Latest news with #CancerSociety
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
72-year-old biker travels U.S. to raise money for American Cancer Society
TOWN OF DICKINSON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – A Town of Chenango man is back home after circumnavigating the continental United States on a bicycle to raise money and awareness for a cause close to his heart. A small crowd gathered at GHS Federal Credit Union on Upper Front Street last Wednesday to welcome back 72-year-old Tracy Stephens. Last Spring, Stephens set off on his bicycle to ride to the four corners of the country, heading first to the easternmost point in the State of Maine, west to the State of Washington, south to San Diego, then back east to Tampa, and then north to home. Along the way, he raised $15,000 for the American Cancer Society. Stephens logged around 13,250 miles and had to change inner tubes ten times and tires three times. He says that worse than the rain or heat was the 20 to 25 miles per hour head winds he encountered in Mississippi. Stephens says he first came up with the idea after having been on a few shorter cycling trips in Europe. 'I thought, 'Jeez, cancer killed my mother, I should ask the Cancer Society if they would sponsor me.' So, I asked, and they said yes. Basically, to me, this ride was a lot in memory of my mother,' said Stephens. 'We touched base routinely throughout the process. So, he would let me know where he is and how he's doing and just kind of keep his spirits up. He's an amazing gentleman, he's become a friend over this journey, and we're just excited to have him back home here today,' said Associate Director of Development for ACS Jamie Kane. We were there on May 22 of last year when Stephens started his journey. Chenango man biking across America, raising money for American Cancer Society Along the way, he stopped at a number of American Cancer Society Hope Lodges, which provide cancer patients with a place to stay while undergoing treatment. Stephens says he was eager to get home during his final week on the road in what he considers to have been his last great adventure. News 34 Pizza Week returns 72-year-old biker travels U.S. to raise money for American Cancer Society Security Mutual Week begins in Binghamton Meldrim's Paint hosts grand opening celebration Business of the Week: Fahs Construction Group Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
RNZ News
09-06-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
'Flipping the script' - record number of PhD scholarships granted in Māori Cancer Researcher Awards
Chae Phillips' PhD focused on improving access to care and the experiences of wāhine Māori diagnosed with symptomatic breast cancer. Photo: supplied / Cancer Society Five people have been awarded scholarships to dive into and improve Māori health inequities. The Māori Cancer Researcher Awards - a partnership between Te Kāhui Matepukupuku o Aotearoa (the Cancer Society of New Zealand) and Hei Āhuru Mōwai Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa - have given scholarships to four PhD and a Master's candidate. The Gut Cancer Foundation of New Zealand are supporting two of the doctoral candidates. Chae Phillips (Ngāti Rongomaiwahine) is one of this year's recipients, focusing her PhD around improving access to care and the experiences of wāhine Māori diagnosed with symptomatic breast cancer in Waikato. "What really excites me is the ability to go into a space and come from a purely kaupapa Māori grounded perspective and look at things from that perspective, and then work with wāhine Māori to create solutions that come from us and work for us." "We know now that cancer isn't always a death sentence if we find things early, and there's so much more treatment than there was 10 to 15 years ago, and we can do better." Struck by the loss of her mum, who passed away from cancer when Phillips was eight, it has fueled her to work in the health space. "It's such a harrowing experience for an entire whanau. What I remember most, even after all this time, is just the lack of understanding about how we wanted to support her as a whānau - it was very exclusionary, we were very separate and not able to be a part of that journey in the way that we wanted to be. "As a child, I recognised that, so it's something that always stuck with me." Phillips works full time in Taakiri Tuu, the Wellness and Diagnostic Centre at Te Kōhao Health, and stays "up past midnight" to work on her PhD, which is named Te Hā o Hineahuone. "It's paying heed to the power of Hineahuone. It's paying heed to the power of mana wāhine. "When I'm sitting there at midnight on a Friday, I'm like, why did I do this? But the best outcome for me is this could be amazing for my sisters, for my aunties, for the people that I love and care about and that's what keeps me going more." Chae Phillips is doing her PhD through the University of Waikato. Photo: Supplied And she wants more Māori to plunge into researching Māori health. "It's academia, but there's that ability to stand proudly as Māori and go from there as your starting point, not what someone else says you have to be. "It also shines a light on different ways that we can look at doing things, for rangatahi as well, for the next generation coming up and going, now it's possible to create things that are completely different, and from us. Nadine Riwai, Jayde Ngata, Fran Munro, and Gemella Reynolds-Hatem (Master's) also received scholarships. Within the past four years there have been a total of eight recipients to receive the endowment. Hei Āhuru Mōwai tumuaki (chief executive) Gary Thompson said this year's recipients were making tangible strides to improve health inequities whānau Māori faced. "Looking to the future, what excites us about these initiatives is the potential for real, lasting change. We are seeing researchers lead the way in creating frameworks that are not only responsive but also proactive in fostering better engagement and health outcomes for Māori communities. "These scholars are taking meaningful steps that will benefit generations to come, and we're incredibly proud to support them." Cancer Society tumu whakarae (chief executive) Nicola Coom said it is exciting to see the research awards partnership grow and strengthen. "Aotearoa New Zealand is a small nation with immense potential, and collaboration is our superpower. We must drive equity in cancer care and ensure better outcomes for those impacted most - this growing rōpū of researchers are contributing to that goal." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
28-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Club's high tea bags $2000 for charity
Altrusa Club of Taieri hosted a high tea at East Taieri Church on Saturday, raising more than $2000 for the Cancer Society's ''Bags of Hope'' project. PHOTO: CLAIRE PATERSON Altrusa Club of Taieri hosted about 90 local women for a successful high tea at East Taieri Church on Saturday, raising more than $2000 for the Cancer Society's ''Bags of Hope'' project. Club present Margaret Munro said the event had been thoroughly enjoyable, with a delicious afternoon tea and three top-notch speakers sharing insights into different aspects of cancer. These included the role of the Cancer Society, the purpose and development of the Wellness Gym and a personal story of recovery after diagnosis and surgery. The Cancer Society's ''Bags of Hope'' project was a collaboration between the Cancer Society Otago-Southland and local schools, whose pupils created art works to decorate clothing-storage bags for people attending oncology appointments. Ms Munro said Taieri Altrusa had recently celebrated 40 years of supporting the community, and was going strong with 27 active members, most of whom were there on Saturday to help host the high tea. Recent activities have included distributing more than 500 Anzac biscuits to people at the Anzac Day memorial service in Mosgiel, continuing the ''Books for Babies'' project, donating to Riding for the Disabled, and supporting a variety of street appeals. @
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
New Zealand Budget 2025 deals a big blow to blood cancer patients
In New Zealand , approximately 2,800 people are diagnosed with blood cancer each year. Yet, the government's 2025 Budget has once again failed to allocate new funding for these critical drugs, leaving thousands of patients facing limited treatment options and uncertain futures. Unlike many other cancers, blood cancers such as leukaemia cannot be treated with surgery or radiation as they rely almost entirely on medicines. Blood cancer patients, advocates, and doctors have voiced deep frustration and alarm. In a joint statement, Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand, the Blood Cancer Alliance, and the Cancer Society warned that the Budget "locks in four more years of denied access and patient harm." They emphasised that while the government is 're-celebrating' last year's funding boost, that money is already allocated, meaning no new treatments will be funded. Tim Edmonds, chief executive of Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand, highlighted the gap between promises and reality. 'Only 180 blood cancer patients benefited from last year's funding boost, i.e less than 1 per cent of all New Zealanders living with a blood cancer,' Live Events Edmonds said. 'This Budget was a chance to deliver on promises to improve access to cancer medicines , but once again, blood cancer patients have been left behind. For many patients who had hoped for good news today, waiting another year may simply not be an option.' This concern echoes a stark warning sent to the government in March by more than 50 haematologists, describing the current funding approach as a 'fundamental health policy failure.' The letter highlighted a dangerous erosion of trust, low morale among clinicians, and avoidable deaths caused by delays in funding clinically proven medicines. Dr. Rodger Tiedemann, one of the letter's signatories and a consultant haematologist, expressed his disappointment bluntly: 'It's clear from Budget 2025 that we were ignored. When did it become okay for the New Zealand government to overlook the needs of New Zealanders with blood cancer?' New Zealand currently ranks near the bottom of the OECD in access to modern medicines for blood cancer. Nicola Coom, chief executive of the Cancer Society, emphasized that medicines are the primary treatment option for this group of patients. 'This growing group has been left behind again. Relying on private fundraising and GoFundMe campaigns is not a solution. New Zealand must do better and fund blood cancer medicines. This budget has let this group down.' The human toll is vividly illustrated by individuals like Rob Crozier, 77, from Ōtaki, diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) at age 54. Despite being on private health insurance that costs him $13,000 annually, which covers some unfunded drugs, Crozier worries about others who cannot afford such coverage. 'You can't treat leukaemia with surgery or radiation, which are options for other cancers; it can only be done with medicine,' he said. 'There are all these fantastic new medicines out there, but you can only access them if you're super rich. And I'm not super rich.' Crozier's decades-long advocacy for better funding brought him to Parliament on Budget Day, holding onto a hope that this year might bring change. 'We had hoped for even a modest increase in funding, but we've been disappointed again,' he said. This year's Budget once again missed the mark for blood cancer patients, reinforcing a painful reality: while promising new treatments exist, the barriers to access leave many New Zealanders suffering with blood cancer. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Otago Daily Times
24-05-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Budget leaves blood cancer patients behind
By Ruth Hill of RNZ Blood cancer patients, advocates and doctors say the lack of new funding for medicines in the Budget locks in four more years of "denied access and patient harm". There was a huge public backlash after last year's Budget failed to include promised funding for more cancer drugs, forcing the government to subsequently announce an extra $604 million for Pharmac over four years. However, Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand, the Blood Cancer Alliance, and the Cancer Society said while the government was "re-celebrating" last year's announcements, that money was already allocated, which meant there was no money for new treatments. In a joint statement, they have called on the government to clear Pharmac's "backlog" of unfunded medicines. Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand chief executive Tim Edmonds said only 180 blood cancer patients benefited from last year's funding boost - less than 1 percent of all New Zealanders living with a blood cancer. "This Budget was a chance to deliver on promises to improve access to cancer medicines but once again, blood cancer patients have been left behind. "For many patients who had hoped for good news today, waiting another year may simply not be an option." A letter to the government in March, signed by more than 50 haematologists, raised concerns about how funding was being prioritised by Pharmac and described the situation as a "fundamental health policy failure". They warned of eroding trust, low morale, and avoidable deaths due to delays in funding clinically proven medicines. One of its signatories, consultant haematologist Rodger Tiedemann, said New Zealand languished at the bottom of the OECD for access to modern medicines. "It's clear from Budget 2025 that we were ignored. When did it become okay for the New Zealand government to overlook the needs of New Zealanders with blood cancer?" Every year approximately 2800 people are diagnosed with blood cancer in New Zealand, and there was currently no way to prevent or screen those cancers. Cancer Society chief executive Nicola Coom said medicines were the primary treatment option for them. "This growing group has been left behind again. Relying on private fundraising and GoFundMe campaigns is not a solution. "New Zealand must do better and fund blood cancer medicines. This budget has let this group down." Ōtaki resident Rob Crozier, 77, was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) at 54. Now 77, he is still paying $13,000 a year for health insurance, which pays for unfunded drugs approved in New Zealand. "But that's not an option for everyone, and I don't know whether they actually still offer that kind of insurance." He was at Parliament for Budget Day as a trustee of CLL New Zealand, having lobbied for years for better funding for treatments. "I was corresponding with the previous Health Minister Dr Shane Reti, who said he was waiting for the Cancer Control Agency report on availability of blood cancer medicines, which came out last year. "So we had hoped for even a modest increase in funding, but we've been disappointed again." Crozier said the unequal treatment of blood cancer patients compared with patients with solid tumours was particularly unfair given the lack of alternatives. "You can't treat leukaemia with surgery or radiation, which are options for other cancers, it can only be done with medicine. "There are all these fantastic new medicines out there, but you can only access them if you're super rich. And I'm not super rich."
