FORWARDSPRING 2014 LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE AFTER CANCER A New Chapter Cancer led one woman to reach out to the world Making The Transition How to take control of your return to work Online Connections Special supports for patients, survivors and caregivers John Mann How the Spirit of the West singer/songwriter found inspiration from his experience with cancer PM 40065475 p01_FORWARDSpr2014_v2.indd 1 14-03-18 9:02 AM FORWARD VOLUME 2, NUMBER 1 FORWARD MAGAZINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ANGELA BEDARD Program Facilitator, Survivorship BC Cancer Agency ALLISON COLINA Communications Manager BC Cancer Foundation DR. KAREN GELMON Medical Oncologist BC Cancer Agency TRACY KOLWICH Manager, Pacific Region Ovarian Cancer Canada MARY McBRIDE Senior Scientist, Cancer Control Research BC Cancer Agency Kristina MORRISON Nurse Practitioner UBC Family Practice SUNAINA SHARMA Patient Representative DEBORAH TWOCOCK Patient Representative CHERI VAN PATTEN, RD Research and Clinical Practitioner, Oncology Nutrition BC Cancer Agency JENNIFER WAH, ABC, MC Principal Consultant Forwords Communication Inc. ANGELA WILSON, ABC Communications Manager, BC Cancer Agency PHSA PATSY WORRALL Vice President, Marketing and Communications BC Cancer Foundation CHAIRMAN CEO PETER Legge, OBC, LLD (HON) PRESIDENT SAMANTHA legge EDITOR ANN Collette CONTRIBUTING EDITORS ANGELA Bedard, ANGELA WILSON ART DIRECTOR SUSAN MINTON GREEN CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS CAMERON HERYET, CHUCK RUSSELL, AMANDA SKUSE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SUE BUGos, ALLAN JENKINS, CLAUDIA KWAN, JENNIFER WAH, KATE ZIMMERMAN ELECTRONIC IMAGING mandy lau, Laura MICHAELS PRODUCTION MANAGER kristina borys Forward is published three times a year by Canada Wide Media Limited for the BC Cancer Agency. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. To unsubscribe or change your address, please send your request to [email protected], or mail to 663 – 750 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1H5, or call 1-800- 663-3333 ext. 674619. Publication Sales Agreement No. 40065475. This magazine is generously supported by the BC Cancer Foundation. p02-03_Contents.indd 2 14-03-18 9:06 AM FORWARD VOLUME 2, NUMBER 1 15 FORWARD MAGAZINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ANGELA BEDARD Program Facilitator, Survivorship BC Cancer Agency ALLISON COLINA Communications Manager BC Cancer Foundation DR. KAREN GELMON Medical Oncologist BC Cancer Agency TRACY KOLWICH contentsfeatures Manager, Pacific Region Ovarian Cancer Canada 10 John Mann MARY McBRIDE Actor and Spirit of the West singer/songwriter found new inspiration following Senior Scientist, Cancer Control Research BC Cancer Agency his experience with colorectal cancer. Kristina MORRISON Nurse Practitioner 16 Making The Transition UBC Family Practice Are you planning to return to work? Learn how to know yourself, pace yourself SUNAINA SHARMA and take control of what you can. Patient Representative DEBORAH TWOCOCK 18 Online Connections Patient Representative Confidential online support provides cancer patients, survivors and caregivers CHERI VAN PATTEN, RD with a safe place to share. Research and Clinical Practitioner, Oncology Nutrition BC Cancer Agency JENNIFER WAH, ABC, MC Principal Consultant departments Forwords Communication Inc. 4 Message ANGELA WILSON, ABC Communications Manager, BC Cancer Agency Dr. Max Coppes, President, BC Cancer Agency PHSA PATSY WORRALL 5 Living Well Vice President, Marketing and Communications BC Cancer Foundation Are organic foods the healthy choice; Dietary supplements don’t always add up to better health; The continued importance of screening for cancer. 8 Journeys Surviving cancer inspired Terri Wingham to reach out into the world – and bring fellow survivors with her. CHAIRMAN CEO PETER Legge, OBC, LLD (HON) PRESIDENT SAMANTHA legge EDITOR ANN Collette 13 Advances CONTRIBUTING EDITORS ANGELA Bedard, ANGELA WILSON A new made-in-BC drug shows promise in treating advanced prostate cancer. ART DIRECTOR SUSAN MINTON GREEN CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS CAMERON HERYET, CHUCK RUSSELL, AMANDA SKUSE 14 In Focus CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SUE BUGos, ALLAN JENKINS, The importance of access to lifestyle resources for colorectal cancer survivors. CLAUDIA KWAN, JENNIFER WAH, KATE ZIMMERMAN ELECTRONIC IMAGING mandy lau, Laura MICHAELS 15 Ask An Expert PRODUCTION MANAGER kristina borys Nurse educator Mary McCullum discusses genetic testing for hereditary Forward is published three times a year by Canada Wide Media Limited cancers. for the BC Cancer Agency. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. To unsubscribe or change your address, please send your request to [email protected], or 20 Foundation mail to 663 – 750 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1H5, or call 1-800- Alex Blodgett shares his inspiring story of cancer survival and of giving back. 663-3333 ext. 674619. Publication Sales Agreement No. 40065475. This magazine is generously supported by the BC Cancer Foundation. 22 What’s On A guide to informational seminars and special events around If you have a topic that you would like to see British Columbia. covered in a future issue of Forward, please let us know by emailing us at [email protected]. 23 Helping Hands The top “must-read” books for those who have had cancer. COVER PHOTO BY Amanda Skuse; ABOVE PHOTO BY CAMERON HERYET spring 2014 FORWARD | 3 p02-03_Contents.indd 3 14-03-18 9:06 AM Message Spring Forward ro beratis nulpa dolupta eruntibus simin Welcome to our second issue of the province – a collaboration between the num reniet dipsam vendit, alibus, sin par- Forward, for those living with and be- BC Cancer Agency, the Regional Health chit. Damusci core, sita qui offi cia ea vo- yond cancer. We received great feedback Authorities and the Ministry of Health. luptatene ea volupta quatia nia aut harum on our fi rst issue and I hope you will Under the Provincial Colon Screening volorib earitia autatis dus sunt fugitibus enjoy our future issues just as much. Program, family physicians and primary pa vel eum facest, volo temposs undioru Spring signifi es moving forward or care providers can refer individuals without mquatum quataque reptaquo et quisquo- leaping ahead, which is also a good repre- symptoms between the ages of 50 and 74 di bea comnis dolupta sum quae. Cabo. Pa volupidion cum nobit, esedi dereratus sentation for the season as many get a fresh for a fecal immunochemical test (FIT), once ma quas dolupta tectatessi as num dolor- start with spring cleaning and getting back every two years. FIT detects blood in your ro beratis nulpa dolupta eruntibus simin outdoors aft er the chilly winter (especially stool (poop), which can be a sign of several num reniet dipsam vendit, alibus, sin par- for those living in Northern BC). disorders, including polyps that may need chit. derum rerum eliqui dolori cuptatque For this issue we have included a variety to be removed to prevent cancer, or colon prestiam voluptati comni blande volori- of content that we hope will help you spring cancer, which requires immediate attention. bus, corest aut venis anis ipis apidell or- ahead on your journey. Stories range from Th e new Provincial Colon Screening esseque es idit hitiunt pel illorum iur, quo tips to maintaining a healthy and proactive Program is an important tool in screening eumenitat facit eost ommollaut erovide lifestyle in Living Well, to supportive re- for colon cancer. With early detection and libusap editatus rernatecto dolendit, unt sources like Online Connections or Making treatment survival rates are approximately pra cus, voluptaecte andit liquis mollaci the Transition, as well as some inspiring 90 per cent. As we talk about in Screening endemol enectibus eaqui quam quis si- stories about individual journeys. for Cancer on page 7, regular screening is maximo et hitam ressunt usamus. Th is past March was also Colorectal important for everyone, even for those who Cancer Awareness Month, which is a have had cancer before. I hope you will par- great reminder to learn more about colon ticipate in this new screening program. cancer. John Mann, our cover story, shares his experience with colorectal Wishing you a vibrant and fresh spring. cancer on page 10. An estimated 3,100 British Columbians will be diagnosed Sincerely, with colorectal cancer in 2014. In November of last year, BC’s Colon Screening Program took effect across Dr. Max Coppes President BC Cancer Agency Dr. Max Coppes President BC Cancer Agency 4 | FORWARD spring 2014 p04-07_Message_LivingWell_v2.indd 4 14-03-18 9:39 AM Living Well Are Organic Foods a Healthy Choice? Your hand hovers over the Like most questions, the answer ier than non-organic foods. She believes organic apples, as you wonder, “does it lies in the grey areas, because while all consumers, including those who matter?” Is it worth paying 25 per cent organic food production is widely have had cancer, are far better off more for the allegedly healthier acknowledged to be healthier for making conscious dietary decisions Granny Smith apples your husband the environment, are organic foods based on what is healthy rather than loves so much? necessarily healthier for us? organic. Jesse Veenstra, a nutritionist with “Switching to organic alone will not the Provincial Health Services do nearly as much for you as reducing Authority, says many people buy red meat intake, for example, or avoid- organic foods to avoid pesticides ing processed foods,” says Veenstra. and to make a healthier food “Don’t think, ‘Oh, it’s organic, it must choice. But both impulses may