February 2010 Archives

American Cancer Society Celebrates Smoke-Free Kansas Law

By Jennifer Tribue on February 26, 2010 10:37 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

(TOPEKA)--February 25, 2010-- American Cancer Society advocates celebrated a victory today with the passage of House Bill 2221, a strong statewide public smoking law.

 

"Thanks to the vision and the courage of our state legislature, Kansas will now be a better place to breathe," said Stephanie Weiter, regional vice president for the American Cancer Society. "Today we celebrate a tremendous victory for the health of Kansans."

           

In the 2009 legislative session, the Kansas Senate amended HB 2221 to include comprehensive clean indoor air provisions.  Today, the House concurred with the Senate version of the bill to finalize passage.  The bill now goes on to the governor's office to be signed into law.

 

"Governor Parkinson has been a tremendous supporter of a strong, statewide, clean indoor air law.  When he signs HB 2221, it will make Kansas the 29th smoke-free state in the nation," said Chris Masoner, government relations director for Kansas. "We are looking forward to a healthier future with fewer hospital visits and fewer deaths.  No longer will 380 people die each year in Kansas due to secondhand smoke."

 

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States and in Kansas, burdening society with the suffering and health care costs related to cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illness. Secondhand smoke delivers those same illnesses to nonsmokers. Secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals--and 60 of those chemicals are known causes of cancer, including arsenic and polonium.

 

 "After watching my father die from lung cancer, I didn't want other families to suffer like mine did," said Gay Cornell, American Cancer Society advocacy volunteer. "Smoking in public places is an unnecessary cause of illness and was simple to remedy. I'm thrilled that Kansas is going to be smoke-free. I'm ready for my family to be able to breathe clean indoor air."

 

HB 2221 requires the vast majority of worksites in Kansas to be smoke-free, with certain very narrow exceptions.  It will become effective July 1, 2010.

Eighty-two percent of Kansans do not smoke. According to a recent American cancer Society poll, more than 70 percent of Kansans support a strong smoke-free law for the state.

 

Joining the American Cancer Society in supporting a smoke-free Kansas are the American Heart Association, the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians, the Kansas State Nurses Association, Clean Air Kansas, Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition, the American Association of Retired Persons, and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

 

The American Cancer Society is dedicated to saving lives and creating more birthdays by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back against cancer. For more information, visit www.cancer.org.

Feb. 26 Deadline: Send Flowers This Spring to Save Lives

By Jennifer Tribue on February 24, 2010 10:48 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

daffodils.jpgWe all know fresh flowers can brighten someone's day - but did you know sending daffodils can help save lives?

 

You can help save lives by giving daffodils this spring through the American Cancer Society Daffodil Days® program. As the first flower of spring, the daffodil is the American Cancer Society's symbol of hope for a world with less cancer and more birthdays. By sending daffodils to people you love, you can help share a message of hope - and help save lives.

 

Everyone from school children to corporate CEOs can send a bouquet of fresh-cut daffodils to someone special to support the fight against cancer. Make someone's day with a Gift of Hope, a bouquet of fresh-cut daffodils in a vase delivered anonymously to a cancer patient at a local hospital. In addition to beautiful flowers, a Gift of Hope also includes information on the many ways the American Cancer Society can guide people through their cancer experience, so they can focus on getting well. In certain areas, the Society is also offering Birthdays R. Hope - a Bear.jpgBoyds Bear designed exclusively for the American Cancer Society Daffodil Days Bear and a Bunch™. This plush bear comes with an arrangement of 10 daffodils, adding a snuggly surprise and reminding the recipient that together, we can create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

 

Funds raised through Daffodil Days enable the Society to save lives by helping people stay well, helping people get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back. To find out if the program is offered in your area, contact your American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or visit www.cancer.org/daffodils.

ACS CAN: The Current Health System Continues to Deteriorate

By Jennifer Tribue on February 24, 2010 9:38 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

News reports and private sector actions continue to demonstrate that the current system of health coverage is worsening dramatically.

 

Private Insurance

  • Last month Anthem Blue Cross announced that premiums in the California individual insurance market would increase by as much as 39% this year.[1]
  • Anthem in Maine is requesting a 23% increase this year after a 32% increase last year.1
  • United Health, Tufts Medical, and Blue Cross requested 13-16% increases in Rhode Island in 2009.[2]
  • Coverage for policy holders declined last year:  3 of the top 5 insurers cut the proportion of premiums they spent on customers' medical care (i.e., more went to profits, salaries and administrative expenses).[3]
  • The six largest publicly held health insurers covered 2.2 million fewer people last year.[4]

 

Employer-sponsored insurance

  • Last year, 1.1 million people with employer-sponsored insurance lost coverage.  This continues a long-standing trend.  Since 1999, the percentage of firms offering health benefits declined from 66% to 60% in 2009.[5]
  • The percent of nonelderly adults covered by employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) has decreased by 1.1% per year since 2000.  In 2000, 68.9% of nonelderly adults were covered by ESI, this decreased to 63.3% in 2008. 5

 

Medicaid

  • Between June 2008 and June 2009, Medicaid enrollment increased by 3.3 million, which is a 7.5% increase over 2008 enrollment. This is the biggest ever 1-year increase in the number of Medicaid enrollees and the first time every state experience an increase in Medicaid enrollment.[6]
  • The percent of nonelderly adults covered by Medicaid increased from 5.3% in 2000 to 7.2% in 2008. 5
  • The percent of children with public coverage increased from 16.7% to 25.2% between 2000 and 2008. 5

 

Uninsured

  • The number of uninsured nonelderly adult Americans increased by 1.5 million between 2007 and 2008.[7]

 

Medicare

  • A reduction in physician payments of 21.3% will take affect on March 1.[8]  This is not a sustainable cut without dramatically affecting access to care among the elderly.
  • Premiums for Part B (physician services) increased by 15% this year.[9]
  • Last year's Medicare trustees report concluded that the Medicare trust fund (Part A, hospital coverage) would be insolvent by 2017. [10] (The 2009 report is scheduled to be released by April 1, 2010.)

 


[1] "Individual Insurance Rates Soar in 4 States", The Associated Press, New York Times, February 12, 2010.

[2] C. Koller, Commissioner, Health Plans Withdraw Rate Filings (Press Release),  Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner, State of Rhode Island, July 3, 2009

[3] "Insurance Companies Prosper, Families Suffer:  Our Broken Health Insurance System," Department of Health and Human Services, February 23, 2010 (information based on SEC filings).

[4] Kaiser Family Foundation. A Holiday Reminder on the Economy and Health Care. December, 2009.

[5] 2009 Kaiser/HRET Employer Health Benefits Survey (EHBS)

[6] Medicaid Enrollment: June 2009 Data Snapshot, Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured

[7] Changes in Health Insurance Coverage 2007-2008: Early Impact of the Recession, Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured

[8] Inside CMS, "Physician Lobby Looking For Answers on 21.2 Percent Pay Cut," February 18, 2010.

[9] Medicare website (medicare.gov), FAQ on Part B premiums, October 15, 2009.

[10] Social Security Administration, A Summary of the 2009 Annual Reports (socialsecurity.gov).

Christian Hospital Partners with American Cancer Society to Provide a New Resource Free to Cancer Patients

By Jennifer Tribue on February 17, 2010 8:16 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Society's Personal Health Manager is a great organizing tool for patientsPersonal-Health-Manager007.jpg

 

[ST. LOUIS, MO] February 16, 2010 - The American Cancer Society and Christian Hospital have joined forces to provide many services to cancer patients in the area: on February 1 the new Personal Health Manager was added to the list.

 

Personal Health Managers serve as an organization tool for things like appointments and test results. The kit includes pamphlets and brochures provided by both groups, including information on free programs and services available, directional maps to various areas of the hospital, website referrals, and more.

 

The goal is that every newly diagnosed cancer patient that comes to Christian Hospital will receive a Personal Health Manager, which they believe will be about 600 during 2010.

 

"The pieces included in the kits were identified by patients and family members as information that would help them," said Sandi Kenkel, Manager of Radiation Oncology at Christian Hospital and Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) liaison.

 

The groups can thank the PFAC for bringing this new development to light. The service fits right in with their mission to ensure that patients have a voice in their own cancer journey.

 

"I am really thankful to Christian Hospital for being on board with us, and to the Patient and Family Advisory Council for their support," said LaTrisa Morgan, community manager of health initiatives for the American Cancer Society.

 

Other services the American Cancer Society provides in conjunction with Christian Hospital include free wigs, transportation assistance, and support programs including Look Good... Feel Better and Reach to Recovery.

 

Personal Health Managers are available free to cancer patients at Christian Hospital in the Cancer Resource Center, Out-Patient Infusion, Radiation Oncology, and at the 4th Floor Nursing Unit, as well as many of the doctor's offices.

 

Funds raised through local Relay For Life events help provide these services for free. "We're thankful to everyone in the community who participated in Relay For Life or otherwise donated to the American Cancer Society," said Morgan. "Christian Hospital did a phenomenal job in 2009, raising $8,000 through their RFL teams."

 

For more information on the Personal Health Managers or the other services provided, please call LaTrisa Morgan at 314-286-8154 or email latrisa.morgan@cancer.org.

Tips for a Healthy, and Romantic, Valentine's Day

By Jennifer Tribue on February 11, 2010 8:57 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
 

candles_heart.jpgValentine's Day traditions - boxes of chocolate and lavish dinners - aren't exactly good for your heart, or your waistline. This February 14th, show that special someone you love him or her in a way that's a little healthier. Here are some suggestions.


 

If you're giving chocolate, go with dark chocolate. No doubt about it, chocolate is the Valentine's Day gift of choice - and if you go with the dark variety, it can also be a healthy treat. Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which have been shown to be good for the heart. Look for dark chocolate treats that contain at least 60 percent cocoa to get the most health benefits. Don't go overboard, though - dark chocolate packs just as much fat and calories as the milky kind.

If you're drinking alcohol, pick red wine. Red wine contains antioxidants called polyphenols and a compound called resveratrol that protects the heart and may have other health benefits as well. However, alcohol use is also linked to an increased risk of cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends you limit yourself to no more than 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men, if you drink at all.

Make a romantic meal at home. If you eat in, you'll have more control over calories, fat, and portion size. For dessert, serve fruit such as strawberries dipped in dark chocolate or poached pears drizzled with hot chocolate.

If you do go out, keep these tips in mind. Save on fat and calories by ordering an appetizer, splitting an entrée, or sharing a meal with your sweetie. Ask waiters if the cooks can use lighter preparations: grill the chicken, steam the vegetables, or bring sauces and salad dressings on the side.

Rethink date night. Instead of dinner and a movie, consider a date that involves being active or exercising together. Enjoy romantic vistas on a hike, or pair up on the ice skating rink.

The American Cancer Society can help you learn more ways to stay well and reduce your risk for cancer - visit cancer.org/GreatAmericans, check out our Powerful Choices podcast series, or call 1-800-227-2345 for more information.

Take a Minute to be a Hero - A Vote for New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees is a Vote for Hope Lodge

By Jennifer Tribue on February 4, 2010 9:44 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is asking fans - and anyone who wants to fight back against cancer - to join him in supporting the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge® in New Orleans by voting for him in a promotion called the Pepsi Refresh Project. The promotion is designed to help people, businesses, and nonprofits with ideas that will have a positive impact on their communities.

As part of the upcoming Super Bowl festivities, Brees and two other National Football League (NFL) players - New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware - are featured in Pepsi's nationwide promotion, along with their chosen projects. The public can vote on the project they care about the most, and the player's project that receives the most votes will receive a $100,000 grant from Pepsi. Brees said, "Even if fans aren't backing me on Sunday, I'm hoping they will support my idea." Click here to cast your vote by Thursday, February 4, at 11:59 p.m. EST. You can also vote by texting "DREW" to PEPSI (73774). The recipient of the grant will be announced on February 5.

The NFL's Web site features videos with each of the three players talking about their projects. Brees narrates the video highlighting the Society's Hope Lodge in New Orleans, which includes footage taken recently at the facility. Click here to watch the video. While Brees is supporting the Hope Lodge located in New Orleans, this is a great opportunity to build awareness for all Hope Lodge locations across the country.

About Hope Lodge®:

"The Hope Lodge was a real lifesaver..." - A Hope Lodge guest

"We live over 100 miles away and there was no way we could have afforded my treatments, plus hotel, gas, and food expenses. My wife and I made it through this battle because Hope Lodge and the American Cancer Society were there for me."
- A cancer survivor

Facing cancer is hard. Having to travel out of town for treatment can make it even harder. Yet the American Cancer Society has a place where cancer patients and their families can find help and hope when home is far away - an American Cancer Society Hope Lodge.

Each Hope Lodge offers cancer patients and their families a free, temporary place to stay when their best hope for effective treatment may be in another city. Not having to worry about where to stay or how to pay for lodging allows Hope Lodge guests to focus on the most important thing: getting well.

And a Hope Lodge offers so much more than just free lodging. It provides a nurturing, home-like environment where patients and caregivers can retreat to private rooms or connect with others who are going through many of the same experiences.

"Hope Lodge is a place filled with love and support from strangers who quickly become family." - A guest of Hope Lodge in Atlanta, Georgia

Every Hope Lodge also offers a variety of resources and information about cancer and how best to fight the disease. There is access to the American Cancer Society's 24-hour toll-free call center and Web site, as well as a comprehensive on-site library designed to help patients and caregivers make informed decisions.

Simply put, Hope Lodge is a place created to ease the burden of cancer treatment - a place where we give hope a home.

Currently, there are 29 Hope Lodge locations throughout the United States. Accommodations and eligibility requirements may vary by location, and room availability is first come, first served. To find a Hope Lodge and to learn more about a specific facility, please visit that location's page, or call the American Cancer Society toll free anytime, day or night, at 1-800-ACS-2345.

If there is not a Hope Lodge in your area, please call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 for more information. Also you can visit Joe's House for additional lodging resources or enter your zip code on www.cancer.org's Find Local Resources page and select the category Housing.

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