Survival times have lengthened for patients with certain challenging cancers thanks to a leading-edge “hot chemotherapy” treatment available at the Patricia Lynch Cancer Center at Holy Name. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is used for some cancers that… Continue reading
Yom Kippur, 2019. I wore white, as is my custom, and didn’t shower, apply creams, or wear leather. These are the tools the tradition offers to playact our mortality. But I didn’t need them. I was two months past a major surgery, one month into chemotherapy, and fully aware… Continue reading
This article originally appeared in Tablet As a professor of Jewish studies, I encourage my students to use Jewish ritual in creative ways. In Introduction to Judaism at the University of Southern California, my students create a ritual marking a nontraditional event, like… Continue reading
I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2009 and shortly afterwards discovered that I carry the BRCA1 gene mutation. I learned about Sharsheret when I was researching my options for treatment. As an Ashkenazi Jew, Sharsheret offered me helpful resources to navigate… Continue reading
Dried Mushrooms High mushroom intake has been associated with reduced risk of breast cancer, likely due to 2 powerful anti-cancer compounds they’re especially rich in: aromatase inhibitors and beta-glucans. Aromatase inhibitors may reduce the activity of an enzyme that… Continue reading
The phrase, Many Hearts, One Purpose, holds lots of meaning to me. I first learned the phrase as the motto of my Sorority, Alpha Epsilon Phi. When I was going through recruitment, I learned about AEPhi and their passion for serving the community around them. Once I became a… Continue reading
Prior to my summer internship at Sharsheret, the most exposure I had to this organization was winning the Sharsheret Cake Wars Competition with my team at Yeshiva University. I had known this was an organization that provided support for Jewish women living with breast or… Continue reading
This summer I have been lucky enough to intern with Sharsheret. As an intern, I have spent a lot of time thinking about the meaning of the word Sharsheret, chain. I have thought about my relationship with Sharsheret, my family's connection to the organization and how my work… Continue reading
More than 43 million adults in the U.S. serve as caregivers to family members or friends who are living with a medical hardship like cancer. The pressure of caregiving takes a toll. “Caregiver Burnout” is a serious consequence of ongoing care. Caregivers report higher… Continue reading
This summer I was privileged to serve as one of Sharsheret’s five summer interns. While my journey with Sharsheret may seem to have begun this summer in 2021, it actually began more than one year ago, just a few months before the Covid-19 Pandemic started, a year we will… Continue reading
I had always heard of Sharsheret. In middle school, I would do the New York City walk with my mom and aunt. In high school, I would wear pink and post pictures for Pink Day, and in college, I would do the Pink Shabbat challah bakes with my friends. It wasn’t until my… Continue reading
Insurance claims can be challenging and confusing to navigate. The following tips will help you learn more about what an insurance appeal is and what it means to file an appeal. As many know, we rely on our insurance company to cover the cost of medical procedures. However,… Continue reading
If you’ve experienced acid reflux, that uncomfortable burning sensation in your chest or throat, you are not alone. Acid reflux is extremely common during cancer treatment and affects people with cancer even more than those without cancer. In breast cancer treatment,… Continue reading
At the age of 47, I learned I have the BRCA1 genetic mutation. It was a complete fluke that I found out about my high-risk status. Even though my father’s family history of cancer includes breast (his mom), prostate (his dad), and melanoma (his aunt), it wasn’t until he… Continue reading
For Mrs. Bloomberg, Math Coordinator and 5th grade math teacher at Academies at GBDS, what started as a small fundraiser has, over time, grown into her passion project. Six years ago when Ellen Bloomberg began working at Academies at GBDS, the Head of School at the time… Continue reading
Scott was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on a Friday afternoon in November of 2004, kicking off one of the worst weekends of his life as he and his family dealt with the shock of the diagnosis. Today, as a pancreatic cancer survivor and patient advocate, Scott works to bring… Continue reading
After my BRCA test came back negative in 2010, I wrote a Sharsheret blog about my relief and volunteered to be a Sharsheret peer supporter for those deciding about genetic testing. My mom died of breast cancer in 1994, about six months before the BRCA test was released. She was… Continue reading
My husband Jaryd and I spent the last four years creating our family. I was so excited to return to life without being pregnant after having three children under the age of 4. I was at the very end of my maternity leave and had gone for a mammogram on a Thursday, knowing… Continue reading
Knowing my Jewish ancestry saved my life. I happened to take an at-home genetic test and found out that in addition to being approximately 52% African American, I had Ashkenazi Jewish DNA. Several months later, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer the knowledge I had… Continue reading
I am a mother, a friend, a daughter, a sister, a partner and now a patient. This is my story... On November 26th 2019, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Invasive Ductal Cancer (IDC Breast Cancer). By December 5th I got the worst possible upgrade to Stage 4 Metastatic Breast… Continue reading
