Monday, March 2, 2026

Spotlight: Scott Baker- 4x Cancer Survivor (DRAFT ONLY)

Still Breathing, Still Fighting:
The Unbreakable Story of Scott Baker
From an exclusive interview by: Lennard M. Goetze, Ed.D

SCOTT BAKER does not speak like a man who has faced death four times. He speaks like someone who has met it, studied it, and decided it would not define him. “My name is Scott Baker. I live in upstate New York, near Albany,” he begins simply. But the story behind that introduction spans nearly three decades of resilience.

In August 1999, chronic abdominal pain sent Scott to the doctor. By September, he had a diagnosis: Stage III non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma causing a small bowel blockage. Surgery. Chemotherapy. Radiation. Remission. Six years later, it returned.

A tumor sat on his kidney. More chemotherapy. His first autologous stem cell transplant in 2007. Then, in January 2012, came the most devastating diagnosis yet: primary central nervous system lymphoma. A tumor had formed in his right temporal lobe.

“I kind of made a mistake,” Scott reflects. “I should have went to Sloan Kettering right out of the gate.”

At the time, he and his wife were raising five- and seven-year-old boys. He chose to stay local for treatment. The consequences were nearly fatal. “It required an expert because in 2012 CNS lymphoma was still incredibly rare,” he explains.

When chemotherapy stopped, the cancer came roaring back. Scott blacked out during the summer of 2012. For three months, he was gone — physically present, but lost. His wife brought him to Memorial Sloan Kettering. He spent seven weeks on the neuro-oncology floor. “Forty-four people collected on this floor, all with some form of brain cancer. And we all deeply cared for one another.”

He achieved remission again. Then came his second transplant. He was discharged January 14, 2013. By that fall, he returned to work. Six months ago, he retired — on his own terms. Today, nearly 27 years after his first diagnosis, Scott remains in remission.

The Two Days That Almost Broke Him

For a man who endured surgeries, radiation, transplants, and relentless chemotherapy, it wasn’t the physical pain that marked his lowest point. It was hopelessness. “I had about two days of my life where I had no hope. And that was the lowest point of all the cancer diagnosis and the chemos and radiations and surgeries.”

He remembers reading prognosis data about primary CNS lymphoma. Every article predicted 12 to 18 months. “That was a horrible feeling.” But Scott did not stay there. “If you’re breathing, there is hope.” That sentence has become the backbone of his advocacy.

The Mayor of M7

Scott could not wear a white coat. He could not prescribe medicine. But he discovered something equally powerful. Community. During his extended hospitalization, nurses began calling him “the mayor” of the neuro-oncology floor. “I was out in the hallway cheering people on,” he says. “I wanted to see them do well and they wanted to see me do well.”

Some patients spoke different languages. It didn’t matter. “We could root for each other without even speaking the same language.” That experience reshaped him.

“When I was a young man, I was selfish,” he admits candidly. “I just feel a thousand times better since I got outta the hospital because the people that cared for me inspired me.” Helping others, he says, makes it easier to sleep at night.

From Survivor to Advocate

Scott’s advocacy began almost immediately after discharge. “The first thing I did right out of the hospital after I went to PT is I joined the Livestrong at the YMCA program in the spring of 2013.”

After completing the 12-week program, he became a mentor — a role he has continued for years. “I’ve definitely met over 500 people in that program,” he says.

Livestrong is structured as a physical recovery initiative, but for Scott, it became something deeper. “There’s nothing better than being with other people going through the same thing.” He also serves on the board of a nonprofit called Wicklund Warriors, named after founder Deanna Wicklund, who also underwent a bone marrow transplant. The organization provides financial assistance to blood cancer patients who lose income during treatment.

“You know how quickly people can go broke just from the logistics of blood cancer,” he says. But he is clear: the money is not always the most powerful medicine.

“Having a living, breathing survivor in front of them seems to help people more than the cash.”

The Power of Showing Up

Scott frequently participates in stem cell donor registry drives, working with organizations such as DKMS and Blood Cancer United. He prefers to call them “stem cell drives” instead of “bone marrow drives.” “Bone marrow is off-putting to a community that you're trying to get to donate. It sounds horrible. Stem cell sounds a little more agreeable.” His motivation is simple.

“Every time somebody puts their registration and their swabs in that envelope, somebody else has a chance at life. And man, does that feel great.” He especially enjoys speaking to college students.

“I love young, healthy people. I like it when I see somebody’s eyes light up when they’re like, ‘Wait, you went through this and you did how many chemos?’” His response is consistent:

“There’s nothing special about me. You can do it too. And it’s worth it.”

Life Is Worth the Fight

When asked directly to speak to someone who feels hopeless, Scott does not hesitate. “If you’re breathing, there is hope.” He acknowledges the darkness. He felt it himself.

“But it’s not necessary. There is so much hope.” He believes research is advancing daily.

“There’s people in these labs… they’re all part of my army. They kept me here for nearly 27 years since my first diagnosis.” His reasons for living evolved over time. Early on, it was pure love of life.

“I’ve always loved life. Life is worth living.” Later, it was his sons. His father, whom he lost to cancer in 2001, became another anchor. “I wanted to be that for my boys.”

Today, service fuels him. “Helping people has made my life magnitudes better.”

Beyond Medicine

Scott does not minimize the power of medical science. Transplants saved his life. Expert care saved his life. But he has learned something medicine alone cannot prescribe. Presence. “I can’t wear a long white coat or scrubs, but maybe there’s another way I can be helpful.” There is.

The man who once faced a dismal prognosis now sits across from newly diagnosed patients in infusion centers, hospital rooms, or even Starbucks. He tells them what they need to hear: “I made it. You can make it.” He is proof — not theory.

The Living Message

Scott Baker’s story is not one of denial. He knows cancer’s brutality. He has lived inside its machinery. Yet his message is steady, unwavering. “If you’re breathing, there is hope.” In hospital corridors, at fundraising events, in college auditoriums, and in quiet one-on-one conversations, he continues to carry that message.

A man who once blacked out for three months now stands firmly as a light for others. He does not call himself extraordinary. “There’s nothing special about me.” But to the hundreds of patients who have sat across from him and seen a living example of survival, he is something rare: A reminder that life is worth fighting for.

PART 2

The Courage to Stand and Speak

By: Dr. Robert L. Bard

There are moments in my work when I encounter someone whose story stops me in my tracks. Scott Baker is one of those people.

I have met countless patients, survivors, clinicians, and advocates over the years. I have seen bravery in hospital rooms and despair in waiting rooms. But what struck me about Scott was not just that he survived cancer — it was how he chose to live afterward.

Scott has faced lymphoma multiple times, including a brain tumor that nearly took his life. He endured surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, two stem cell transplants, and the psychological weight of a prognosis that once read “dismal.” Yet when he speaks, there is no bitterness. There is resolve. There is clarity. There is purpose.

That is will. That is courage. That is resilience. But perhaps most importantly — that is advocacy.

We often think of advocacy as lobbying, fundraising, or leading organizations. And yes, Scott does those things. He mentors through Livestrong. He volunteers with Wickler Warriors. He organizes stem cell registry drives. But in my view, his most powerful act of advocacy is something far simpler and far more profound:

He tells his story.

When Scott sits across from a newly diagnosed patient and says, “I made it. You can make it,” he is performing a humanitarian act. He is interrupting fear. He is challenging despair. He is offering living, breathing evidence that a diagnosis is not a verdict.

Sharing one’s story after surviving something deadly is not self-promotion. It is service. There are people who, upon hearing the word cancer, feel their world collapse in a single instant. Some quietly give up. Some lose hope before treatment even begins. Scott’s voice pushes back against that darkness.

“If you’re breathing, there is hope,” he says. Those words matter. To be an advocate is to stand in the gap between fear and possibility. It is to use your scars as bridges for others to cross. Scott Baker does exactly that — and in doing so, he saves more lives than he may ever know.

Friday, February 6, 2026

Grace B. Charrier: From Silent Diagnosis to Global Advocacy

HER LIFE CHANGED NOT BECAUSE SHE FELT ILL—BUT BECAUSE SHE FELL

A slip in her bathroom led to an emergency room visit she assumed would be routine. Instead, that moment triggered a cascade of medical tests that revealed stage III triple-negative breast cancer—a diagnosis that arrived without warning. Grace had no symptoms, no pain, no signs that anything was wrong. As she later explained, “I had no symptoms whatsoever. I didn’t even know I had high blood pressure.”

That absence of warning nearly proved catastrophic. On admission, her blood pressure measured 170/110, placing her at immediate risk of stroke. “I was a walking time bomb,” she would later say, reflecting on how close she came to a second medical emergency she never anticipated.

The diagnosis was traumatic. Cancer was not part of Grace’s imagined future. Yet even in shock, her instincts turned outward. She thought of her children first. “I had to look at my kids and say, listen, I’ve got to be strong for them,” she recalled. Strength, for Grace, was not denial—it was purpose.

From her hospital bed, she began asking herself a defining question: “How am I going to make this less about me and more about the bigger picture?”

That question became the foundation of her life’s next chapter.

Grace’s cancer journey exposed what she now believes is one of healthcare’s most dangerous blind spots: the assumption that illness announces itself. “I’ve come to realize that many women’s health issues are asymptomatic,” she said. “Look at me—I didn’t even know I had high blood pressure.” Her experience reframed her understanding of prevention, particularly for women and underserved communities.

Originally from Africa, Grace was acutely aware that access to preventative education is uneven. “People from my continent are less aware of these kinds of things,” she explained. That awareness shaped her mission—to speak to those who may not have robust healthcare systems but still deserve knowledge. “Even if you don’t have access to care, at least know what to look for. Check yourself. Your diet. Your weight. Bleeding. Fibroids. These things matter.”

Even during treatment—while radiation left her skin peeling and her body exhausted—Grace began writing. “I started writing my book while I was literally peeling all over my bed from radiation,” she said. Writing was not a distraction; it was survival. It allowed her to reclaim narrative control at a time when her body felt dictated by machines and schedules.

That manuscript became her book, launched during the height of COVID on her birthday, June 21. The story traces her path from the fall in her bathroom through diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. But Grace knew the message could not live on the page alone.

So she found her voice on camera.

“I love podcasts,” she said, “but sometimes you want to see the person. You want to see their reactions. Make it more lifelike.” Her YouTube talk show became a space where cancer could be discussed without fear, where clinicians and patients met as equals.

Grace’s platform quickly grew into a global forum. She interviewed oncologists, public-health leaders, genetic specialists, workplace advocates, and patient navigators from Africa, Europe, Australia, India, and the United States. The topics were expansive and often overlooked: menopause after cancer, sexual health, lymphedema, genomics, immunotherapy, and the realities of managing treatment while holding onto employment.

One issue struck particularly close to home. “I suffer from lymphedema because my lymph nodes were removed,” she shared. “This arm is bigger than the other because of fluid retention.” By naming these realities, Grace dismantled the silence surrounding survivorship.

As a Black woman diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, Grace was also keenly aware of disparity. “This cancer affects women like us in the Black community,” she said. Representation, for her, was not symbolic—it was essential.

Cancer, Grace insists, is never an individual experience. Sitting week after week in infusion rooms, she formed bonds with patients facing lung, liver, breast, and other cancers. “When you’re all taking infusions together, you become a community,” she said. “Many of them I’m still very close to today.”

That sense of shared humanity drives her advocacy. “You can’t talk about us if we’re not there,” Grace emphasized. She believes patients must be included in conversations that shape research, policy, and care delivery—not spoken about from a distance.

Ten years after her diagnosis, Grace measures impact differently. She no longer chases subscriber counts or likes. “I stopped looking at the metrics,” she admitted. “I just carry on, putting the information out there.” What matters more are the emails—messages from strangers thanking her for clarity, validation, or hope.

Still, the work is demanding. Grace produces her content independently, from research to graphics. “People think I have a team,” she laughed. “No. I do everything myself.” One day, she hopes for sustainable partnerships that allow her advocacy to continue without burnout.

Looking ahead, Grace is preparing a sequel to her book. “So much has happened since I wrote it,” she said. She wants to explore survivorship more deeply—its emotional complexity, its evolution, and its ripple effects on caregivers. “They are the foundation of where I am today,” she said. “They were there holding my hand when I couldn’t stand on my own.”

Her vision for the future begins at the community level. “Start with your neighbor,” she advises. In Brooklyn, she organizes local walks and awareness efforts, believing that openness creates healing. “It gives me great joy to see people benefit from my openness,” she said.

Grace B. Charrier’s story is not only about surviving cancer. It is about translating experience into service, silence into dialogue, and fear into leadership. From an unexpected fall to a far-reaching platform, she has turned diagnosis into direction—and given countless others permission to speak.

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IMPOSSICANT!: QUIRKY INSPIRATIONAL TALES FROM A CANCER SURVIVOR Paperback – June 15, 2020

by GRACE B. CHARRIER (Author)

It is never easy coming to terms with a cancer diagnosis as this experience will shake any one's world to the foundation. The whole essence of this quirky memoir is to put the reader where Grace was on each step of her journey as reading the book is like having a conversation with her, with a great deal of humor to boot!Do follow this gripping cross-Atlantic tale of resilience, inspiration, humor, and perseverance as it documents the strength of the human spirit. (AMAZON LINK)

ALSO, CHECK OUT GRACE'S ONLINE TALK SHOW @;

AFTERMATH:

A CHAMPION REDEFINING CANCER ADVOCACY

By Dr. Robert L. Bard, MD

Meeting Grace B. Charrier last week through LinkedIn and social media was a reminder of how powerful survivorship becomes when it is transformed into service. Grace does not speak about cancer as a closed chapter in her life; she carries it forward as a living responsibility—to inform, to connect, and to uplift others who may still be in the midst of fear and uncertainty. That posture of leadership is rare, and it matters.

Grace’s journey as a survivor has evolved into a global platform for awareness and education. Through her talk show and outreach work, she brings clinicians, survivors, and advocates into the same conversation—humanizing medicine while elevating credible information. This is not just storytelling; it is public health in action. By making difficult subjects visible—diagnosis, treatment realities, long-term survivorship challenges—she helps normalize conversations that many patients feel isolated in navigating alone.

What stands out most is Grace’s commitment to reach beyond borders and beyond comfort zones. Her mission is global in scope, and her work reflects an understanding that education is often the first form of care. For individuals who may lack access to advanced medical systems, awareness itself becomes a protective tool. By encouraging self-advocacy, early attention to symptoms, and informed dialogue with clinicians, she equips people with agency—sometimes before they even realize they need it.

As a physician, I see tremendous value in voices like Grace’s that help bridge the gap between clinical knowledge and lived experience. Patients listen differently when they hear from someone who has walked the path they fear. Survivors who lead with clarity and compassion become navigators for others, offering perspective when the medical journey feels overwhelming. Grace’s platform fosters exactly that kind of peer-guided resilience.

Equally important is her commitment to continued networking and learning. Survivorship does not end with treatment; it expands into a lifelong search for resources, support systems, and evolving solutions. By actively connecting with clinicians, researchers, advocates, and fellow survivors, Grace models a proactive approach to care that benefits her audience and strengthens the ecosystem of support around them.

Grace’s leadership is not rooted in celebrity—it is rooted in service. Her advocacy turns experience into education and presence into purpose. For those seeking inspiration to keep fighting, to ask better questions, or to simply feel less alone, her voice is a steady reminder that survivorship can become a source of strength for many others who are still finding their footing.

REPRISED SURVIVOR STORY:

EDUCATING CANCER PATIENTS IS EMPOWERMENT 101
By: Geri Barish, founder of the Hewlett House

Having survived 5 cancers, it became clear to me that dedicating my life's work to being a support resource to anyone diagnosed with cancer is a calling worth responding. This includes survivors and those who are concerned about recurrence. When we first launched HEWLETT HOUSE back in 1990, we met so many individuals daily- reaching out for help by asking questions like- “HOW or WHY did I get Cancer?”… “What did I do wrong?" - I also get questions like "I found a doctor on the internet... should I believe what he or she tells me?" This indicates the lack of information and guidance out there, confirming MY role in this world with EDUCATION. Over time, we received great support from the county and the state, and we also met with so many experts like Dr. Robert Bard (cancer radiologist), Dr. Roberta Kline (genomics specialist) who are with us to help answer more questions and bring clinical support to those in need. Partners like these help to make HEWLETT HOUSE the central hub to all patients and caregivers.

GETTING A SECOND OPINION
I have and always will be someone who pushes for a second opinion. You only have one life... once its cut, burn and slash, its too late to turn back! I have a closet that I call my “Cancer Corner”. It has all my reports-copies of tests-and everything that is about my disease. I tell people what if the Doctor retires or moves or you move or the hospital goes out of business-you don’t have to go through all of this again-they can compare-also we pushed for a federal law a few years ago that the patient can get a copy of his or her pathology report. I will be happy to tell you why we pushed for this and the result. We are awaiting for Chuck Schumer to put on the floor the MCED Bill-which is a blood test for 94 cancers that Medicare and Medicaid have to pay for.

HOW EDUCATION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
As advocates, we need to be gentle and precise without instilling fear (there's enough fear-mongering in the "cancer business"). The unknown and the word CANCER is quite chilling. Educating the patient on asking the right questions is first base. I have always told my patients or people who ask me if I made the right decision in picking this hospital or that doctor instead of jumping into the diagnosis immediately. Questioning the first doc(s) and going for a SECOND OPINION is extremely important. When diagnosis first happens, you usually have a little time to make that ultimate decision. I explain that we are all made up of different genes and even though our cancers might have the same name, each person is different. You have to make sure you TRUST your doctor enough to feel that you are in the right hands. The internet can be dangerous as it does not talk to you personally so the cancer you might have looked up is broad and general. Know your history when you are speaking to the Doctor. I try to give as much information on the type of Cancer and research.

I explain Clinical Trials if I see that a patient has been diagnosed with an advanced Cancer. We work with the Key Clubs in Schools on projects to educate on History and Cancer. We try to help the person understand that they would have a copy of everything that is done including x-rays, blood work, scans, mammos this saves time in getting a second opinion so a new doctor can look at what you just have done. Patients are often concerned about insurance issues and are often concerned if they are actually covered for their 2nd or even 3rd opinions. (We found that most can actually be covered, but our work helps the patient get this to happen).

IT TAKES A VILLAGE
I have aligned with some of the most caring alliances like the WOMEN'S HEALTH COLLABORATIVE and NYCRA’s ULTRASOUND COALITION to extend the reach of my care to everyone diagnosed. As the battle rages on, educating and empowering patients make up a vast majority of the fight. Where something as sensible as getting a SECOND OPINION should be the base action when you get diagnosed, there are still so many out there that are struck with FEAR & DENIAL, or financial struggles... and of course I get involved in those cases also. But if we all joined hands to tackle such obstacles in this CANCER arena, I can see us getting the drop on this disease.

Published by: the AngioMedical Press- distributed by PinkSmartNews, NYCRANEWS, 2ndOpinionScan.com and The Journal of Modern Healing.

WHAT ABOUT IF YOU'RE TOO YOUNG FOR A MAMMOGRAM? I went to my doctor for a lump I felt in my breast and she gave me a response that set off red flags: "don't worry about it". Being a researcher involved in breast density and breast cancer, I knew that I had to take action; I was fortunate enough to have my breast ultrasound training with Dr. Robert Bard (cancer imaging specialist, NYC) upcoming in the next week. Dr. Bard showed me how to use the ultrasound to help me find two benign tumors in my breasts, and it was there that he reported that I have dense breasts. Had I not taken action in getting screened at the young age of 22, I would have never known that I should be getting screened via ultrasound every 6 months (because having dense breasts puts me at a higher risk for breast cancer), nor would I have known that I had benign breast tumors.

- ALEXANDRA FIEDERLEIN, 22

Cancer Researcher/ Graduate- Molloy Univ.

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

A Journey Through Premature Ovarian Failure (and Early Menopause)

Written by: Emanuela Visone

PROLOGUE
Survivors and challengers often share their stories (in print) hoping to memorialize their journey to empower others who feel lost in their health struggles. Mine is a story of resilience and healing and I want people to know there is hope beyond conventional medicine. It became the crossroads that inspired my career as a healer through nature, where the answers I discovered are all from the foods we eat, from better strategies to managing stress and eliminate toxins. If you are going through a similar health crisis, know that there are many answers (more than the conventional) and that you are not alone. Your body has the innate ability to heal. Sometimes, it just needs a little help. Trust in nature, trust in yourself, and never stop searching for answers.

I remember the day like it was yesterday. Sitting in the doctor’s office, nervously awaiting my test results, I heard the words that would change my life forever: “You are experiencing premature ovarian failure.” I was only 38 years old. My mind raced. How could this be happening? My doctor’s next statement shook me: “If you want to have a child, you have a six-month window to try.”

I didn’t have a significant other at the time, but I had a great support system. I decided to embark on the journey of becoming a mother on my own. But the process was grueling. I endured painful tests, including a hysterosalpingogram, where air was blown through my fallopian tubes. Despite all the tests, the only abnormality was my ovaries had failed prematurely.

Understanding Premature Ovarian Insufficiency
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), also known as premature ovarian failure, occurs when the ovaries cease normal function before age 40, leading to reduced estrogen production and potential infertility.

Smoking is a significant risk factor for early menopause and POI. Studies indicate that women who smoke may experience menopause one to two years earlier than non-smokers. The toxins in cigarette smoke accelerate ovarian aging, contributing to an earlier onset of menopause.

Common symptoms of POI include irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, irritability, and decreased libido. These symptoms result from decreased estrogen levels and can significantly impact quality of life.

Faced with this reality, I ultimately chose not to pursue in vitro fertilization (IVF) using donor sperm. The emotional toll was heavy, but I found comfort in being an aunt, a godmother, and loving my cousin’s children as my own. Making peace with my decision was just the beginning of my journey.

The Onset of Symptoms and My Search for Healing
As if infertility wasn’t enough, I now faced another battle: menopause at 38. Hot flashes became my unwelcome companions, arriving unannounced and leaving me drenched in sweat. Mood swings turned me into someone I no longer recognized. The bloating, discomfort, and weight gain made me feel trapped in someone else’s body.

Desperate for relief, I turned to alternative medicine. My first stop was a Chinese medicine doctor who prescribed a concoction of bitter herbs. I spent $300 a month on those teas, gagging with every sip. Although I noticed slight improvements, my hormone levels remained unbalanced.

Then, I read about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). Inspired by a well-known actress who had successfully balanced her hormones, I sought out a specialist. Tests revealed another shocking truth, I was also suffering from adrenal fatigue. My cortisol levels were through the roof.

I began taking estrogen, progesterone, and hydrocort (a low dose of hydrocortisone to balance my cortisol). At first, I felt amazing. But over time, I started gaining weight and feeling off. My body was telling me something wasn’t right.

During a routine wellness visit in 2017, my doctor expressed concern about my elevated liver function. When he asked about my supplements, he linked my high liver enzymes to the hydrocort, a steroid. So much for minimal side effects! I had spent thousands of dollars only to discover my treatment was causing more harm than good. I immediately stopped BHRT and turned back to nature for answers.

Returning to Nature for Healing
My mentor had always emphasized the power of food as medicine. She suggested incorporating phytoestrogens naturally through my diet rather than taking soy capsules. But, in my impatience, I ignored her advice and started taking soy supplements.

Within months, I felt terrible. My voice became hoarse, my body ached, and my legs throbbed at night. Heart palpitations and flu-like symptoms plagued me.

One morning, I woke up and noticed lumps protruding from both sides of my throat. I rushed to my doctor, who sent me for a thyroid sonogram. The results were alarming—my thyroid nodules had enlarged, and I had developed a new mass. My thyroid was malfunctioning, sending my cholesterol and hormone levels spiraling.

My doctor referred me to an endocrinologist for a biopsy. But before I went down that road, I had an epiphany. I had healed my dog’s irritable bowel syndrome through diet and supplements. If I could heal my dog naturally, why couldn’t I heal myself?

I dove deep into researching whole foods, enzymes, and gut-healing strategies. I overhauled my diet, eliminating inflammatory foods and focusing on nutrient-dense, alkaline foods. I incorporated superfoods, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and wildcrafted algae to support my gut and endocrine system.

Within months, the transformation was undeniable. My energy returned. My cholesterol stabilized, and I lost 24 pounds. The heart palpitations disappeared. Most importantly, when I went back for my follow-up thyroid sonogram, the mass and nodules had shrunk, and my hormone levels were normalizing.

EPILOGUE
Looking back, my battle with premature ovarian failure, leading to full-blown menopause at 43, adrenal fatigue, and thyroid dysfunction, was a blessing in disguise. It led me to uncover the body’s incredible ability to heal itself when given the right tools.

References: https://medlineplus.gov/primaryovarianinsufficiency.html

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/07/010716112326.htm

https://www.lancastergeneralhealth.org/health-hub-home/2021/october/one-more-reason-not-to-smoke-early-menopause

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17963-primary-ovarian-insufficiency

Monday, January 6, 2025

WISDOM FROM THE HOUSE: WHY GET A SECOND OPINION?

EDUCATING CANCER PATIENTS IS EMPOWERMENT 101
By: Geri Barish, founder of the Hewlett House

Published by: the AngioMedical Press- distributed by PinkSmartNews, NYCRANEWS, 2ndOpinionScan.com and The Journal of Modern Healing.

Sunday, October 27, 2024

"Get Smarter about Cancer" lecture series- feat. Dr. Joshua Berka

The Integrative Cancer Resource Society (ICRS) and Women's Health Collaborative welcomes Dr. Joshua Berka as one of the "Get Smarter about Cancer" lecture series. Dr. Berka is double board-certified and licensed Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) as well a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner (FMCP). He is passionate about Integrative, Preventative, Functional and Regenerative Medicine and is an advocate for personalized patient-centered care. Dr. Berka has been in clinical practice for 17 years and serves as a medical consultant supporting innovative medical technologies that non-invasively improve patient treatment outcomes as well as adjunctive therapeutics that can be used as a part of a healthy lifestyle. Dr. Berka has been a consultant within the med-tech space for the past 15 years and currently consults for BEMER Group (news source- Medium.com)

FROM OUR INTERVIEW WITH DR. BERKA (10/25/2024)

I had the opportunity to work in integrated when I was in Los Angeles for over seven years, and to integrate the field of in integrative oncology. I trained more naturopathically functionally. Before we can get into the recurrence aspect, we have to look at the manifestation of this. Sure, we all have cancer in our body, but why this person expresses versus the next person, (and it's not just the genes), it's how those genes are being expressed. And so many cases exist within women's cancers -especially breast cancer. A lot of this is not just from the genetics- this is only one piece of this.

Another factor is that the victim maybe not able to circulate or clear out metabolic waste products. Our estrogens (both men and women) are broken up, built up and they're all built from cholesterol. And those metabolites can be sometimes a hundred times more toxic than the estrogens themselves. If that individual doesn't have the detox capacities, and then they're overwhelmed with, for instance, things within their environment, this sets up the perfect storm for that individual to have the (gene) expression.

I don't care if they're treated with conventional chemotherapy radiation; the root cause has not been addressed. And in this particular case, it's a hetero or a homozygous type of situation where they can be supportive in their ability to metabolize and clear those detrimental waste products, those metabolic waste products. So it might basically be something that is supporting the gene expression for a little gap versus thinking that cancer is here.

Let's use a targeted therapy (which is not really targeted in many cases) to take out that which is a disease. And from my perspective, I want to talk about cancer. As far as solid tumors (as opposed to lymphomas, leukemias and the like)- every time I have looked under my microscope looking at cancer or looking at measurements like Dr. Bard is doing, he's really looking functionally with ultrasound in real time during therapeutic interventions. I've done a lot of the same over the years and what I found, (without a doubt) is carcinogenic tissue is not functioning at the same level of energy production.

So back to bioenergetics mitochondria as healthy tissue, maybe we can envision it this way. This is how stem cells used to be replicated. Imagine, I mean, it's the season, it's the fall. All the trees are dropping their leaves and pine cones are dropping. They're doing this because winter is coming and that species and that grouping may not make it through another winter. So in hopes of survival. It's actually seeding its environment. If you take energy or you take a cell out of the body and you expose it to an environment that doesn't have fluid (dry), one of the first things it starts to do before it apoptosis is it actually starts to replicate. It differentiates into an embryological state and then starts to replicate. These cells are not necessarily functional, but it's a response/reaction to these environmental signaling. When treating individuals with cancer (not treating cancer) my primary goal is to target the mitochondrial bioenergetics and the functional utilization and transformation of energy with an individual.

And many times those tumors will actually apoptose on their own once you start raising the energy around it. What types of medical devices do this? Diet, food, positive thinking, neutral thinking. Lasers directly can input PHOTOBIOMODULATION photons into electron raising the electron transport chain to raise the zeta potential of erythrocyte or the outside membrane potential of a cell pulse.

ELECTROMAGNETIC field therapy can also wirelessly inductively charge up these cells. So I think down the road, we have to rather look beyond a "kill, kill, kill" concept with these cells, and reintegrate and reprogram those cells back into the system.

What I was doing (research) was homing stem cells, enacting programming information into cells, not just with wireless signals but also with PEPTIDES. You don't need a viral vector to deliver that. You can actually deliver the signal in many ways, wirelessly or through aspects of light.

To be continued--

Video News Release: Innovations in Early Detection

"Are You Dense?" Foundation Co-founder Joe Cappello joins the medical diagnostic community to promote the "Get Checked Now!" campaign. Dr. Robert Bard from the Bard Cancer Center (NYC) supports supplemental imaging including the 3D Doppler Ultrasound scanner to offer dense breast detection. This video presents some of the latest advancements in ultrasound features to detect tumors through dense breast tissue- reportedly a significant challenge with mammograms.

PREDISPOSITION

So when I look at the predisposition of an individual, I don't just look at it from a structural perspective. There's the mental/emotional aspects, socioeconomics- and even down to a spiritual aspects. Unfortunately (or fortunately in some ways), these predispositions aren't just inherited on a genetic level. They're actually learned behaviors that we've observed from people who are close to us. But we've perceived as close who are around us, and "living styles" and habits- ways that we've learned to cope with stress in either a functional way or in a dysfunctional way. And so, when I look at this predisposition, it's a combination of elements- and not just "that's my parents' fault... these are the genes I got!". Unfortunately, that game's NOT TRUE. This it's a bit of 'MYTHinformation' because yes, you do have the propensity to express in a certain way, but not necessarily the predisposition.

That predisposition is a series of events or decisions that are made to allow that to be expressed. So why some people smoke their whole life and they don't get cancer, well is because they're not predisposed for that in essence. The predisposition of each individual needs to be really looked at on a personalized level of uniqueness-- what I just call PERSONALIZED PATIENT CENTERED MEDICINE. Rather than saying "here's the disease", let's find out exactly how you got it. It's important to find out the ideology of the cause, but it's more important to talk about recurrence to prevent something that's occurred, even though when it was perceptually treated.

We can identify our predispositions or possibilities of (gene) expression of both health or disease by looking at the parents and you could say, oh, this person died of heart disease or ovarian cancer. But more so with early diagnostics, you can start looking at not just the genomic profiles, but you can start looking at functional diagnostics at a level of blood testing or saliva testing, looking at adrenal function, even looking at bits of certain types of carcinogenic DNA that's floating through the blood. From that perspective of predisposition, we can PREDICT nature. Once you know the predisposition of an individual, then you can predict the potential outcome.

It's going to be harsh for a lot of the doctors out there and is something that I've observed. (If you can prove me wrong, I ask you, please do so). This aspect of ANABOLIC versus CATABOLIC metabolism. Generally, cancer patients with a solid state tumor status are in a SYSTEMIC aspect of anabolic metabolism.

They're kind of stuck. #1: Cancer is a tumor, but it's a systemic disease. We have to understand this. #2: Cardiovascular disease or heart disease is more of a catabolic type of disease. So catabolic versus anabolic. I want to know if there's anybody who has ever seen cancer and heart disease happening simultaneously other than prostate cancer. This is a call out to the world. And I'm asking this because if we can just look at fundamental, basic anabolic catabolic cycles. We may be able to push these metabolic cycles- not just through diet, sleep & wake cycles, but also lifestyle medicine.

Most of lifestyle medicine is free. It doesn't cost a penny.

Thursday, October 10, 2024

NEW PODCAST- EXCERPT (Fight Recurrence TV)

In the next episode of FightRecurrenceTV, your host Dr. Roberta Kline (of Women’s Health Collaborative) presents the top voices in cancer advocacy. Cheri Ambrose, Mike Landesberg and Dr. Robert Bard introduces the STAY PROACTIVE program in support of preventive measures and recurrence detection scanning after cancer surgery or treatment.

Friday, October 4, 2024

Meet Mike Landesberg, Breast Cancer Survivor & Genetic Testing Advocate

Produced by: Bobbi Kline MD / Roberta Kline MD #human design #longevity #wellness

Michael Landesberg is a courageous breast cancer survivor, generous philanthropist, passionate advocate, and experienced chef who lives every day by this mantra: courtesy is contagious; pay it forward. In April 2020, at the age of 46, he was diagnosed with HER 2+ (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) breast cancer, right at the onset of the isolating quarantines of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also underwent genetic testing and discovered that he carries both the BRCA2 and CHECK2 gene mutations. He knew that this put him and potentially his family at an increased risk for not only breast cancer, but ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and melanoma. After he tested positive, his sister tested and discovered that she also has the gene mutations. She was treated for Stage 0 breast cancer—the disease’s earliest stage. In the context of his advocacy, Michael stresses the importance of genetic testing, the increased risk associated with carrying one or more of the gene mutations, and how knowing this can help save lives, just like it saved his sister’s life.

Last October, Michael raised over $26,000 in support of the MBCGA and the West Islip Breast Cancer Coalition at his first “All Boobs Matter” event at his restaurant.

After undergoing a mastectomy and chemotherapy, Michael vowed to be there for others with a similar diagnosis. He quickly became a strong advocate for male breast cancer awareness. He has appeared on Good Morning America and News 12 and has written numerous articles chronicling his breast cancer journey that have been published by the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Michael started his career in the restaurant business at the age of 14 years old, and today is a renowned chef and much-beloved personality. Since 2021, he has been the Executive Chef and General Manager of the highly-acclaimed Jackson Hall American Bar and Grill in East Islip, Long Island. His love and passion for the industry is exemplified by his creative dishes and his interaction with his customers every day. He “pays it forward” here as well—when he’s not in the kitchen, he’s out and about patronizing other restaurants across Long Island, writing reviews, and sharing his message widely on social media.

In October 2023, looking for a way to give back to the people who helped him and his family through that very difficult time, Michael launched his first annual “All Boobs Matter” fundraising event at the restaurant. Donations of items for his raffle poured in, more than 200 prizes in all, including baskets filled with fine jewelry, wine, lottery tickets, gift cards, vacations and more. He and his team of volunteers, went shoulder-to-shoulder with all the friends and family and business associates who bought tickets, packed the house, and donated generously. In the end, he raised over $26,000 in support of the two organizations who were there with their support during his breast cancer diagnosis and treatment: the Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance and the West Islip Breast Cancer Coalition. The MBCGA is grateful for Michael’s commitment to spreading awareness and applaud his incredible efforts and success in assisting our organization with our mission through fundraising and advocacy.

WHAT'S NEXT AFTER CANCER?

The Importance of Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle and Monitoring

Written by: Dr. Leslie Valle-Montoya

Cancer recurrence can occur months or even years after initial treatment, and it’s important to be aware that cancer can return in different tissues, not just where it was originally diagnosed. While this is a challenging possibility, there are proactive steps you can take to reduce the risk and protect your health.

Staying vigilant with regular check-ups, lifestyle adjustments, and continued screenings is essential. Early detection of any signs of recurrence greatly increases the chances of successful treatment. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle after being declared “cancer-free” is not always easy, but it’s vital. We are constantly exposed to environmental toxins in our food, water, and surroundings, so addressing the root causes of disease and making healthier choices is crucial. A nutritious diet, physical activity, and stress management all support overall wellness and strengthen the immune system. I often guide patients in addressing lingering dental infections and maintaining a healthy internal environment, whether by enhancing the microbiome or reducing bodily acidity, which cancer thrives on.

Avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol, and maintaining a healthy weight are also key to lowering the risk of recurrence. By focusing on what you can control—your health and regular monitoring—you empower yourself to stay well and ensure long-term health.

CONTRIBUTOR:

LESLIE VALLE-MONTOYA, MD is the Founder of Biomed Life and the Santa Barbara Longevity Center. After medical school, Dr. Valle focused on managing chronic disease starting with its links to poor nutrition and then introducing them into the world of energy frequencies. She explores and includes non-invasive modalities such as: frequency therapies (including biofeedback), PEMF, proper detoxification, nutritional guidance and binaural beats as needed. - visit: www.biomedlifesb.com

Monday, September 23, 2024

RECURRENCE EXPLAINED- POSTOP SCANNING

Click to play video

CANCER RECURRENCE IN THE MOST RARE CASES: "LIGHTING STRUCK TWICE WITH MALE BREAST CANCER!"-- “I contracted Male Breast Cancer TWICE, just when I thought it was gone the first time. I learned that cancer doesn't give up - so neither should you! Stay smart, be proactive and follow a RECURRENCE PREVENTION plan to KEEP CANCER AWAY.” MARC FUTTERWEIT- Survivor/Senior Ambassador for Male Breast Cancer Coalition Doctors will never guarantee that your cancer is gone forever, even after the remission period. The American Medical Community suggests that all survivors of cancer should subscribe to proper health and nutritional standards to support continued prevention. Take the right steps to OUTSMART CANCER TODAY by learning how recurrence works. Start by managing a healthy (and organic) lifestyle, support a regular fitness regimen and schedule an annual monitoring program with an advanced imaging professional or physician specializing in cancer diagnostics to maintain regular screening protocols for early detection or to help prevent cancer recurrence.

RECURRENCE IN REVIEW
Transcript by Dr. Roberta Kline

There is a constant debate in the cancer community about the term "CANCER FREE". Cancer recurrence continues to be a major concern as reported in annual medical reports- identifying its tendency to “return with a vengeance". [1, 2]

Medical research has identified the major reasons why cancer recurs. A widely reported cause for this is attributed to a deficiency in treatment performance. [2] This means the therapy induced did not successfully remove or kill all of the cancer cells, possibly due to the patient's level of drug resistance. During treatment, Cancer cells can enter a dormant state to protect themselves from treatment and other stimuli. Over time, these dormant cells can reactivate. The cause of this may be a spike in chronic stress or the release of toxins from oxidative stress from environmental factors like smoking or repeat exposure to reactive chemicals. [3]

Inflammation has also been linked to the activation of immune cells called neutrophils. [4] Cancer cells that have spread to other areas of the body after successful treatment of the original tumor can remain dormant for years or decades before recurring as metastatic cancer. Further activators of these dormant cells have also been linked to one's personal Epigenetics. [5] This determines how your environment and lifestyle affects your cell function- including the dormancy state of your cancer cells.

Another known cause for recurrence are Cancer stem cells or CSC's. These are a small group of cells in tumors that have the ability to self-renew, differentiate, and give rise to all cell types in a tumor. [6] Most stages of tumor progression, including tumorigenesis, promotion, progression, and recurrence are accompanied by epigenetic alterations, some of which can be reversed by epigenetic drugs. [6]

DETECTION MONITORING: After cancer surgery, there are many preventive measures to support a safe and healthy recovery and to reduce the risk of recurrence. A logical and preventive strategy as part of postop maintenance is called RECURRENCE PREVENTION SCANS. Through the use of affordable, real-time medical imaging such as the 3D Doppler Ultrasound, post-cancer surgery patients can subscribe to a personal monitoring regimen to scan for any potential lesions and micro-tumors that may have fallen under the radar. Proactive monitoring can also address complications such as post-surgical Infections, recurring pain, swelling, neuropathy from nerve damage, scarring, fluid buildup or blood clots. In less than 20 minutes per visit, you earn peace of mind from a comprehensive scan by seasoned specialists trained to support postop patient management.

DR. ROBERTA KLINE is an ObGyn physician, an award-winning author, an educational advocate, and an inspirational speaker for the professional and women’s communities. She holds a combined mission to upgrade how we approach health and deliver healthcare for women through education, globalized communication, research, and advocacy. Dr. Kline develops and teaches CME programs, consults on gene expression project designs, and leads collaborative projects designed to advance the direction of women’s health. She is also a clinical advisor in integrative medicine and functional genomics to many health organizations including the Integrative Health Research Center. In addition to her mentorship programs for women physicians, Dr. Kline is Director of Educational Programs for the Women's Health Collaborative, Editor of the Women’s Health Digest, and on faculty at the University of Western States.

(1.) Butow P, Sharpe L, Thewes B, et al. Fear of Cancer Recurrence: A Practical Guide for Clinicians. Oncology (Williston Park). 2018 Jan 15;32(1):32-8. (2.) Mahvi DA, Liu R, Grinstaff MW, et al. (2018). Local Cancer Recurrence: The Realities, Challenges, and Opportunities for New Therapies. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 68(6), 488. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21498 (3.) Payne KK. Cellular stress responses and metabolic reprogramming in cancer progression and dormancy. Seminars in cancer biology 2022 Jan Vol. 78, pp. 45-48. (4.) He X-Y, Gao Y, Ng D et al. Chronic stress increases metastasis via neutrophil-mediated changes to the microenvironment. Cancer Cell 2024:42(3);474-486. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2024.01.013 (5.) Costa S, Alves Sales SL, Pinheiro DP, et al. (2023). Epigenetic reprogramming in cancer: From diagnosis to treatment. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2023.1116805 (6.) Yu X, Zhao H, Wang R, et al. (2024). Cancer epigenetics: From laboratory studies and clinical trials to precision medicine. Cell Death Discovery, 10(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41420-024-01803-z