Will Cancer be Cured in Our Lifetime?

President Obama made a commitment in his first address to Congress this week to seek a cure for cancer in our lifetime. Watch the video. Do you think it will happen?

Research Update - New England Journal of Medicine Recognizes Importance of Cancer and Fertility

An article written by the Oncofertility Consortium's leader, Dr. Teresa Woodruff, was published today in the New England Journal of Medicine about cancer and fertility. The review paper describes current and emerging options for fertility preservation for cancer patients. This is another great validation of Fertile Hope's mission and fantastic way to continue to raise awareness in the medical community. Check it out...

p.s. Know of any other recent articles on cancer and fertility? Let us know.

Cancer Makes Primetime - Will Fertility Come Up?

Everyone used to tell me that I should try out for Donald Trump's show, The Apprentice. I always laughed, but was secretly flattered. It would have been an unbelievable way to raise awareness about Fertile Hope, but I was always too shy to try out. This Sunday, The Celebrity Apprentice will premiere on NBC and includes two testicular cancer survivors, Scott Hamilton and Tom Green - both of whom, I believe, banked their sperm prior to treatment. I always love it when cancer makes primetime and hope that fertility comes up, especially with Scott who is now a dad. Will you watch?

Looking for the Perfect Baby Gift?

We’ve got it! Serena and Lily - the makers of the most luxurious nursery bedding - donated gorgeous stroller blankets to Fertile Hope for our Baby Blanket Program. Donate a minimum of $50 and we’ll send a blanket to you – or anyone you know with a new baby on the way, adoption in the works, toddler running around or grandparents awaiting a visit of their grandchildren. This is such a great way to buy what you need and support us at the same time. Supplies are limited and the blankets are too beautiful to stick around for long – act fast!

p.s. They are available in Harper (pink), Jordan (green) and William (blue).

Educate Me: Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Cancer-Related Infertility

Last week I was inundated with emails about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Requests for referrals. Questions about its viability to help with cancer, infertility and other medical conditions. Inquiries about my personal experiences and beliefs. The volume of requests in one week sent me down memory lane to a time when I was obsessed with CAM. This was, of course, when I was in the midst of my cancer crisis. I tried it all. I have my own miracle stories as well as spooky experiences. There are things I’ve incorporated into my daily life and others I’ll never do again. From my perspective, CAM doesn’t seem to be as popular in the fertility world as it is in the cancer world, but the area is growing. Where the two overlap – in our world of cancer and fertility – there seem to be a lot of unanswered questions. For example, you are born with all of the eggs you will ever have and once they are destroyed there is nothing anyone can do to bring them back. Is there a role for CAM here? Please educate me. Can CAM help cancer survivors preserve their fertility? Can it help with pregnancy after cancer? Patients, survivors and I want to know more…

What Does the Economic Stimulus Plan Mean for Cancer and Fertility?

As a liberal democrat married to a conservative republican, I am hearing a lot of great debates about the merits (and pitfalls) of President Obama's stimulus plan, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. After reading the Act’s Press Summary (and the LiveStrong Blog), I thought the following might be of interest to you:

• $10 billion to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for biomedical research in areas such as cancer and stem cells (including at least $1.2 billion for cancer research).
• $1 billion to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for prevention and wellness programs including cancer screening and education programs and, maybe, infertility (if we can get it recognized by the CDC as a disease!).
• 65% federal subsidy for COBRA health insurance premiums for up to nine months for workers who lose their jobs from September 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009.
• $19 billion for a national health information technology system to support electronic medical records in hopes of lowering medical costs and improving quality of care (which would also greatly help with improved informed consent around cancer-related infertility).

I would love to know more. Anyone have any additional knowledge, insight or opinions as to how this will affect the cancer and/or fertility communities?

Are You a "Young Invincible?"

Uninsured Young Adults, Do-It-Yourself Healh Care, published last week in the New York Times, is causing quite a stir in the young adult cancer community. Does the article describe you?