In honor of Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month we are focusing this week’s blog post on resources for these two conditions. Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that is fairly common, with an estimated 48,610 new cases each year. From the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society website, “Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, the spongy center of bones where our blood cells are formed. The disease develops when blood cells produced in the bone marrow grow out of control.” There are multiple types of Leukemia, some more common than others. The four most […]
Category: Disease Resources
Resources for Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a fairly common disorder, with nearly 60,000 people diagnosed in the United States every year. It is a progressive neurological disease that affects the body’s motor system. There are a variety of symptoms, from Parkinson’s Action Network, “The four primary symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are tremor, or trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face; rigidity, or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia, or slowness of movement; and postural instability, or impaired balance and coordination.”Currently the cause of Parkinson’s Disease is unknown and there is no cure, but according to Parkinson’s Action Network “scientists and researchers […]
Resources for ALS
Chances are you have at least seen a video on your social network of choice of someone you may know dumping ice water over their heads, or possibly even posted one. The “Ice Bucket Challenge” has become a mainstream phenomena and significantly raised awareness for those suffering from the chronic illness ALS. Donations have also been on the rise, with the ALS Association reporting over 7 times the amount donated in just the past three weeks compared to the same time period last year. With 260,000 new donors already, the number is expected to continue to climb. What Is […]
Resources for Prostate Cancer
According to the National Cancer Institute, Prostate cancer is a cancer that forms in the tissues of the prostate gland that usually affects older men. What is the prostate gland? From the Prostate Cancer Foundation: “The normal prostate is a small, squishy gland about the size of a walnut. It sits under the bladder and in front of the rectum…It seems to supply substances that facilitate fertilization and sperm transit and survival.” Prostate cancer affects 1 in 6 men, making it the most common non-skin cancer in America. There are a number of factors that can increase your risk of […]
Resources for Autism
Autism is a common disorder, with 1 in 68 American children born somewhere on the autism spectrum. From AutismSpeaks.org, “Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development.” The signs of autism are usually apparent when a child is between 2 and 3 years old. Symptoms are different for everyone, according to autism-society.org. “Some of the behaviors associated with autism include delayed learning of language; difficulty making eye contact or holding a conversation; difficulty with executive functioning, which relates to reasoning and planning; narrow, intense […]