Saying thanks to our "unsung heroes"

10/17/13 San Diego, CA USA.  The people who support a person undergoing treatment for a tumor/cancer deserve recognition. They helplessly stand by and watch their loved ones get weaker in front of their eyes. What many people don't realize is that when someone gets diagnosed with a tumor/cancer, A LOT of people are affected!  Of course the patient is affected the most, but the people who are on "stand-by" as a loved one get weaker need to be recognized.  It is frustrating to watch a loved one's struggle against these diseases.  There are no words to express the gratitude for people who were at our side through the rough times.  The support received from these special people, can easily be taken for granted.   They deserve recognition.  We decided that there needs to be an event organized by survivors to honor the people that were there for us.  We wanted to honor our friends, family, and fellow survivors with unique toasts!  The focus of the event is not on the survivors, but on the people that helped us through a very difficult time!  Check out the videos from the 2013 event:

The 2013 Tumors Suck Part 5:  Celebration of Life video

Tumors Suck NewsFlash videos @ 2013 Celebration of Life for International Tumors Suck Day

These diseases transform everyone.  We can decide how we are transformed.  There are 3 options:

1. dive – psychologically succumb to the disease
2. survive – weather the storm of an intimidating diagnosis
3. thrive – become proactive in the fight against these diseases 

Patients cannot learn to "thrive" alone.  Support is needed from family, friends, and fellow survivors.  On 10/17/13, we wanted to recognize these people for helping us through a very difficult time!

Please help us continue to grow!  We are now planning more international speaking engagements!  We could really use your support.  You can be a part of a new strategy to fight ALL tumors/cancer... ATTITUDE... this ain't no pity party.

We'll send you some TUMORS SUCK stickers and put you in the next video with your online donation!

UCSD Center for Integrative Medicine, Integrative Oncology 2013 Program by Arilda Surridge

One week ago today I had the opportunity to attend the UCSD Center for Integrative Medicine, Integrative Oncology 2013 Program.  I attended with Eric Galvez, and Monika Carlson  I am grateful for all the information that was provided at this event.  It has encouraged and motivated me to again have a balanced diet, body, and mind.

This event made me more aware about how unbalanced my life has been the past few months.  My diet has been terrible; I have been eating a lot of meat and lacking a plant based diet.  Physically, I am completely out of shape.  I have gained weight, and lost so much muscle tone.  I have not exercised as I did before.  Lastly, my mind has been full of negativity in turn causing much stress.  I am ready to once again go back to my balanced lifestyle for optimal wellbeing.

I began thinking to myself what happened that led me to be so unbalanced these past few months.  I have figured out that after my surgeries I had negative thoughts, I did not feel good about myself, and began to worry a lot about my future.  Also the treatment that I am currently on for breast cancer is causing me many side effects and I don’t like it.  This also has me feeling down.  I hate going once a month to my oncologist to get the dreaded shot on my stomach, and I hate having to take a pill on a daily basis. 

What the conference made me realize is that during my treatment I can also integrate other approaches that will increase my quality of life and help me be a more balanced person.  For the past week I have begun to increase my intake of plant based food and decrease meats.  I have begun to exercise again, and I also am trying to applying stress management skills and activities and having more positive thoughts to have a healthy mind and body.  I plan to integrate something new that I learned at the conference, and this is acupuncture.  Acupuncture appears that it may help decrease some of my treatment symptoms. 

I am looking forward to applying what I learned about diet, body, mind, and acupuncture to increase my wellbeing and decrease my risk of a recurring cancer or a new cancer in the future.