Active Women, Healthy Women at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

Spring 2011
Active Women, Healthy Women at Seattle
Cancer Care Alliance House
By monica strasen
TSN W P r o g r a m M a n a g e r
Team Survivor Northwest is fortunate
in that we have a great ally, partner
and supporter – the Seattle Cancer
Care Alliance (SCCA). Lisa Horton is
the manager of the Patient and Family
Resource Center at the SCCA and is
vested in making sure that patients at the
SCCA are given all possible resources
to help them navigate the huge world
of cancer. Many years ago Lisa met
with us and was enthusiastic about
partnering with TSNW. We started an
Active Women, Healthy Women class at
the SCCA in 2003 and the class has been
going ever since.
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance recently
opened a new facility, the Seattle Cancer
Care Alliance House, which provides
a place to stay for those in treatment at
the SCCA. The SCCA House not only
provides pleasant housing but also has
a common kitchen area, a dining room
and other common areas that allow
people to have a little down time from
the rigors of cancer treatment. They also
have a wonderful exercise room which is
spacious, provides some natural light and
has an exercise bar and mirrors.
Lisa contacted us about possibly moving
our class at SCCA to the exercise room
in the SCCA House as the exercise room
would be perfect for a class such as Active
Women, Healthy Women. When we saw
the room, we couldn’t say no – it WAS
perfect for us, so in fall of last year we
moved the class to the SCCA House.
The Active Women, Healthy Women
class at SCCA is special in that it is truly
geared towards women in all phases of
cancer treatment. In treatment, just post
treatment, or out of treatment for some
time but looking to get fitter – all are
welcomed.
The mission of Team Survivor Northwest is to support women in their cancer recovery
through empowering programs of physical activity and health education.
Sue Bream, the instructor, is a certified
fitness trainer who also has a certification
in cancer and exercise. She has taught this
class for four years now and is sensitive to
people’s individual needs and structures
their workouts accordingly. Many of the
women who have become regulars in this
class keep coming because they know
Sue will help them get the workout they
need – whether that is gentle movement
after surgery or chemo or more rigorous
training getting ready for some athletic
event.
Active Women, Healthy Women at SCCA
House is an ongoing, drop-in program on
Monday nights from 6:00 to 7:00pm. It is
a safe, welcoming exercise venue and Sue
would be more than happy to help you
put together an exercise routine. If you’ve
been putting off starting exercise because
you can’t figure out where to begin, this is
the perfect place to start – join us!
Phone: (206) 732-8350
www.teamsurvivornw.org
2010 Fitness
Retreat
By alicia supernavage
tsnw office manager
The annual TSNW Fitness Retreat is
one of our major events of the year. In
February, over 80 women joined us at
Fort Worden for a weekend of fitness
workshops, educational speakers,
beautiful scenery, camaraderie and fun.
We learned about managing
complementary and alternative
therapies for cancer patients undergoing
conventional cancer treatments with
naturopath Dr. Laura James. We heard
an engaging presentation from Dr.
Stanley Riddell about new advances
in cancer immunotherapy at the Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Women participated in kite building,
hula hooping, Nordic walking, yoga and
photography workshops.
One of the highlights of the weekend was
the Recess Games workshop. Everyone
had a blast learning (or relearning!) how
to play four square and different types of
tag.
We hope to see you at next year’s retreat
on February 10-12, 2012 at Fort Worden
in Port Townsend.
sa v e t h e d a t e !
90 Day, 90 Mile Challenge Celebration and Potluck
Thursday June 30 - 5:30-7:00pm - Seward Park by the swim beach
Join us for a potluck picnic to celebrate the end of the Living Fit 90 Day, 90 Mile Challenge. We are excited to be a part of
your fitness program to ensure we have done everything in our power to help you reach your goals; we hope you had FUN
and enjoyed the 90/90 challenge! Friends and family are invited. Please bring a dish or snacks to share. Heavy rain cancels.
To RVSP, contact Alicia in the TSNW office at om@teamsurvivornw.org or (206) 732-8350
2
The mission of Team Survivor Northwest is to support women in their cancer recovery
through empowering programs of physical activity and health education.
Message from the Executive Director
Ride Around Puget Sound with Team Survivor Northwest
By Rebecca cedergreen,
TSN W e x e c u t i v e d i r e c t o r
This summer
a group
of women
cancer
survivors
will embark
on a cycling
journey
to around
Puget Sound
(RAPSody).
This two day
ride, August
27 & 28, will
cover 170 miles and includes a rolling
9,600 elevation gain and loss.
For each one, this two day event is a
celebration of life and recovery. It is also
a chance to work together with other
women who have had similar experiences
and improve individual fitness levels, one
of the single best things to improve her
odds of survival.
In addition many of these women will
also be raising awareness and funds
for Team Survivor Northwest. As one
member put it, “An organization that has
helped us in our own personal journey of
recovery.”
Join the ride!
The really great news is that we have
opened up our training for anyone who
wants to support survivorship programs.
This is a great opportunity to ride and
support the survivor in your life while
helping raise crucial funds for Team
Survivor Northwest programs.
Here’s how it works:
Any Team Survivor Northwest
member will receive free coached
training for the ride at no cost.
Members who want to raise money
on behalf of TSNW, with a minimum
$250, will also receive: Bike Jersey,
TSNW sag service during the ride,
CATZ training.
Non-member / Supporters / Family
and friends fundraising on behalf of
TSNW, with a minimum $500, will
receive the same coached training,
bike jersey, TSNW sag service, CATZ
training.
Our cycling coach is Tommy McCarthy.
He is incredibly enthusiastic and well
prepared to work with our team. He has
a strong background as a bicycle tour
leader, bicycle team rider, and indoor
cycling instructor. His approach is well
rounded, including technical training,
indoor & outdoor ride opportunities,
with several long rides scheduled in the
area. In addition Tommy will encourage
nutrition and mental conditioning.
The CATZ training is a unique added
benefit for anyone raising funds. CATZ,
Competitive Athletes Training Zone, is
committed to working with full body
conditioning in preparation for the
RAPSody. They are offering two 3 week
sessions: the first in May on the front end
of your training, and the second 3 weeks
in August just prior to the ride.
To join the team and support women
surviving any type of cancer at any stage
of treatment or recovery on an incredible
ride that celebrates life in the Pacific
Northwest email our Program Manager,
Monica Strasen at pm@teamsurvivornw.
org . Start training now. To support
our team, visit http://teamsurvivornw.
org/?content=RAPSody_Cycling_Ride
We would LOVE to have you on the
team!
you can do it
Joining Team Survivor Northwest
Team Survivor Northwest is the club you never wanted to join and are so glad that you did.
Joining is easy and membership is free. Membership is open to any woman with a past or present
diagnosis of cancer at any stage of treatment and any fitness level. To become a member and
be eligible to participate in all of the great fitness classes offered, simply fill out the membership
forms found at http://teamsurvivornw.org/?content=Membership and send them to the Team
Survivor Northwest office at 200 NE Pacific Avenue, Suite 101, Seattle WA 98105. Or call
Alicia at (206)732-8350. She will be glad to send you copies of the forms. Once the completed
forms arrive in the office, you will receive your membership card that is your ticket to the many
wonderful programs of Team Survivor Northwest. Come join in the fun, fitness and friendship
that is Team Survivor Northwest. Together, we will climb mountains, survive and thrive!
Team Survivor Northwest
Phone: (206) 732-8350
www.teamsurvivornw.org
3
Discovering Your
Family’s Medical
History
By ksenia koon, ms
S e at t l e C a n c e r C a r e A l l i a n c e
By exploring your family’s medical
history, you and your medical providers
can be better equipped to manage your
health. Researchers are still working to
fully understand the complex interactions
of our genes and the environment in the
etiology of diseases like cancer. Incredible
strides have been made in understanding
hereditary risk over the last 15 years.
Obtaining an accurate medical history
is the first step in identifying patterns of
inheritance, calculating risk, distinguishing
genetics from other risk factors,
and making important medical and
surveillance decisions. Your family history
is sometimes called your family tree and in
medical terms it’s called your pedigree; it
is an important part of understanding your
risk for certain conditions.
The first step in constructing your family
tree is to decide on a format for collecting
the information. You can design your own
family tree, or you can check your local
bookstore, software store, or the Internet
for creative ideas. Any format you choose
is fine, as long as you have plenty of space
to write down information.
Next, fill in your family tree with the
names and relationships of family
members who you already know. Include
the basics such as name, birth date,
current age, names of children, any known
medical conditions, and the age when the
conditions began. If you do not know
the name of the medical condition, you
should write down the symptoms that
your relative had—you may be able to find
out more details later. If your relative is
no longer living, include the relative’s date
and cause of death.
Interview your blood relatives who are
closest to you first, such as your parents,
siblings, grandparents, aunts, or uncles.
See if they can help you add information
on other relatives who you may not know.
Some families have certain individuals
who keep in close touch with multiple
people in a family, or who organizes
family get-togethers. This relative may be
particularly helpful to you when collecting
family history information.
4
Be sure to also ask about any lifestyle
factors that may influence your relatives’
health, such as diet, physical activity,
smoking, alcohol use, and workplace
hazards. These environmental factors,
rather than genes, may also contribute to
certain health conditions.
Also include the ethnic background
of your family members, since certain
medical conditions may be more common
in specific populations.
After gathering your family medical
history, you may notice that you still
have gaps in the information. Finding the
answers will not always be easy, and it
may be worthwhile to try to find medical
records or death certificates to sort out
some of the gaps. Death certificates, which
are available at county courthouses, can
be useful, but unfortunately they typically
only list the immediate cause of death and
do not include information on underlying
medical problems.
Once you’ve gathered your family health
history, you may begin to see patterns in
disease. In general, the more relatives who
have had a particular condition the greater
the chance that it could carry a hereditary
risk. Also, pay attention to the ages when
your relatives were diagnosed to see if
they developed the condition at younger
ages than typical for that condition. Such
a trend could indicate that your relatives
were more genetically susceptible to
developing the condition. Keep in mind
that the health history of your close
relatives is more relevant to you than the
health history of more distant relatives.
You should share any health patterns in
your family history with your health-care
provider. You may be able to get advice
on routine medical tests and changes
to your lifestyle that could help you
stay healthy. Your health-care provider
can help you determine if a particular
medical condition in your family warrants
consideration of genetic counseling and/
or genetic testing.
Although cancer can have an underlying
hereditary susceptibility, usually it is not
inherited. In fact, only five to 10 percent
of breast and gynecologic cancers are
thought to be caused by an inherited
genetic predisposition. Most of the time,
having a family member with cancer
does not mean other individuals in the
family are at significantly increased
risk. However, if several blood relatives
have had the same type of cancer or they
have been diagnosed at young ages, you
The mission of Team Survivor Northwest is to support women in their cancer recovery
through empowering programs of physical activity and health education.
should discuss this with your health-care
provider.
Genetic and health information has unique
personal, family, and social implications.
Although family dynamics can sometimes
be complicated, be sure to share your
knowledge (as appropriate) with your
siblings, children, and other interested
family members. By taking the time to
construct and update your family medical
tree, you will be helping yourself and your
family members.
TSNW 2011
I M P O RT A NT D A TE S
MAY
1Summer Weekend Hiking Kickoff
JUNE
12Shore Run
17Golf Clinic Event
25Rock and Roll Half Marathon
30Living Fit 90 Day Challenge
Celebration Seward Park
JULY
13-15San Juan Bike Trip
AUGUST
14
Danskin Triathlon
27-28RAPSody Cycling Ride
SEPTEMBER
3Seattle Dragon Boat Festival, Stan
Sayres
18Trek Triathlon
TBDMarathon and Half Marathon
Training Kickoff
NOVEMBER
5Fall Gala
27Seattle Marathon and Half
Marathon
DECEMBER
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Program Celebration & Member
Meeting
TSNW Thanks our
Winter 2011 Donors
Gold Medalists
$1000 to $4999
Nina and Fred Fogg
Paula Tomlinson
Keiko Yanagihara
Silver Medalists
$500 to $999
Patricia Doyle
Bronze Medalists
$250 to $499
Lisa Black
Maggie Brower
Robert and Jessica
Hickey
Elizabeth Munro
Team Supporters
Up to $249
Roberta Aldrich
Mine Anderson
MaryLynne and Ted
Barber
Bette Beck
Kathi Beery
Lynette Benaltabe
Louise Benaltabe
Marilyse Benyakar
Jane Berkman
Sharon Black
Olwen Bode
Margaret Brannen
Lois Brooks
Francois and Susan
Burianek
Glennda Cartner
Julie Case
Katrina Cathcart
Sherry Catlett-Jones
Therese Chambers
Beth Crane
Diana Cronin
Marijke de VriesMaddy
Suzi Desimone
Kim Dirksen
Julia Donk
Francesca Drum
Joan Elvin-McAree
Brenda Frost
Sandra Glasow
Vicky L. Hertig
Marilyn Hoots
Mary Ann Hunt
Wendie Hunt Burgess
Katrina Jordan
Karen Kasonic
Lori Kaufman
Nancy Knudsen
Tammy Sue Korssjoen
Lyla Kraft
Viviann Kuehl
Marcia Legro
Mary Mataja
Mary-K McCoy
Renee Michard
Lori Mitchell
Connie Nickel
Ronald Niemeyer
Cathy Nilon
Vicki Ohly
Linda Parsons
Jerilyn Praul
Esther Rousso
Cheri Rutherford
Sharon Salavaria
Margrit Schubiger
Patty Schuchart
Dawn Siler
Nora Smith
Sandra Smith
Kristina Southard
Catherine Spurgeon
Pam Stoeffler
Cheryl Stratemeyer
Deborah Taylor
Tammie Turpen
Kathy Underwood
Juli Vaughan
Julie Venn
Joan Ward
Rosemary Washington
Beatrice Wells
Jan Wiedenhoft
Judy Wolcott
Elena Wood
Sarah Young
Ways to Support
Team Survivor
Northwest
Team Survivor Northwest supports female
cancer survivors as they reclaim their
bodies, spirits and lives. Cancer and its
treatment often leave people physically and
financially drained. Therefore, Team Survivor
Northwest is committed to providing free
fitness programs that support women in
regaining their strength and vitality. To
continue to offer programs such as Active
Women/Healthy Women, Dragon Boating,
Triathlon Team Training and the Annual
Fitness Retreat, we rely on the generosity of
people like you. Your generosity insures that
female cancer survivors have a place to go to
reclaim their future. There are many ways to
give to Team Survivor Northwest:
Team Survivor Northwest
• Donate Online: There is a link on our
website (www.teamsurvivornw.org)
through which you may make a secure
donation. Just click on Donation on the
front page of the website. You will be
linked to our donations page.
• Mail us a donation in the form of a
check or money order. Our address is
200 NE Pacific St. Ste. 101, Seattle, WA
98105
• Employer Gift Matching: Your
employer may have a gift matching
program. If they do, we will supply
the necessary paperwork for your
employer. These employers have
given matching donations to TSNW in
the past: Microsoft, Starbucks, The Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation, Merrill
Lynch, Macy’s, Nintendo
• Charitable Bequests and Wills: The
language can be as simple as the
following phrase: “I hereby bequeath
to Team Survivor Northwest, 200
NE Pacific St, Suite 101, Seattle,
WA 98105…(state dollar amount,
percentage or other asset being given)”
TSNW Wish List
There are many ways to give to Team
Survivor Northwest. One way is to donate
any of the items listed below. We appreciate
all the ways you share your time, talent, and
treasure with Team Survivor Northwest
and the women we serve! Contact Alicia at
(206) 732-8350 for more information.
• Computer (desktop or laptop) for
Therese, our office administrator and
volunteer
• Computer and tech help- cash to hire a
professional or volunteer time
• Printing for quarterly newsletter
(~1000 copies)
• 10’x 20’ or larger, storage space
• Combined office & program space
• Office supplies: copy paper,
permanent markers, toner cartridges,
etc.
Volunteer:
• Outreach ambassador 5 hours per
week
• Tech volunteer 5 hours per month
• Program champion 5 hours per week
• Event coordinator monthly 20 hours
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Paula Tomlinson
Vice President
Lori Robinson
Secretary
Dena Singleton
Treasurer
Karen Johnson
Pam Smith Mentz
Elizabeth Munro
Cheryl St. Paul
Jean Vye
MEDICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Co-Chairs
Ksenia Koon, MS
Kristine Rinn, MD
Team Physician and Medical Advisor
Julie Gralow, MD
Janice Connolly, MD, FHM
Kim Dammann, RN
Patricia Dawson, MD
Carol Eddy, PT
Fe’ Ermitano, RN
Lexi Harlow, PT
Sandi Johnson, MSW
Patty Kwok, RN
Hannah Linden, MD
David Mankoff, MD
Kimberly Mathai, MS RD
Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD
Pam Paley, MD
Eve Rodler, MD
Braden Stridde , MD
Nicole Urban, ScD
Tanya Wahl, MD
David Zucker, MD
ADVISORY BOARD
Jim Barker
Julia Canas
Barbara Carey
Katrina Cathcart
Janice Connolly, MD
Judy Curran
Kent Ditch
Nina Fogg
Catherine Hawes
Cara Holloway
Denise Johnson
Karen Johnson
Martha Longbrake
Susan Lowney
Barb Melber
Kevin Murphy
Nicole Pastarnack
Joyce Rivkin
Yaneth Vrentas
Cathy Wagner
TSNW STAFF
Rebecca Cedergreen, MAT
Executive Director
executivedirector@teamsurvivornw.org
Monica Strasen
Program Manager
pm@teamsurvivornw.org
Alicia Supernavage
Office Manager
om@teamsurvivornw.org
• Grant writer monthly 20 hours
Phone: (206) 732-8350
www.teamsurvivornw.org
5
sa v e t h e d a t e !
Seattle Celebrating
Life Dragon Boat
Festival
September 3, 2011
Stan Sayres Memorial Park
Information and registration at:
www.seattledragonboatfestival.org
Join us for a fabulous day of fun, festivities
and awareness. A day LOADED with
dragon boat racing on Lake Washington.
The festival is a benefit for Team Survivor
Northwest.
We invite cancer survivors, competitive
dragon boat clubs, health professionals,
community teams and their families for
a great day of dragon boat racing and
camaraderie. We look forward to seeing
you there!
6
The mission of Team Survivor Northwest is to support women in their cancer recovery
through empowering programs of physical activity and health education.
sa v e t h e d a t e !
PRo g r ams
Seasonal Programs
The following programs are sign-up
only. For more information, please
call Monica at 206-732-8350 or email
pm@teamsurvivornw.org.
• Half Marathon and Marathon Run
or Walk Training
• CrossFit
• Dragon Boating
• Outdoor Cycling
• Mid-Week Hiking
• Swimming
• Triathlon Training
Ongoing Programs
The following classes are drop-in
year-round. No sign up is required.
Just show up!
• Active Women / Healthy Women
• Survivor Striders West Sound/
Olympic Peninsula
• Urban Hiking
• Viva Dance
• Yoga
Urban Hiking
B y S a l ly S t i l l , U r b a n H i k e
C o o r d i n a t o r a n d TSN W M e m b e r
Not really hikes, but invigorating exercise
by walking through various residential
areas and parks in the Seattle area and
east side of Lake Washington.
Each Friday we walk about 1 ½ hours,
followed by social time at a convenient
coffee house. We alternate weekly
between west and east side of the lake.
Leaders for our walks volunteer by
signing up for a convenient Friday, and
do some preplanning to cover about 3 to
4 miles. Many times the history of our
city or special neighborhood features
provide added interest to our walks. It is
not necessary to lead a walk to always be
welcome to join us.
TSNW friendships provide wonderful
companionship to enjoy walks weather
wet or dry.
Contact Urban Hike coordinator Sally
Still salstill@att.net with any questions
p r o g r ams a t a g la n c e
Sunday
Swimming
Queen Anne Pool
11am – 12pm
Swimming
Mercer Island
5 – 6pm
Monday
Tuesday
Active Women/
Healthy Women
Port Hadlock
4:50 – 5:50pm
Active Women
Rainier Valley
6 – 7pm
Active Women/
Healthy Women
Seattle-SCCA
6 – 7pm
Survivor Striders
Chimacum
6pm
Wednesday
Dragon Boating
Leschi
6 – 8pm
Leschi Marina
CrossFit
Redmond
7:30 – 8:30pm
Active Women/
Healthy Women
Seattle
5:30 – 7:30pm
Queen Anne
Community Center
Port Townsend
Walk
6pm
At co-op
Thursday
Active Women/
Healthy Women
Bellevue
6:30 – 8pm
Sportzal Fitness
Studio
Friday
Urban Hiking
9am
Various locations
Yoga
Columbia City
5pm – 6:15pm
Saturday
Dragon Boating
Leschi
9:30 – 11am
Leschi Marina
VIVADance
Renton
6:30 – 7:30pm
Half Marathon and Marathon Walk/Run Training, Weekend Hiking, Outdoor Cycling, Triathlon Training — Various days and times
Team Survivor Northwest has a spectrum of fitness programs to assist you in your recovery and survivorship.
Please visit www.teamsurvivornw.org for more program information.
Team Survivor Northwest
Phone: (206) 732-8350
www.teamsurvivornw.org
7
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
SEATTLE WA
PERMIT NO. 1676
200 NE Pacific St., Suite 101
Seattle, WA 98105
Please notify the TSNW office
if you would like to be removed
from our mailing list.
i n s i d e t h i s i ssu e
Join us for the Ride
Around Puget Sound
Active Women Healthy
Women classes
The mission of Team
Survivor Northwest is
to support women in
their cancer recovery
Seattle Celebrating Life
Dragon Boat Festival
this summer
And more…
through empowering
programs of physical
activity and health
education.
Phone: (206) 732-8350
Fax: (206) 732-0263
www.teamsurvivornw.org