ThyCa News

ThyCa News Notes - January 2014

02/2014

Contents


New Record Diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer

It pains us to report that a new record total of 62,980 people will be diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2014 in the United States. More than 200,000 people will be diagnosed worldwide this year.

Please continue to help us raise awareness (share this newsletter, our materials, and our web site: www.thyca.org) and encourage people to have their neck checked by a medical professional.

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Skype Brings People Together

In December, two people in Colombia, South America, used Skype to take part in the meeting of the ThyCa Orange County (California) Support Group. The group’s facilitators are Shilo Bartlett, Anne MacPherson, and Bart Bartlett. Thank you, Shilo, Anne, and Bart, for making this possible!

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Welcome to our Newest Local Support Group

ThyCa South Bend, Indiana, joins our network of more than 100 support groups in 5 countries. See if there is a group in your area.

Our support groups are free and open to any and all survivors and their families and friends.

In these groups, people share thyroid cancer information, their experiences with their thyroid cancer, and insights on how they are coping with thyroid cancer, and support.

Want to start a group in your area? Either contact the ThyCa Support Group Coordinator at support_coord@thyca.org or else fill out the form you’ll find on our Support Groups page.

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Rally for Research News

Now on our web site: the Rally for Research News Notes newsletter.

We support thyroid cancer research, and have proudly awarded more than $1.2 million in thyroid cancer research grants to researchers in 5 countries, thanks to your support!

We have awarded research grants every year starting in 2003.

This year, ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association Inc., announces the 12th year of our research grants program, with grants open to researchers and institutions worldwide.

ThyCa will award 3 new grants for thyroid cancer research in 2014. Each grant will be for 2 years. Grant recipients selected by an independent expert panel of the American Thyroid Association.  The deadline for the summary proposals is January 31, 2014. 

ThyCa invites everyone to join us in our quest to find cures for all thyroid cancer. 

Find out more about the ThyCa Research Funds, the annual Rally for Research and how you can help

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From the E-Mail Inbox

From Florida
Could you please send an info packet to my parents…. I would like them to have a better understanding of what I am going through. I was diagnosed in July with papillary carcinoma and had a right thyroidectomy and recently a left. I will go through RAI in 5 weeks.

From China
I am here in Dalian, China; my mother was diagnosed for thyroid cancer…..I have received the Chinese Thyroid Cancer Basics Handbook. It is very useful to my mother. Thank you very much! 

From California
I would like to request that you send me 50 of the neck check cards to pass out to my friends and family. 

From New Jersey
I appreciate what a great resource ThyCa is for us newbies, and I appreciate even more that you took your personal time to help.

From Northern Ireland
My 16-year-old daughter has just been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I would really appreciate information from a child's point of view for her to read. (Editor’s Note: ThyCa sent her Pediatric Backpack with Tim’s Tips for Children and Teens with Thyroid Cancer.)

From Pennsylvania
Please send 50 English and 20 Spanish Thyroid Cancer Basics. (Editor’s Note: This came from a health educator at a cancer treatment center in Pennsylvania)

From another correspondent
Thank you so much for all the FREE literature you sent for me to share when I speak in February! I truly appreciate it!

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Coming Events — Mark Your Calendars!

January is Thyroid Awareness Month, for all thyroid diseases. Sponsored by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, and supported by ThyCa.

Saturday, February 1
Redondo Beach, California.  Free Seminar. Dr. Dennis Maceri, thyroid cancer surgeon at Keck Medical Center at the University of Southern California, will be the guest speaker at the February 1 meeting of the ThyCa South Bay Support Group from 10 a.m. to noon.  Monday, February 3

Neptune, New Jersey. Free Seminar on Management of Lymph Nodes in Thyroid Cancer, with Sunil Asnani, M.D., from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the meeting of the ThyCa Jersey Shore University Medical Center Support Group

February 28
Worldwide Rare Diseases Day. Coordinated by Eurordis (Rare Diseases Europe) with U.S. sponsorship by the National Organization for Rare Disorders. ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc., is pleased to partner in support of this observance. 

Friday, March 7
Web and Telephone Free Workshop from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Update on Thyroid Cancer with R. Michael Tuttle, M.D., ThyCa Medical Advisor; Krzysztof Misiukiewicz, M.D., and Sarah Kelly, M.S.W. Sponsored by CancerCare in collaboration with ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc., and other organizations. Register online.

Find more thyroid cancer events on our Calendar, linked from our Home page: www.thyca.org

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Save the Dates! Free Spring Workshops

Physician Speakers, Other Specialists, Roundtables, and more!

  • Mid-Atlantic Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Workshop. Silver Spring, Maryland. Saturday, April 19, 2014.
  • Midwest Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Workshop. St. Louis, Missouri. Saturday, April 26, 2014.

Plan to attend! Details soon to be added to our web site www.thyca.org!

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The International Conference—Save the Date!

Dreaming of Denver ... It's not too early to start planning to attend the 17th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Conference, October 17-19, 2014, at the Doubletree by Hilton Denver Hotel, 3203 Quebec Street, Denver, CO 80207. Get the details and share the flyer, available on the conference homepage.

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ThyCa Pins, Wristbands, Shirts, and More – Show your Spirit!

Are you aware that ThyCa has many gift items available for sale?  These items are named “Spirit Items” because we show our ThyCa Spirit and promote thyroid cancer awareness when we wear, display, or give these items.  We periodically add new items and phase out others.  Click on the link and it will take you to the ThyCa Spirit Items page, where you can shop to your heart’s content.

Have an idea for a new item? Let us know at spirit@thyca.org 

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Have you signed our Guestbook?

It’s free! Sign up and you'll be put on our mailing list for ThyCa News Notes and special announcements including events and activities. We'll also send you our free patient information packet upon request! 

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Invitation to Facebook and Twitter

We're now over 9,500 strong on the ThyCa Facebook page and over 1,700 on Twitter!

More Invitations:

  • If you’re not on Facebook, you may join at any time. It’s free.
  • If you’re already on Facebook, invite your friends to ThyCa’s page.

Our support of each other--whether giving or receiving--is an incredible gift. Thank you for joining us.

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Low-Iodine Recipe of the Month
Contributed by Karen C.

Baked Oatmeal

Mix the following:

4 egg whites
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sugar

Add

3 cups oatmeal (rolled oats)
1 cup milk substitute (I used the nutty milk recipe in the ThyCa Low-Iodine Cookbook)
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of kosher salt

Mix together

Pour into 2-quart baking dish (do not spray the dish)

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F

You can refrigerate it and just heat it up in the microwave.  You can add brown sugar, walnuts or raisins (or whatever you like).

Karen writes, “The low iodine cookbook is Great! It made it very easy to make delicious meals for my husband. I wanted to share a recipe that we modified to fit the diet. My husband loved it.” 

Thank you, Karen, for contributing this recipe! We will include it in the next edition of ThyCa’s FREE Downloadable Low-Iodine Cookbook.

Free and Downloadable

Download the 7th edition of the Low-Iodine Cookbook in English for free, with more than 340 favorite recipes from more than 150 generous volunteers.

The Cookbook is also available in:

• Spanish and
• French

Please remember, while you’re welcome to download and print the entire free low-iodine cookbook, you can also print just the pages you need.

This free cookbook is a wonderful help when you’re preparing to receive radioactive iodine for treatment or testing. All the recipes are favorites of some of our ThyCa volunteers, who are sharing them with everyone, to make the low-iodine diet easy and tasty. The recipes are also great for family meals and for potlucks, any time.

To contribute your favorite recipe or tip, send it to recipes@thyca.org.

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Invitation: Become a Member

No one should have to face a diagnosis of thyroid cancer alone. Your membership will support ThyCa's efforts to reach other survivors and their families around the world.

Membership is open to anyone interested in thyroid cancer and supporting ThyCa’s efforts. To join, online or by mail, visit our Membership page.

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Every Day

Every day, thousands of people with thyroid cancer, and their families, receive support, education, and hope from ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. Your generous support is what makes it possible to sustain, strengthen, and expand our services and outreach. 

It only takes a minute to make a donation online in support of ThyCa's work (or you are welcome to donate by mail to ThyCa, P.O. Box 964, Chesterfield, MO 63006-0964). 

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About ThyCa NEWS NOTES and ThyCa
Copyright (c) 2014 ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. 

Please share ThyCa News Notes with your family and friends. For permission to reprint in another electronic or print publication, please contact us at publications@thyca.org. Each complete issue is also published on this web page: www.thyca.org/newsletters.htm.
 
Thank you to our writing, editing, and proofreading team for this issue: Karen C. Leah Guljord, Pat Paillard, Barb Statas, Cherry Wunderlich, and Gary Bloom.

The information in this newsletter is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended, nor should it be interpreted, as medical advice or directions of any kind. Readers are advised to consult their own medical doctor(s) for all matters involving their health and medical care.

ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization (tax ID #52-2169434) of thyroid cancer survivors, family members, and health care professionals serving people worldwide and dedicated to education, support, communication, and fundraising for thyroid cancer research.

ThyCa sponsors the annual International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference, as well as Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month, a worldwide observance each September, plus year-round awareness campaigns, research funding, and thyroid cancer research grants.

Contact us for free materials and information. E-mail to thyca@thyca.org call toll-free at 1-877-588-7904, fax 1-630-604-6078, write PO Box 1102, Olney, MD 20830-1102, or visit our website.