Lance Armstrong Foundation asked Shepard Fairey to do a piece for their show Stages. 

Nike Stages Show

Shepard did the piece based on a photo of Jessica Ikenberry (by Andrena Photography) that we used early on in Waiting Room.  He has been a great supporter of Waiting Room with his design advice and his encouragement. Jessica has been an inspiration and a cover girl for Waiting Room.  

The photos of Jessica on the site and on the banner are by photographer Dave Naz who donated the shoot.

We are lucky to have so many great people on board. New issue coming soon. Stay tuned.

Lance Armstrong’s interest in art was mentioned in a previous blog post, but it is nearly time for the launch of the Stages Global Art Exhibition.

As this art blog explains, the art exhibition will be revealed in different stages, reflecting a theme of stages of a race (the Tour de France is happening right now as a matter of fact), stages of cancer, and just stages of life in general.

The collaboration also includes the release of a sweet Livestrong AirForce One Nike shoe.

Ed McMahon, a talk show icon (some of us remember him as the American Family Publishers Sweepstakes guy), died at age 86 on Tuesday June 23. According to this article on NBC New York News, he had many health problems, including bone cancer.

Farrah Fawcett a beloved Charlie’s Angel, passed away from complications of anal cancer.  This article in The Examiner explains that she refused a colostomy and opted for alternative treatment overseas.

Farrah Fawcett 70s Icon

Whenever there are high profile cancer cases the public discourse on treatment and prognosis seems to ramp up. It is a sensitive topic, but there is an odd trend in celebrities seeking alternative cancer treatment.  This ABC News Special reviews a few well-known cases like Steve McQueen and Fawcett.  Is it because they are naturally “outsiders”? (Andy Kaufman for example) Because they don’t feel they can trust doctors? Or because they have lost hope? Or just because they have the money and resources to try something before dreadful chemo or colostomys? Whatever the case may be - this is certianly a topic for discussion.

The National Cancer Institute website says that, “Cancer patients are at great risk for developing insomnia and disorders of the sleep-wake cycle.” It is extremely important to address sleep disorders because, “Anxiety and depression, common psychological responses to the diagnosis of cancer, cancer treatment, and hospitalization, are highly correlated with insomnia.”

We can’t know which comes first, the insomnia or the anxiety and depression. Or can we? Recent findings, like the study featured in this TIME magazine article, show that dreaming (usually only done in stages of REM sleep) has a helpful emotional processing function that helps us cope with our waking life.  If we are not getting enough sleep, we don’t enter REM sleep and can’t benefit from this effect. The price we pay in our waking life, according to the article, is irritability, depression, and anxiety. Lack of sleep can also have and effect on pain tolerance, the ability to make decisions and read emotions in others. All of those side effects are things that can make cancer treatment near unbearable and even worse, have lasting psychological repercussions. Many patients continue to suffer from anxiety and depression long after their physical treatment is finished. Sleep problems could very well be a factor.

Sleep dissorders can be prevented and they are something that you should discuss with your doctor as soon as possible.

We do things our own way here on the Cancer Unsensored Blog, of course, everyday we are here is a day to celebrate - but we did overlook National Cancer Survivors Day last Sunday.

Who is a cancer survivor? The National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation defines a “survivor” as anyone living with a history of cancer – from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life. National Cancer Survivors Day affords your community an opportunity to demonstrate that it has an active, productive cancer survivor population. (from The National Cancer Surviors Day website)

Now, let’s see if we can’t stretch that party into this weekend.