Next Event: Checked Get Fit

Nearly two years later, Barbara Jones can still recall the exact date of her cancer diagnosis. “I will never forget it,” she says.

She had rushed to the hospital after waking up in the wee hours of the morning with an excruciating pain in her upper back. She couldn’t catch her breath.

Fifteen minutes after entering the Einstein Medical Center Elkins Park emergency room Barbara received a diagnosis that took her by surprise: She had a cancerous mass on her lung.

“It was upsetting,” she recalls, telling the doctor, “You’re lying to me. This can’t be.” Barbara’s anxiety was compounded by the fact that she had just lost her brother to lung cancer. He died in November and she was diagnosed in December, eleven days before her birthday.

Barbara was shocked by the original diagnosis because she had no other symptoms and she prides herself on leading a healthy lifestyle. Barbara sought a second opinion from her primary care physician, who is also at Einstein. He confirmed the diagnosis.

BARBARA RECEIVES EXPERT TREATMENT FROM A TEAM OF SPECIALISTS

Soon Barbara was under the care of a team of specialists at Einstein who worked together to develop her unique treatment plan. “There were three doctors working on me and they put it all together… They all filled me in on what they decided.”

“I was treated like a human being, not just a patient. My Einstein team went out of their way to do things for me.”

- Barbara Jones

She met with all of her doctors in a single meeting, each one providing details on their role in her care. “It went from A to Z. If it was medicine they explained to me, what it would do, what the after-effects would be, what I should do if I had any problems. They gave me facts and numbers, but also kept it simple, understandable. They gave me their home phone numbers and emails so I could get in touch if I needed anything.”

COMPASSIONATE PERSONALIZED ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO ALL ASPECTS OF BARBARA’S CARE

Clear communication and compassionate care at Einstein meant a lot to Barbara as she battled her lung cancer. “I was treated like a human being, not just a patient. My Einstein team went out of their way to do things for me, they handled all appointment scheduling and paperwork processing. It got personal and I still have contact with them today.”

EINSTEIN PRESCRIBES AGGRESSIVE TREATMENT TO BATTLE BARBARA’S CANCER

Barbara calls her treatment “my own clinical trial” because her specific care plan was so aggressive. Once doctors discovered her lung cancer had metastasized into her chest wall they prescribed the strongest doses of chemotherapy and radiation treatments allowable at the same time. “It just shows they were doing whatever they could to save me.”

BARBARA APPROACHES HER LIFE AS A CANCER SURVIVOR WITH AN UPBEAT ATTITUDE

Barbara faced cancer with a strong spirit and now tells others, “The best way to handle something is to stay positive and have faith, especially in the program at Einstein. Put that right foot forward and don’t step back.”

Team Draft would like to thank survivors like Barbara who have shared their story showing people that there is HOPE. Share your story today to do your part to Change the Face of Lung Cancer.

“I am nothing but I must be everything.” ― Karl Marx

On Dec. 28, 2010, I was told I had lung cancer. It didn’t seem possible. I was only 24!

Early in December I had experienced persistant chest pain that ultimately led me to my local Emergency Room. I received a CT Scan that showed a mass in the middle lobe of my right lung. On December 28, 2010 after a series of non-surgical procedures it was determined to be lung cancer.Read More

http://www.heathergeraghty.blogspot.com

Team Draft and Team LIVESTRONG® Challenge Series Heads to Philadelphia to Champion Cancer Survivors.  Lance Armstrong to Participate in Run and Ride at Seventh Annual Philly Challenge and Chris Draft to Serve as Keynote Speaker and Participate in Run.

The 2012 Team LIVESTRONG Challenge Series will return to Philadelphia Aug. 18-19 for the seventh time. The two-day event includes a 5K or 10K walk/run on Saturday and a multi-distance bike ride on Sunday, with distances ranging from 20-100 miles, providing options for a wide-range of fitness levels. Lance Armstrong, cancer survivor, cycling champion and founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, will attend the weekend’s events and participate in both the run and ride. Chris Draft, former NFL linebacker and founder of the Chris Draft Family Foundation (CDFF), will participate in the run and serve as the keynote speaker at the fundraising dinner on Saturday.

“I am looking forward to joining our enthusiastic and dedicated supporters for the seventh annual Team LIVESTRONG Challenge in Philly,” said Armstrong. “This weekend is a great opportunity for us to unite in the fight against cancer and actively support the 28 million people affected by cancer worldwide.”

Team Draft, an initiative of the CDFF launched by Draft and his late wife Keasha during Keasha’s year-long battle with Stage IV Lung Cancer, is leading a national campaign to change the face of lung cancer by shattering the misconception that lung cancer is a “smoker’s disease.”

“Cancer came into my house, and it took my wife. Too many families are affected by this horrible disease. It’s time to respond,” said Draft. “That’s why Keasha and I launched Team Draft. She wanted to be an inspiration to those battling the disease and we wanted to raise awareness so that other families wouldn’t have to go through what we went through. Team Draft is committed to changing the face of lung cancer, but it takes a team to tackle cancer, and we are proud to work with the Lance Armstrong Foundation for this year’s Team LIVESTRONG Challenge.”

The Team LIVESTRONG Challenge is the Foundation’s popular three-part series in Team LIVESTRONG’s roster of more than two-dozen athletic events designed to raise funds for the fight against cancer. The Challenge inspires and empowers individuals, teams, families, friends and co-workers to unite in the fight against the world’s leading cause of death. One hundred percent of participant and donor gifts to the LIVESTRONG Challenge series go directly to support cancer programs and initiatives. Since 1997, the Challenge events have raised more than $70 million.

In the 2011 Philly Challenge, more than 5,000 participants raised more than $2.6 million for the fight against cancer. To date, the LIVESTRONG Challenge Philly has raised more than $16 million since 2006. Philadelphia will be the second stop in this year’s series, which kicked off in Davis, Calif. in June and ends in Austin, Texas on Oct. 21. The Philly Challenge takes place at Montgomery County Community College. Those interested in registering can visit www.TeamLIVESTRONG.org.

About the Lance Armstrong Foundation
The Lance Armstrong Foundation serves people affected by cancer and empowers them to take action against the world’s leading cause of death. With its iconic yellow LIVESTRONG wristband, the Foundation became a symbol of hope and inspiration to people affected by cancer throughout the world. Created in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong, the Foundation provides free patient navigation services to survivors with financial, emotional and practical challenges that accompany the disease. Known for its powerful brand – LIVESTRONG – the Foundation is also a leader in the global movement on behalf of 28 million people living with cancer today. Since its inception in 1997, the Foundation has raised nearly $500 million for the fight against cancer. For more information, visit LIVESTRONG.org.

Team Draft is leading a National Campaign to Change the Face of Lung Cancer, and has visited over 45 Centers across the United States, and Canada. Our blog, The Draft Report is our way of sharing the stories of the amazing doctors and researchers who are working diligently to save lives, and improve the chances of people affected by cancer. Please help us continue the FIGHT! Respond! IT TAKES A TEAM TO TACKLE LUNG CANCER!

In July of 1998 I developed a pain in my left shoulder blade, which I thought was from pruning an overhead tree branch. My doctor and I treated it as a pulled muscle, but several months later, when I started coughing up blood, it was finally diagnosed as non‐small cell lung cancer, Stage IIIB, inoperable. I was terrified.

However, within a week of diagnosis, my husband Jonathan Holt Truex and I were at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa. I received 6 weeks of external beam radiation with concurrent low‐dose chemo (Taxol and carboplatin), followed by 5 rounds of monthly full‐dose chemo. By the end of treatment, my 7×8 cm tumor had shrunk to 2.5 cm, and 6 months after that, by the grace of God, it had shrunk away to a scar!

In celebration of my recovery, and in an attempt to bring more joy into my life, I began taking singing lessons and watercolor classes, and I became more involved in my church. My life was, and is, much richer than it had been before the cancer.
Then 10 years after my first lung cancer, I was diagnosed with a second one, Stage IA, also non‐small cell and also inoperable. It was considered to be a new primary because it was 10 years later and in the opposite lung. Again I had weeks of radiation (7 weeks of TomoTherapy this time) with concurrent low‐dose chemo (Taxol and carboplatin again), followed by 5 rounds of chemo (4 of Taxol and cisplatin this time, plus one of Alimta). Again, by the grace of God, I am in remission, with the nodule appearing much fainter and not growing.

In the course of diagnosing my second lung cancer, we became aware that the areas we had considered to be harmless scar tissue in my lungs might not be so harmless. Called ‘ground glass opacities’, these hazy areas have become the subject of considerable research recently. Apparently they can start growing and turn into malignant nodules after being inactive for many years. Now my pulmonologist measures each of my GGOs every time I have a CT scan, and we are currently watching one small but suspicious area.

However, during these 13 years, except when I have been in treatment, I have felt completely normal and have led an active lifestyle. My husband Holt and I travel,
hike, and walk our dogs. I now have a paralyzed vocal cord, so I have traded in
singing for playing the tambourine, but I still take watercolor classes and I’m still
active in my church. I also do volunteer work with cancer patients through the
American Cancer Society, and I talk to newly diagnosed lung cancer patients as a
Volunteer with the Bloch Cancer Foundation (http://blochcancer.org/) Hotline, the
Lung Cancer Alliance (http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/) Phone Buddy Program and the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (http://www.cancercenter.com/)
Patient‐to‐Patient Network.. I continue to have all my treatment and checkups at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, and you might even see my Holt

CLEMSON, SC (FOX Carolina) -
Chris Draft, a former NFL linebacker, first met LaKeasha Rutledge back in 2006 in Charlotte, NC.

“It’s crazy how things work together,” Draft said. “My cousin met a friend of hers up in New York City.”

Back in 2006, Draft was making moves on the football field with the Carolina Panthers. Before they met, Keasha Rutledge danced with the NBA Charlotte Hornets’ Honeybees and worked as an engineer.

While they dated, Draft played for several teams and in 2010 he retired. During that time, Rutledge decided to train for the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston.

“She really wanted to run it, so she was training,” Draft said. “She was in shape. She was strong, and because of that she just felt this little shortness of breath.”

That shortness of breath led to chest X-rays and a CT scan.

“She got the chest X-ray and the results came back and there was a mass,” Draft said. “That was right before Christmas in 2010. She got a biopsy a couple days after Christmas and it was confirmed it was lung cancer.”

At 37 years old, Rutledge, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.

“In football we’re taught and told this could be the last game that you play,” Draft said. “And this situation was one of those that takes that so much more to that extreme.”

During those months, they made a commitment to fight. And on Nov. 27, 2011, in front of family and friends, Draft and Rutledge made another commitment to one another and got married.

“That’s my wife!” Draft said. “That’s my wife! You know? We’re going to hold on and we’re going to fight. We’re going to continue to fight.”

He said Keasha Rutledge Draft danced, smiled and lived each day and encouraged others to do the same.

A month to the day after they were married, Keasha Rutledge Draft died.

“And what helped her live was great family, great friends that remembered her of the importance of standing up and being a woman,” Draft said.

So now, instead of pads and a helmet, Draft suits up for Team Draft.

He doesn’t travel with a team of linebackers, receivers or running backs, but he still goes from city to city but with a new playbook. The new game plan is to raise money for lung cancer research in Keasha Rutledge Draft’s honor.

“Our hope is that when people think of lung cancer, they’re not going to think of a cigarette anymore,” Draft said. “But they’ll see Keasha, they’ll see her face and they’ll realize it’s people, it’s not just a disease, it’s people who need our help. I don’t want to see Keasha just as someone that passed away from lung cancer, but really someone that lived.”

Those who love her want to continue to honor her strength. Tiko Thurman, Keasha Rutledge Draft’s cousin, said she was more like a sister.

“We (were) just extremely close,” Thurman said.

Keasha Rutledge Draft grew up in Williamston and as an only child, family members said faith and family came first. She graduated from high school an academic scholar and chose to attend Clemson University. She graduated with a degree in electrical engineering.

“She was just that person when she walked into a room, things would change, people would brighten up,” Thurman said.

So, when doctors diagnosed her with stage four lung cancer, it was hard to understand.

“When Keasha got it, it really just opened my eyes to this is a deadly disease that can attack anyone, the healthiest person,” Thurman said.

Dr. Billy Bolton, a thoracic surgeon with the Greenville Hospital System didn’t treat Keasha Rutledge Draft but said her story is unfortunately a familiar one. Keasha Rutledge Draft had a form of lung cancer known as non-small cell lung cancer.

“Non-small cell lung cancer makes up the majority of lung cancer in the United States; about 75 to 85 percent of all patients,” Bolton said.” So what happens is there’s a mutation in that cell of the lung and then it continues to grow more rapidly than the other cells in that lung.”

Bolton said often times the diagnosis can be linked to two factors.

“Those two factors – secondhand smoke and radon gas, probably account for the majority of them,” Bolton said.

But he said progress is being made with research and new medicines.

“I think it would mean a whole lot to be able to see your mom and dad for four or five more years or however long it might be,” Bolton said.

One of Keasha Rutledge Draft’s closest friends, Jessie Hood, said her friend had a way of making others feel special.

“She would never ask, I never heard her say why me? She just accepted that this is what God had for her and she was going to fight,” Hood said.

They met at Clemson University and became sorority sisters.

“Her life was very special. She was a special person, she was a beautiful person, she had such capacity to love. Her heart was so big. She was an academic scholar, but she was the life of the party. She was a dancer, but she was an engineer too and she just lived each day,” Hood said.

She said her friend would light up the floor when she danced as a rally cat at Clemson, or when she shared intimate moments with friends and family.

“Her relationship with her mother was very special. Not only did they have a mother-daughter relationship, but they were really best friends too,” Hood said.

So in her honor, the Keasha Rutledge Draft Memorial Scholarship is set up for Clemson students.

“Not only are we helping future Clemson undergraduate students, we’re also helping the university,” Hood said.

And Thurman said he always knew his cousin would do big things, and though it’s tough without her, he said he’s learned a lot about life by witnessing the way she lived.

“Make sure that we make everyday a positive day. Make sure we find great things in everyday and just live life like God intended us to do. He said he wants us to live life and live it more abundantly,” Thurman said.

If you would like to be a part of Team Draft, you can donate to the Keasha Rutledge Draft Memorial Scholarship fund. All donations are tax deductible and benefit the Clemson fund.

Family and friends honor Keasha Rutledge Draft, who died after battling stage four lung cancer.

To highlight some of the critical work being done at the Goodman Cancer Research Centre, we gathered some of our top scientists, students, lab techs and dedicated volunteers, who turned on the music – and danced!

His goal is changing the face of lung cancer. Former NFL linebacker Chris Draft is logging thousands of miles to reach that goal. Draft is traveling to cancer centers across the country to learn everything he can about the disease that took the love of his life. Despite his loss, Draft’s message is about people living and fighting lung cancer. People like his wife.
Keasha Draft was diagnosed with advance stage non-small cell lung cancer in December 2011. A year later, in December 2012, she passed away. Since her death, Chris Draft shares her story to keep her memory alive and to dispel the myths about lung cancer. Keasha Draft was 38-years-old and, like approximately 20 percent of those diagnosed with lung cancer, never smoked a cigarette.
When he arrived on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in July, Draft was well versed on the challenges involved in early detection, the molecular testing of lung tumors, targeted therapies and the leading edge research conducted by University of Colorado Cancer Center investigators.
What he found at CU Cancer Center is lung cancer survivors and hope. He met Ellen Smith, who got another chance at life by participating in a clinical trial for people with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) positive non-small cell lung cancer. Smith told Draft about her life since her diagnosis. She has traveled, gained precious time with her family, become a grandmother again and even gotten married. Draft encourages lung cancer survivors like Smith to tell their stories.
“Lung cancer doesn’t have a face and if it does, it’s a cigarette,” said Draft. “But things are changing. People need to see people with lung cancer living.”
Draft wants to change the face of lung cancer. He wants people to know it is the number one cancer killer in the United States. He wants to spread the word that lung cancer kills more people than breast, prostate, colon, liver, kidney and skin cancer combined.
Draft’s stop at CU Cancer Center was the 40th in his tour of cancer centers across the country. He wants to share Keasha’s story of living for each day to inspire others so “they can be energized regardless how long they have. They are living.”

JULY 19, 2012 BY ERIKA MATICH

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) – He tackled pro football players for 12 years, but former NFL linebacker Chris Draft is now battling a disease that took his love, and changed his life.

Draft is on the road again with “Team Draft,” determined to spread the word that lung cancer is one of the biggest killers out there and that it can affect anyone. Draft wanted to know all about the University of Colorado Cancer Center and CBS4′s Kathy Walsh went along.

Draft understands what it’s like to tackle cancer after the love of his life was taken by the disease. That was Keasha Rutledge. Draft met her in 2006 while he was a linebacker with the Carolina Panthers. She was an engineer and a dancer.

“Intelligent, intelligent woman; she actually graduated high school in three years,” Draft said.

In 2010, Draft retired and they were finally together.

“Two days before Christmas, her Christmas present was to find out she had a mass in her lung and then two days after they confirmed that it was cancer,” Draft said.

Keasha never smoked, yet she had Stage 4 lung cancer and was given only eight months to live — the fight was on.

“Radiation and chemo — and she was always smiling,” Draft said.

On Nov. 27, 2011, the pair got married. One month to the day later Keasha died.

The former pro is now teaming up with cancer centers across the country. He’s on a mission to change the face of lung cancer.

“The first thing they think is smoking, but the numbers are clear — between 15 and 20 percent are never smokers,” Draft said.

Draft points out lung cancer is the number one cancer killer. He shares Keasha’s story with patients whenever he can.

“That they can be energized regardless of how long they have, they are living.”

The University of Colorado Cancer Center was Draft’s 40th stop in his tour of top cancer centers in America. It’s also where doctors are finding success with medications made to match the genes of a particular lung cancer.

Physicians at the University of Colorado Hospital are finding startling success with medications that are made to match the genes of a particular lung cancer. The new strategy means the drugs work only on certain patients – but they can work really well.
Researchers think the cancer-fighting drugs may tamp the disease for a few years, and then the cancers may mutate and find a way around the medication. But years of healthy living is fantastic for people who’ve been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, which has a five-year survival rate of less than 3 percent.
Dr. Ross Camidge of UCH says patient Andy Bonnett is a prime example of what one of this new strategy of “personalized medicine” can do.
Two years ago Bonnett was one of those Stage 4 lung cancer patients. He was, said Camidge, “a young man who had never smoked, led a very healthy life, developed increasing shortness of breath and pain, and was diagnosed with lung cancer in his mid-30s.”

Read More