have it return -- to clog her lungs and grab hold of her heart and try to pull her away from those she loved and those who loved her. Breathing was difficult now; she had to use oxygen. The pain in her back was so intense it broke through the morphine that was supposed to act as a shield. Her belly, legs and feet were swollen because her organs were shutting down and her body was retaining fluid.

She did not use oxygen during that walk; she left the big green tank at the back of the church with her wheelchair. She didn't want to look back at photos and be reminded of illness at the moment she pledged her love to Nick Godwin, the man who was devoted to her and the man with whom she would build a future. She knew she would get through cancer, she would beat it. In the middle of the party, Katie had to rest for a bit and catch her breath. The pain does not allow her to stand for long period of time. And Katie smiled.

It was a great smile. Friends said that when she smiled at them, they felt like the most important person in the universe. They liked that she listened to them. When they visited during her many hospitalizations, she always asked what they were up to, what they had received for Christmas, who they were dating. When they got scared about the cancer, she was the one who talked sense to them. Everything will be fine, she said.

As Katie reached the end of the aisle and left her father's arm, Nick turned to her and whispered: I love you.

Their vows were simple and short. They did not include "till death do us part" because the minister, Garth Pleasant, who has known Katie since she was a baby, doesn't use that phrase. Instead, he told them that marriage is a little bit of heaven on Earth and that love is unconditional. After they kissed, they stood together with their foreheads touching for what seemed like the longest time. It was their moment; nothing else mattered except that they were together and they would always be together.

Katie died five days after her wedding day. Watching a woman so ill and weak get married and with a smile on her face makes us think that happiness is reachable, no matter how long it lasts.

Article courtesy of: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151242215480024&set=a.10150159934965024.420975.358879520023&type=1

Photos by:  http://www.romainblanquart.com/

Is America ready for a bald Barbie?

Would a bald Barbie doll help ovarian cancer patients with children or grandchildren be okay with treatment-related hair loss? What do you think?

Barbie dolls are known for legs that go on forever, a Vogue-worthy wardrobe, an impossible hourglass figure -- and impossibly luxe locks. But a couple of cross-coastal friends are convinced that a bald Barbie doll -- in honor of those who have lost their hair to cancer and other illnesses -- will sell. They've launched a Facebook campaign to make it happen.

Rebecca Sypin of Lancaster, Calif., and friend Jane Bingham of New Jersey launched "Beautiful and Bald Barbie! Let's see if we can get it made" on Dec. 20. It steadily picked up of "likes" over the holidays, and as of Tuesday it had 7,000.

After the online media got hold of the story (example: Mashable), the page exploded in the past week. At last check it had 101,288 "likes."

"I can't believe how fast it has grown," Sypin said.

Sypin and Bingham are hoping to convince Barbie's maker, Mattel, or another doll maker to come out with a doll that will help inspire those who have lost their hair to cancer treatment, alopecia, or something else.

It's something that both women have had to deal with in their personal lives: Sypin said her 12-year-old daughter, Kinley, is battling leukemia, and Bingham has lymphoma. Thankfully, Sypin said, both are progressing well with their treatment.

A doll would be a potent symbol that they are not alone, Sypin said.

"My daughter handled the baldness really well, but there were other little girls we met throughout treatment and it was harder for them," Sypin said. "They said losing their hair was the hardest part of it all."

She said that neither she nor Bingham are hoping to get rich off this.   

"The profit is really not important to us," she said. "We just want a doll that people [who are sick] can relate to. I think it would make them see it as more OK and not so different. They would have something that looks like them and they could relate to."

Mattel's response to a request for comment from the Los Angeles Times:

Mattel appreciates and respects the passion that has been built up for the request for a bald Barbie doll. As you might imagine, we receive hundreds of passionate requests for various dolls to be added to our collection. We take all of them seriously and are constantly exploring new and different dolls to be added to our line.

Sypin was undaunted. "I understand," she said. "But with such a large demand, maybe they could make it happen."

She said she would be happy to see another doll maker pick up the idea. But "Barbie would just be more universal than any other doll," she said. "It relates to someone who is 3 years old on up to 70. Everyone knows who Barbie is. There's no other doll that reaches such an audience."

Sypin said she thinks that such a doll would be a money maker for the manufacturer. All the Barbie collectors would buy it, of course. And so would people with friends or loved ones who had cancer. Sypin also thinks that donors would buy up the dolls and donate them to hospitals where children are being treated for cancer. "I can see a lot of people doing that," she said.

And then there is the Facebook page. At least 101,000 people -- and counting -- say they would also "like" to buy one.

Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2012/01/is-america-ready-for-a-bald-barbie-doll.html

12 Tips for Supporting a Loved One With Cancer

For someone living with cancer, the support of family and friends is critical in their journey. Yet, a diagnosis of cancer often catches everyone by surprise, and shifts the roles we are accustomed to playing. Those of us that have not personally struggled with cancer, though well meaning, are unable to understand completely what our loved one is going through emotionally and physically. As we face this new territory, what are some tips we can use to help support our loved one through their often-lonely journey?

1. Consciously Listen

Simply listening to someone with cancer may sound easy, but is often times surprisingly hard. We want to make things better. We want to fix things. But a listening ear is often what “helps” the most. Let your loved one express their feelings, even if those feelings make you uncomfortable. You can be fairly certain that if your loved one brings up a difficult topic, such as dying, they have been thinking about it. Allow them the opportunity to have the comfort of sharing. Don’t judge, don’t interrupt, and listen with your eyes and body, not only your ears.

2. Deal With Your Own Feelings First

As caregivers, we are faced with our own set of difficult emotions and fears. What will happen to my loved one? Will they have pain? Will they live? What will happen to me? How will my life change? Try to face your own fears first, so you are truly able to listen attentively.

3. Say “I Love You” Often

No matter how much your actions express your love, it is not a substitute for hearing it. Affirm them. Praise their efforts. Even if the only thing they can do after a round of chemotherapy is brush their teeth, let them know they are special and valued.

4. Lend a Hand

For those with lung cancer, life goes on despite running for treatment and side effects like fatigue. Bills accumulate. Dust gathers. Something as simple as offering to help clean house for an hour is often deeply appreciated. Offer help and make it specific. “Can I come over Wednesday at 2 PM and wash a few windows?” Don’t wait for your loved one to ask for help.

5. Go With Them to Appointments

Attending appointments with your loved one can express your caring in many ways. Hospitals and clinics can be frightening places and waiting can be excruciating. Bring a notepad. Ask questions. Take notes. But make sure to allow your loved one to make their own decisions.

6. Add a Touch of Humor

Humor can be the best medicine. Be sensitive to the times that your loved one needs to express grief, but be ready to laugh and smile with them as well.

7. Respect Their Need to Be Alone

Sometimes our loved ones with cancer claim they want to be alone so they don’t bother us, but other times, they truly want to be alone. Monitor other visitors as well. Does your loved one feel that he or she has to entertain them, but does not want to offend them and ask them to go? If so, gently let these other visitors know when your loved one appears tired and thank them for visiting.

8. Be a Gatherer – Of Information

Having information appears to ease some of the anxiety those with cancer face. Research your loved ones disease online, ask your cancer center for information, take notes, and ask questions at doctors’ appointments.

9. Don’t Hide Things From Them or Other Loved Ones

Our loved ones with lung cancer need an honest assessment of their condition to make decisions that best fit their needs – even if that honesty is painful. Be honest with other family members, and especially children. We want to protect our children from the reality of what their parent or grandparent may be facing, but children often imagine the worst. Even if the prognosis is poor, sharing with them honestly gives them the opportunity to begin their grieving and express their love.

10. Help Them Find Support

No matter how much someone without cancer can empathize, talking to someone facing the same challenges can be invaluable for someone facing cancer. Ask your cancer center for information on support groups. Many online support groups are available as well. If your loved one is not interested in a support group, perhaps your oncologist or cancer center can find someone with a similar cancer who would be willing to visit one-on-one.

11. Be Willing to Bend

Family members often have many different opinions when a loved one has cancer, based on their own life experiences. Friction often develops, and hurt and resentment can follow. Your loved one does not want to be the source of family conflict. Try to hear each other’s viewpoints, no matter how dissimilar they may seem. Keep in mind that all of you have a common goal; you all want to support your loved one.

12. Take Care of Yourself

Eating healthy, trying to get enough sleep, and maintaining a balance in your own life, will help you provide the support your loved one needs. Check out further tips for caregivers to nurture yourself as you care for others.

Information courtesy of: http://lungcancer.about.com/od/caregivercorner/a/supplungca.htm

Gene Mutations May Boost Ovarian Cancer Survival

It’s known that if you are a carrier of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes you have an increased chance of getting Ovarian or Breast Cancer. New research from the  Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that these genetic mutations could also have a better survival rate than those patients without the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes.

Women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer who carry the mutations have a better prognosis than women without the genetic variations, according to an analysis of 26 previous studies. The BRCA2 carriers, in particular, had a better five-year survival rate.

“Our paper provides definitive evidence that BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers have improvement in survival [compared to ovarian cancer patients without the mutations],” said Kelly L. Bolton, lead author of the new analysis and a medical student at the University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine.

The study, which confirms previous findings, is published Jan. 25 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Nearly 23,000 women will get a diagnosis of ovarian cancer this year in the United States, and about 15,500 will die of it, according to the American Cancer Society. Epithelial ovarian cancer, the type Bolton focused on, occurs in the cells on the surface of the ovary. Germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are found in up to 15 percent of women with this type of cancer. A germline mutation is a gene change in a reproductive cell that can be passed on to offspring. Data from more than 1,213 ovarian cancer patients was included in the studies reviewed. Of these, 909 had BRCA1 mutations; 304 had BRCA2 variations. The studies also included 2,666 women who did not have the genetic mutations. At the five-year mark, 44 percent of the BRCA1 carriers and 52 percent of the BRCA2 carriers were alive, compared to 36 percent of those without the mutation.

Bolton said the survival differences remained after the researchers took into account such factors as the stage of the cancer and age, although it was less significant among women with a family history of ovarian and/or breast cancer. Exactly how the mutations may improve survival is not known. However, Bolton and others speculate the BRCA1 or BRCA2 status may modify the response to platinum-based chemotherapy, a common treatment. The new analysis will have important implications for future research and treatment of ovarian cancer, the authors said. Routine genetic screening of women with high-grade cancer might be warranted, they added.

Dr. Elizabeth Poynor, a gynecologic oncologist and pelvic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, suggested the findings can help health care providers tailor treatment and more accurately counsel them regarding expected survival. While not new, the information is valuable, Poynor said. “For a long time, we’ve known that individuals with BRCA1 or 2 actually have a better prognosis,” she said. “This is not new information, it’s expanded information. It’s reinforcing what we already know.”

Read more: http://news.health.com/2012/01/24/gene-mutations-may-boost-ovarian-cancer-survival-study/

“BEAT” Ovarian Cancer by Recognizing the Signs

“BEAT” this disease by recognizing the signs:
Bloating that is persistent
Eating less and feeling fuller
Abdominal pain
Trouble with your bladder

If any symptoms continue for 2-3 weeks, it's very important to tell your doctor! Please remember that Ovarian Cancer is the deadliest gynecologic cancer and the earlier that it’s caught, the better off you’ll be.

Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament will be Hosted by Pittsburgh Penguins Alumni on Thursday to benefit Breast Cancer Research

Time: 5:00 pm - 1:00 am

Cost: $220 entry fee

Location: The Rivers Casino, Pittsburgh, PA

The Pittsburgh Penguins Alumni Association will host its first-ever Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament at The Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh on Thursday, January 12 to benefit breast cancer research and awareness at Magee-Women’s Research Institute & Foundation, the Mario Lemieux Foundation, and the Alumni’s Scholarship Fund.

The tournament will begin at 5:00 pm and the championship game is expected to conclude by 1:00 am.

Reservations are now available for a $220 entry fee. A Penguins alumnus will host each table for the first round of play.

To make a reservation, click here. All participants must be 21 years or older to be on The Rivers Casino property. In addition, a valid driver’s license is required for all participants.

New Hybrid Imaging Device Shows Promise in Spotting Hard-To-Detect Ovarian Cancer

Promising new technology from the University of Connecticut and the University of Southern California.

By combining three previously unrelated imaging tools into one new device, a team of researchers from the University of Connecticut and the University of Southern California has proposed a new way to diagnose early-stage ovarian cancer in high-risk women through minimally invasive surgery. The new technique may be better than the current standard procedure of preemptively removing the ovaries.

Ovarian cancer has a low survival rate because a lack of reliable screening techniques usually means the disease remains hidden until the later stages. Now researchers have drawn on the unique advantages of multiple imaging tools to test a new way of spotting early-on the tissue irregularities that signal cancer.

For their diagnostic device, the researchers combined the contrast provided by photoacoustic imaging, the high-resolution subsurface imaging provided by optical coherence tomography, and the deeper tissue imaging provided by pulse-echo ultrasound. They tested their device, described by the team in the September issue of the Optical Society's (OSA) open-access journal Biomedical Optics Express, by imaging both pig and human ovarian tissue, and correctly identified malignant tumors that were later confirmed by staining the tissue and examining it under a microscope. These initial tests were performed on tissue that had been surgically removed, but the diameter of the device -- at only 5 mm -- is small enough that it could potentially be inserted through a small slit to image tissue in live patients.

Read more: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110913103115.htm