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Facing Cancer Together
Facing Cancer Together is the first on-demand television program focused solely on cancer. This first-of-its-kind program is produced out of the
Greater Boston facility of The Wellness Community, and broadcast throughout the country. The goal of this
program is to bring cancer support, education and stress management services directly into the home, so that people with cancer
and their loved ones and caregivers can benefit from the exceptional programs offered at Wellness Communities all across the
country, even if they cannot make it into a facility.
Among the many stressors that cancer and its treatment can bring, research has shown that there are three particularly challenging psychological and emotional stressors that people with cancer face: unwanted aloneness, loss of control, and loss of hope. A meaningful way to reduce these stressors is to participate, along with loved ones and other people with cancer, in support groups, educational workshops, stress management programs, nutrition classes, and other activities. We recognize that not everyone will be able to visit a Wellness Community, whether for reasons of poor health, distance, travel concerns, or something else. While the Virtual Wellness Community provides excellent information and online support groups, we want people with cancer and their loved ones to be able to experience a variety of activities and feel that they are joining with other participants, therapists, and instructors. For this reason, the Wellness Community-Greater Boston has created an exciting television program named Facing Cancer Together, to be broadcast nationwide.
Facing
Cancer Together is hosted by Shonda Shilling, the founder of The Shade Foundation of America. The wife of a successful major league baseball player, Shonda had a very public battle with malignant
melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. As a result, she launched The SHADE Foundation of America in 2002 to promote
sun-safety awareness. In February of 2001, at the age of 33, Shonda was diagnosed with Stage 2 malignant melanoma. A fair skinned, lifelong sunbather, Shonda was shocked to learn skin cancer could be deadly. A total of 5 surgeries left 25 scars crisscrossing her back, arms, legs and chest. Immediately, responsible sun habits were implemented in her daily routine and in the routine of her family. The Schillings developed a new relationship with sunscreen and sun protective clothing. Her children were taught to play indoors to avoid being in the sun during the prime sun hours of 10-4, a very difficult task in the desert state of Arizona, where the Schillings were living at the time. HealthiNation, the first multi-platform health
video network that delivers straight-talking, easy-to-understand information on your health, and The Wellness Community
are coming together to develop new educational programs called "HealthiNation - Facing Cancer" to help cancer patients
and their loved one face the challenges of cancer. These short-format video programs, available in the fall of 2008, will
be found on HealthiNation's national on-demand network through partners including:
Click here to see the HealthiNation Facing Cancer promotional video.
Since President Richard Nixon declared war
on cancer in 1971, the disease has never drawn any significant political attention or opposition. Until now. Bringing the importance of a national cancer policy to the forefront of the 2008 presidential race, the Lance Armstrong Foundation hosted the first ever LIVESTRONG Presidential Canccer Forum. The cancer forum allowed voters to understand the candidates' position on national cancer policy and national health care in general, and it highlighted the significant voting power of the 10,000,000 cancer survivors in the United States. In August, the Lance Armstrong Foundation invited all of the presidential candidates to address the cancer burden in our country. At the LIVESTRONG Presidential Cancer Forum, six candidates pledged to renew the war on cancer and to make cancer a national priority. The LIVESTRONG Presidential Cancer Forum made cancer a ballot box issue for the 2008 presidential elections. Lance Armstrong notes that “our next president must be focused on the cancer issue and he or she must be committed to our health and well-being and have the political will to do something about it. Cancer must remain part of the national dialogue.” Facing Cancer Together documented the forum from behind-the-scenes and interviewed the participating Presidential Candidates. Chris Matthews, MSNBC and Lance Armstrong hosted this historic forum. |
Copyright 2008, The Wellness Community-Greater Boston
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