No Surrender Breast Cancer Foundation

You are never too young

2011-12-19T23:20:00.002-05:00

Miss Venezuela, age 28, died of breast cancer today. Twenty-eight. For anyone who doesn't realize how incredibly vital our Before Forty Initiative is, perhaps this will put it into perspective for you. Former Miss Venezuela dies of breast cancer at 28Published: December 19, 2011 4:51 PMBy THE ASSOCIATED PRESSCARACAS, Venezuela - Former Miss Venezuela Eva Ekvall, whose struggle with breast cancer

Updates from San Antonio

2011-12-07T23:13:00.001-05:00

We will provide updates every evening of the 2011 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Tonight's review: 2011 SAN ANTONIO BREAST CANCER SYMPOSIUM NEWS ROUNDUPDecember 7, 2011Today's abstracts reaffirm the benefits of using Zometa with endocrine therapy to prevent recurrence. There is now a test for recurrence risk in DCIS patients. The poor prognosis of overweight women is further studied.

Now it's Canada's Turn

2011-11-22T08:31:00.001-05:00

Remember the "Task Force" that released the report last year that US women should not get early breast cancer screening, in fact, they should only begin at the age of 50 and then do it every other year? Now they are after Canadian women with the same deadly message...here Our Before Forty Initiative needs your support now more than ever. Women's lives are at stake. Help us help those who will

An Easy Way to Help Us

2011-11-04T09:42:00.000-05:00

Shopping online for the holidays? Searching for that perfect gift or getaway? Please use GOOD SEARCH and GOOD SHOP and they will donate to the No Surrender Breast Cancer Foundation! It costs you nothing, but helps us a lot! Thank you!!

Natural Weapon Against Triple Negative Breast Cancer

2011-10-25T20:46:00.000-05:00

Something so simple.... nature healing nature.... Will this be the answer like mold was to penicillin? Oncolytic Virus Kills Tumor in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Caroline Helwick, Medscape October 25, 2011 (San Francisco, California) — Laboratory studies conducted at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City suggest that triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) might respond

Femara Beats Tamoxifen

2011-10-24T08:05:00.001-05:00

Aromatase Inhibitor, Letrozole (Femara) FRIDAY, Oct. 21 (HealthDay News) -- The breast cancer drug letrozole, marketed as Femara, may be more effective than tamoxifen at preventing the return of breast cancer and improving survival among older women with hormone-sensitive breast cancers, a new study reports. In the study, published online Oct. 21 in The Lancet Oncology, the

Our Party

2011-10-14T16:03:00.001-05:00

On October 1st we celebrated the Second Annual There and Back: A Celebration of Survival... Here is the video on our main web page HERE

Not all vitamins are good for you

2011-10-11T07:30:00.000-05:00

From New York Newsday Vitamin-breast cancer link eyed in studiesOctober 10, 2011 by DELTHIA RICKS / delthia.ricks@newsday.com Certain supplements may prove detrimental to women who've survived breast cancer, while older women may be at a slightly elevated risk from regular use of vitamin and mineral pills, medical

WHY WE NEED THE BEFORE FORTY INITIATIVE!

2011-09-11T17:52:00.000-05:00

WHY WE NEED THE BEFORE FORTY INITIATIVE! If a young woman waits to find her lump by palpation- it is a more advanced stage... read this out of the ASCO conference: Study Supports Palpation, Mammography Regardless of Age Originally from Elsevier Global Medical News. 2011 Sept 6, S London SAN FRANCISCO (EGMN) - Many breast cancer patients would have more advanced disease at diagnosis and face

Ten.

2011-09-05T22:23:00.000-05:00

Ten years, two cancers later... Some Lessons by Melody Gardot "Well, I'm buckled up inside Miracle that I'm alive Do not think I can survive On bread and wine alone To think that I could have fallen A centimeter to the left Would not be here to see the sunset Or have myself a time Well, why do the hands of time so easily unwind? Some lessons we learn the hard way Some lessons don't come

Before Forty Expands It's Message to African-American Women

2011-08-21T23:03:00.000-05:00

The No Surrender Breast Cancer Foundation's Before Forty Initiative has been working tirelessly on informing young, African-American women about their increased risk of developing the more aggressive type of breast cancer known as Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Not only do we advocate baseline screening should begin BEFORE the age of forty, a new study has shed light on another way to fight this

About as Frightening As It Can Get

2011-08-19T22:37:00.000-05:00

August 19, 2011U.S. Scrambling to Ease Shortage of Vital MedicineBy GARDINER HARRIS/ The New York Times WASHINGTON — Federal officials and lawmakers, along with the drug industry and doctors’ groups, are rushing to find remedies for critical shortages of drugs to treat a number of life-threatening illnesses, including bacterial infection and several forms of cancer. The proposed

Come Celebrate With Us

2011-08-18T09:13:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, October 1, 2011 the No Surrender Breast Cancer Foundation is kicking off “breast cancer awareness month” with a look back at famous survivors over the centuries while celebrating women living with breast cancer today. To help set the theme, they will host their second

What About African American Women Under Forty?

2011-07-20T22:38:00.000-05:00

The No Surrender Breast Cancer Foundation's most crucial program is our Before Forty Initiative which educates young, African American women about their increased risk of developing the aggressive form of breast cancer known as Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Young Caucasian women also develop this type of cancer as well, but not in the numbers that African American women do. We encourage all

Betty Ford, The Woman Who Changed Everything

2011-07-08T21:18:00.000-05:00

Former First Lady, Betty Ford has died at the age of 93. She was an incredible woman who triumphed over cancer and addiction. We owe her a great deal of both thanks and respect. In 1974, just a month after her husband suddenly became president, she discovered she had breast cancer. She underwent a mastectomy and did not hide it. As a result, she took the whisper out of the words, "breast cancer

Proof Positive: Regular Mammograms, Especially Early Ones, Save Lives. Period.

2011-07-07T08:43:00.000-05:00

ABC has just released the report out of Sweden that regular mammograms, particularly those starting young, save lives. There is no question about it. So the next time your doctor tells you that you are "too young" or your breast are "too dense" or that the ACS or Komen do not recommend early, regular screenings- refer them to this report. The No Surrender Breast Cancer Foundation is

Milking It

2011-07-03T19:26:00.000-05:00

I was at a party the other evening and the hostess had beautifully decorated cookies with frosting every color of the rainbow. She passed the platter around and asked each guest which color they wanted. When she got to me, she handed me the pink cookie and said, "We know what one you are! You're our breast cancer girl!" I put the cookie on my dessert plate and left it there, untouched. As I

Yummy Way to Work Tumeric Into Entertaining

2011-07-01T10:13:00.000-05:00

from the New York Times... Lentil Pâté With Cumin and TurmericBy MARTHA ROSE SHULMANLentils and curry flavors go together beautifully. This pâté tends to be dry if you overcook it, so remove it from the oven when it’s just set, before the top cracks. 1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed 1 quart water 1 bay leaf 1 medium onion 4 garlic cloves, 2 crushed,

Thank You, Medicare

2011-06-30T16:09:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's news that the FDA hearing went south and Avastin was not going to be approved for use for advanced stage breast cancer struck fear in the hearts of all the women who are currently benefiting from the drug. What did this mean? Where will they turn? Would insurance companies still cover it on a compassionate basis? A major step forward happened today: Medicare announced it would

We Do What We Do FOR YOU- No one else

2011-06-28T14:28:00.000-05:00

Shocking news hit the airwaves today as a very large, local breast cancer organization was taken down because of fraud. They raised millions of dollars and none of it went to women with breast cancer. They spent every dime on raising more money for themselves and paying themselves huge salaries. Basically, they hijacked breast cancer to make a quick, sleazy buck. As someone who has had breast

What "Average" Patient, FDA?

2011-06-20T17:53:00.000-05:00

JUNE 20, 2011 There's No 'Average' Cancer Patient What the late Stephen Jay Gould could teach the FDA. By GREGORY CONKO On June 28, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold a hearing to decide the fate of Avastin, a drug taken by thousands of women fighting late-stage breast cancer. Many of these women have pleaded for continued access to the drug,

Big Pink Says No

2011-06-14T15:09:00.000-05:00

In loving memory of Ferne Dixon I made a promise to someone and I told her I would do everything in my power to keep it. As a result, about a month ago, I took a trip over to the Pink Side. I was notified that Big Pink was funding local non-profit's breast cancer programs. According to their funding guidelines, No Surrender was a perfect fit. I should have known. What was I thinking? I

Radiation News from ASCO 2011

2011-06-06T19:23:00.000-05:00

Added Regional Nodal Irradiation Cuts Breast Cancer RecurrenceElsevier Global Medical News. 2011 Jun 4, P WendlingCHICAGO (EGMN) - Adding regional nodal irradiation to whole-breast irradiation significantly improved disease-free survival, but not overall survival in a randomized multi-center phase III trial of women with node-positive or high-risk node-negative disease treated with

Recent Interview for SheKnows.com

2011-05-26T23:19:00.002-05:00

5 Amazing women -- all cancer survivors Real Life Cancer Storiesby Kori Ellis We had the opportunity to interview five amazing women from various parts of the country and walks of life. No matter how different these women are, they have one major thing in common – they are all cancer survivors. Meet GinaGina Maisano is a two-time breast cancer survivor, founder of the "No Surrender Breast

Save the Date: October 1, 2011 2nd Annual There & Back: A Celebration of Survival

2011-05-26T11:31:00.004-05:00

Save the date! This year's event will be very, very special. The worlds of medicine, fashion and history will combine to celebrate life and survival. There & Back: A Celebration of Survival will be held at Christ's Church & Parish Hall in Oyster Bay, Teddy Roosevelt's church. We will tribute his eldest daughter, Alice Roosevelt Longworth. She was a fashion icon, writer, rebel and breast

New Hope for Patients Who Become Drug Resistant

2011-05-22T14:59:00.000-05:00

Scientists find new drug target in breast cancerResearchers have identified a new protein involved in the development of drug resistance in breast cancer which could be a target for new treatments, they report today in the journal Nature Medicine. In a mouse model of breast cancer, blocking production of the protein using genetic techniques caused tumours to shrink. The scientists are now

Is Your Chemo Working? A New Test

2011-05-19T09:11:00.000-05:00

A Genomic Predictor of Response and Survival Following Taxane-Anthracycline Chemotherapy for Invasive Breast CancerJAMA. 2011 May 11;305(18):1873-1881, C Hatzis, L Pusztai, V Valero, DJ Booser, L Esserman, A Lluch, T Vidaurre, F Holmes, E Souchon, H Wang, M Martin, J Cotrina, H Gomez, R Hubbard, JI Chaco´n, J Ferrer-Lozano, R Dyer, M Buxton, Y Gong, Y Wu, N Ibrahim, E Andreopoulou, NT Ueno, K

Radioactive Seed Localization in Surgery

2011-05-19T09:02:00.000-05:00

Could this be the end of wire localization? Radioactive Seed Localization Guides Surgeons to Nonpalpable Breast LesionsElsevier Global Medical News. 2011 May 11, MG Sullivan WASHINGTON (EGMN) - Radioactive seeds were a safe and effective method of pinpointing nonpalpable breast lesions for surgery, with an 85% rate of negative margins

Hi, Have We Met?

2011-05-14T13:36:00.000-05:00

Even though we have been around since 2007, sometimes it seems like people in our very own community, the breast cancer community that is, don’t know who we are or what we do. Here is a brief guide to the No Surrender Breast Cancer Foundation: Q. Are you a non-profit? A. Yes. We are a 501 c3 not for profit organization based in New York. We serve women (and men) all over the world. Q. What

More Proof: Young Women Need Screening

2011-05-10T07:31:00.000-05:00

Why the Before Forty Initiative is So Vital ASBS: Mammogram Studies Suggest Use in Younger Women By Charles Bankhead, Staff Writer, MedPage Today May 03, 2011 WASHINGTON -- Excluding younger women from routine screening mammography may increase the risk of larger, more advanced tumors at diagnosis and adversely affect survival, data from a retrospective chart review suggested. Among

If You Only Knew...

2011-04-28T09:47:00.000-05:00

When you or someone you love finds a lump in her breast this is what happens: Your hand stops over the lump and a sharp, deep, fear strikes in your gut. You run your hand over it again, hoping it wasn't there and you were somehow wrong. But it is still there. Your mind and heart begin to race. You cannot control your thoughts. You imagine the worst and you think about dying. After a few moments

New Drug Combo for Metastatic Disease

2011-04-27T09:12:00.000-05:00

An early-phase study showed that the new taxoid, cabazitaxel (XRP6258), is not only safe but has significant activity when combined with capecitabine in patients with metastatic breast cancer previously treated with paclitaxel-like agents. This is a new drug combo with great promise that women who have Stage 4 disease can use in their arsenal against their cancer. Eur J Cancer. 2011 May 1;

Grow Your Own

2011-04-25T11:51:00.000-05:00

Gardening Tips from our sister blog, The Best is Yet to Come, can be found here. Book mark us!

It's Gone

2011-04-18T16:35:00.000-05:00

This is a follow-up to the post from last month regarding the mansion that inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald's description of Daisy Buchanan's home. http://www.newsday.com/video/gatsby-home-1.2824842 The man who purchased the property let it fall into a state of disrepair so bad that it had to be razed. He said the days of cocktail parties overlooking the Sound are over and it is time to make way

Medicaid- is YOUR state like Indiana?

2011-04-18T15:36:00.000-05:00

I have a friend and fellow breast cancer sister who lives in Indiana. Because of cancer, she lost her job and her health insurance. She was forced to get her treatment through Indiana Medicaid. She was diagnosed with a type of breast cancer known as Triple Negative breast cancer. This means that it is 1. not responsive to estrogen 2. not responsive to progesterone 3. not fueled by the Her2

We Want to Know

2011-04-07T11:26:00.000-05:00

Will you take a moment to answer this survey? 1. Are you happy with the current layout of : The Website The Message Forum The Blog If not, which one needs work and how would you change it? 2. Is it easy to learn about your cancer on our main Website, meaning, can you find what you need quickly? 3. Are you aware of our main program, the Before Forty Initiative? Did it come to your attention

Are You In? Your Life May Depend on It

2011-04-05T16:39:00.000-05:00

AACR Seeks Public Support to Protest Funding CutsElsevier Global Medical News. 2011 Apr 4, S Worcester ORLANDO (EGMN) - The American Association for Cancer Research is rallying support for an outcry against proposed budget cuts by Congress that could cut funding to the National Institutes of Health by up to

How Many CT Scans are Too Many?

2011-04-04T08:49:00.000-05:00

Photo credit: Getty Images "Doctor, do I need a CT scan, or can we do a different test?" The following article may help you remember to ask that question. Japan nuke woes raise radiation awarenessOriginally published: April 3, 2011 6:43 PM By RIDGELY OCHS / NEWSDAY The vastly expanded use of such medical tools as CT scans since the 1980s has led to a sharp spike

Breaking the Code

2011-04-02T10:07:00.000-05:00

The next time someone asks, "Where is the cure?" consider the following: Breast cancer is not one disease. Further, as new research clearly illuminates, its mutations are multitudinous. Genomic research into the DNA of breast cancer cells will lead us to better treatments, however, it will be a long time before a cure can be found. But they are certainly getting closer, however long the road

Prostate v Breast : A Cancer Decision

2011-03-31T08:48:00.000-05:00

Medicare has announced today that it will cover the $93,000 cost for men who suffer from advanced stage, incurable prostate cancer. The new drug, Provenge, is said to extend the lives of these patients by four months. WASHINGTON – Medicare officials said Wednesday that the program will pay the $93,000 cost of prostate cancer drug Provenge, an innovative therapy that typically gives men

Confessions of a Content Farm Animal

2011-03-30T13:37:00.001-05:00

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, you know? Anyone who has been a reader of this blog or the forums of No Surrender, knows that money is tight. It is for everyone, not just non-profits. But take a small non-profit and put it up against one of the big guns and the donation dollars can be doled out just so much. We may be small, but our work is tremendous. That is something that makes it

At What Price Prevention?

2011-03-28T09:33:00.000-05:00

The UK Independent printed an article today based on a study from The Lancet. It proposes that women with dense breasts be prescribed endocrine therapy to prevent breast cancer from occurring. Women with dense breasts are at higher risk of developing breast cancer. However, not all women develop hormone responsive cancer, so taking a drug such as Tamoxifen or Arimidex to prevent it, would not

Will Your Cancer Spread? Answer Found in Genes

2011-03-26T12:25:00.000-05:00

By Amanda Gardner HealthDay Reporter (http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20110324/hl_hsn/genesonoffswitchesyieldcluestobreastcancer) WEDNESDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists may have developed a new way of predicting when breast cancer will spread. Two varieties of what scientists call "epigenetic signatures" seem to distinguish more aggressive cancers from less aggressive ones,

One Hundred Years Ago: Remembering Triangle

2011-03-24T18:54:00.001-05:00

Originally posted on this blog last year. 2011 is the 100th anniversary of this terrible tragedy. On March 25, 1911, a fire broke out in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. The doors were locked and the young immigrant girls and women who worked the sewing machines could not escape the flames. Many jumped to their deaths. This was a terrible tragedy in New York history. It

Triple Negative Management: A Lifelong Committment

2011-03-23T11:13:00.000-05:00

I am a triple negative breast cancer survivor. In September, it will be ten years since I first even heard that there was such a type of cancer. Back then, they simply called it "The bad one." Upon further investigation I found out that we have a "poor prognosis." I don't think so. And neither did my doctors. So we made a plan of attack for surviving triple negative breast cancer: 1. Hit it with

Don't Stop Tamoxifen Early, Study Says

2011-03-22T08:24:00.000-05:00

Five years of Tamoxifen reduces cancer: study A study conducted by the researchers based at the Cancer Research UK and UCL Cancer Trials Centre for Tamoxifen, demonstrated that the cancer was less likely to come back in women who took the drug for five years, compared to two years. The results of the trial, with 3,500 patients, suggested that

Drug Combo Improves Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survival

2011-03-22T08:11:00.001-05:00

Drug combinations may improve triple negative breast cancer treatmentHOUSTON -- (March 21, 2011) -- Researchers led by Baylor College of Medicine have found a new way to tackle a difficult-to-treat form of breast cancer – a discovery that is being translated into human studies with currently approved FDA drugs. The new strategy begins with their discovery that a gene called PTPN12 plays a

Radiation RECALL Notice

2011-03-21T10:07:00.002-05:00

From the New York Times March 21, 2011Riddled With Metal by Mistake in a StudyBy DENISE GRADY Women participating in a study of patients with breast cancer have been inadvertently left with hundreds of tiny particles of the heavy metal tungsten in their breast tissue and chest muscles. The particles came from a device used during surgery. The device has since been recalled. It is not

So You've Been Diagnosed with Breast Cancer...

2011-03-20T11:08:00.001-05:00

So you've just been told you have breast cancer... or you are in the thick of treatment... or you are just emerging from the battlefield wondering what is next.... Fight Your Cancer the No Surrender Way Have you visited our main website and support forum? I suggest you do. Why? Because we tell you how to live a healthy life now that you are a survivor. Such as, what supplements to add to help

Rideau Survivorship Foundation

2011-03-14T19:34:00.000-05:00

Many of us in the United States are lucky to have access to medical care close to home. In certain areas of Canada, however, a person who is suffering from a chronic illness oftentimes may have to travel great distances to get the care they need. A dear friend of mine decided to change that in her area, here is her story. If you live nearby her Center, you are in luck! ( The RSF generously

More Proof of the Need for our Before Forty Initiative

2011-03-11T10:29:00.000-05:00

We have asked for support in spreading awareness of our Before Forty Initiative for a long time now. Time and again we have offered evidence based documentation backing up our cause. The following is another addition to this. Please consider helping us save the lives of young, African American women. Study Finds Racial Disparity in Breast Cancer OutcomesBlack women had higher death rates, no

私たちの祈りがあなたと共にいます

2011-03-11T09:45:00.001-05:00

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Japan.

Borne Back Ceaselessly Into the Past

2011-03-06T14:57:00.001-05:00

the first mansion was Bel Caro, beyond that is Daisy's house, owned by Bayard Swope the famous publisher "And so it happened that on a warm windy evening I drove over to East Egg to see two old friends whom I scarcely knew at all. Their house was even more elaborate than I expected, a cheerful red-and-white Georgian Colonial mansion, overlooking the bay. The lawn started at the beach and ran

"All Three"

2011-02-09T12:47:00.000-05:00

I was laying in bed. I had just woken up and was thinking about if I would hear the news today. It had been almost a week since I had 17 core biopsies taken from my areola of the "good" breast. That is the breast that did not have cancer in it from the first time. There were three spots that needed testing. Not only could I feel them, but they had grown large enough that I could see them. There

Please read this blog post

2011-01-08T09:31:00.000-05:00

The Accidental Amazon Blog is one of the best blogs about breast cancer and living in general. The incredibly talented founder and writer of this blog has given the No Surrender Breast Cancer Foundation an amazing gift - please read to see what I mean. Kathi, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. http://accidentalamazon.com/blog/2011/01/07/help-a-sistah/

Just Do It

2010-12-26T19:14:00.000-05:00

How many of us cancer survivors have said, "If I knew then what I know now?" In fact, how many human beings have thought that over the course of their lives? It is natural to be a Monday morning quarterback. But I am not talking about what pass you would have had Mark Sanchez throw if you calling the plays. I am talking about your life. We know that there are certain behaviors that can increase

The SUPPORT FORUM is Back

2010-12-22T15:22:00.002-05:00

Dear No Surrender Forum Users: We appear to be back up and running again. Thank you for your patience during this trying time. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience or undo stress we may have caused. Gina

Support Forum Outage

2010-12-22T00:06:00.000-05:00

No Surrender Forum users- it seems the third party site is down. We are trying to restore it asap. You still have FULL and COMPLETE access to our main website- the heart of No Surrender: Nosurrenderbreastcancerhelp.org Please stay tuned for more information!

An Important Message, We Need Your Support

2010-12-19T12:21:00.002-05:00

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead

Avastin to be Withdrawn

2010-12-16T11:41:00.000-05:00

This is a very bad move. Too many women are BENEFITING from this drug. Time for another petition. From the New York Times: F.D.A. Plans to Revoke Approval for Breast Cancer DrugBy ANDREW POLLACK The Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday that it would move to revoke approval of the widely used drug Avastin as a treatment for breast cancer, saying the drug was not effective in

Healing Thoughts and Prayers for Aretha

2010-12-09T11:45:00.000-05:00

Your Music has lifted us all, may our collective prayers lift you now as you fight this new battle. xxoo

Be Brave, Snowflake

2010-12-08T10:30:00.000-05:00

"If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together, there is something you must always remember: You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart.. I'll always be with you.” Winnie the Pooh Elizabeth Edwards was a high profile woman who touched all of our hearts with her brave battle against breast cancer

Soar Elizabeth, Soar

2010-12-07T17:30:00.000-05:00

My post from yesterday was woefully out of touch, as the media did not report just how gravely ill Elizabeth Edwards was, for today she died from breast cancer. The notice of this news can be found HERE From all of us at the No Surrender Breast Cancer Foundation, we send our deepest condolences to her children. God Bless You, Elizabeth. Today, you were reunited with your son. There must have

Elizabeth Edwards Cancer Progresses

2010-12-06T17:39:00.004-05:00

According to People.com, Elizabeth Edwards has announced that her cancer has spread from her bones to her liver and her doctors have informed her that no further treatment will be of help to her. I find this news upsetting on so many levels. The first is the No Surrender in me. I do not know her case, nor do I know the extend of her progression, but I do know many women who have lived with

And Heaven and Nature Sing!

2010-12-04T15:04:00.000-05:00

What about you? Don’t feel like doing too much singing this year? I know, it is awfully hard to feel like you do and be in a room full of fabulousity. There you are, recovering from your treatments, not looking your best, feeling tired and rung out and you are surrounded by happy, healthy, glowing people who are all so fabulous they practically stick to each other. And then they see you and

To D or Not to D, There Seems to be some question...

2010-11-30T19:08:00.000-05:00

A new study is out...this study replaces the old study that was once new but is now outdated because this one says so. Are you with me so far? Good. I am a woman who has had breast cancer twice. When I got my E-Ticket to Cancerland the second time, my oncologist tested my Vitamin D blood level. I was severely deficient. He told me that most women who are diagnosed with breast cancer are. So we

Holiday Shopping for a Great Cause

2010-11-30T11:09:00.000-05:00

Many people are Cyber-shopping this week. Well, we have lots of options for you! Read about the latest news from No Surrender on our Newsletter HERE.If you would like to be on our email list, please let us know, and you can get the Newsletter delivered directly to your in box! ~HOLIDAY SHOP~ 2011 Weekly PlannerBeautiful Photographs accompany each week of 2011 $20.00 plus Shipping Super Nuts!

The Holiday Shop Is Open!

2010-11-21T13:19:00.001-05:00

Want to feel good about the gifts you give this year? We've got you covered! The 2011 No Surrender Weekly Planner is stunning. Filled with vintage photography of beautiful women, plenty of room to plan the days of your week, and a very good size to fit in a handbag or briefcase. This planner was a great hit last time we offered it for sale. This year's version is even more lovely. Order one

Love Your Body

2010-10-20T21:41:00.000-05:00

Today is Love Your Body Day and Gina Maisano was Featured in an article by Family Goes Strong about Loving YOUR Body After Breast Cancer.... Read it HERE

Pink is for Sissies

2010-10-17T11:04:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you, but I found nothing pink about breast cancer, its treatments or its aftermath. It is hell on earth and delicate, little pink pieces of polyester satin do not emerge from its battlefield. Victors do. Women who have faced down death and now face the world with a steely determination that is unmatched by anything on this earth except for maybe one thing: Platinum. Platinum

Book Signing

2010-10-16T09:11:00.000-05:00

A windy, rainy, chilly night in the Month of Pink did not deter visitors from coming to The Book Revue in Huntington for a talk and book signing of Intimacy After Breast Cancer. There were old friends and family, newly diagnosed women and veterans sharing a few moments together. We talked, laughed and read a little. It was great fun. Thank you to the Book Revue for their hospitality and to

There and Back: A Celebration of Survival

2010-10-11T10:46:00.000-05:00

Thursday, October 7th was a magical night of hope, empowerment and love. It was clear, warm evening as the guests walked up the brick path lined with multicolored mums and lilac luminaries to the main house where the party was hosted. Once they checked in, they came inside to find rooms full of people celebrating survival. There was food and libations and music. The French doors all opened to a

Pass the Tarn-X

2010-09-25T16:19:00.000-05:00

For my single sisters... This question is coming up in virtually every interview I have done for the book: What about men? How can you make them more comfortable? Presumably, having breast cancer wasn't enough for us, we have to make sure the men in our lives don't feel uneasy. Here's a simple tip: Make yourselves comfortable and then it will all fall into place when it comes to men. When/how/if

Because It Matters

2010-09-24T13:33:00.001-05:00

The Before Forty Initiative Think back. After the shock of hearing your diagnosis calmed down a bit, the what-ifs crept in. What if I have to do chemo? What if I lose my hair? What if I lose my breasts? The side effects of the first two, chemo and hair loss, are temporary. Your body recovers and your hair grows back. It really does. But losing your breasts? That one is permanent. How do you

Why I wrote the book, "Intimacy After Breast Cancer"

2010-09-24T10:11:00.000-05:00

CNN just published this story: "Breast Cancer Survivors Report Sexual Problems the Norm" This is precisely why I wrote my book, Intimacy After Breast Cancer, Dealing with Your Body, Relationships & Sex. I have had breast cancer twice... chemotherapy twice... surgery, radiation, reconstruction, and everything else they could throw at me... hear this: sexual dysfunction from breast cancer

NINE

2010-09-06T00:40:00.000-05:00

When I was a kid my mom gave me the newly invented, "Unbreakable Comb." I broke it. She wouldn't let me play with jigsaw puzzles anymore because I would get out her manicure scissors and cut the pieces so they would "fit." I had a piano teacher who told me that I could never, ever learn how to play the Bach Sonata that was in the back of my sheet music book. In the seven days I had until my next

Let's Party

2010-09-03T08:29:00.000-05:00

October is coming..... you know what that means! We are doing something a little different. Instead of "celebrating" breast cancer, we are Celebrating SURVIVAL and SURVIVORS.... early stage, in treatment and advanced stage: Every woman who has heard the words, "You have breast cancer." Join us for There & Back: A Celebration of SurvivalOn Thursday, October 7th7-9 pmin Plandome, New York Food,

Hero

2010-08-25T17:51:00.000-05:00

What defines a hero? To me, it is someone who defies the odds, faces the enemy head on, fights with every fiber of their being, and wins. Look closely at this photograph. General David Petraeus is certainly considered a hero and one heck of a fighter. But I am not talking about him. My hero is Jennifer Griffin. I have had the privilege of getting to know this amazing woman over the last year and

Cancer as a Cause

2010-08-24T09:06:00.000-05:00

There is a very interesting article from NPR today about the evolution of cancer becoming a cause. Pay particular attention to the "pink" section... Turning Cancer, Other Diseases, Into Causes by ALAN GREENBLATT /NPR August 24, 2010 The new Showtime series about cancer has an old-fashioned, euphemistic title: The Big C. It's gotten mixed reviews in part because critics find it implausible

African Ancestry direct link to Triple Negative Breast Cancer

2010-08-16T09:06:00.000-05:00

This is why we are fighting so hard with the Before Forty Initiative to get the word out to all young, African American woman about the importance of EARLY SCREENING. This study further proves what we have been saying for years: ✓African American Women are at great risk for developing Triple Negative Breast Cancer at a YOUNGER AGE than Caucasian women. ✓The EARLIER you find your TNBC the

Preserving Open Space on Long Island: A matter of survival

2010-08-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Sands Point Light House, c. 1890 “Most of the big shore places were closed now and there were hardly any lights except the shadowy, moving glow of a ferryboat across the Sound. And as the moon rose higher the inessential houses began to melt away until gradually I became aware of the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors' eyes-a fresh, green breast of the new world. Its vanished

Fake Cancer, Raise Money

2010-08-10T08:04:00.000-05:00

Photo ©Copyright No Surrender Breast Cancer Foundation In the words of my dear friend, Ferne, who lost her battle with real cancer, "Sometimes you just want to sit on the floor and shake your head." Ferne died of her cancer after fighting for years and being subjected to struggling for insurance coverage because hers ran out. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Act helped her a great deal. An

Leave the Gun, Take the Canolis

2010-08-09T10:12:00.001-05:00

Photo ©Copyright No Surrender Breast Cancer Foundation It has been a tough few months at the foundation. We have grant and funding requests out there and some we are still waiting to hear from. One extremely large corporation promised us a grant, cut it by an eighth, told us the "check was in the mail" and it never came. Neither did any responses to our inquiries as to the whereabouts of said

Words to live by

2010-08-08T08:47:00.000-05:00

Pierre Auguste Renoir has always fascinated me since I took my first, serious oil painting class as a young girl. Later, studying art history in college, I learned that he never included black in his palette. Instead, he created his darker shadows out of deeper hues of blues and reds. I liked that he didn't take the easy way out, but instead he improved darkness with colors that appealed to him

Fish Oil Hearts You

2010-08-05T09:11:00.001-05:00

Photo ©Copyright No Surrender Breast Cancer Foundation Anyone who is a regular reader of the No Surrender Breast Cancer Support Forum is aware of our EDGE/CAM. A plan of supplements and dietary changes that can help you feel better and live a long, cancer-free life. It has also been very useful in metastatic patients as some of the supplements ameliorate the side effects of their disease

Anywhere but there

2010-08-04T09:01:00.000-05:00

There are hundreds of locations for a new Mosque/Islamic Cultural Center to be constructed in New York City. Building one less than five hundred feet from where the World Trade Center once stood is not one of them. The location, which houses an historic, Classic Revival building from 1858, has fragments of human remains and pieces of the jet planes still on the roof. Use the building as a

Bye, Bye Skinny Girl?

2010-08-03T08:45:00.000-05:00

As Julia Child once wisely advised, "Everything in moderation, including moderation." So, with caution, enjoy that Skinny Girl Margarita, and cut down on all alcohol intake to no more than a couple of times a week. Alcohol is a known carcinogenic. We all have cancer cells in our bodies, dormant or active, and if we can prevent them from growing by changing our diet, including what we drink, then

Seduction

2010-08-01T13:09:00.000-05:00

I remember an old friend once told me that seduction is a promise yet fulfilled. The excitement found at the moment of being seduced is that one does not know if the promise will be kept. One can be seduced into a love affair, a new car, a friendship or a business relationship. The attraction of the hit AMC series Mad Men is a testament to how the advertising world spends every moment thinking

Peaches and Plums oh my!

2010-07-30T18:12:00.000-05:00

Very exciting and quite yummy news! Please note: CHERRIES should also be included in this list. Peaches, Plums Induce Deliciously Promising Death of Breast Cancer Cells ScienceDaily — Breast cancer cells -- even the most aggressive type -- died after treatments with peach and plum extracts in lab tests at Texas AgriLife Research recently, and scientists say the results are deliciously

Pilgrim Soul, by request

2010-07-29T19:42:00.000-05:00

Many readers of my new book have asked me to print the entire Yeats poem, When You Are Old. In the section for single survivors, I use part of the poem to illustrate how a woman should find her "fellow traveler" who will celebrate and love all that she is, all that she has been through and all that will be for the two of them, together, as they travel the road of life. She should not settle for

Update on Avastin

2010-07-29T15:59:00.000-05:00

Our voices have been heard. Please see our post from earlier this week, On Judah Folkman and Avastin. Keep it up: never give in- never, ever give in. July 29, 2010 Alicia Mundy Wall Street Journal Senator Slams FDA Advisory Committee’s Avastin Decision An FDA advisory committee’s vote to revoke the approval of Roche-Genentech’s Avastin for treating breast cancer has drawn rough words from a

Love Lives

2010-07-28T12:57:00.000-05:00

We talk about loss a great deal when we contemplate our breast cancer. One of the main reasons I wrote Intimacy After Breast Cancer, Dealing with Your Body, Your Relationships and Sex, was because I wanted to share the tremendous capacity for hope the world still holds for each and every one of you. It is not over. Not if you don't let it be. Live your lives - live them to the fullest. Embrace

On Judah Folkman and Avastin

2010-07-25T09:25:00.000-05:00

The very miracle that gives us life can also take it away. This is what Dr. Judah Folkman discovered when he realized the mechanism of angiogenesis. Angiogenesis: the creation of a new blood supply from cells within the body. The most beautiful of angiogenesis is a fetus. The most deadly is found in cancer. Two polar opposites, that which gives life and that which takes it away, are both

Doctors make the Decisions...

2010-07-24T20:34:00.000-05:00

The UK is changing its medical care. In essence, according to this NY Times article, the patients and doctors will make healthcare decisions instead of the government. Which would you prefer? A large, cold government insurance entity deciding whether you really need that CT scan - or your Primary Care Physician? Britain Plans to Decentralize Health Care By Sarah Lyall The New York Times

New Study Proves Why Before Forty Initiative is so Vital!

2010-07-24T11:17:00.000-05:00

We have been working on spreading the word about The Before Forty Initiative. It is a program that was started in honor of Ferne Dixon, a young, beautiful, African American woman who was also my best friend. I promised her I would make sure all young women, particularly young African American women knew their risks for Triple Negative Breast Cancer and got the early screening necessary to save

You have the power to save someone's life today

2010-07-11T23:49:00.000-05:00

What if ... You found your cancer while it was still small? You found your cancer before it spread to your nodes? You found your triple negative cancer earlier? You found your cancer so early you didn’t require chemo? You found your cancer so tiny you could keep your breasts? You found your cancer in time to preserve your fertility?    If only you knew earlier... You know what all this means.

From Publisher's Weekly

2010-07-06T10:21:00.000-05:00

The reviews are really great. Thank you! Intimacy After Breast Cancer: Dealing with Your Body, Relationships and Sex Gina M. Maisano, Square One (www.squareonepublishers.com), $16.95 paper (190p) ISBN 9780757003240 Maisano, founder of the No Surrender Breast Cancer Foundation, examines the delicate personal side of reconnecting after the trauma of breast cancer. Writing in a straightforward,

Returning to Romance After Breast Cancer

2010-07-03T13:36:00.000-05:00

Treatments are over, time to LIVE again. If you haven't picked up "Intimacy After Breast Cancer" yet, here are some tips to get back into the land of the loving. Your whole life is waiting for you, go live it! Learn to love the new you. Whether you have chosen to have breast reconstruction or not, get to know your body again. Change what you don’t like, embrace what you do like. If you are not

Everybody in the Pool?

2010-07-01T10:17:00.000-05:00

Today is the day the high risk insurance pools open for uninsured people who cannot get coverage because of pre-existing conditions. The catch? You must be uninsured for over six months to be eligible. Check your policies and do your homework before jumping in... High-Risk Insurance Pools to BeginNew York Times By WALECIA KONRAD IF you have any kind of chronic medical condition

Isn't It Romantic?

2010-06-27T18:43:00.000-05:00

It's not you- it's society. Truly. Read this article by Camille Paglia. She touches on so many things we discuss in Intimacy After Breast Cancer. Even for people without cancer, the "thrill" is gone. Why? There is no effort, mystery, imagination or plain old romance anymore. Do yourself a favor. Turn off trash TV and turn on Turner Classic Movies. The stars of yesterday as well as the writers and