Patricia’s Story: Surviving Stage IV Adolescent Cancer
Baltimore, MD, July 19, 2021 — “Pretty girls don’t get cancer,” the doctor assured M. Patricia Diaz over 30 years ago. At the age of just 16, Diaz was scared and uncomfortable. However, the doctor’s words were meant to reassure her — and at the time, they worked. Patricia had been bracing for bad news, and now she felt relieved.
Two months later, she was diagnosed with stage IV terminal cancer.
Pretty Girls Don’t Get Cancer is Diaz’s candid, compelling story of overcoming the medical odds and transforming herself — mind, body and spirit — as a way of nurturing her ongoing healing process. Diaz experienced a year of social isolation (due to her compromised immune system at the time) during what should have been the most carefree, enjoyable time in her young life. Her journey toward authentic recovery would require spiritual growth and the kind of introspection that typically comes with maturity and hindsight.
“Isolation, at first a burden, in time, turned into a precious gift,” Diaz reflects. “It gave me space and silence, and it shone the light into the corners of my soul that were comfortably dim. … I was alive — I was breathing, and that insight made all the difference for me to make the best of the time I had to spend with ‘me.’”
Pretty Girls Don't Get Cancer does not sugarcoat the agony of the tests and treatments that Diaz endured, but she keeps the narrative conversational and relatable, with Latin American nuances and sprinkles of adolescent humor. Part coming-of-age, part motivational memoir, her storyis a testament to the power of a strong community, personal resiliency and grains of faith in the face of a cancer diagnosis. Diaz shows readers how her illness affected her life, her family and the community, and how restoring her physical health was only the first step toward healing.
About the Author
M. Patricia Diaz is an author, health-supportive chef and human resources consultant. Her wellness journey began in 1989 when she was diagnosed with stage IV terminal cancer. During the most difficult time in her life, and with the help of friends, family and life mentors, she turned to yoga, plant-based diets and other alternative techniques to manage her crisis and then gently restore her health after cancer treatments.
The lessons Diaz learned, and years of yoga practice, led to an enthusiasm for well-being, a search for a depth of knowledge, and provided a compass for her life and career. She trained in a plant-based chef program at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City and completed a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.
She is passionate about teaching the foundations of yoga and the basics of plant-based diets. She loves to help others connect with their inner wellness coach, and she believes that a genuine practice starts with a strong foundation honoring the principles of “ahimsa'” — first do no harm.
For more information, please visit https://mpatriciadiaz.com, or follow the author on Facebook (MPatriciaDiaz); Twitter (@mpatriciadiaz01); or Instagram (prettygirlsdontgetcancer).
Pretty Girls Don’t Get Cancer
Publisher: BookBaby
ISBN-10: 1098312244
ISBN-13: 978-1098312244
Available from Amazon.com, BN.com, Apple Books and many other online retailers
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How to Better Rehydrate After an Intense Workout
During an intense workout, your body loses a lot of fluids and minerals, and nutrients. Most people assume that the best way to rehydrate after an intense workout is to drink lots of water. While this is true, you have to keep in mind that your body needs a proper balance when rehydrating.
When you drink water too quickly after a workout, your body naturally increases the rate at which it produces urine. The more you drink, the faster the fluids will pass through your body. In addition, you must replace the salts and minerals lost when exercising. Failing to replace lost water and minerals will result in dehydration.
Signs of Dehydration
All of your cells need water to function. The adult human body is approximately 63 percent water. The brain and the heart are 73 percent water, and the lungs are 83 percent water. When you become dehydrated, it can affect your brain, heart, lungs, and other organs and systems in your body.
Water regulates your body's temperature, removes waste, transports nutrients, and plays a role in blood circulation. Some symptoms of early dehydration include dry mouth, headaches, dizziness, tiredness, and dry skin. Keep in mind that some signs of dehydration may not occur or be easily recognizable during or after a workout, so it's important to rehydrate, whether you feel thirsty or not.
How to Rehydrate Correctly
Two key factors should dictate how to rehydrate after an intense workout. The first is how much fluid you have lost, and the second is determined by your time interval before your next workout.
To get an idea of how much water you lose during an intense workout, weigh yourself before and after each session, and drink the appropriate amount of fluids.
If you have 24 hours before your next workout, your natural intake of food and fluids should replace any lost water or nutrients.
Your skin can suffer from excessive or repeated dehydration. Rikumo skincare products and other brands are an excellent way to keep your skin hydrated. Most people don't drink enough water daily, so using a skin moisturizer and drinking plenty of fluids can help maintain healthy-looking skin.
Drink Water
Drinking water is one of the best ways to stay hydrated and rehydrate after a workout. However, it's vital to replace the sodium and other minerals lost during a hard workout.
Studies have demonstrated that it's essential to replace lost protein and carbs after a workout to recover fully. Drinking sports drinks or skim and low-fat milk are excellent ways to rehydrate your body and replace lost proteins, minerals, and carbs.
Dehydration happens when your body loses more water than is consumed. You can avoid dehydration by staying hydrated throughout the day and adequately rehydrating after an intense workout.
Top NYC Doctor on The Frontlines to Combat Health Care Disparities in People of Color
New York, NY, July 16, 2021 — Blindness caused by glaucoma is insidious. In most cases, there is no pain, and the loss of vision occurs slowly from peripheral to central. Many people do not even realize it’s happening until they have lost a substantial amount of peripheral vision. But Dr. Daniel Laroche, Director of Glaucoma Services and President of Advanced Eyecare of New York, wants you to know there is a way to prevent the devastating effects of glaucoma: Don’t skip your eyecare visits.
What is Glaucoma? Glaucoma is a disease of the eye characterized by three components:
1. Damage and loss of the retinal ganglions cells and optic nerve described as cupping
2. Loss of visual field
3. Increased eye pressure (the mean normal eye pressure is 15mmHG)
People at risk for glaucoma include the elderly, Blacks, people with elevated eye pressure, primary relatives with glaucoma, persons with high myopia, high hyperopia, history of eye trauma and diabetes.
The elevated intraocular pressure from glaucoma damages the optic nerve mechanically and creates decreased blood flow to the eye. The most identifiable cause of glaucoma is the enlarged lens or cataract in the eye. Early cataract surgery and trabecular bypass has become the best option to stop vision loss in patients with glaucoma. The current use of eyedrops and laser help to lower intraocular pressure but do not address the causative mechanism of the glaucoma being the enlarged lens. Incisional cataract surgery and glaucoma surgery is often needed to truly stabilize glaucoma.
All people should be screened regularly for glaucoma as part of a medical eye exam. Screening should consist of an eye examination consisting of gonioscopy (examination of the drainage angle), intraocular pressure measurement with Goldmann applanation tonometry and a dilated optic nerve examination. If there appears to be any damage to the optic nerve or abnormal pressure, then a visual field test should be performed, and optic nerve photos taken. Persons with thin corneas should be more aggressively monitored and treated for glaucoma as the disease tends to be worse in these patients.
If you have eye pressure or glaucoma and feel that you may be losing vision, Dr. Laroche recommends that you seek the care of a glaucoma specialist for a second opinion. DON’T GO BLIND FROM GLAUCOMA! People with conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy that could lead to blindness if left unchecked need to stay particularly vigilant with their checkups. The pandemic shouldn’t keep you from visiting your doctor, and everyone should get vaccinated for the Covid 19 virus. He also encourages people to wear face masks on visits and maintain social distancing, even if they are in a health clinic, and if you’re high-risk, consider adding eye protection when in public spaces.
“Eyesight or human vision is one of the most important senses. As much as 80 percent of what we feel comes through our sense of sight. By protecting the eyes, people will reduce the chance of blindness and vision loss while also staying on top of any developing eye diseases, such as glaucoma and cataracts.
About Dr. Daniel Laroche
Dr. Laroche is an exceptional glaucoma specialist in New York. He studied and received his bachelor's degree from New York University and a medical doctorate with honors in research from Weil Cornell University Medical College. He underwent a medical internship at Montefiore Hospital and finished his ophthalmology residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington D.C., where he was the chief resident in his third year. He later completed his glaucoma fellowship at New York Eye and Ear.
Dr. Laroche is also the author of the new young adult book, How to Become a Successful Black Man, which educates and empowers young boys and men of African descent about their history, heritage and legacy. Dr. Laroche connects history to the present-day life experiences and challenges of the Black Man to instill self-confidence and personal growth to succeed. The book helps to address health and wealth disparities and can be ordered here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Successful-BlackMan/dp/0578841770/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=daniel+laroche&qid=1623702468&sr=8-2.
Ontario's doctors call for all health-care workers to have COVID-19 vaccination
TORONTO, July 16, 2021 /CNW/ - Ontario's doctors say all health-care workers should be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect themselves, their patients and the community.
"Vaccines are the best way to control the spread of COVID-19, and remain an essential component in protecting our patients, families and friends," said Dr. Adam Kassam, president of the Ontario Medical Association. "As a front-line doctor who is fully vaccinated, I am proud to stand with my physician colleagues who continue to advocate for full vaccination of all those eligible."
A recent survey of Ontario physicians found that 98 per cent of respondents have already received both doses of a COVID vaccination.
The OMA urges all Ontarians to get their first and second vaccinations as soon as possible so the entire province can continue to reopen and to reduce the risk of restrictions having to be reimposed.
This is especially important for youths ages 12-17 whose vaccination rates are lower than other age groups. The OMA remains concerned about the Delta variant of the virus, which is more contagious and can cause more serious illness.
Parents or anyone with questions about vaccines should talk to their family doctor, pediatrician or public health unit, who all have a critical role to play in explaining the benefits of vaccines and administering them.
It's time to change Ontario's health care for the better as the post-pandemic recovery begins. Complete our survey at betterhealthcare.ca and help shape the future of health care.
About the OMA
The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario's 43,000 plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario's health-care system.
SOURCE Ontario Medical Association
How well do COVID-19 vaccines work in people with cancer, immune deficiencies and other populations with health vulnerabilities?
MONTREAL, July 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Government of Canada, through its COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) and Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group (VSRG), is investing more than $8 million on four studies led by researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa.
The studies aim to answer important questions about COVID-19 vaccines, including how well they work in people with cancer and with inherited and medication-related immune deficiencies. One of the studies will also be looking at post-COVID-19 conditions.
Vaccine efficacy in cancer patients
More than 2 million Canadians are currently living with cancer and many have weakened immune systems, either due to the cancer itself, or due to treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy. This makes patients more susceptible to viruses like SARS-CoV-2. It is important for these patients to have protection through vaccination, but a weak immune system can mean a weaker response to vaccines. However, very little research has been done on COVID-19 vaccines in people with cancer.
Two studies will investigate vaccine efficacy in cancer patients. Prospective Cohort Study to Examine Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Cancer Patients with Solid Malignancies, led by Dr. Glenwood Goss, will determine if people with many kinds of cancer (e.g. lung, breast, prostate, colon and other solid tumours) can mount an appropriate immune response to COVID-19 vaccines.
The second study, A prospective multi-site observational study of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination immunogenicity in patients with hematologic malignancies, led by Dr. Arianne Buchan, aims to determine how well COVID-19 vaccines work in people with blood cancer, specifically.
COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in people with inherited and medication-related immune deficiencies
People with inherited immune deficiencies have a greater risk of developing severe COVID-19 and may be less likely to respond to vaccines. People with multiple sclerosis, arthritis and other immune-mediated diseases may also be at risk because medications for these conditions often suppress the immune system. A study called COVID-19 Vaccine Immunogenicity and Safety in ImmunoDeficient patients, led by Dr. Juthaporn Cowan will provide crucial data to help protect people with immune deficiencies against COVID-19 and discover which component of the immune system is essential in the COVID-19 vaccine response, so that tailored vaccines can be developed in future.
“All four of these studies are highly important as we do not yet have enough scientific evidence about the immune response in people with health vulnerabilities such as cancer or weakened immune systems,” says Dr. Caroline Quach Thanh, VSRG Co-Chair. “Another area of study we’re increasingly looking into is the repercussions of COVID-19 on people who have long-lasting symptoms. Dr. Crawley and Dr. Langlois’ research will help illuminate the science around them.”
The Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group (VSRG) supports the monitoring of the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in Canada. It is a consortium of Canadian organizations - the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN), the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), and the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) – working collaboratively to pool expertise on vaccine surveillance. The VSRG reports to PHAC and is supported by the CITF Secretariat. It is co-chaired by the leader CIRN and the former chair of NACI. Among its responsibilities, the VSRG, through the CITF Executive Committee, makes recommendations to PHAC on funding research teams that can address important aspects of the immune response, safety, and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines with public health relevance and with attention to all priority groups.
About the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force
The Government of Canada established the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force in late April 2020. The Task Force is overseen by a Leadership Group of volunteers that includes leading Canadian scientists and experts from universities and healthcare facilities across Canada who are focused on understanding the nature of immunity arising from the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. To that end, the CITF is supporting numerous studies to determine the extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Canada (in the general population as well as in specific communities and priority populations), understand the nature of immunity following infection, develop improved antibody testing methods, and help monitor the effectiveness and safety of vaccines as they are rolled out across Canada. The Task Force and its Secretariat work closely with a range of partners, including governments, public health agencies, institutions, health organizations, research teams, other task forces, and engages communities and stakeholders. Most recently, the Task Force has been asked to support vaccine surveillance, including monitoring vaccine effectiveness and safety, as part of its overall objective to generate data and ideas that inform interventions aimed at slowing—and ultimately stopping—the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Canada. For more information visit: www.covid19immunitytaskforce.ca
WaldenFarms®Announces Salad Dressings with Improved Ingredients and Natural Flavors Inside and New Look Outside - Bringing Unmatched Attributes to Consumers!
ZERO Calories, Zero Net Carbs, Zero Sugar, and Zero Fat!
Rochelle Park, NJ – July 2021 – Walden Farms® introduces a major re-brand across its product line, beginning with 22 salad dressing varieties, to be followed by the other segments, including coffee creamers, condiments, dips, spreads, sauces, and syrups. The improved recipe, now with natural flavors, will also be tastefully reflected by a new design highlighting key nutritional claims and engaging food photography. The Walden Farms’ dressings are proudly free from artificial flavors and dyes, made with real vegetables, fruit fibers, and ingredients. Offering a full line of specialty condiments and food enhancers with zero calories, zero net carbs, zero sugar, and zero fat, Walden Farms uniquely provides consumers with unmatched attributes vs. other brands in the marketplace. Additionally, all products are keto-friendly, gluten-free, kosher, and have no high fructose corn syrup, and most are vegan, dairy-free, and cholesterol-free.
Walden Farms’sproducts appeal to multiple consumers, including those who don’t want to waste their calories on high fat dressings and condiments, as well as those who follow a vegan, gluten-free, or keto diet. They also strongly resonate with people living a healthy, active lifestyle or looking to manage their weight or control their diabetes.
The brand refresh coincides with the debut of an engaging new website www.WaldenFarms.com, where people can find appetizing recipe ideas, nutritional facts, product details, store locator information, or easily buy direct online.
Consumers who watch calories and carbs use salad dressings 30 percent more than the average consumer, and nearly half of that audience seeks dressings that have zero calories, fat, sugar, or gluten*. These consumers know more than anyone that ‘Small Swaps Save Calories™’. “Walden Farms’s Dressings allow people to control calories, fat, carbohydrates, gluten or sugars, without giving up great taste,” says Deborah Sidney, Senior Brand Manager for Walden Farms. “Walden Farms’s dressings are incredibly versatile, such as for spreading on sandwiches, dipping with vegetables, and using as marinades for cooking!”
With creamy and vinaigrette varieties in 22 flavors, Walden Farms has a salad dressing for every palate, including Bacon Ranch, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Bleu Cheese, Caesar, Chipotle Ranch, French, Honey Dijon, Italian, Ranch, Raspberry Vinaigrette, Sesame Ginger, and Thousand Island. Walden Farms’s salad dressings are available in 12-ounce bottles for a SRP of $4.99 at natural and grocery retailers nationally and is also sold online directly at waldenfarms.com.
Walden Farms is Making Healthy Taste Delicious™. For a variety of recipes, including salads, sandwiches, smoothies, entrees, desserts, dips, and more, visit www.WaldenFarms.com
About Walden Farms
Since 1972, Walden Farms has been the leader and pioneer in bringing delicious-tasting zero calorie and zero fat salad dressings to heathy eaters. Walden Farms expanded its calorie-free platform into other categories, including syrups, coffee creamers, condiments, spreads, dips, and sauces. For nearly 50 years, Walden Farms has been offering a full line of specialty condiments and food enhancers with zero calories, zero net carbs, zero sugar, zero fat, and unmatched attributes versus other competitors in the marketplace. Today, the company continues to evolve to meet the needs of the growing consumer base who demand more transparency and clean products and still choose low calorie and low carb products.
*DIG Insights Market Research Study n=500, September 2020
Reducing wait times for tests, treatments and procedures is No. 1 health-care priority for Ontarians – Ontario Medical Association Survey
TORONTO, July 14, 2021 /CNW/ - Reducing wait times for diagnostic tests, treatments and procedures is the top health-care priority for Ontarians, according to interim results of an online survey conducted by the Ontario Medical Association.
Of the 4,200 Ontarians who have responded to the OMA's survey so far, almost 25 per cent identified wait times as their No. 1 priority, confirming what the OMA has been hearing from patients, physicians, health-care partners and others across the province.
"Wait times were an issue before the pandemic and the situation has unfortunately gotten worse," said OMA President Dr. Adam Kassam. "The impact of COVID-19 has led to almost 16 million health-care services having been delayed or deferred, which is more than one for every Ontario resident. It is, therefore, no surprise that this is the top health-care priority."
Patients had concerns about wait times even before the pandemic caused care to be delayed or deferred because of lockdown conditions or fears that going to hospitals would increase the risk of being exposed to COVID-19.
Doctors and other health-care workers have been working on the front lines of the pandemic since it began. In addition to treating COVID patients, and catching up on surgeries, diagnostic exams and other procedures that could not take place during the pandemic, family physicians and community specialists are starting to see conditions that were undetected during the pandemic and will require treatment now. Some patients are being diagnosed with cancers, heart conditions or diabetes they didn't know they had. Previously diagnosed chronic conditions have grown more serious.
Survey respondents were asked to identify one priority for improving health care in Ontario. While reducing wait times led the list, 19 per cent of survey respondents identified the need for more doctors as their priority, 17 per cent identified improvements to seniors' health, including home care and long-term care, and 14 per cent said it was improved access to mental health services.
The OMA will use the survey results along with input from doctors, health-care stakeholders and community leaders across Ontario to develop a plan for the future of health care in Ontario that will be released this fall.
"These survey results will help Ontario's doctors fix the cracks in the health-care system that the pandemic brought to light and to think through what the future of health care could and should look like," said OMA CEO Allan O'Dette. "Ontario's doctors are developing a plan that will include the bold ideas necessary to take us through the recovery phase and well into the future. It will take everyone – doctors, government, hospitals and allied health professionals – working together to fix the backlog and reduce wait times."
It's time to change Ontario's health care for the better as the post-pandemic recovery begins. Complete our survey at betterhealthcare.ca and help shape the future of health care.
About the OMA
The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario's 43,000 plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario's health-care system.
SOURCE Ontario Medical Association
Switch Health and the Greater Toronto Airports Authority launch new departures COVID-19 testing service
Built on the findings from federally funded research, the new departures testing service is the latest protective layer in Toronto Pearson's award-winning Healthy Airport program.
TORONTO, July 14, 2021 /CNW/ - Switch Health and the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) today announced that they are bringing COVID-19 testing services to Toronto Pearson. The tests, conducted by Switch Health, are an important protective layer in Pearson's award-winning Healthy Airport program and are available to both departing passengers and members of the community who are not travelling but need access to testing services. Arrivals testing continues to be required and conducted by Switch Health in partnership with the government of Canada for international arriving passengers.
In collaboration with the GTAA Healthy Airport program, Switch Health will sell COVID-19 testing services to all consumers at a new on-airport clinic located in Value Park Garage (VPG), open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Consumers and passengers can book tests in advance via Switch Health's booking portal: switchhealth.ca/healthyairport
Switch Health's testing will be supported by some of the most technologically advanced tools available, including AI-enabled health monitoring solutions. This will be driven by Switch Health's secure, proprietary patient portal, ASMO, which has successfully been used in the administration of over one million COVID-19 tests in Canada.
Gold standard RT-PCR COVID-19 tests will be available either through expedited 3-6 hour or standard 12-24 hour turnaround times and rapid antigen tests will be available with results in under 30 minutes. Pre-departure tests are currently required for entry into the United States and United Kingdom, as well as most other countries around the world.
The service first became available on July 12, 2021. Tests will be available through Switch Health in a traditional clinic setting on Level 3 of the VPG, as well as by drive-through on Level 1 of the VPG.
The testing service builds upon a research study conducted at Toronto Pearson earlier this year that was supported in part by funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP). This research explored the efficacy of testing in a high-throughput, commercial environment, proving that it could be successfully operationalized at Canada's largest airport.
"Canada must be extra vigilant to continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its variants, and we are doing so with a permanent onsite testing facility at Toronto Pearson Airport to deliver rapid results," said Dilian Stoyanov, Chief Executive Officer at Switch Health. "Whether Canadians are travelling abroad, coming home, working at the airport, or are visitors, we want everyone to be confident that they are safe and protected with advanced in-house testing that will set the standard for international transport hubs."
"As we work towards global pandemic recovery, it is critically important that airports provide services that enable safe, responsible travel," said Dwayne MacIntosh, Director, Corporate Safety & Security Governance, GTAA. "We undertook a significant piece of research, funded by the Government of Canada, to show that this kind of testing could be successfully operationalized in a high-throughput airport."
The Healthy Airport program is globally recognized, with Toronto Pearson being the first Canadian airport accredited under the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Health Accreditation program. The program protects passengers and airport workers by using innovative new technology, advanced cleaning measures, and best-in-class standards to create a multilayered defense that limits the spread of COVID-19.
Switch Health has been at the forefront of Canada's fight against COVID-19, providing at-home and mobile COVID-19 testing services at airports and ports of entry across Canada.
Both Switch Health and the GTAA plan to continually adapt to meet and exceed the demands of a rapidly evolving pandemic environment, exploring new innovations to meet the needs of our passengers, employees, and the community.
About Switch Health
Switch Health Holdings Inc. (Switch Health) is an industry leader that is transforming how healthcare is delivered in Canada through cutting-edge decentralized next-generation diagnostics and patient-focused digital solutions. Switch Health developed an end-to-end, innovative, and accessible testing solution in Canada's fight against COVID-19, with its at-home and mobile collection kit to test Canadians safely, rapidly, and reliably for COVID-19. Switch Health's services are driven by its secure, proprietary patient portal, ASMO. Switch Health offers its gold standard of rapid and PCR testing in over 200 languages from the comfort peoples' homes or workplaces, with the guidance of trusted healthcare professionals and the delivery of results through some of Canada's top laboratories.
About the Greater Toronto Airports Authority
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority is the operator of Toronto – Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Canada's largest airport and a vital connector of people, businesses, and goods. Toronto Pearson has been named "Best Large Airport in North America serving more than 40 million passengers" for four years in a row by Airports Council International (ACI), the global trade representative of the world's airports. In recognition of its Healthy Airport program, ACI also awarded Toronto Pearson the "Best hygiene measures in North America" award, and Toronto Pearson was the first Canadian airport to receive ACI's global health accreditation for its response to COVID-19.
Patricia’s Story: Surviving Stage IV Adolescent Cancer
Baltimore, MD, July 13, 2021 — “Pretty girls don’t get cancer,” the doctor assured M. Patricia Diaz over 30 years ago. At the age of just 16, Diaz was scared and uncomfortable. However, the doctor’s words were meant to reassure her — and at the time, they worked. Patricia had been bracing for bad news, and now she felt relieved.
Two months later, she was diagnosed with stage IV terminal cancer.
Pretty Girls Don’t Get Cancer is Diaz’s candid, compelling story of overcoming the medical odds and transforming herself — mind, body and spirit — as a way of nurturing her ongoing healing process. Diaz experienced a year of social isolation (due to her compromised immune system at the time) during what should have been the most carefree, enjoyable time in her young life. Her journey toward authentic recovery would require spiritual growth and the kind of introspection that typically comes with maturity and hindsight.
“Isolation, at first a burden, in time, turned into a precious gift,” Diaz reflects. “It gave me space and silence, and it shone the light into the corners of my soul that were comfortably dim. … I was alive — I was breathing, and that insight made all the difference for me to make the best of the time I had to spend with ‘me.’”
Pretty Girls Don't Get Cancer does not sugarcoat the agony of the tests and treatments that Diaz endured, but she keeps the narrative conversational and relatable, with Latin American nuances and sprinkles of adolescent humor. Part coming-of-age, part motivational memoir, her storyis a testament to the power of a strong community, personal resiliency and grains of faith in the face of a cancer diagnosis. Diaz shows readers how her illness affected her life, her family and the community, and how restoring her physical health was only the first step toward healing.
About the Author
M. Patricia Diaz is an author, health-supportive chef and human resources consultant. Her wellness journey began in 1989 when she was diagnosed with stage IV terminal cancer. During the most difficult time in her life, and with the help of friends, family and life mentors, she turned to yoga, plant-based diets and other alternative techniques to manage her crisis and then gently restore her health after cancer treatments.
The lessons Diaz learned, and years of yoga practice, led to an enthusiasm for well-being, a search for a depth of knowledge, and provided a compass for her life and career. She trained in a plant-based chef program at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City and completed a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.
She is passionate about teaching the foundations of yoga and the basics of plant-based diets. She loves to help others connect with their inner wellness coach, and she believes that a genuine practice starts with a strong foundation honoring the principles of “ahimsa'” — first do no harm.
For more information, please visit https://mpatriciadiaz.com, or follow the author on Facebook (MPatriciaDiaz); Twitter (@mpatriciadiaz01); or Instagram (prettygirlsdontgetcancer).
Pretty Girls Don’t Get Cancer
Publisher: BookBaby
ISBN-10: 1098312244
ISBN-13: 978-1098312244
Available from Amazon.com, BN.com, Apple Books and many other online retailers
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Transcendent Journey Gives Doctor Insights into Life’s Greatest Question Website details transformational visits with spiritual presence
Los Angeles, CA, July 13, 2021 — Why are we here? Minister and licensed psychotherapist Dr. Pieter Noomen consciously searched his mind for conclusive insight into this question during his evening walks. One evening, out of the blue, the word “Oneness” filled him. Day after day, a total of 12 words crystalized within him and around him. Those words became the basis for his 12 booklets, each of which explores the 12 components of life: Oneness, Love, Life, Fire, Space, Connectedness, Progression, Effect, Freedom, Joy, Differentness and Harmony.
Although the content of the 12 booklets comes from Dr. Noomen, he didn’t consider himself the author. “I 'heard' them within me when I specifically sat down to ‘hear’ them,” he explained on his website. “I listened while they formed in my head. I guess that the best way to describe this is to see it as a 'merger' on my spirit level of the voice/presence/spirit of Life itself and my ability to be consciously receptive for that — as much as a human being can be.”
Dr. Noomen’s connection with the higher presence would ultimately last for many years, resulting in an abundance of deeply profound insights freely shared on his website, www.wordsforall.org.
Visitors to Dr. Noomen’s website can read about the 12 components of life and ponder 147 thought-provoking questions and the illuminating answers that came to him during his extensive communications with the All Spirit. Avoiding the word God, Dr. Noomen relays his extraordinary journeys on the spiritual plane with an openness that invites readers to uncover and explore their own accessibility to spirituality without labels or constructs.
He grew to believe that, directly or indirectly, all life stems from one common source and that to connect with that source is the highest level of existence we can achieve on earth. And perhaps more importantly, he believed that being in direct contact with the ALL of existence is possible for every human being.
As to the answer to life’s most puzzling question, Dr. Noomen had this to say: “The consistent message in all Writings is that the purpose of being on earth is to make individual personal choices; choices that can either further direct contact with the real, full reality or can do the opposite and limit our experience of being alive …”
Dr. Noomen passed away in 2019, but his wealth of wisdom and insights freely shared on www.wordsforall.org will continue to inspire people throughout the world to broaden their spiritual paths.
"Self-help books, groups or gurus offer mental, social or physical well-being. These weekly words don't focus on this. They focus on our intentions, our choosing-ability. Which is why we are on earth in the first place. 'What' we choose is not the issue. We won't ever be judged anyway. But 'that' we choose is the issue; that is fulfilling our mission here. There are no exceptions to this."
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