I am still a woman - Confessions of a twice cancer survivor - my journey by Nina Ann McCurley

Just two days after her first birthday, Georgia was diagnosed with a type of kidney cancer, called  Wilms' tumour  in August 2008. Her cancer was discovered after mum Ruth noticed a lump when she was blowing raspberries on Georgia’s tummy.  Hospital tests revealed she had a tumour the size of a football, but after six weeks of chemotherapy it shrank to the size of a satsuma. Georgia then underwent keyhole surgery to remove the tumour followed by six months of chemotherapy.  She also received three blood transfusions, one on Christmas Eve.   Georgia has now been in remission for more than three years.  Her proud Mum Ruth says: “We feared her first birthday would be her last, but her courage and humour through numerous operations and the chemotherapy was simply inspirational.”

Putting on a brave face: Cancer survivor Robin Roberts proudly shows off shaved head as she attends Sam Champion's wedding after bone marrow transplant By  DAILY MAIL REPORTER She is recovering from a  bone marrow transplant after  battling a rare bone marrow disorde r. But that did not stop Good Morning America host Robin Roberts from attending an intimate wedding for ABC News weatherman Sam Champion and his partner  Rubem Robierb on Friday . Two months after undergoing the operation, Roberts was back on her feet at the ceremony, proudly showing off her shaved and looking radiant in a red sequinned dress.  Show of support: Robin Roberts attended the wedding of her colleague Sam Champion on Friday The resilient GMA anchor, who is also a breast cancer survivor, shaved her head on television in 2007 and wore a wig on air afterwards. According to   People , Roberts cheered on Champion and his partner of three years, a fine-arts photographer...

Media Release Cancer Council NSW welcomes announcement of IPTAAS reforms for country patients Cancer Council NSW has welcomed the announcement today by the Minister for Health, Jillian Skinner that there will be an overhaul of the complex administration system of the Isolated Patient and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) from January 2013. The announcement will be good news for the thousands of patients who face high levels of complicated paperwork to reclaim costs for accommodation or petrol when travelling long distances for treatment. From January 2013 improvement to the IPTAAS include: The current six month deadline for patients to submit claims will be extended to 12 months; A broader definition of ‘authorised representative’ – a person who can sign the application form on behalf of the referring practitioner or specialist- will be introduced; The requirement for patients who have private health insurance fund to prove that they cannot claim travel and...

BBC News reports that an experimental therapy hides “cancer killing viruses inside the immune system in order to sneak them into a tumour” and that this “Trojan-horse therapy ‘completely eliminates’ cancer in mice”. This news is based on early stage research into a new type of cancer treatment, using viruses to target and attack cancerous tumours. Several research teams have adopted this approach in recent years. The current study took advantage of large immune system cells called macrophages that increase in number in the tumour after standard chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The scientists treated mice that had prostate cancer with chemotherapy, and then used these immune system cells to deliver a virus to the remaining tumour. This virus then multiplied and attacked the tumour cells. Compared to mice who received the chemotherapy only, those who received the additional treatment lived longer and did not experience any spreading of the tumour beyond the prostate. T...

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has improved after a cancer operation and has started walking and exercising, the country's vice-president has said. Nicolas Maduro told state TV he had spoken on the phone to Mr Chavez, describing the call as "the best present we could get this Christmas". Mr Chavez underwent his fourth cancer operation on 11 December in Cuba but suffered a respiratory infection. The president - in power since 1999 - won another term in October's election. Earlier, Venezuelan Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said: "The patient has shown a slight improvement in his condition." However, no pictures of Mr Chavez after the surgery have been released so far. Mr Chavez, 58, is scheduled to be sworn in on 10 January. The lack of any word from Mr Chavez for two weeks prior to the comments by the two senior officials raised serious concerns about his current condition and his ability to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Boli...