Exercise Classes for Cancer Survivors

David Haas, Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Guest Blogger, reached out to me requesting I post his article on the benefits of exercise for those with cancer. Definitely worth a read and sharing with those you care about that are battling cancer.

More Community Centers Offering Exercise Classes To Cancer Survivors

According to a recent study that was performed at Stanford University, small community-based fitness programs offer cancer survivors significant improvements in physical as well as psychological functioning. Study results showed that after 12 to 16 weeks of participating in a small group fitness program, fatigue, stress, vitality and overall fitness improved. Participants who continued the program for a year showed substantial improvements. Fitness programs included lifting weights, leg and chest presses and seated rowing with improvements noted in both women who had survived breast cancer and men with other types of cancer. With numerous additional studies also reporting that regular exercise appears to lower the risk of cancer as well as reduce the risk of reoccurrence and help prolong life in those with cancer, fitness centers and gyms are beginning to offer special classes for cancer patients. Many YMCA centers have also added cancer fitness programs to their schedules.

Depending on where you live, it may be difficult to find a community exercise program, but there are other alternatives that can be just as effective. For instance, some cancer survivors have begun to start their own fitness groups in areas that do not offer these types of programs. Others have begun walking; doing stretch exercises as well as exercising using resistance bands. What types of exercises are done and for how long is up to each individual. Some days it may be impossible to participate due to treatment. The point is to get up and move around when feeling well enough. Increasing activity will reduce the chance of weight gain, which is associated with new and reoccurring cancers as well as provide all the rewards that exercise offers.

Although in past years, doctors often advised cancer patients to reduce their activities and rest, today many oncologists are urging patients with breast cancer, prostate cancer, and even something rare and deadly like mesothelioma to participate in physical activity as much as possible while undergoing treatment. According to www.cancer.org, there are several benefits of exercise that can help patients while going through treatment. Some of these include reducing nausea, less fatigue, improved muscle tone, improved balance to reduce the risk of falling, improved self-esteem and improved quality of life. Before starting any exercise program, it is always best to discuss it with your doctor. Depending on the type of cancer, some patients may be restricted in performing certain exercises.

Evelyn Lauder, Founder of Breast Cancer Research Foundation, died on Saturday.

As many of you know, this blog and the cross country road trip that accompanied it, raised funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Before beginning my trip, I did a fair amount of research to determine which organization would be the recipient of all your generous donations. Breast Cancer Research Foundation was at the top of my list based on their mission, the use of their funds and their excellent ratings from many charity watch groups. In addition, the staff at BCRF is filled with helpful, thoughtful and supportive people.

It was with great sadness that I report the passing of the founder of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Evelyn Lauder. She is profiled in today's New York Times.

Fantastic Gift Idea!!!

Saw this on Breast Cancer Research Foundation's facebook page and wanted to share.

"New Pink DaysAgo Introduced to Promote Breast Cancer Awareness

Pink DaysAgo was inspired by co-inventor Kathleen Whitehurst's eighth anniversary as a breast cancer survivor.

When it comes to breast cancer, early detection is the key to survival. No-one knows that better than Kathleen Whitehurst, co-inventor of the award-winning DaysAgo® Digital Day Counter - and an twelfth-year breast cancer survivor.

Whitehurst's company, double u products inc., is introducing a new pink DaysAgo counter as part of her commitment to helping women of all ages get into the habit of doing regular self breast exams.

"I feel very blessed to be a survivor of breast cancer, the most common cancer in women," said Whitehurst, who underwent a mastectomy and chemotherapy to fight her disease. "I want women to remember every month to do their self exams, which are designed to find early tumors. When breast cancer is found early, and confined to the breast, the chances for survival are the greatest." "

http://www.howmanydaysago.com/pink.php

On the Road Again

I'm hitting the road again. I'm starting in San Francisco and will head through Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas, New Orleans, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Sweet Home Chicago, DC and New York City.
This time my roadtrip is for Key to the Cure, a women's cancer initiative of Saks Fift Avenue in partnership with the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Women's Cancer Research Fund. The program will also receive ongoing support from Mercedes-Benz USA.

To follow my trip just go to: http://www.kttcroadtrip.com/.

Happy Mother's Day Mom

Miss you Mom

Mom at Pike's Peak

Mom & Dad on the ferry to Ellis Island

 
On May 19th I left San Diego on a cross country journey. I reached my final destination: New York City, 57 days later. My goal: raise $9,490 for breast cancer research. $9,490 represents a dollar for every day my mother, Lorraine Raimondo, battled breast cancer. 100% of all donations were donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Along the way I met many interesting people and saw many beautiful and just plain weird things. I kept a travelblog of all my adventures, which you'll find below. Some of my favorites included the Hole 'n the Rock home, the Dog Bark Park Inn, the drive through the redwood forest "Avenue of the Giants" in northern California, dancing with the Marlboro Man, Glacier National Park... oh I loved it all!
Although my road trip has ended, unfortunately breast cancer has not. So people are still making donations and so can you. Just click on the "donate online" button on the right to make a donation. Remember to select "Road to a Cure" in the drop down bar.

Scroll down and also check out the archive index on the right for photos and stories from my road trip. I hope it inspires you to hit the road yourself!

Best of the Road Part 4

Best Breakfast: Church Street B&B, Sandpoint, ID 

Coolest Town Under the Radar: I'm not telling, that would ruin it.
 
Sign Most Likely to have been Created While on Drugs: On a home in Portland, OR
 

Weirdest Gift Shop Experience: Wolf People, somewhere in ID, where a kid got bit by a wolf 

Best Gas Station Sign
 
Most Unique Place to Stay: Dog Bark Park Inn, Cottonwood, ID 

Best Town Sign: Winchester, ID 

Best of the Road Part 3

Best Place to Swim: Greenlake, WI 

Friendliest Drunk on Public Transportation: Brad from Florida on the Hiawatha train line in Minneapolis, MI. (By the way, that's the only train line in Minneapolis.) 

Cheapest Gas: Missoula, MT(most expensive was $4 in Baker,CA)

 

Best of the Road Part 2

Scariest Place to Get a Haircut Award 

Favorite Town Motto Award 

Scariest Road on a Cliff Award 

Best House Award by far goes to the Hole 'N the Rock home.
 

Best of the Road Part 1

Enough people have asked me what the best _____ of my trip was, so I decided to just list them all here.

The Making Do With What You Got Award goes to this person in Northern California:
 

The Best Waitress Award goes to Marie at Mom's Cafe in Salina, UT 

The Friendliest Town Award goes to Ely, NV 

Best Entrance Award somewhere in NV
 

Event I Most Wanted to Crash Award  My friend Sharyl and I did try and crash this wedding. We headed down the road until we got to the big no trespassing sign. I have a rule that I don't go past no trespassing signs in areas where most people have guns. Besides, I had the sinking suspicion that it was a cash bar.
More to come...

Breast Cancer Research Foundation

  That's Pat Altman standing with me at the headquarters of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Pat is the one who set up the online donations. She's a fantastic lady to work with!!!
I stopped by on Tuesday to drop off the checks and cash donors had given me along the way. Speaking of which, donations keep coming in. We're up to $13,300.90! Plus, I just received an envelop from the UK with some pounds in it. So as soon as I convert those bills to dollars we'll be up even more!
To find out more about the foundation click here: Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Paul Bunyan is everywhere!

  Paul Bunyan Camp - Wisconsin

States all over the US take claim to Paul Bunyan. He's that giant logger of American folklore. Well turns out the legend of Paul Bunyan started out in the state of Canada. OK, tee hee. I know Canada is not a state. I just say that to irritate the Canadians. Anyway, eventually the legend wandered south to the US and Blue, Paul's giant blue ox, was added to the legend. Of course we made him bigger and more unbelievable with stories that it took 90 stork to deliver him. Many of the stories of Paul Bunyan evolved from campfire tales that loggers would tell. Some were rather bawdy like the story where a bunch of loggers climped up a ladder on a tree to escape a bear. They tipped the ladder over so the bear could not follow. Unfortunately, this left the loggers stranded in the tree. To resolve this problem they all peed in unison and formed a frozen pole and slid down to freedom. Here's some of the Paul's I found along the road:

The largest Paul Bunyan seems to be near Klamath, CA:
 

I found the scariest Paul Bunyan in Coeur d'Alene, ID. Aren't his eyes kind of crazy?
 

And here's Paul once he finally came out of the closest:
  

Yes, yes, yes!

Yes, you can still make a donation and people are! Please check the pedgers and thank you page for the latest donors and their tributes. (see index on the right). And to make a donation click on DONATE ONLINE on the right.

Meanwhile, check out people you can meet without ever leaving your car below.

People you can meet without ever leaving your car

There are plenty of people you can meet without ever leaving your car. Like these fine gentlemen who's job it is to stop or slow down traffic on a 2 lane road for construction. This guy I met in northern California just outside "Confusion Hill" one of those mystery gravity places. 

I met this man along the Oregon coast:
 

This fella was ruling the road in Idaho:
 

And this guy with long blonde dreadlocks was stationed in South Dakota:
 
If you're lucky enough to be at the front of the line of traffic they are always willing to chat awhile.

Then of course, there are the drive up windows. Actually, this is the only one I visited my entire trip - but who could resist drive up ice cream!
 

And then some folks you are forced to drive up to, like the toll booth operator. But who wouldn't want to be greeted by this guy!
 

Unfortunately, the worst type of person to meet without leaving your car ...
 

Thank You!!!

There are so many people to thank! I'm sure I'm going to forget someone so sorry in advance. OK, here goes:
For providing me with care packages along the way:
Laurel DiLegge-Castillo and family









Sharyl Holtzman (twice!)
Nancy Mack
Jeff Janechek
Matt Myklusch
 

Belle Domingo 

Kathleen Gonzalez 

For sending me music!!
Kevin Tachman (photo) 
Kia Quinn
Jeff Janechek
Noreen Oleksy
For making me a home cooked meal!
James Rodger Moab, UT
Yukari Raimondo, San Francisco (below)
 















Nancy Mack, Minneapolis
Trent Cramer, Minneapolis
Tamaki Friess, Seattle
Laurel, Racheal and Eric DiLegge-Castillo, Chicago
Auntie Clara, Chicago
Auntie Terry, Chicago
For buying me dinner
Kathleen Dargis in Oakland, CA
Jim Snyder in Chicago
James Rodger in Moab, UT
Shelia Schneider and Kevin Geraci in Portland, OR
Tyson in Sandpoint, ID
Joe in Glacier National Park
The Hard Rock Cafe
For buying me a tank full of gas
Nancy Mack
For giving me a place to sleep!!
Robin Holtzman, Vegas
Paul and Yukari Raimondo, San Francisco
Shelia Schneider and Kevin Geraci, Portland, OR
Erich & TamakiFriess, Seattle
OARS Adventure Travel Company (OARS.com)Yellowstone & Teton National Parks
Nancy Mack, Minneapolis
Cathy & John Jennings Green Lake, WI
Auntie Clara & Uncle Jerry, Chicago
For calling me lots while I was on the road
Beverly Raimondo
Dad
Paul Raimondo
Rob Schachter
Juddy
Karen Asch
Jeanie Carstensen
Sharyl Holtzman
For actually hitting the road with me!!
Paul Raimondo
Sharyl Holtzman  

Pat Altman at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation for coordinating all the donations, setting up the online donations and responding to my many emails!!!

For help with the website
Minoru Uchida!!!!! 








Mary Butler
Dave Tainer

Posting encouraging Comments on the website
Sophie Raimondo
Beverly Raimondo
Mary Butler
Minoru Uchida
Dave Tainer
Sharyl Holtzman
Morgan in Vegas
Carol in Oregon
A loyal reader in Chile!
Mary Youhn

Of course to all the donors (see yesterday's entry)

And all the people that sent me such wonderful emails! Oh, you should see them. I can't even begin to explain without sounding sappy. Like Wayne Moodie. He's a man in Woodstock, ON Canada. His red pick-up truck drove along side me from Lansing, MI to just before Toronto. He saw my sign in the window, had his office check out the site. He then made a donation and sent me countless encouraging emails and tips about what to do in Canada. He even tried to get me a ride on a tractor (something I wanted to do on my trip but didn't find the opportunity.) Coordination didn't work out, but how nice is that!!! He's just one of many examples.

Anyway, this Road to a Cure was just a little trip I thought up at the last minute, but to my surprise inspired a lot of people in some way. But the reverse is more true. I never ceased to be surprised at how supportive and encouraging friends, friends of friends, strangers and people you meet on the road can be.

But most of all, thank you to my Mom who was with me the entire time. There right next to me, enjoying the sites, telling me to slow down and praying to St. Anthony so I wouldn't get lost. Thanks for everything Mom.