Tag: cancer

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QAnon House Members Vote Against Marrow Donor Program

QAnon Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)
QAnon Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) voted against reauthorizing the National Marrow Donor Program
QAnon Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)

In a vote reauthorizing the National Marrow Donor Program, only two members of the House voted against the measure: Republican Reps. Majorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert.

The program provides life-saving services like marrow donations and blood transplants.

From Newsweek:

The TRANSPLANT Act passed the lower chamber in a resounding 415-2 vote on Thursday night. A further 12 lawmakers did not vote on the bill—including another freshman Republican, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina.

Under the bill, the National Marrow Donor Program would be reauthorized for a further five years. The program keeps an inventory of cord blood and a database of bone marrow donors for matches with patients diagnosed with leukemia and other fatal blood diseases.

In a statement, Rep. Greene’s spokesman Nick Dyer said: “Nothing in this bill prevents the funding of aborted fetal tissue by taxpayers. It opens the door for the NIH to use this bill to research the remains of babies who were murdered in the womb.”

Since arriving in Congress in January, both Greene and Boebert have made names for themselves as wacky QAnon believers.

Greene’s antics became so problematic for Republicans, she was removed from all of her committee assignments.

Folks on Twitter found it outrageous anyone could oppose a marrow donor program.

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A Photo Between Father & Son Struck Some As ‘Awkward?’

Hunter Biden with his dad, Joe Biden

Part of what’s wrong with some folks today…I just see a father who loves his son. My dad had no problem telling me he loved me.

But apparently, some on Twitter think this is ‘awkward.’

The photo was from an interview feature for Popular Mechanics in 2016 between former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter after the death of the vice president’s other son, Beau, to cancer.

Tom Nichols at USA Today gets it right:

It is, in its way, an awkward image. The son looking into the camera, his face calm but haunted. The father’s face is partly hidden, as he embraces his son and puts a kiss on his cheek.

The son is young and strong, and his arms are sturdy as they gently rest around his father. But the father, while old, is even stronger. One arm is in front of his child, the other around the son’s shoulder, as if to hold on to him and to protect him at the same time.

It is a picture of Joe and Hunter Biden, but it would be moving enough were it of any father and son. Even strangers to these men would know what it means. All of us, after all, were once children. (The picture is really a portrait of the son, not the father.)

In this case, to know the circumstances in which it was taken is to know that it is a picture full of pain, love, forgiveness and acceptance, and to look at it for even more than a moment is to experience at least some of those emotions, especially in the memory of our own parents or children.

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RuPaul Found A Great Reason To Return To Social Media

RuPaul takes to the SNL stage as host
RuPaul takes to the SNL stage as host
RuPaul is back on social media (screen capture via SNL)

Back in July, RuPaul quietly and inexplicably erased all posts from his Instagram and Twitter accounts. He even temporarily deactivated his Twitter.

Was it the coronavirus pandemic? Social unrest across the country after the killing of George Floyd?

It’s not like Ru went into hiding. We’ve seen the drag star hosting his show and making a virtual appearance during the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards to accept his 5th trophy for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program

At the time, no one seemed to know what or why the Supermodel of the World retreated from social media.

But now we know what brought him back to the Gram of Insta and Twitterverse.

Wednesday night, Mama Ru reactivated Twitter to post a photo of international pop star Dame Olivia Newton-John along with the caption, “Olivia Newton-John has started a new foundation to find kinder ways to treat, prevent & cure all cancers, with a strong focus on plant medicine. Follow & support @onjfoundation #beyondcancer @therealonj#onjfoundation onjfoundation.org.”

RuPaul also shared the message on Instagram.

The messages came just a day after Olivia announced the launch of the Olivia Newton-John Foundation which will “fund the discovery of kinder therapies and advocate for more effective ways to prevent, treat and cure all cancers.”

Olivia, who shared in recent years her breast cancer from 1992 had reoccurred, has said in interviews she’s interested in helping explore the science behind more plant-based medicine.

As fans of both stars know, Ru and Olivia have been friends for a long time.

Last fall, RuPaul attended Olivia’s charity auction at Julien’s where the Grease star put her famous black leather jacket and pants from the movie’s finale on the bidding block and garnered over $500,000 for charity.

Dame Olivia Newton-John and RuPaul at Julien’s Auctions
Dame Olivia Newton-John and RuPaul at the Flamingo Las Vegas (photo: Denise Truscello)

Ru also traveled to attend the “Physical” singer’s opening night of her Las Vegas residency. And of course, ONJ has been a guest on The RuPaul Show, the web series RuPaul Drives…, and a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Here’s hoping this is just the beginning of RuPaul’s return to social media.

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#WeLoveYouAlex – Alex Trebek Gives One-Year Update On His Cancer Journey

Who doesn’t love good news on Hump Day?

Jeopardy host Alex Trebek, currently on a survival journey with pancreatic cancer, gave his fans an upbeat update today – his one year anniversary since his diagnosis.

As Alex notes, the one-year survival rate for stage 4 pancreatic cancer is 18 percent. He adds that, while the two-year survival rate is 7 percent, his oncologist recently told him he expects to be sitting with Alex face to face next March 4.

While he acknowledges there have been not-so-good days along the way, he jokes it won’t be cancer that kills him but the chemo treatments.

As a cancer thriver myself, I completely understand that, and I’m more than appreciative that Alex is not only sharing his journey but doing so with such grace and conviction.

Radiating positivity and courage, he closes his update saying, “If we – because so many of us are involved in this same situation – if we take it just one day at a time, with a positive attitude, anything is possible.”

See you next year, Alex.

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Talking Cancer & Fitness With Dr. Phil’s Fitness/Nutrition Expert Robert Reames

Fitness & nutrition expert Robert Reames

I recently did an episode of the American LBS radio/video podcast with Dr. Phil Show head trainer and nutritionist, Robert Reames.

The podcast highlights inspirational and motivational stories involving wellness sharing information from some of the best fitness folks in the industry.

I’ve known Rob (an awesome source of great fitness info) since the 1990s. He asked me to chat about my cancer journey back in 2009 and how fitness & my dance background played a part in my recovery.

While I’ve mentioned my bout with cancer on The Randy Report, this is probably the first time many of you might hear first hand what my little journey was like.

Hit play below, and you can find out more info from and about super-smart guy Rob at his official website here.

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Civil Rights Icon Rep. John Lewis Diagnosed With Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer

Rep. John Lewis (image via House.gov)

CNN reports Rep. John Lewis (D-Atlanta), a longtime congressman and civil rights icon, has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

Lewis, 79, said he was diagnosed following a routine medical visit with subsequent tests that reconfirmed the diagnosis. The long-time Georgia congressman will undergo treatment for the cancer.

“I have been in some kind of fight — for freedom, equality, basic human rights — for nearly my entire life. I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now,” Lewis, who in March 1965 joined forces with Martin Luther King Jr. to lead a voting rights march out out Selma, Alabama, said in a statement.

He continued later: “While I am clear-eyed about the prognosis, doctors have told me that recent medical advances have made this type of cancer treatable in many cases, that treatment options are no longer as debilitating as they once were, and that I have a fighting chance.”

Pancreatic cancer was the third-leading cause of death from cancer in the United States in 2018, after lung and colorectal cancers, according to the National Cancer Institute.

John Lewis stood up for civil rights by taking part in sit-ins when he was just 20.

He was beaten during the Freedom Rides when he was 21.

He was the youngest speaker at the March on Washington at 23, and had his skull fractured in Selma during Bloody Sunday at the age of 25.

John Lewis doesn’t back down from a fight.

#fuckcancer

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And The Answer is #WeLoveYouAlex

Answer: Alex Trebek being moved by a contestant who can’t win.

Question: What is beautiful?

When a player on today’s episode of Jeopardy realized he couldn’t win the game show, he decided to use his final Jeopardy answer to send a message of love to host Alex Trebek.

Contestant Dhruv Gaur wrote “We love you, Alex” after being stumped on the answer.

The hashtag #WeLoveYouAlex soon began trending on Twitter.

Trebek was diagnosed earlier this year with stage 4 pancreatic cancer but has announced he has no plans to retire.

He is currently undergoing a second round of chemotherapy.

And he has yet to miss a show.

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50 Years Ago Today…

My mother, Joyce Ann Slovacek

I found out an old friend is coping with a cancer journey today. We began chatting on FB, then moved to actual phone calls.

Having done my cancer journey in 2009, I always stop to swap stories from the chemo front lines… It’s just a thing you do when you’ve been there.

Along the messages today, I looked up and saw it was October 13. That date…it always sticks in my mind.

And then I recall – my mother passed away on October 13, 1969, from cancer. Fifty years ago today. I was 6-years-old at the time.

So many amazing women were sent by the universe to raise me. And I’m cognizant of that fact every day.

I want to be clear that this isn’t meant as a morose kind of post. Just a memory. The reason why we have photographs.

I do have fleeting memories of my mother, way back then…and a couple of photos 🙂

She looks like she’d totally be sassy, amiright?

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Raising $$$ For Cancer Research & Wellness Programs

Olivia Newton-John leads the 2019 Wellness Walk & Research Run to raise funds for programs at her hospital in Melbourne, Australia

I’m so proud of my husband, Michael Caprio, for raising over $25,000 at today’s Wellness Walk & Research Run for important wellness programs at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Center in Melbourne, Australia.

We lost Michael’s mother earlier this year to leukemia, and ten years ago we faced my own cancer journey when I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma (I’m great now).

In addition to her countless awards and accolades for her music and film work, Olivia’s lasting legacy will be this Center she has not only lent her name to but helped build from day one.

If cancer has touched you or someone you love, please consider donating to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Center by heading to https://www.onjcancercentre.org

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Profile: 60 Minutes Australia Talks To Olivia Newton-John

I have to share this beautiful profile of international pop star Olivia Newton-John from 60 Minutes Australia.

As regular readers know, my husband Michael is an entertainment publicist and has represented Olivia for some 20 years. He was the driving force in making this interview happen.

When I went through my own cancer journey in 2009, Olivia was my own private guardian angel, checking in on me often and always there with the perfect perspective.

The Australian news magazine devoted its entire hour-long program to chatting with Olivia, her husband John Easterling and daughter Chloe Lattanzi, on the progress and impact of the pop star’s third bout with cancer.

Knowing Olivia, I love that the segment captures exactly who she is – a lovely human being and a great artist who continues to inspire us all.

From the clip description: “One of the most remarkable interviews of the year: how the devotion of a loving family, and an unconventional treatment, is helping Olivia face up to the greatest challenge of her life, including a rare and raw insight from her daughter, Chloe Lattanzi. Powerful, emotional, and a reminder of the important things in life, it’s Olivia Newton-John as you’ve never seen her before.”

After the show aired, longtime friend Hugh Jackman, recorded and posted this message to Olivia from the stage of his current concert tour in mid-performance.

Just one more example of what Olivia means to, not only Australia, but the world.