Saturday, May 7, 2011
Jennifer Goodman Linn, Her Fearless Life.
Jennifer Goodman Linn is the founder of Cycle for Survival, a successful fund-raising event. She is an award-winning motivational speaker and marketing strategy consultant. For the past 6 years, she has slogged through eight courses of chemotherapy to shrink the tumors and six grueling surgeries to remove them. “Five relapses later, I continue to beat the odds by not giving in to the disease -- by living a fearless life.” With permission, we are sharing a recent post on her blog, You Fearless. The Doors that Present Themselves It’s been a long time since I’ve written about some of the amazing people I’ve met along this crazy, cancer journey. Well, today I couldn’t resist because I have a truly beautiful story to share. Dean Baer is an …
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Sydney Becker receives good reports after surgery to remove a cancerous tumor.
Nurses tell Sydney Becker, a Heritage Middle School seventh grader, she is the easiest patient on the floor. Just over a week ago, Sydney underwent an 8-hour surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York to remove a cancerous tumor. Doctors removed much of her tibia (shinbone) to get rid of the tumor and replaced it with a titanium rod. They also removed her knee and replaced it with an artificial one. Days earlier, more than 1,000 people in Livingston joined her on the Oval to raise $30,000 to fight pediatric cancers. Sydney has been writing every day on CaringBridge.org, a nonprofit organization that provides free websites to help family and friends share information and support. (You can read Sydney's journal here). This…
Thank you to the volunteers making a difference in fight against pancreatic cancer.
- OPINION
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Sunday, April 17, 2011
Dear Editor, April is Volunteer Appreciation Month, and I would like to take a moment to sincerely thank all of our volunteers with the New Jersey Affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, a national organization fighting pancreatic cancer in a comprehensive way through research, patient support, community outreach and advocacy for a cure for all their hard work and support. The New Jersey Affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network has over 40 active volunteers who have given their time to fighting the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of any major cancer with a five year survival rate of just 6 percent. There are no early detection tools, few …
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Friends sponsor dart tournament to help Ernie Viviani.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Lisa Sang
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Thursday, April 14, 2011
Friends of Ernie Viviani, a well-known mechanic in Livingston who is battling cancer, are sponsoring an event in his honor they hope will hit the bullseye. "Darts From the Heart: A Benefit Tournament for our Friend Ernie Viviani" will be Saturday, April 16, at Ringside Pub in Caldwell, to help pay for Viviani's medical expenses. All proceeds from the evening, which include singles and doubles play, will go toward helping Viviani, 52, a longtime member of the Tri-County Dart Association. The past few years have been challenging and draining on Viviani and his wife, Cindy, both physically and financially. According to his family and friends, Viviani is fighting this battle with dignity and grace, but now he needs the help of his community. “…
Friday, April 8, 2011
'It's been a very long but rewarding day.'
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
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Friday, April 8, 2011
It's been a very long but rewarding day. We woke up at 4 a.m. after getting just over two hours sleep and started our trek into NYC filled mostly with optimism, but with a bit of anxiety mixed in. As always, Sydney's "what's the big deal?" attitude made it easier on us -- parents sending our little girl out by herself to face a lengthy and difficult surgery. But she wasn't there by herself, her surgeons and staff were there with her and they were very confident and ready to go, which helped us. The day passed by quicker than we thought, although obviously Sydney had the harder part. But based upon what the surgeons have told us, this turned out to be an excellent day after all, since it appears the surgery went as well as could have …
Thursday, April 7, 2011
As Sydney Becker prepares for surgery, she still has a healthy funny bone. Reports from hospital are promising.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Jeff Becker
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Thursday, April 7, 2011
Why do surgeons get so many phone calls? Because they're good operators! (I hope!) Sydney Becker, a Heritage Middle School seventh grader, may be fighting a rare bone cancer, but she is determined to kick this cancer in the butt. And maintain her sense of humor. Her courage shines in her daily posts on CaringBridge.org, a nonprofit organization that provides free websites to help family and friends share information and support. She is in surgery today at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York to replace a portion of her shin bone with a titanium rod. Sydney was taken into the operating room at 8 a.m. “She wasn’t nervous or anxious at all,” reports her father Jeff Becker. The family expects the surgery to take at least 8 …
Monday, April 4, 2011
Town comes together to 'Strike Out Pediatric Cancer' and raises $30,000.
"Cancer was a little bit of a surprise,” said Jeff Becker in describing the illness of his daughter, Sydney, at her "Strike Out Pediatric Cancer" fundraiser on Sunday at the Livingston Oval. In her continuing fight against osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer, in her left leg, Sydney will undergo surgery Thursday to have a large portion of her shin bone removed and replaced with a “shiny” artificial tibia. “We may even bedazzle it,” he joked. With his warm, heartfelt opening remarks, Becker set the tone for a fundraiser that proved to be a true celebration of life. Everywhere people were enjoying the camaraderie of a community brought together by one 12-year old’s fight with cancer and her dedication to helping others. Proceeds from …
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Harry Potter works his magic to make the night for Sydney Becker
Harry Potter worked some magic on Wednesday night for Sydney Becker, the Livingston girl battling cancer and blogging about it. Sydney, a Heritage Middle School seventh grader, was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer. She’s determined to kick this cancer, her courage shining in her daily posts on CaringBridge.org, a nonprofit organization that provides free websites to help family and friends share information and support. (You can read Sydney's journal here). Sydney writes nearly every day, even on days when the nasty side effects of chemotherapy take their toll. She’s preparing for surgery next week at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. And she writes about that too. If she’s up to it, and some days she’s not, she ends her journal …
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Annual fundraiser for breast cancer research and education moves to West Orange.
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Sarah Golin
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Sunday, March 20, 2011
The Komen North Jersey Race for the Cure will be held at the Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex in West Orange on May 15. The annual fundraising event, which has moved to West Orange from Newark, includes a 5K walk/run, as well as ceremonies and services for breast cancer survivors, a kids’ area with arts and crafts, and entertainment. At last year’s event, which was held at Branch Brook Park in Newark, more than 9,000 people participated and $1.4 million was raised for breast cancer services and research. Among the notables scheduled to be on hand for the day are NBC “Today” co-host Hoda Kotb, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. and Essex County Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura. Kotb documented her own battle against …
Monday, November 30, 2009
Successful Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Rayna Lewis
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Monday, November 30, 2009
Today marks the last day of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), a national organization with local branches, has made it its mission to spread awareness, help those affected cope and raise funds for cancer research during November. In Livingston, a member of PanCAN spoke at the November 2 township council meeting. Michael Weinstein, a local advocacy coordinator for the group, addressed the council on the disease; for his efforts, the township council issued a proclamation to observe Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. According to PanCAN, approximately 42,000 people are diagnosed with the cancer each year. To raise awareness of the disease, Weinstein and other volunteers performed various …
Marilyn Joyce Lehren
6:47 am on Friday, April 22, 2011
See Sydney Becker's blog: 'Been 15 days? I'M OUTTA HERE!' Sydney comes home @ : http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/sydneybecker more ›