Posts Tagged ‘lung cancer’

Tackling Lung Cancer: Team Draft’s East Coast Tour

Thursday, March 29th, 2012

Team Draft and the National Lung Cancer Partnership are joining forces to bring much needed attention and critical resources to lung cancer.

“Lung 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 CDFF founder, Chris Draft, of his Team Draft initiative.  “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 partner with the National Lung Cancer Partnership.”

Along with the Partnership, Team Draft is launching the East Coast leg of a nationwide public awareness campaign to change the face of lung cancer.  The two-week tour will include stops at some of the top cancer research and treatment facilities in the country, including several members of the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium (the LCMC).

The Team Draft East Coast Tour will visit several cities to share the vision of Team Draft, including:

Charlotte, NC
Chapel Hill, NC
Washington, D.C.
Baltimore, MD
Philadelphia, PA
Mt. Laurel, NJ
New York, NY
Boston, MA
Washington. D.C.
Charleston, SC

Dr. Malcolm V. Brock is Tackling Lung Cancer

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

Dr. Brock’s research has focused primarily on developing and clinically applying molecular biomarkers, namely DNA methylation, to facilitate the early detection, accurate prognosis and specific chemosensitivity of lung and esophageal cancers. Current projects include using DNA methylation as a more accurate molecular indicator of lymph micrometases in a large cohort of lung cancer patients and as a means of predicting sensitivity of esophageal cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy based on endoscopic biopsy samples. Dr. Brock actively collaborates with Drs. Stephen Baylin and James Herman in the Division of Tumor Biology in the Cancer Center. Recently, Dr. Brock has received NIH funding to investigate the rising incidence of lung cancer in HIV patients and has begun both a clinical study and a tumor-profiling project in this regard. Finally, the Brock laboratory has developed large relational databases of lung and esophageal patients with matching biological samples to validate biomarker discovery. Respond and Donate

Dr. Pasi A. Janne is Tackling Lung Cancer

Tuesday, March 27th, 2012

Chris Draft leads Team Draft to meet with Pasi Janne, MD,PhD at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston to support lung cancer research.

Associated with the world-renowned Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, Dr. Pasi A. Janne, MD, PhD, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania – School of Medicine in Philadelphia. Upon earning his medical degree from this prestigious institution, Janne completed a residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and earned a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Dana Farber. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School and works in the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Respond and Donate

 

The National Cancer Institute is Changing the Face of Lung Cancer

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is one of 11 agencies that compose the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The NCI, established under the National Cancer Institute Act of 1937, is the Federal Government’s principal agency for cancer research and training. The National Cancer Act of 1971 broadened the scope and responsibilities of the NCI and created the National Cancer Program. Over the years, legislative amendments have maintained the NCI authorities and responsibilities and added new information dissemination mandates as well as a requirement to assess the incorporation of state-of-the-art cancer treatments into clinical practice.

The National Cancer Institute coordinates the National Cancer Program, which conducts and supports research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer, rehabilitation from cancer, and the continuing care of cancer patients and the families of cancer patients. Respond and Donate

Tomma Hargraves is Changing the Face of Lung Cancer

Wednesday, March 21st, 2012
Tomma Hargraves & Chris Draft

Tomma Hargraves & Chris Draft

Visiting North Carolina as part of the East Coast leg of Team Draft’s nationwide tour, a stop at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center introduced us to Tomma Hargraves, a stage 3b non-small cell lung cancer survivor who has participated in clinical trials and is lucky enough to be cancer free.

When she received her diagnosis, Tomma and her family sought out all the information and opinions they could. At the time, it seemed that conventional treatments were not going to help, but so they took a chance and elected to participate in an experimental procedure at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Read more about her amazing and inspirational story of hope in endeavors, a publication that chronicles research and creative activity at UNC-Chapel Hill. endeavors features an article called “Every Breath She Takes” that chronicles Tomma’s experience with the aggressive clinical trial that saved gave her hope, and life.

Tomma Hargraves — Changing the Face of Lung Cancer from TEAM DRAFT on Vimeo.

To read about Team Draft’s visit and tour of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, visit their blog!

Patient Care is a Team Effort at UT Southwestern’s Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

Today, Team Draft traveled to Dallas to visit the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at UT Southwestern (Simmons).  Long recognized as one of the nation’s top research facilities, Simmons is also one of the premier cancer treatment facilities in the country.  And at Simmons, patient care is a team effort.

The secret to Simmons’ success, is its nationally-recognized Supportive Care Program.  The Program employs a collaborative approach to patient care involving a specially trained multidisciplinary team of cancer-specific psychologists, social workers, dietitians, chaplains, and behavioral scientists offering state-of-the-art therapeutic approaches tailored to the individual needs of patients and their families.

Simmons Cancer Center is committed to treating the whole person-not just the disease. The Supportive Care Program is evidence of that commitment.

Respond and Donate

UT Southwestern Simmons Cancer Center from TEAM DRAFT on Vimeo.

Ashley Joy Mahaffey is Changing the Face of Lung Cancer

Monday, February 27th, 2012

Today, a remarkable woman shared her mother’s story with Chris.  Team Draft is proud to share the Ashley Joy’s story of her mother, Patricia Mahaffey.

Dear Chris,

I always say the message you need to hear will find you…I believe you are my message. Around 4:00AM  on Monday, February 27, I woke up to a commercial for an 11Alive news piece about you wife, Keasha. At First, I thought I misunderstood your story so ; I rewound the DVR and played it again. Then, I started crying. 

On September 1, 2007 (my 29th birthday), my mother was diagnosed with non-small cell stage IV lung cancer. She had just turned 60 in July. While not as young as your wife, my mother was very healthy. She was aware of how poor diet and exercise could shorten the lifespan of an African-American female. She made point to eat well, exercise regularly, take care of the house and yard and stay active with the friends. In addition, she was a non-smoker. She was a great example!

Before her diagnosis, my mother was known for having this cough. She went to the doctor, but no one thought to perform a chest scan or check for cancer because she did not smoke. She went to the hospital because she thought she was having a heart attack. It was then; they diagnosed her with pneumonia and lung cancer. 

Over the next 18 months, my mother fought a tough battle. She went through chemotherapy. It then spread to her brain and she went through radiation. The tumors shrunk and grew and shrunk and grew. It was a roller coaster. On March 4, 2009, Jesus called her home.

It has been almost three years and I miss my mom so much. I try to honor her memory by letting everyone know her story. I tell people, “My mom had cancer.” They say, “I’m sorry. What kind?” I reply, “Lung.” Their facial expression changes from sympathy to judgment. I continue with,” She never smoked anything.” Their face changes from judgment to guilt.

I know if more people were aware that non-smokers get lung cancer too, more research and funding would be made available. For my mom, I believe it is our genetic cancer because she lost a sister (my aunt) to and has a nephew (my cousin) with lung cancer. Neither of them smoked. 

I thank you for listening to my mom’s story. I thank you for what you are doing. I thank you for telling your wife’s story. You touched someone who was feeling alone and needed to hear your message.

Ashley Joy 

Vanderbilt-Ingram is Tackling Lung Cancer

Monday, February 13th, 2012

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the country.  It kills more people than breast, prostate, colon, liver, kidney, and melanoma  cancer combined.  While these facts may be disheartening, there is hope.  Team Draft took a trip to Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center to meet with Dr. Pierre Massion, Ingram Associate Professor of Medicine and Cancer Biology, to learn how advancements in early detection and treatment are saving extending lives.

Thanks to the dedication and commitment of researchers and treating physicians like Dr. Massion and his colleagues at Vanderbilt-Ingram, we now have a mechanism to detect  lung cancer early, which dramatically increases the survival rate for lung cancer patients.  By submitting high-risk patients to regular spiral CT scans and CAT scans, doctors have decreased the mortality rate by 20%.

Vanderbilt-Ingram and the other members of the 14-hospital Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium (LCMC) are also revolutionizing the way lung cancer is treated by promoting molecular tumor mutation testing for lung cancer patients.  It is through such testing performed at Vanderbilt-Ingram that Keasha’s particular mutation was identified.  Molecular testing is one of the keys to developing effective personalized lung cancer treatments.  As a result of these efforts, the LCMC has already developed targeted drugs aimed at two of the mutations known to cause lung cancer.  These drugs are extending the lives of some patients by as much as 10 months.

Although there has been significant progress over the last decade, more funding is necessary to maintain the momentum.  Team Draft is dedicated to raising lung cancer awareness and increasing badly needed research funding by changing the face of lung cancer, but it takes a team to tackle cancer, and we need your help.  Respond and Donate

Dr. Pierre Massion, Vanderbilt University from TEAM DRAFT on Vimeo.

There’s a Draft in the Building: Fox Charlotte Interview

Sunday, February 12th, 2012

Chris Draft visits Fox Charlotte’s studio to wrap up his weekend trip to the Carolinas.

Chris Draft on Fox Charolette from TEAM DRAFT on Vimeo.

Charlotte Bobcats Pay Tribute to Keasha Draft

Saturday, February 11th, 2012

The Charlotte Bobcats’ Lady Cats dance team paid tribute to Keasha tonight with a special dance dedicated to her memory performed during the Bobcats’ game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

As a former Charlotte Hornets Honeybee Dancer , Keasha loved dancing.  It gave her strength and hope.  And after her first chemotherapy treatment, she and Chris made a video of her dancing to send a message to her friends and family that she would keep dancing no matter what, and as a reminder to always dance, smile, and live.

Thanks to the Lady Cat’s and the other NBA and NCAA dance squads that have performed dance tributes, Keasha is still dancing today. See Keasha’s dance after her first chemo treatment on the Team Draft Vimeo page.

Respond and donate at TeamDraft.org.