David Haas

A cancer diagnosis is a difficult and life changing situation for anyone. Often when people receive the news, their families gather around them for support. Some try to underplay the importance of family and claim that the patient needs to create a better mental space for him or herself. However, the role that family plays in a cancer patient’s life is simply undeniable.

The holidays are a stressful time even when you are not sick. Hours of shopping, putting up decorations, and cooking meals and baking cookies – it is no wonder that this time of year can wear a person down. When you are battling an illness like cancer, staying healthy has to take priority. That is easy to say, but not easy to do when the holidays create memories that no one wants to miss. Staying organized and listening to your body is the key to dealing with the stress of holiday season with cancer.

Cancer can bring your life to a screeching halt, but you’ll find that as you go through treatment and as each day comes closer to normal, you still need to move forward. One way to normalize each day after a cancer diagnosis is through exercise. The National Cancer Institute states that exercise has an enormous positive benefit on both cancer treatment and cancer risk reduction. However, if you have never exercised before it can be hard to get into it.

Physical activity is known to decrease the risk for certain cancers and other serious illnesses. What's more, recent studies suggest that regular exercise can also improve overall health and quality of life for those who have already been diagnosed with the disease: this includes people who have just been diagnosed, those currently in treatment and even those in remission.

Research experts have identified several categories of benefits available to patients who engage in physical fitness programs, but questions have remained because every type of cancer exhibits a different set of symptoms and varies in treatment programs. Researchers have trouble with some types of cancer and treatment plans due to the lack of sufficient patients to perform gold-standard studies. However, trials have shown significant promise of benefits even in these hard to study areas.

Whether you were just diagnosed, are undergoing treatment, or are in remission of cancer- physical fitness is one of the best things that you can do for your health. Research has proven that a consistent exercise routine has many benefits.

The following is the final installment in my series on the importance of cancer support groups. As we've been highlighting different lung cancer news throughout November, the following is an interview with Amy Copeland,  Director of Community Services for the Lung Cancer Alliance.

Mary Hesdorffer is a nurse practitioner working with The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation. She oversees the various support groups that MARF has to offer for those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, their family members, and people who have lost a loved one to this deadly disease. She can be reached at mhesdorffer@curemeso.org.

Given that November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month I’ve decided to contribute to the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance blog with a post about different types of lung cancer support groups. To introduce myself, my name is David Haas and I am a patient advocate and researcher for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. I will be writing posts about my research, the benefits of cancer support groups, and the benefits of physical fitness for those diagnosed with cancer or undergoing cancer treatment. This will serve as part one of a three-part series regarding cancer support networks and their benefits. I have interviewed specialists from both the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF) and the Lung Cancer Alliance.

According to the National Cancer Institute at least 35 percent of all cancer cases are related to poor nutrition. [source]. Numerous studies have been conducted to determine what best aids in the fight and prevention cancer, including mesothelioma. Among the most prevalent healthy suggestions are: