Children who grow up on a farm learn the “facts of life” at an early age, such as the observation in an old song: “They’re laying eggs now/ Just like they used ter/ Ever since that rooster/ Came into our yard.”
All species that propagate by sexual reproduction have two sexes, and every new organism arises from one male and one female gamete. Except in the rare hermaphroditic species, every organism has two different parents, one male and one female, permitting the wonderful variety that exists in the natural world.
One can debate endlessly about the role of nature or nurture in molding a person—or animal—but sex is 100 percent nature. It is not “assigned.” It is recognized at birth, or on a prenatal ultrasound—or hundreds of years later in a skeleton. If there is ambiguity, it is a medical emergency. The newborn needs to be seen immediately by a pediatric endocrinologist because he might die from adrenal insufficiency.
Sexual differentiation begins long before any visible differences—the Y chromosome affects every cell in the body. Skilled persons can sex chicks soon after they hatch.
Gender is a subjective concept these days. If there are not two, how many are there? Three, 50, 83, hundreds? New ones keep getting named. Doctors are being told to be hyperaware so as to treat each patient appropriately, as defined by the person’s self-identity. How about, instead of trying to stuff people into artificially created gender/racial/ethnic boxes, treating everyone as an individual?
There is some yang in every yin, and some yin in every yang, but the yin and the yang exist and are not the same. There is not a womb in a trans-woman, but there is in a trans-man who has not had it removed. We do patients a terrible disservice by pretending to treat organs that aren’t there, or by ignoring organs that are.
Roosters are different, as I learned visiting a farm, where I was attacked by the Bad Rooster. I might have been pecked to death, save for the timely intervention of an 8-year-old boy who thought boys were supposed to protect girls. (I will be his friend for life.)
This brings us to the reason for wanting to sex chicks. A farmer doesn’t want to waste money raising a chicken that doesn’t lay eggs. You only need a few roosters. They fight and are disruptive. Similarly, if you are raising sheep or cattle, you want to be the one who is in charge of the herd—so you castrate most of the males.
Now, if your goal is to have a compliant society of dependent serfs, you need to geld (“detoxify”) the males or make them irrelevant. A father in each family protects his own and works hard so his offspring can thrive. But strong families can thwart the designs of would-be rulers.
The stated goals of the growing transgender movement sound noble: make a troubled minority happy, and do away with patriarchy, discrimination, and oppression. And by the way with overpopulation. This assumes we are smarter than Mother Nature.
If we could turn a lot of boys into girls, or at least non-boys, and shame the rest, there would be fewer roosters. True, some girls want to become boys, but while they can grow a beard they cannot increase their muscle strength by 40 percent and their lung capacity by 25 percent, nor can they match a genetic male in bone density and body size. What prevents men from crushing women physically is civilization. Boys must be trained not to hit girls. But if a man “identifies” as a woman, “she” can dominate women in prisons, shelters for abused women, and female sports. The rooster attitude may persist along with the strength.
Would we be better off with women in charge? Women like Catherine the Great, Elizabeth I, “Bloody Mary,” or a modern radical feminist? Or how about a bureaucratic technocracy in which your every thought and deed is monitored—as in Orwell’s 1984.
To eliminate Thought Crime under Ingsoc, it was necessary to make people believe the absurd: that two plus two is not equal to four.
It is equally absurd to say that boys can be turned into girls, or vice versa. But people are being punished professionally for asserting that there are two and only two sexes, determined and fixed by biology.
Could we get rid of natural, complementary sex, and strong men, without getting rid of humanity?
###
Jane M. Orient, M.D. obtained her undergraduate degrees in chemistry and mathematics from the University of Arizona in Tucson, and her M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1974. She completed an internal medicine residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital and University of Arizona Affiliated Hospitals and then became an Instructor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and a staff physician at the Tucson Veterans Administration Hospital. She has been in solo private practice since 1981 and has served as Executive Director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) since 1989. She is currently president of Doctors for Disaster Preparedness. She is the author of YOUR Doctor Is Not In: Healthy Skepticism about National Healthcare, and the second through fifth editions of Sapira's Art and Science of Bedside Diagnosis published by Wolters Kluwer. She authored books for schoolchildren, Professor Klugimkopf’s Old-Fashioned English Grammar and Professor Klugimkopf’s Spelling Method,published by Robinson Books, and coauthored two novels published as Kindle books, Neomorts and Moonshine. More than 100 of her papers have been published in the scientific and popular literature on a variety of subjects including risk assessment, natural and technological hazards and nonhazards, and medical economics and ethics. She is the editor of AAPS News, the Doctors for Disaster Preparedness Newsletter, and Civil Defense Perspectives, and is the managing editor of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons.
PrescribeIT® Launches in Newfoundland and Labrador
TORONTO, Jan. 20, 2020 /CNW/ - Citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador can now benefit from the convenience and safety of e-prescribing with the launch of PrescribeIT® in Bonavista.
PrescribeIT® is a national e-prescribing service developed by Canada Health Infoway (Infoway), which enables prescribers to safely and conveniently transmit a prescription electronically between a prescriber's electronic medical record (EMR) and the pharmacy management system (PMS) of a patient's pharmacy of choice. By enhancing communication and improving workflow between prescribers and pharmacists, electronic prescribing helps to facilitate better health outcomes and improve continuity of care for patients.
Dr. Hamdi Magrabi and Dr. Logendraj Selvarajah in the community of Bonavista are the first prescribers in Newfoundland and Labrador to use PrescribeIT®. The first electronic prescriptions were received by Jason Ryan, pharmacist at the Bonavista pharmacy.
"PrescribeIT® is a seamless integration that is much more convenient and secure for my patients, as it eliminates the step of taking a paper prescription to a pharmacy and eliminates misplaced or forgotten prescriptions," said Selvarajah.
"PrescribeIT® is also much more secure than sending a prescription by fax, and it gives me greater assurance that my patients will get the medication they need," said Magrabi. "It also frees up more time to spend on patient care."
"Taking a patient-first approach, e-prescribing is a major step that will advance patient safety, improve the coordination of care and impact health outcomes," said Stephen Clark, President and CEO, Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information. "As a key objective of the provincial electronic medical record program, eDOCSNL, e-prescribing enables a direct link between prescribers and pharmacists that will help reduce medication errors, improve medication adherence and speed up health care delivery. We are proud to be a partner of this national initiative and help advance digital health in Newfoundland and Labrador."
"Eastern Health is pleased to use the PrescribeIT® technology in Bonavista, enabling participating physicians to send electronic prescriptions to community pharmacies. This tool aids in providing quality care and service to the people in the communities we serve, while partnering with others who share a commitment to quality health care and improved health and wellbeing," said Ron Johnson, Vice President, Information Services and Rural Health, Eastern Health.
"We are thrilled to launch PrescribeIT® in Newfoundland and Labrador," said Michael Green, President and CEO, Canada Health Infoway. "It's an important step in helping health care providers in the province deliver better care for patients. It's also part of our ACCESS Atlantic initiative to improve health outcomes by improving access to care."
In addition to Newfoundland and Labrador, PrescribeIT® is operating in New Brunswick, Ontario and Alberta, and agreements are in place with six other jurisdictions.
About the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information (NLCHI)
NLCHI is a Provincial Government agency responsible for managing, protecting and providing secure and confidential access to quality health information to support: the management of patient care; research; health system planning; and, enabling the public with access to their own health information. NLCHI leads the delivery of provincial eHealth solutions such as the electronic health record, HEALTHe NL, and electronic medical record program, eDOCSNL. Visit www.nlchi.nl.ca.
About Eastern Health
Eastern Health is the largest, integrated health authority in Newfoundland and Labrador employing approximately 13,000 dedicated employees and more than 600 medical staff, and is supported by more than 2,000 volunteers, including members of numerous auxiliaries and fundraising foundations. With an annual budget of approximately $1.5 billion, the authority offers the full continuum of health and community services including public health, long-term care, community services, hospital care and unique provincial programs and services. Serving a population of more than 300,000, Eastern Health's geographic boundaries extend from St. John's west to Port Blandford including all communities on the Avalon, Burin and Bonavista Peninsulas. Visit www.easternhealth.ca.
About Canada Health Infoway
Infoway helps to improve the health of Canadians by working with partners to accelerate the development, adoption and effective use of digital health across Canada. Through our investments, we help deliver better quality and access to care and more efficient delivery of health services for patients and clinicians. Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government. Visit www.infoway-inforoute.ca/en/.
About PrescribeIT®
Canada Health Infoway is working with Health Canada, the provinces and territories, and industry stakeholders to develop, operate and maintain the national e-prescribing service known as PrescribeIT®. PrescribeIT® will serve all Canadians, pharmacies and prescribers and provide safer and more effective medication management by enabling prescribers to transmit a prescription electronically between a prescriber's electronic medical record (EMR) and the pharmacy management system (PMS) of a patient's pharmacy of choice. PrescribeIT®will protect Canadians' personal health information from being sold or used for commercial activities. Visit www.prescribeit.ca/.
A new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) puts the final nail in the coffin of the idea that the spate of lung injuries that occurred beginning last summer were caused by “vaping.” The CDC admitted this week that the injuries appear to be exclusively linked to marijuana vapes—not nicotine e-cigarettes, most of which were purchased on the black market, a fact that CEI knew nearly six months ago.
According to the latest CDC findings, only one in six of the patients with the vaping-related lung injuries reported purchasing THC vapes from commercial sources. Some news outlets have interpreted this to mean that approximately 16 percent of the cases involved legally purchased cannabis vapes. But, as Jacob Sullum at Reason points out, this is incorrect. The CDC’s definition of “commercial” includes not only licensed dispensaries, but also pop-up shops, which are decidedly illegal in states with legal marijuana. Furthermore, the definition includes “stores,” without clarifying what this means. It is possible “store” includes bodegas and corner shops, which have been known to sell illegal drugs.
Thus, excluding the 3 percent of consumers who bought their THC at pop-up shops and the 2 percent who purchased them at “stores” other than dispensaries, only 11 percent of the cases reported buying their products at commercial outlets. Even that figure may be inflated, as it only reflects behavior reported by patients who may, for whatever reason, choose not to report purchasing or using cannabis products obtained from non-commercial sources.
As Sullum notes, it is still entirely possible that some of the cases were caused by legally purchased cannabis at licensed outlets. The manufacturers of cannabis products or components may have unkowingly adulterated their products with the ingredient or ingredients that caused the lung injuries. They should be held accountable for this, as all legal purveyors would be. But that does not mean that cannabis vapes—certainly not vaping as an entire category—is dangerously underregulated. Even sellers of vegetables sometimes err, causing widespread outbreaks of dangerous food-borne pathogens. The response in those cases is neither panic nor a leap to ban all lettuce. It merely calls for better standards and, perhaps, different types of oversight.
Instead of such a measured response to improve consumer safety, the outbreak of “vaping-linked” lung injuries prompted hysteria, leading to passage of bans on nicotine e-cigarettes—not even responsible for the outbreak—and a federal prohibition on all flavored e-cigarettes (excluding only tobacco and menthol.) These bans were pushed by dogmatic anti-tobacco interests, who exploited the early confusion over the outbreak.
The increasing evidence that cannabis—not nicotine—vapes were the cause of the illnesses did little to slow the march toward a new war on e-cigarettes. Even this latest confession from the CDC is unlikely to cause any reversals in state or federal policy on e-cigarettes.
Instead of instituting better safety regulations and incentivizing consumers to purchase products legally, U.S. lawmakers have chosen to embrace prohibition, once again. As I wrote in July, this will do nothing to prevent future outbreaks caused by black market products. In fact, by creating an even larger black market, including not only cannabis, but also nicotine e-cigarettes, bans all but guarantee that future outbreaks will be more frequent and widespread.
JUSU Companies Expand the Plant Based Movement with the Acquisition of Westbloom
VICTORIA, Jan. 20, 2020 /CNW/ - Jusu Bars Inc. ("Jusu") one of Canada's leading health, wellness and lifestyle companies, announced today of its recent acquisition of Westbloom Inc. ("Westbloom"). The acquisition of Westbloom, a Calgary based beverage company specializing in coffees, teas, and cold brew beverages, allows Jusu to offer high quality plant-based coffee at all their locations. "Our mission at Jusu is to provide our customers with high quality, organic, chemical free and environmentally friendly products" says Bruce Mullen, Jusu's Founder and CEO. "Westbloom is a perfect fit for Jusu, as their coffees, teas and cold brew products are of the highest quality. Westbloom has shown a great commitment to their innovative approach and the plant-based movement. The synergies of Jusu and Westbloom's culture and products will allow us to offer a complete product line to meet the needs of our customers". With Western Canada as its gateway, Jusu is providing customers with a way to consume chemical-free, plant based and certified organic food and beverage products. Jusu is looking to expand their business into other markets in North America, as an increase in consumer demand for organic plant-based products is on the rise.
About Jusu Inc.- Jusu is a group of companies committed to making pure, organic, plant-based products for consumption, body and personal care. We are passionate about educating our community on ways of living a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle. We do this through our multiple brick-and-mortar juice bar franchise locations as well as our extensive direct-to-consumer product offerings expanding everything from skin care and body products to aromatherapy and home cleaning lines.
About Westbloom Inc. – Westbloom is a specialty coffee, tea and cold brew company based in Calgary, Alberta. Two key executives of Westbloom will transition to Jusu's executive team.
HEALTH IS WEALTH
JACK MARTYN / CO-FOUNDER WESTBLOOM: Jack is the co-founder of Westbloom and brings legal and regulatory experience to the Jusu team. Jack has over five years of experience in the legal field, practicing primarily corporate law in both Australia and Canada. Further, Jack has over 3 years of experience consulting for cannabis companies throughout Canada. Jack is a member of the Alberta Law Society and holds a Bachelor of Laws with Honours from Bond University.
JEANNE BEKER: We are also thrilled to announce JUSU's collaboration with media marketing icon Jeanne Beker. Jeanne has extensive experience in the media, entertainment, beauty and fashion world. Her ability to connect and lead multiple generations of like-minded people will benefit all the JUSU companies and our guests.
MIEUX DIGITAL: Also joining the team is MIEUX digital company - experts in all aspects of marketing, branding, e-commerce, affiliate programs, influencer programs, and the Shopify direct to consumer (D2C) platform.
PRIVATE PLACEMENT: JUSU announces a private placement to fund expansion. The proceeds from the offering will be used to develop an entire direct-to-consumer ecosystem, consolidate and refine narratives, enhance marketing/branding, optimize distribution, explore an influencer program, and create working capital.
SOURCE JUSU Bar Inc
How to Give Yourself Extra Motivation for Meeting Your New Year Fitness Goals
Every New Year's people across the country come up with New Year's resolutions that they hope will help them improve their lives in some way. One very common New Year's resolution is to start and stick to a fitness program. While this is a commendable goal, it can be difficult to keep the motivation that is needed to continue such a plan when things start getting more challenging. In order to help you find that extra motivation that you need to keep pushing ahead and achieve your fitness goals, consider some of the following tips.
Set Realistic Goals
Make sure that the goals that you have set yourself are not too extreme as to be unrealistic. If your bar is set too high, then no degree of motivation will be enough to get you to the place you want to be. Start simple, remembering that taking small intermediate steps is the best way to create significant long-lasting change.
Write Them Down
One small thing that can have a surprisingly large impact on your ability to achieve your goals is to simply write your goals down. The act of putting pen to paper and making your goals something tangible that you can see has a powerful psychological effect that can help you reach your target. Keeping a written record of the progress that you have made towards your fitness goals can also be a great help, as it makes it easy to see how the changes you are making are having an effect in your life.
Get Support
As with most things in life, having a strong support system can be critical to success. Getting others involved in your fitness goals, even if it's only in a supporting role, can be hugely beneficial by creating a support system that can help you keep moving forward when things inevitably get tough as the days go by. Knowing that somebody else is counting on you to do well can be a great motivating factor as well, so bring friends or family along whenever possible. Plan group outings or meals that involve others so that they can hold you accountable if you try not to follow through.
Everybody forgets things from time to time, remember that slipping up does not mean that your resolution needs to be scrapped. Consider getting something that can help jog your memory to do your fitness routine. Something like an alert on your phone, a note on the fridge, or a T-shirt from DHDWearwith a message that pushes you towards working on your goals. Whatever you need to get it done, find something that works for you.
Libtayo™ (cemiplimab) Receives Positive Recommendation from the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review Expert Review Committee for the Treatment of Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer accounting for approximately 20% of all skin cancer cases in Canada.1
OAKVILLE, ON, Jan. 16, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - The Melanoma Network of Canada is pleased with the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review (pCODR) conditional recommendation for reimbursement of LibtayoTM (cemiplimab) in patients with metastatic or locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation.2 LibtayoTM (cemiplimab) is a fully-human monoclonal antibody targeting the immune checkpoint receptor PD-1 and is the first and only biologic for the treatment of advanced CSCC available in Canada.3
"Cemiplimab is a major step forward in the treatment of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Use of this agent will revolutionize treatment of this disease which previously had few therapeutic options," said Dr. Marcus Butler, Medical Oncologist, Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
The positive recommendation was based on the results of the phase II EMPOWER-CSCC 1 study. pERC concluded in its report that LibtayoTM(cemiplimab) aligns with patient values as there is a significant burden of illness in this population and need for more effective treatment options with tolerable side effects that are associated with less pain, scarring, and disfigurement.2
"The CSCC patient population is often overlooked, and this pCODR recommendation for LibtayoTM (cemiplimab) represents great progress and hope for the future," said Annette Cyr, Chair, Melanoma Network of Canada. "CSCC is a devastating, isolating disease and we look forward to the prospect of expedited access to this much needed treatment option for both patients and clinicians."
CSCC starts in squamous cells of the skin, which are flat cells found in the outer part of the epidermis. When CSCC is found very early and only in the epidermis, it is called CSCC in situ. It is not usually life-threatening because it is an early form of CSCC. CSCC in situ may turn into invasive CSCC. This means that the cancer can grow into nearby tissue or deeper layers of the skin.1 If lesions are untreated, they may continue to grow, causing damage to the surrounding tissue and potentially spreading to other parts of the body.4
About the Melanoma Network of Canada The Melanoma Network of Canada is a national charity that provides patient support as well as timely and accurate prevention and information resources. The Melanoma Network of Canada is the leader and voice for the melanoma and skin cancer community and assists efforts to target funding for melanoma research. Funding raised by the Melanoma Network of Canada goes directly into patient support programs, youth prevention programs as well as research. Please visit www.melanomanetwork.ca for more information.
New Journal from Elizz.com is a Game Changer in Wellness: Promoting the Perfect Path to Self-Care for a "New You" in 2020
Elizz journal helps "busy" daughters and sons of aging parents to focus on what really matters
TORONTO, Jan. 14, 2020 /CNW/ - Elizz.com is changing the game for busy, family caregivers in 2020. On the scoreboard: kickstarting health and wellness, savouring self-care and practicing gratitude. The It.Is.Time. Journal – the latest resource from Elizz, a division of SE Health – helps daughters and sons of aging parents prioritize, take guilt free "me time", and appreciate the feel-good moments of the day. It's simple, quick, and effective; it's a game changer.
When caring for aging parents, additional responsibilities, such as work and family create long 'to-do' lists, causing emotional, mental and physical stress. The It.Is.Time. Journal helps family caregivers to gain control and feel better.
Journaling makes people feel great and promotes health and happiness. According to the 2019 FamilyCaregiver Survey by Clever Samurai, for those who journal, almost 45 per cent said that journaling "increases motivation and/or improves their emotional well-being," while 80 per cent said it "encourages calmness and relaxes me."
"We understand that family caregivers lead busy lives, so taking care of themselves is often lost or forgotten," says Allyson Kinsley, Senior Vice President, Brand Experience at SE Health. "At Elizz.com, we have phenomenal resources, even a chatbot (elizzbot), but we really wanted to develop something tangible, that caregivers canuse and feel good about, every day. The It.Is.Time. Journal gives people this opportunity and the best part: it isn't a time burden – it fits into their 'busy' lives."
As the survey uncovers, 68 per cent of family caregivers spend up to 30 per cent of their time caregiving; and a whopping 80 per cent have given up "personal activities" for caregiving. The study also revealed that over 50 per cent say they would benefit from having more information about stress release techniques and 57 per cent indicated strong interest in a tool that would help them to track and write down why they are grateful. Studies show that when people are aware of their thoughts and feelings, and write them down, they are happier and healthier.
The It.Is.Time. Journal is a practical, every day tool that inspires family caregivers and busy people to put themselves first, so they can feel happy while providing care for others. If a caregiver is happy, the people around them are too. The It.Is.Time. Journal is a simple step in self-care and it's a game changer at every turn, especially at the start of a new year.
About SE Health SE Health is a not-for-profit social enterprise applying knowledge, vision and drive to impact how people live and age at home, today and into the future. With Canadian roots and 110+ years of expertise, the organization brings quality excellence and innovation to home care, seniors' lifestyle, and family caregiving. Through its team of 9,000 Leaders of Impact, SE Health delivers 21,000 care exchanges daily, totaling 50 million in the last decade alone. Visit us online at sehc.com
About Elizz Elizz is the family caregiving division of SE Health. Elizz is a lifestyle destination that inspires daughters and sons to live well while caring for their aging parents. Through thoughtful content, it provides resources to help with caregiving, inspirations to practice self-care, and connection with others going through similar journeys. Visit us online at elizz.com
New App Designed to Support Mental Health and Well-Being Launches Kickstarter Campaign
Illumu helps people through their most challenging times through engaging interaction on their smartphones.
A life-changing new app called Illumu has launched a Kickstarter campaign. The app is designed to help people to maintain their emotional health through their most challenging times. Illumu uses the power of Machine Learning to customize a response to feelings of emotional distress for each user.
Emotional health is a primary concern in today’s increasingly complex world. People are finding themselves with feelings of loneliness and helplessness when they face hardship. Illumu is part of the solution, using the one object that nearly everyone has with them at all times – their smartphones.
Illumu creates a companion that people can take with them everywhere and anywhere. It offers practical suggestions and new ways of thinking to achieve, sustain, and enhance emotional health. The app has specialized features that categorically address feelings such as loneliness, confusion, and overwhelm. Three of the top features include the selfie feature, the customized content library, and the event finder.
The selfie feature understands the user’s emotional state. Illumu evaluates the effectiveness of its recommendations, which the app calls LifeChangers, by utilizing selfies. As the user takes selfies on consecutive days, the app’s algorithm understands if the suggested LifeChangers are effective or not, leading to more targeted LifeChangers.
Illumu’s AI-powered algorithm creates a customized content library for each individual that can be applied to their specific life challenge. This content library includes short films, music, games, poems, paintings, and more.
The app will also connect its users with local events, encouraging the user to socialize within a safe environment targeted for specific life challenges. These events could include activities like group painting or pet sports that will add joy to their day.
Illumu provides engaging interaction, scientifically proven recommendation, useful content, access to creative events, and a community of professionals and fellow users.
Reviews
“Got mad love and respect for this. Not everyone has a therapist they can see regularly or at all. Some people don’t have the support system they need or deserve. The App fills this gap in an affordable way.” – Cara Beth Hawkins
“While reading any self-help book, I often asked is the book really for me. I always imagined what if a book is written just for me. Illumu App does exactly that. It’s like my personal self-help book.” – Torii Rowe
“I can’t wait. This is going to be such a game changer for those that are primarily left behind or are wanting to develop a deeper relationship. This is so exciting!” – Justin Amanda Nelson
First Biologic Treatment for Deadly Type of Skin Cancer Gets Strong Positive Recommendation to be Covered by Provincial Health Care
Save Your Skin Foundation Applauds the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review recommendation for Provincial Reimbursement of LibtayoTM, the first and only biologic for the treatment of Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
TORONTO, Jan. 15, 2020 /CNW/ - Save Your Skin Foundation is pleased to announce that the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review (pCODR) has provided a strong positive clinical recommendation for the reimbursement of LibtayoTM (cemiplimab), the first and only biologic for the treatment of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). If this recommendation is adopted by provincial health care bodies, advanced cSCC patients will finally have free access to LibtayoTM under their provincial health care for this potentially deadly form of skin cancer.
Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma is the second most common form of skin cancer accounting for approximately one fifth of all skin cancer cases in Canada. Over 80,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in Canada every year. It is estimated that one in 20 people will develop squamous cell carcinoma in their lifetime.1
The five-year survival rate for metastatic cSCC is just 34.4%. When cSCC invades deeper layers of the skin or adjacent tissues, it is categorized as locally advanced. Once it spreads to other distant parts of the body, it is considered metastatic. Often times, as with all cancers of the skin, cSCC may involve surgical removal of lesions, which may lead to complications or even severe disfigurement, which has a high impact on patients.
"As skin cancer prevalence continues to grow in Canada2, patients and their loved ones need options for treatment of this potentially deadly disease," says Kathy Barnard, skin cancer survivor and founder of Save Your Skin Foundation. "Squamous cell carcinoma is not 'JUST' skin cancer – it is a wake-up call to all Canadians to be vigilant about the risks of skin cancer and the serious nature of its membership to the most common type of cancer."
"New advanced treatment options like LibtayoTM and diligent reviews by pCODR and INESSS are critical," says Dr. David Zloty, Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, UBC. "This gives patients and their loved ones hope that this disease may be treated and beaten."
About Libtayo™ Libtayo™ is a prescription medicine used to treat people with a type of skin cancer called cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) that has spread or cannot be cured by surgery or radiation. Libtayo™ is being jointly developed by Regeneron and Sanofi under a global collaboration agreement. LibtayoTM is a fully-human monoclonal antibody targeting the immune checkpoint receptor PD-1 (programmed cell death protein-1) and is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic or locally advanced cSCC who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation.
About Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (cSCC) The leading cause of cSCC is frequent sun exposure. People with fair skin, light hair, and blue, green, or grey eyes are at the highest risk. Patients who have had tissue transplants (and are on anti-rejection drugs), specifically for the kidney, liver or heart, are at a high risk of developing cSCC.
The symptoms of cSCC include:
Warts that grow and crust or bleed occasionally.
Scaly red patches, with irregular borders, which sometimes crust or bleed.
Sores that are open and bleed and crust for weeks.
An elevated growth with a central dip that occasionally bleeds.
For more information about cSCC and other types of skin cancer, visit www.saveyourskin.ca
Stanford Inn and Resort Offers Personalized Family Workshops to Help Overcome Picky Eating
At this plant-based Mendocino resort children and parents cook together, learn nutrition as a team, and participate in family art and creativity workshops to build long-term healthy living habits MENDOCINO, CA _ The Stanford Inn and Resort, is offering families a chance to grab an apron and get cooking – down to the littlest family members – all in the name of healthy habits.“It’s always the right time to adopt healthy living habits,” said Sid Garza-Hillman, the Wellness ProgramsDirector and Certified Nutritionist. Garza-Hillman is also the author of Raising Healthy Parents: Small Steps, Less Stress, and a Thriving Family. “This vacation package is a unique opportunity for parents, with their children, to slow down, come together, play together, and learn together.” Joan Stanford, Registered Art Therapist and creative play facilitator who leads the creative portion of the program adds, “This is about creating and expanding a healthy lifestyle. Kids really respond to a mutual exploration with their parents. Sid, his wife, and three young kids are living this way and my husband and I raised our two kids, fostering a sense of adventure, curiosity and meeting challenges with creativity. It is a great way to be!” Raising and nurturing a healthy family is challenging. Garza-Hillman, who advocates a predominately whole food, plant-based diet, feels parents are often overwhelmed with what challenges might be involved as well children who are picky eaters and are resistant to new dishes. However, during this fun, exciting, and accessible vacation package, parents and children will receive common sense, science-based information, plus real-life, practical tools that will empower them to establish long-term healthy living habits, resulting in a vibrant and happy home. The skills and techniques they bring home will be manageable and sustainable. The Vibrant Families vacation package is available as an add-on to a three-night minimum stay any time of year! The classes/sessions are taught at the resort over the course of the three days with plenty of down-time to play and explore the breathtaking Mendocino coast, wander the resort’s vast property and educational farm, or head out on one of the resort’s redwood outrigger canoes with the entire family! The Vibrant Families vacation package includes:· Family Cooking Class· Family Art & Creativity Class· Healthy Living Class/Nutrition Class· Establishing Healthy Family Habits Class· Copy of Sid Garza-Hillman’s book - Raising Healthy Parents: Small Steps, Less Stress, and aThriving Family· Copy of The Art of Play: Ignite Your Imagination to Unlock Insight, Healing, and Joy by Joan Stanford· Three Dinners· An “Art Corner” during all classes for infants (and/or siblings who'd like a break) that is within view of parents with art supplies and games This add-on package costs $585/couple + tax (call for single parent pricing) and $150/child (age 4 – 17);Free /child (age 0 – 3). Taxes, gratuities and lodging are additional; a minimum 3-night stay is required.This package is subject to availability; please contact the Stanford Inn and Resort to verify your dates before making your reservation. About Stanford Inn and ResortNestled atop a meadow that overlooks Mendocino Bay, The Stanford Inn and Resort is a luxurious and sustainable destination providing recreation opportunities from nature tours to yoga, and canoeing and kayaking to massage. AAA Four Diamond rated, family owned and operated, the Resort is unique and a great base for exploring the Mendocino Coast while guests may never leave the property, which offers an indoor saltwater pool, full bar, magnificent gardens, award-winning restaurant, and extensive wellness experiences. In addition to being home to a one of a kind Wellness Center with Chinese medicine, nutrition and cooking classes, Massage in the Forest, creative play shops, and various exercise and meditation options, the Inn features a USDA Organic certified farm which provides produce for the Resort’s Ravens Restaurant. The award-winning restaurant serves organic plant-based cuisine that is conscientiously prepared with respect for the land. Family-friendly and pet-friendly, the Stanford Inn Resort offers an array of life-enhancing experiences. All rooms bask in the glow of warm pine, complete with wood-burning fireplaces and private baths. The Resort is also the site of a GROW BIOINTENSIVE® educational farm, attracting students from around the globe to learn how to sustainably grow a complete diet in the smallest amount of space possible. The Resort also hosts the Environmental Leadership Field School, an intensive hands-on and classroom experience that mobilizes future leaders from different fields to support and enhance the environment, biodiversity, and equitable relationships. Stanford Inn and Resort is located at 44850 Comptche Ukiah Road, POB 487, Mendocino, CA 95460; on Facebook at facebook.com/stanford.inn.mendocino.
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