Kay Ivey completes radiation treatment for cancer
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who was diagnosed last month with a small spot of cancer on a lung, said Friday she has successfully finished outpatient radiation treatments. Ivey’s office issued a statement saying she and her doctor expect a full recovery based on the early stage of cancer that was detected and the type of treatment it required. “I also want to encourage the people of Alabama to have regular checkups with their doctor. Certainly, I remain very grateful this was detected so early,” said Ivey, who has made several public appearances during the treatment. The 74-year-old Republican announced last month that doctors had found a small, isolated spot of cancer in her lung. Ivey hasn’t disclosed her exact diagnosis or additional details about the illness. Ivey’s statement said her longtime doctor discovered the cancer early during a routine exam. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Governor Kay Ivey: ‘I’m doing fine’ after cancer diagnosis
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said Monday that she feels fine and has a good prognosis after announcing last week that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer. “I’m doing fine. I feel fine. I hope I look fine. … It was caught very, very early and it’s a good prognosis, a high rate of success,” Ivey told reporters after a speech at a south Alabama Army base. The 74-year-old Republican governor announced last week that doctors found a malignant spot in her lung and that she will receive radiation treatments. Ivey has not disclosed her exact diagnosis or staging. Ivey said Monday that she feels grateful the cancer was found early and for the support she has received from people across the state. She said doctors have assured her that a “full recovery is very, very possible.” “It’s isolated. We’ll zap it out with some radiation and be done with it,” Ivey said. “If the doctors and I do my best, God will do the rest.” The governor underwent an outpatient procedure Friday at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, which she said was to place markers to guide her radiation treatment. Ivey talked briefly with reporters after speaking at the United States Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker for a ceremony for the 2019 official White House Christmas ornament, which is in the image of the helicopter. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Martha Roby: Summertime softball tradition benefits a worthy cause
One of my favorite traditions I’ve been able to participate in as a member of Congress is the Congressional Women’s Softball Game that takes place each summer. During the game, female members of Congress face members of the Washington, D.C., press corps in a friendly softball game to raise funds and awareness for the Young Survival Coalition (YSC). YSC is the premier global organization dedicated to the critical issues unique to young women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. The organization offers resources to help women feel supported and hopeful. Since 2009, the Congressional Women’s Softball Game has raised more than $1 million for YSC. Each year, players in the game honor real women who are battling cancer, defeated cancer, or lost their lives in the fight. This year, I was proud to play in honor of Courtney Pruitt, a Montgomery native and recent graduate of Alabama Christian Academy (ACA) who is currently undergoing intense treatment to fight leukemia. Courtney is a bright, intelligent, and beautiful young woman who played softball for most of her life. Shortly before she graduated from ACA this year, she received the heartbreaking diagnosis and is now courageously battling this disease. Courtney is the daughter of my dear friend, Montgomery City Councilman Glen Pruitt. It’s a true honor to be able to show my support for their family in this way, and I believe this annual tradition demonstrates what we can accomplish when we put our differences aside to rally for a worthy cause. Cancer is something few people ever think will happen to them, especially at an early age. I deeply admire the bravery of those, like Courtney, who fight this dreaded disease, and I’m glad to have opportunities like the Congressional Women’s Softball Game to raise awareness and support for cancer patients and survivors across the country. I believe that our government should do whatever possible to ease the burden on cancer patients and survivors during what I can only imagine would be a terribly frightening and trying time. One of my constituents in Alabama’s Second District recently brought to my attention that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) currently does not cover custom breast prosthetics for women who are either not candidates for reconstructive surgery or who do not prefer to endure additional surgery following a mastectomy. CMS only covers a reconstructive surgery, which is significantly more costly than custom prosthetics, or a prefabricated breast prosthetic. It is deeply concerning to me that CMS has taken this position, so I am gathering a coalition of members of Congress to request that they reconsider and modify this lack of coverage. I was proud to lead the charge on this on behalf of the many women who are living with breast cancer, those who have defeated it, and those who will be diagnosed in the future. Women who battle breast cancer should be given the options that work best for them and not be subjected to a one-size-fits-all approach. I am inspired by those who fight cancer of any kind, and I truly enjoyed participating in the Congressional Women’s Baseball Game again this year. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t hold out for the game, so the umpires called it while Team Press was leading. If the rain hadn’t ended things early, I know Team Congress would have made a comeback. Win, lose, or draw, it is my hope that the proceeds raised during this great event better the lives and outlooks of many women across our country who are bravely battling cancer. My even greater hope is that we will one day see this dreaded disease eradicated for good. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama, with her husband Riley and their two children.
Revolutionizing cancer treatment: UAB Proton Therapy Center to open in 2020
Imagine state-of-the-art cancer treatment that is so exact, it can target tumor-killing radiation directly to any spot in the body, with a low chance of harming tissue in front of, around or behind the tumor. Starting in 2020, UAB Hospital will begin offering this innovative treatment – proton therapy – for patients with localized cancer. On Jan. 30, UAB broke ground for the state’s first Proton Therapy Center at the corner of 20th Street South and Fifth Avenue. A technically advanced form of radiation, proton therapy uses highly precise proton beams instead of traditional X-rays to attack tumors. It painlessly delivers radiation through the skin, directly to a targeted place in the body, such as a tumor or organ. There, the proton beams deposit a precise dose of radiation, avoiding damage to healthy surrounding tissue better than conventional X-ray radiation. Currently, there are approximately 20 proton therapy centers in the U.S. Proton International at UAB will be in a three-story building that will house the proton therapy system, manufactured by Varian, a longtime partner with UAB in the delivery of radiation therapy. UAB will lease the property to Proton International, which will build and manage the facility. A leader in the field of proton therapy, Proton International also has two centers underway in Europe. Dr. John Fiveash, a UAB oncologist since 1998, looks forward to offering the treatment to his patients. When Fiveash began practicing medicine at UAB, he mostly treated prostate and brain cancers. Now, about 80 percent of his patients have brain tumors. “Proton treatment is the next step in improving nonsurgical cancer treatment,” he said. Providing targeted cancer treatment For some patients, proton therapy will provide more superior treatment, he believes. “We’ve spent the last 15 years looking at how treatment has evolved,” said Fiveash, one of 17 radiation oncologists. “This therapy has become more cost-effective, and we believe it will become a tool of choice for physicians. “Compared to standard treatment, proton therapy has the ability to target a tumor or cancerous growth, sometimes giving a higher dose of cancer-killing therapy with the same level of side effects,” said Fiveash, who earned his M.D. at the Medical College of Georgia in 1993. “In theory, this treatment is for patients who have localized cancer.” He said that oncologists will select patients who will best benefit, such as those whose cancer affects an organ and a few nearby lymph nodes. Not every patient will be eligible. It’s possible for oncologists to combine proton therapy with chemotherapy, which makes radiation more effective for many types of tumors. Fiveash said that proton therapy may prove less toxic. “Regular radiation can have many side effects,” Fiveash said. “For many tumor types, proton therapy can lead to a better quality of life.” Proton therapy may benefit children who have brain tumors. Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham sees about 60 to 80 patients a year who require treatment, but the hospital doesn’t offer radiation. Many Children’s patients are directed to Fiveash. “Regular radiation can cause intellectual and developmental disabilities later to the patient,” he said. “Head and neck or throat cancers may also benefit. For those patients, the mouth can get very sore, preventing the patient from eating. This may allow us not to irradiate the mouth as much.” UAB improving healthcare for Alabama residents, region “Establishing the first proton therapy facility in Alabama is one more way that UAB Medicine is improving health care for residents of the state and region,” said UAB Health System CEO Will Ferniany. “This advanced cancer-fighting radiation technology, coupled with the skill, experience and resources of Proton International, the UAB Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine and the Comprehensive Cancer Center, will be a life-changing resource for cancer patients throughout our region,” Ferniany said. Chris Chandler, CEO of Proton International, said that proton therapy has proved itself as a front-line treatment for multiple forms of cancer. “Experts conservatively estimate that about 250,000 cancer patients in the United States alone could benefit from proton therapy,” Chandler said. “We are excited to partner with UAB and the Department of Radiation Oncology to put this outstanding tool into the hands of the best oncologists in Alabama.” Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Mo Brooks recovering well from prostatectomy
According to the office of Alabama 5th District U.S. Congressman Mo Brooks , the congressman is recovering after his prostatectomy on Friday. Last Wednesday, Brooks announced he has “high-risk” prostate cancer in an emotional speech on the floor of the House Wednesday morning. According to Brooks’ family, the procedure went well. Results from full pathology tests will be available in the coming weeks, but preliminary lab tests came back clear, indicating that all cancer was removed with the prostate. “Please remember to keep Rep. Mo Brooks in your thoughts and prayers as he undergoes surgery today. Also his wife Martha and their children,” posted Lt. Governor candidate Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh on Facebook Friday ahead of his surgery. Brooks’ colleague, Alabama 6th District U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer later posted, “Glad to hear my friend Congressman Mo Brooks’ surgery went well. Ann and I send him prayers and well wishes for a speedy recovery!” Brooks is currently scheduled to return home on Saturday to recuperate. He and his wife are very grateful for all of the texts, calls, prayers, and well wishes.
John McCain calls brain cancer prognosis ‘very poor’
U.S. Sen. John McCain says doctors have given him a “very poor prognosis” as he battles brain cancer. McCain underwent surgery in July for a brain tumor that was later found to be a form of glioblastoma, the same type of cancer that took the life of his former Senate colleague Edward M. Kennedy in 2009. McCain tells CBS’ “60 Minutes” in an interview that aired Sunday night that he thinks about Kennedy a lot. He says Kennedy continued to work despite the diagnosis and “never gave up because he loved the engagement.” McCain says he has “feelings sometimes of fear of what happens,” but counters that with gratitude for having lived “had a great life.” He adds: “it’s not that you’re leaving, it’s that you — that you stayed.” Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Our deepest condolences to Fox News’ Mary Katharine Ham
The world said goodbye to one of the good guys Saturday. 34 year old White House staffer, Jake Brewer, died after suffering fatal injuries in a head-on collision after he rode his bike off of the track during the Ride to Conquer Cancer charity fundraiser bike race, where he was cycling to raise money for a friend who has cancer. His death was announced Sunday morning in a heart-breaking, heartfelt Instagram post by his wife, Montgomery native and frequent Fox News guest and conservative commentator, Mary Katharine Ham: We lost our Jake yesterday, and I lost part of my heart and the father of my sweet babies. I don’t have to tell most of you how wonderful he was. It was self-evident. His life was his testimony, and it was powerful and tender and fierce, with an ever-present twinkle in the eye. I will miss him forever, even more than I can know right now. No arms can be her father’s, but my daughter is surrounded by her very favorite people and all the hugs she could imagine. This will change us, but with prayer and love and the strength that is their companion, we can hope our heartache is not in vain– that it will change us and the world in beautiful ways, just as he did. If that sounds too optimistic at this time, it’s because it is. But there was no thought too optimistic for Jake, so take it and run with it. I will strive and pray not to feel I was cheated of many years with him, but cherish the gift of the years I had. In a life where nothing is guaranteed, Jake made the absolute, ever-lovin’ most of his time with all of us. This is a family picture we took a couple weeks ago. It was taken because Jake, as always, was ready with a camera and his immense talent. All four members of our little, growing family are in it. I can never be without him because these babies are half him. They are made of some of the strongest, kindest stuff God had to offer this world. Please pray that he can see us and we’ll all make him proud. God, I love him. Psalm 34:18, Philippians 1:3 Jacob – known as “Jake” – was a senior policy advisor to President Barack Obama in the Office of Science and Technology Policy and had previously worked as the director of external affairs at Change.org. On Sunday, President Obama offered his condolences in a statement, calling Brewer “one of the best”: I am heartbroken at the tragic loss of one of my advisors, Jake Brewer. We set out to recruit the best of the best to join their government and help us harness the power of technology and data to innovate new solutions for the 21st century. Simply put, Jake was one of the best. Armed with a brilliant mind, a big heart, and an insatiable desire to give back, Jake devoted his life to empowering people and making government work better for them. He worked to give citizens a louder voice in our society. He engaged our striving immigrants. He pushed for more transparency in our democracy. And he sought to expand opportunity for all. I’ve often said that today’s younger generation is smarter, more determined, and more capable of making a difference than I was as a young man. Jake was proof of that. Michelle and I are praying for all of Jake’s family and his many friends, most of all his wife, Mary Katharine Ham, their daughter, Georgia, and their growing family. They’ll always have a family here at the White House. “The pain and shock is devastating. Jake leaves behind an adoring wife, Mary Katharine, a beautiful toddler, Georgia, and another baby on the way,” read a GoFundMe fundraiser page set up by friends of Mary Katharine in order to help provide for their children as they grow up. She has also asked that people donate to The Travis Manion Foundation, which supports families of fallen U.S. servicemen. In approximately 26 hours, the page reached its $200,000 goal. According to Allahpundit at Hotair.com, at Mary Katharine’s insistence, funds in “excess above and beyond what’s needed for the care and education of the children will be donated to charity. That’s what kind of person she is. At a moment of supreme horror and panic, she thought of how she might do some good for others too.”
