Tapping sources of inspiration and support, maintaining the activities of their daily life, and taking pride in their appearance can all help provide cancer survivors with an essential sense of normalcy and self-worth.

Kirkhart found renewed hope and self-confidence through journaling her experiences and feelings, which also helped her identify other strategies for sustaining a positive outlook and recognizing her inner beauty. Kirkhart is now sharing her inspirational message and practical advice with women across the country as co-creator of a new program designed to help breast cancer survivors reclaim their physical confidence and emotional well-being.

Along her journey, Kirkhart connected with Lisa Cole, a nationally recognized lingerie fitter and mastectomy form expert who presents lingerie fashion seminars throughout the United States; together, they created Mirror, Mirror On the Wall, How Do I Feel Underneath it All. The program is the first of its kind to include fashion advice combined with wellness and self-empowerment strategies to help cancer survivors rediscover their beauty from the inside out.

“Our program aims to help women rebuild their self-confidence, whether it’s by choosing the right lingerie, keeping a journal of their experiences or working with their health care team to lessen the burden of treatment,” said Cole.

Another critical element of the Mirror, Mirror program is the wellness discussion given by oncology nurse practitioner Jody Pelusi, PhD, FNP, AOCN, Arizona Oncology Associates, Sedona, Arizona, who provides strategies to help maintain not only physical but overall well-being while undergoing cancer treatment. “My patients are often devastated by how they look and feel as a result of their cancer and its treatment, and I often counsel them on how to maintain a positive outlook and body image,” said Pelusi. “For some of my patients, different treatment approaches, like oral chemotherapy, can have a positive impact by offering greater convenience and fewer severe side effects than intravenous therapy.”

The AMC, a nonprofit research institute located in Lakewood, Colo., will continue as an independent foundation devoted to financial support for research in cancer causation, prevention and control at the University of Colorado. AMC was originally founded as the Jewish Consumptive Relief Society in 1904, a charitable hospital and research center that treated patients with tuberculosis. Until 1989, AMC was a hospital as well as a research center, but then began focusing entirely on research and ways to control cancer, to help patients live longer and to prevent cancer before it starts. The AMC Cancer Research Center has merged with the University of Colorado Cancer Center, a step designed to help both organizations in their efforts to fight the disease.

The merger also is designed to help increase philanthropic community support for cancer research, according to Dr. Al Marcus, interim scientific director at AMC. “Combining efforts with the university makes both organizations stronger,” says Marcus. “Not only will this enhance our ability to share research approaches and resources, but it will increase grant funding and fundraising opportunities as well. The relocation will facilitate collaborations and provide access to the state-of-the-art facilities.”

Lung cancer is a condition wherein there is uncontrolled growth of cells that are malignant inside a person’s lung. Persons who are most commonly affected by this health problem are those belonging to the age of 40 and above.

One of the most common causes of lung cancer is smoking. It is more precipitated by a person’s lifestyle. Similar with drinking alcohol, smoking can also be influenced by factors like friends, family, and environment. Although lung cancer can be more acquired because of passive smoking.

Passive smoking. Also known as second-hand smoking, is the one contributing major factor why lung cancer is prominent. Passive smoking happens when a person, who is with someone who’s actively smoking, inhales the smoke coming from the cigarette. It also occurs when airborne pollutants like asbestos dust are inhaled. Just by inhaling smoke coming out from a vehicle’s muffler, you are prone to having a lung cancer.

True, sources of lung cancer are quite rampant but there is no obvious preventive measure rather than avoiding smoke. If you are a smoker, just stop smoking.

To help you become more aware, here are the signs and symptoms that a smoker or anyone can experience and detect lung cancer.

- severe and permanent cough that produces sputum flecked with blood. Cough, at the beginning, may just like be any other cough but as it advances, the coughs become more prominent and turns out as a burden.

- wheezing and chest pain. Everytime you’ll cough out, there will be a wheezing sound that is also similar with the sound that is produced when a person has asthma. The sound will be heard clearly if placed under a stethoscope.

- unexplained loss of weight.

- persistent cough that lasts for weeks or even months.

Bad news is, lung cancer cannot be treated whatsoever. Although radiotherapy, chemotherapy and occasionally, surgery can have the chance to lessen the malignant cells inside the lungs but apart from that, there is still no proven cure but divine intervention. Pain-relievers can also be prescribed to relieve the severe pain that is caused by the disease.

Lung cancer can be prevented only if people will participate. Proper hygiene and a healthy lifestyle can help you get through ignoring lung cancer. Personal health care of your lungs is as important as taking care of your heart.

Related articles cancer article | Anti Aging Skin Care and Cancer | detoxification and cancer