News Archives - Page 11 of 50 - ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc.

March 16, 2015 – We are saddened that Rob Bohning has passed away, and extend our heartfelt condolences to all his family.

Congratulations, Andrew!

Andrew’s Triathlon was a big success!

Eight-year-old Andrew swam, rode, and ran in a Children’s Triathlon on July 19, 2014, raising nearly $7,000 for research on the rare and incurable stage 4 medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) that his father Rob Bohning is fighting.

Thanks very much to all the wonderful donors!

It’s not too late to make a donation to this moving fundraiser.

100% of all donations will go to ThyCa’s Medullary Thyroid Cancer (MTC) Research Fund to support research on MTC.

Below are some photos from the big day: Andrew running the Triathlon, and the Bohning Family.

Read more about #ThyCaTalk.

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Unithroid Update

June 5, 2014—Many ThyCa members have reported difficulty getting Unithroid® pills for their thyroid hormone replacement. The most frequent difficulty has been with the 125 mcg dosage.

We asked Lannett Pharmaceutical whether it is having production issues with Unithroid.

Lannett replied that some items are on backorder, that this is a short term circumstance, and that there is no production issue with the product. Unithroid® will be available for most strengths within the next few weeks.

If anyone has difficulty getting their Unithroid® prescription filled, Lannett suggests that they use Lannett’s/Jerome Stevens generic Levothyroxine Sodium, and adds that it is exactly the same as Unithroid® and the generic is readily available in all strengths at local Walgreens or Kroger.

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5 Physicians at the Free California Workshop

At the Northern California/Bay Area Workshop this Saturday, June 7, 5 physicians from Stanford University Medical Center, University of California San Francisco Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente – Santa Clara will speak. The complete program schedule plus more details are on our web site.

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Dr. Van Nostrand and Dr. Veronikis To Speak at Free Missouri Event

Speakers at the Free Patient Education Day on Sunday, June 8, in St. Louis, Missouri, include Douglas Van Nostrand, M.D., Nuclear Medicine Director, Washington Hospital Center and ThyCa Medical Advisor; Irini Veronikis, Endocrinologist, Mercy Hospital St. Louis; and additional medical professionals.

This event is sponsored by the Society of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) along with the American Thyroid Association and ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.

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Low- Iodine Recipe of the Month: Mel’s Zucchini Carrot Muffins
Contributed by Melissa R. of Maryland

Ingredients

2 cups grated zucchini
2 cups grated carrot
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
4 egg whites, beaten
3/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon non-iodized salt
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bowl, mix together the zucchini, carrots, applesauce, walnuts, and raisins.
Add the canola oil and egg whites, and set aside.
In a second bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, orange peel, and spices.
Fold dry ingredients into wet and blend gently with a wooden spoon until dry ingredients are mixed in.
Fill 2 greased or paper-lined muffin tins 2/3 full (or one bundt pan).
Bake 20-22 minutes or until a sharp knife comes out clean when inserted into the mixture.

Melissa writes, “When not on the Low Iodine Diet, I like these with cream cheese frosting: Mix together 8 ounces of softened butter with 8 ounces of softened cream cheese. Add 2 cups confectioner’s sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla. Variation: Add a teaspoon of almond extract.

Thank you,, Melissa! We will include your recipe in the next edition of ThyCa’s FREE Downloadable Low-Iodine Cookbook.

Free and Downloadable: Click on the Cookbook link on our home page to 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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Please Join Us!

No one should have to face a diagnosis of thyroid cancer alone. Your membership dues support ThyCa’s efforts to provide our free services and resources to survivors and their families around the world.

Membership dues enable us to do many great things such as:

Expand our informative web site
Develop and assist local support groups
Provide a toll-free survivors’ helpline and the Person-To-Person Network
Develop and distribute handbooks and many more publications

You may join as a 1-year, 2-year, or lifetime member of ThyCa. Membership is open to anyone interested in thyroid cancer and supporting ThyCa’s efforts. To join, online or by mail, please visit our Membership page.

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Follow Us

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

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

This newsletter and ThyCa’s many other services and thyroid cancer research grants are made possible through the generous contributions from our donors and volunteers. Thank you! We invite everyone’s contributions, either small or large, financial and service. Together we make a difference!

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.

Thank you to our writing, editing, and proofreading team for this issue: Tom Engle, Leah Guljord, Pat Paillard, Melissa R., Barb Statas, Theresa Wickerham, 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.

Visit our web site to learn about thyroid cancer, coming events, and ways you can help. Ask 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.

June 19, 2014—ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. is proud to announce six grants for thyroid cancer research into complex aspects of all types of thyroid cancer: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic thyroid cancer.

The new ThyCa grants were awarded to physician researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland; University of Texas M.D. Anderson Center, Houston, Texas; and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.

In addition, continuation grants were awarded to researchers at Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; and Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.

This is the twelfth consecutive year of ThyCa research grants. The grants are funded through donations to ThyCa from thyroid cancer patients, family members, and friends. ThyCa grants are open to researchers and institutions worldwide. An independent expert panel of the American Thyroid Association (ATA) reviewed applications and selected the recipients.

The New ThyCa Grant Recipients and Projects:

Elizabeth G. Grubbs, M.D., M.S., The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, for the project titled “Fusion Oncogenes as Drivers of Medullary Thyroid Cancer.” This project focuses on the role of RET fusion in MTC tumorigenesis, with the overall goal of showing that this gene rearrangement may predict biological behavior in MTC and that this pathway may be a viable target to (1) predict responses to targeted MTC therapy, (2) better stratify MTC patient outcomes and, for non-RET driven tumors, and (3) potentially offer a more rational approach to individualization of therapy.
Jason D. Prescott, M.D., Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland for the project “Development of a High Throughput in vivo Screening System for Small Molecule Activators of Thyroid Differentiation: Identification and Targeting of New Molecular Pathways Involved Thyroid Cancer Progression.” This project seeks to (1) identify new molecular pathways and mechanisms contributing to aggressive thyroid cancer and progression involving the BRAF protooncogene and (2) assess compounds in a large drug library for their anti-thyroid tumor activity and their molecular actions.
Brian R. Untch, M.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, for the project titled “Mechanisms of response and resistance to farnesyltransferase inhibition in HRAS-driven thyroid tumors.” Dr. Untch notes that HRAS mutations are the second most common type of RAS mutation found in thyroid cancer and can be found in different types of cancer. Building on prior research with poorly differentiated and anaplastic thyroid cancer, the study will explore a class of drugs that are preferentially active against HRAS as compared to other mutations, to explore the mechanisms of adaptive and acquired resistance to a drug targeted against RAS in vitro and in vivo in a genetically accurate model of cancer. Dr. Untch’s group is also developing clinical trials with these drugs specifically for HRAS-mutant disease. This grant is this year’s Ric Blake Memorial Thyroid Cancer Research Grant. These grants are named for ThyCa Co-Founder Ric Blake, in honor of his dedication and commitment to ThyCa and to our goal of better futures for everyone with thyroid cancer, everywhere in the world.

The continuation grants were awarded to these researchers:

Nicole Chau, M.D., Harvard Medical School and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, for the project “Overcoming Resistance to RET inhibitors in Medullary Thyroid Cancer.”
Brittany Bohinc, M.D., Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina, for the project “Overexpression of LGR4 and LGR5 in Human Thyroid Cancer Promotes Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling and is Associated with Tumor Aggressiveness.” This grant was the 2013 Ric Blake Memorial Thyroid Cancer Research Grant.
Jaroslaw Jendrzejewski, M.D., Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio for the project “Analysis of locus 14q13.3 in search of mutations predisposing to Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma (PTC).” This two-step project aims to uncover mutations by combining second-generation sequencing with bioinformatic analysis of 14q13.3 locus, which genome wide association studies have identified as one of the most important in genetic predisposition to PTC.

“We’re excited about these grants, which support research crucial to developing cures for all thyroid cancer,” said Gary Bloom, ThyCa Executive Director, who is a thyroid cancer survivor. “More research on thyroid cancer is urgently needed. We are grateful to all our donors whose generosity throughout the year make these research grants possible.”

ThyCa’s research fund funds welcome contributions of any size. Information about how to support ThyCa’s Rally for Research can be found on the ThyCa Rally for Research page.

This year ThyCa is marking its 19th year of providing free services to thyroid cancer survivors, families, medical professionals, and the public. ThyCa sponsors a wide array of services and resources. These include thyroid cancer support groups in six countries; one-to-one support available worldwide; educational events including seminars, workshops, webinars, and the annual International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference; free publications including the online newsletter plus handbooks on all types of thyroid cancer, a downloadable low-iodine cookbook, a patient information packet and thyroid cancer awareness materials; pediatric backpacks with information kits for children and teens with thyroid cancer and their families; and its educational web site with more than 800 pages in English, Chinese, Spanish, French, and Japanese.

ThyCa receives guidance from its Medical Advisory Council of world-recognized experts in the field of thyroid cancer. ThyCa sponsors Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month in September, a worldwide observance, plus year-round awareness campaigns, as well as, and the. Details are available on ThyCa’s website or by calling 1-877-588-7904 or e-mailing thyca@thyca.org.

11/2013 and 6/2014: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the approved uses of Nexavar® (sorafenib) on November 22, 2013, and approved the drug to treat late-stage (metastatic) differentiated thyroid cancer.

In June 2014, Nexavar® approval widened to Europe.

Nexavar works by inhibiting multiple proteins in cancer cells, limiting cancer cell growth and division. The drug’s new use is intended for patients with locally recurrent or metastatic, progressive differentiated thyroid cancer that no longer responds to radioactive iodine treatment. Differentiated thyroid cancer includes papillary and follicular thyroid cancer and their variants such as Hurthle cell and tall cell.

Differentiated thyroid cancer can be challenging to treat, especially when unresponsive to conventional therapies,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Today’s approval demonstrates the FDA’s commitment to expediting the availability of treatment options for patients with difficult-to-treat diseases.

The safety and effectiveness of Nexavar were established in a clinical study involving 417 participants with locally recurrent or metastatic, progressive differentiated thyroid cancer that does not respond to radioactive iodine treatment. Nexavar increased the length of time patients lived without the cancer progressing (progression-free survival) by 41 percent.

The FDA completed its review of Nexavar’s new indication under its priority review program. This program provides for an expedited, 6-month review for drugs that may offer a significant improvement in safety or effectiveness of the treatment, prevention or diagnosis of a serious condition. Nexavar also received orphan-product designation by the FDA because it is intended to treat a rare disease or condition.

The FDA approved Nexavar to treat advanced kidney cancer in 2005. In 2007, the agency expanded the drug’s label to treat liver cancer that cannot be surgically removed.

Nexavar is co-marketed by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc., based in Wayne, New Jersey, and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, based in South San Francisco, California.

#ThyCaTalk will be held each Tuesday during the months of June, July, August, and September, and all @ThyCa_Inc Twitter followers are invited to participate.

During #ThyCaTalk, we’ll be sharing new insights, asking questions, hosting trivia, and providing some super cool ThyCa Spirit item giveways along the way.

If you’re not already on Twitter, go to this page to sign up and follow us.

June 5, 2014—Many ThyCa members have reported difficulty getting Unithroid® pills for their thyroid hormone replacement. The most frequent difficulty has been with the 125 mcg dosage.

We asked Lannett Pharmaceutical whether it is having production issues with Unithroid.

Lannett replied that some items are on backorder, that this is a short term circumstance, and that there is no production issue with the product. Unithroid® will be available for most strengths within the next few weeks.

If anyone has difficulty getting their Unithroid® prescription filled, Lannett suggests that they use Lannett’s/Jerome Stevens generic Levothyroxine Sodium, and adds that it is exactly the same as Unithroid® and the generic is readily available in all strengths at local Walgreens or Kroger.

Contents

Free Flyer — 3 Things To Tell Your Friends About Thyroid Cancer
Free Materials in 5 Languages
Free Northern California Workshop on June 7^th
Free Patient Education Day on Nuclear Medicine
28 Physicians Confirmed for the Conference!
Conference Hotel Room Reservations Open
Hope for Cures, Through Our Research Funds
Stress Reduced by Involvement in Care Decisions
Thyroid Nodule Genomic Test: Latest News
Golden Anniversary Arrives!
Thyroid Surgery: Lobectomy or Total Thyroidectomy?
Nexavar® Explained in New Video and Article
New Support Group Starts Meeting
ThyCa Online Support Communities Grow
Raising Awareness among Young Adults
The Fault in Our Stars
From the E-Mail Inbox
Book Receives Award
Free Packets Go Around the World
Congratulations
Know Someone Newly Diagnosed?
Thyroid Cancer Surveys: Add your voice
Our New Home Page Photo- Thank You!
Low-Iodine Recipe of the Month
Follow Us on Facebook and Twitter
You’re Invited To Become a Member
About ThyCa NEWS NOTES and ThyCa

Free Flyer — 3 Things To Tell Your Friends About Thyroid Cancer

Download this and many more thyroid cancer awareness flyers from our Raise Awareness page.

You’ll find lots more flyers, plus tips for spreading the word.

Help others find thyroid cancer early, because when found early it’s usually treatable, as well as easiest to treat.

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Free Materials in 5 Languages
We now have ThyCa Web and other resource materials in English, Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish!

We’re indebted to the many volunteers, both physicians and patients, who have helped us with this massive ongoing project to make our information and free materials available to people that communicate in these different languages.

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Free Northern California Workshop on June 7th

We are proud to introduce our speakers for the Northern California/Bay Area Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Workshop on Saturday, June 7, 2014 at the Stanford Cancer Center, 875 Blake Wilbur Drive, Stanford, California.

They all have extensive experience with thyroid cancer care.

Haruko Akatsu, M.D., M.S. Endocrinologist, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA
Mark Courey, M.D., Otolaryngology and Neck Surgery, UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco, CA
Judy Nguyen, M.D., Staff Physician, Kaiser Permanente, Santa Clara, CA
Jeffrey Norton, M.D., Endocrine Surgeon, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA
John B. Sunwoo, M.D., F.A.C.S., Head and Neck Surgeon, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA

This is a terrific opportunity to learn and get your questions answered in person from experts.

The ThyCa Silicon Valley/Foster City Support Group is organizing this event. Lois Fried and Julie Martinez are the group’s facilitators. Everyone interested in thyroid cancer is invited.

Get details and register online (free).

We also welcome walk-in attendees. Hope to see you there!

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Free Patient Education Day on RAI and More, June 8

Near St. Louis, Missouri? Come to the free Patient Education Day on June 8th. Many topics! This event is sponsored by Society of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), with ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association and American Thyroid Association.

Speakers include Douglas Van Nostrand, M.D., Nuclear Medicine Director, Washington Hospital Center and ThyCa Medical Advisor, plus more speakers/panelists.

The program schedule plus more details are here.

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28 Physicians Confirmed for the Conference in October!

We’re excited to announce that we’ve already confirmed more than 25 distinguished medical professionals for the 17th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference, October 17-19, 2014, in Denver, Colorado.

Experts are coming from leading centers around the United States and Mexico.

Introducing 3 of our speakers:

Marcia S. Brose, M.D., Ph.D., Oncologist at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and ThyCa Medical Advisor
Bryan R. Haugen, M.D., Endocrinologist at University of Colorado Denver, board member and past President of the American Thyroid Association, and ThyCa Medical Advisor
Bryan McIver, M.D., Ph.D., Endocrinologist at Moffitt Cancer Center, and ThyCa Medical Advisor

You’re invited to join these experts, many more distinguished doctors, and hundreds of others who will participate in this unique meeting packed with information, plus the opportunity to meet so many others dealing with the same journey!

The Conference is a unique opportunity for you to meet and learn in depth from leading thyroid cancer specialists, as well as other experts.

In addition, through roundtables and social times, you’ll have lots of time to share experiences and helpful tips with others coping with each type of thyroid cancer.

Registration is open. Scholarships are available to cover the registration fee (simply check the scholarship box on the registration form).

We will continue to add information to our Conferences page.

Registration is now open. Scholarships are available to cover the registration fee (simply check the scholarship box on the registration form).

We will continue to add details to our Conferences page.

Hope to see you in Denver!

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Conference Hotel Room Reservations Open

We’re pleased to announce that the Hotel section of our 2014 Conference page is now open.

You may reserve your hotel room either online or by telephone. The special rate for conference attendees is $89 per night for a single or double, plus tax; $99 for a triple; and $109 for a quad. These rates are also available for 3 nights before and 3 nights after the conference.

Hope to see you in Denver!

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Hope for Cures, Through Our Research Funds

Research is urgently needed for cures for all thyroid cancer, because too many of our friends and loved ones are diagnosed and cope with thyroid cancer. May is Cancer Research Month.

We invite you to help fund our Thyroid Cancer Research Grants. When you donate to ThyCa’s research funds, 100% of your donation supports thyroid cancer research grants open to researchers worldwide.

We have proudly awarded more than $1.2 million in thyroid cancer research grants to researchers in France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and United States, thanks to your generous donations!

In 2014, we will award 3 new research grants, plus 3 second-year grants.

Together, we are helping research move toward our dream of cures for all thyroid cancer, and a future free of thyroid cancer.

Help the Rally for Research! Read more, and find out how you can help, on our Rally for Research page.

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Stress Reduced by Involvement in Care Decisions

Helping cancer patients make decisions in their care can reduce stress, according to a study reported by Reuters in Medcity News in April 2014.

The study included 305 patients with a variety of cancers at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. It was recently published in the journal Cancer. When treatment ended, they completed surveys about their physician’s decision-making style.

Patients who felt that they had more involvement in decision-making about their care reported higher rates of satisfaction and lower rates of depression, fatigue, and anxiety. Read more.

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Thyroid Nodule Genomic Test: Latest News

Veracyte, Inc., announced the launch this month of its Afirma Malignancy Classifiers in connection with the Afirma Thyroid FNA (Fine Needle Aspiration) Analysis as a tool for thyroid nodule diagnosis.

The goal is to reduce unnecessary surgeries among the more than 525,000 U.S. patients each year who have a fine needle aspiration (FNA) of a thyroid nodule to determine whether or not cancer is present.

The Afirma Malignancy Classifiers consist of genomic tests for medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and the BRAF gene mutation to provide information to help guide surgical decisions regarding the nature and extent of surgery for those patients who need surgery.

Read more on our web site on the pages titled Lab Tests and Nodules, Links (Tests and Levels subsection), and Physician Guidelines.

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Golden Anniversary Arrives!

Congratulations to longtime ThyCa volunteer Gloria Keller! Earlier in May 2014, she celebrated 50 years since her thyroid cancer diagnosis. Gloria is a co-facilitator of the ThyCa Washington, DC, Support Group.

“The ThyCa volunteers were the first people I’d met who knew a lot about thyroid cancer,” Gloria said in a 2006 interview. “In 1964, not that much was known about thyroid cancer.”

“Early in September 2000, I found a three or four-line blurb in the newspaper that said there was going to be a conference, [the 3^rd International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference] I was thrilled to find it. I called Gary Bloom. The conference gave me such a warm feeling. I’ve enjoyed every minute of ThyCa ever since. I’m very impressed. I wanted to do what I could.”

“I enjoy volunteering. I enjoy talking to people. I think they benefit from talking to a long-term survivor. This is such a warm welcoming group. I had gone to a support group for another disease. It was nothing but a gripe session. I never went back. The ThyCa support group was like a spring day. It’s really good.”

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Thyroid Surgery: Lobectomy or Total Thyroidectomy?

Which patients with papillary thyroid cancer need a total thyroidectomy and who can have just a lobectomy? This was the topic of a session at the recent meeting of American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, reported in Medscape

Aya Ebina, M.D., of the Cancer Institute Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, reported on a study of 1,187 patients, concluding that low-risk patients with papillary thyroid cancer had as favorable survival outcomes from a lobectomy as with a total thyroidectomy.

In the question and answer period, Ashok R. Shaha, M.D., of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, New York, said that the new guidelines coming in June from the American Thyroid Association will “reflect the role of lobectomy much more.”

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Nexavar® Explained in New Video and Article

Our web site’s Video page has added a new video about Nexavar® (sorafenib) and its use in treating papillary and follicular thyroid cancer that doesn’t respond to radioactive iodine.

This article from Penn News tells more about the Nexavar® research.

Thank you to Marcia Brose, M.D., Ph.D., oncologist at the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center and ThyCa Medical Advisor, and her colleagues, whose research led to the U.S. FDA approval of Nexavar®. The journal The Lancet has just published their study, titled the DECISION Study.

Our Video page has more videos with patients and medical professionals. These are great ways to learn more about thyroid cancer, wherever you live.

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New Support Group Starts Meeting

Congratulations and thank you to the ThyCa Brockville, Ontario, Canada, Support Group, starting monthly meetings the evening of May 20th. Judy Fielding and Lee Ann Irwin, RPN, are the group’s facilitators.

More than 110 local ThyCa support groups serve communities around the United States and in Australia, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Philippines. Find the web pages of the new Brockville, Ontario, Canada group, and all groups on our Local Support Groups page.

We can help you start a local support group in your community.We provide training, assist with setup issues, provide materials for attendees, and help publicize your support group to people dealing with a thyroid cancer diagnosis.

If you’re interested, please send an e-mail to the ThyCa Support Groups Coordinator at support_coord@thyca.org.

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ThyCa Online Support Communities Grow

Our online support communities continue to grow. They serve people with each type and situation with thyroid cancer.

More than 35,000 people are now taking part, including more than 11,000 people in our ThyCa Inspire Online Support Community.

Visit our Support Groups section to find our online communities, plus more than 110 in-person local support groups in 6 countries, as well as our 1-on-1 support through the ThyCa Person To Person Network.

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Raising Awareness Among Young Adults

Thank you to ThyCa volunteers Chris Prestano and Joel Amromin for representing ThyCa and giving out thyroid cancer awareness materials at the recent OMG! Cancer Summit for Young Adults in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Chris facilitates the ThyCa Salt Lake City, Utah, Support Group, and Joel co-facilitates the ThyCa Los Angeles, California, Support Group.

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The Fault in Our Stars

And, speaking of awareness. The soon-to-be-released major motion picture, The Fault in Our Stars, based on a novel by John Green of the same title, stars a female lead, Hazel, dealing with advanced thyroid cancer. This story is based on the story of Esther Earl, a lovely young lady who lost her battle with advanced thyroid cancer at too young of an age.

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From the E-Mail Inbox

From a hospital in Virginia:
We are having our annual Oral, Head and Neck/Thyroid screening. I would like to have materials to place in our informational bags for participants. Please send 50 brochures.

From Massachusetts:
My child was recently just diagnosed with Follicular Thyroid Cancer.She would love a back pack. (Editor’s Note: We mail free pediatric backpacks with information for both the young person with thyroid cancer, and the family.)

From Texas:
Please send me information on anaplastic thyroid cancer. I had surgery in September, Radiation and 2 rounds of chemotherapy.

From Kentucky:
Hello! I’ve been a member for a few years and I’m getting ready to celebrate 3 years being CANCER FREE. 🙂 I’m interested in finding out more information about starting a support group in my area. Any and all information would be helpful.

From a patient:
I’m glad you are an available resource. Would it be possible to e-mail recipes from the [Low-Iodine} cookbook for main courses? I found out that I am going to need a low-iodine diet during the time I have scheduled a dinner party. Help!

From Connecticut:
I´m 34 years old. I’m glad I found ThyCa following my papillary thyroid cancer diagnosis. I’m planning to attend an upcoming support group meeting. I would like to speak with other survivors about my mood.I’m hopeful that speaking with other survivors will help me better deal with my stress and anxiety. I also would like to help others.

From Missouri:
Thank you so much for the information you provided for us. I will definitely check out the pediatric website. I will also look into support groups for our daughter. She just had a thyroidectomy on the 5th. The ThyCa site has helped us prepare for what is next for her.

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Book Receives Award

David Kalish’s new novel, The Opposite of Everything, has been awarded First Place in the Somerset Awards for Literary and Mainstream Fiction. It’s also a finalist in the Humor/Comedy category of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. The book is based on David’s experiences coping for many years with medullary thyroid cancer. Congratulations, David!

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Free Packets Go Around the World

Everyday we mail our free Patient Information Packets to patients, caregivers, professionals around the world.

Recently, people in Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, France, Mexico, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States, and many more countries received our free materials.

Would you like a free packet? Sign up here.

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Congratulations

Congratulations to Kate Farnell, MBE, and founder/leader of the United Kingdom’s Butterfly Thyroid Cancer Trust,on being honored for her service to people with thyroid cancer.

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Know Someone Newly Diagnosed?

If you or someone you know was recently diagnosed with thyroid cancer, we have put together resources to help navigate this challenging time.

On this page, you’ll also find a link for requesting the free patient information packet and handbook, Thyroid Cancer Basics. We mail these free materials anywhere in the world.

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Thyroid Cancer Surveys: Add your voice

Add your voice, if you haven’t already.We have links to a number of medical surveys designed to better understand experiences of people who are coping with thyroid cancer.

Your answers help medical professionals, patients, and caregivers better understand the experiences of people coping with thyroid cancer.

Background information and links are in this special edition of ThyCa News Notes.

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Our New Home Page Photo – Thank You!

On March 16, 2014, George Washington University School of Medicine’s chapter of the Arnold Gold Humanism Society hosted a 5K Race and Walk at Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C., to raise awareness of thyroid cancer.

All registration funds and donations support ThyCa. The Arnold Gold Humanism Society chose ThyCa in support of their classmate who was recently diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Our special thanks to the volunteers of the George Washington University School of Medicine’s chapter of the Arnold Gold Humanism Society!

Your awareness and fundraising 5K Race was a lot of fun and really got the word out!

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Low-Iodine Recipe of the Month
Contributed by Harriet E. M. K. of New York

Haroseth

4 large tart apples, peeled and cored
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 pound pitted dried dates
1 1/2 cups walnut pieces
1 1/2 cups blanched whole almonds
4 Tablespoons honey
A couple of pinches of cinnamon

1. Grate the apples with a grater or with the shredding disk in a food processor. Place in a bowl, stir in the lemon juice, and set aside.

2. Place the dates and nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Stir the date mixture into the apples with honey and cinnamon.

3. Tastes delicious on matzo and on crackers

Yields about seven cups – enough to last for a good portion of the time of the low-iodine, diet.

Harriet writes, “I just finished the low-iodine diet once again and found that a recipe that I prepared for the Passover Seder worked magnificently.”

Thank you, Harriet! We will include your recipe in the next edition of ThyCa’s FREE Downloadable Low-Iodine Cookbook.

Free and Downloadable: Click on the Cookbook link on our home page to 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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Follow Us on Facebook and Twitter

We’re now over 10,600 strong on the ThyCa Facebook page and 1,970 on Twitter!

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

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You’re Invited To Become a Member

No one should have to face a diagnosis of thyroid cancer alone. Your membership dues support and strengthen ThyCa’s efforts to provide our services and resources to thyroid cancer survivors and their families around the world.

You may join as a 1-year, 2-year, or lifetime member of ThyCa. Membership is open to anyone anywhere in the world who is interested in thyroid cancer and in supporting ThyCa’s efforts in support, education, and research funding.

To join, online or by mail, visit our Membership page.

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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.

Thank you to our writing, editing, and proofreading team for this issue: Harriet E.M.K., Tom Engle, Leah Guljord, Pat Paillard, Barb Statas, Theresa Wickerham, 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.

Visit our web site to learn about thyroid cancer, coming events, and ways you can help. Ask 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.

Contents

Thyroid Cancer Treatment Options Explained in Free Handbooks
Serving People in 113 Countries
Thyrogen Update: FDA Approves Widened Use
European Commission Approves Cometriq®
Cabozantinib Clinical Trial: Latest Update
Conference Registration Opens
Free Patient Information Packet and Newsletters
Welcome to the Newest ThyCa Support Groups
Nine Reasons To Attend an In-Person Support Group
From the E-Mail Inbox
A Mother’s Thank You
Know Your Pills
ThyCa’s Research Fundraising and Grants: Update
David Kalish’s Book Donation
Strokes for Hope Scramble Coming Soon
Coming to Grips with Thyroid Cancer
Santa Clara University Rowers Raise Awareness
Low-Iodine Recipe of the Month: Moroccan-Style Stewed Chicken
New Thyroid Cancer Infographic
Follow Us on Facebook and Twitter
Every Day
About ThyCa NEWS NOTES and ThyCa

Thyroid Cancer Treatment Options Explained in Free Handbooks

Three free handbooks, Thyroid Cancer Basics, Medullary Thyroid Cancer, and Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer, are great places to start learning about each type of thyroid cancer, treatments, and testing.

Each handbook, 40-60 pages long, is packed with helpful information, whether you or someone you know are newly diagnosed, in follow-up and testing, or a long-term survivor.

Our medical advisors, additional medical specialists, as well as patients and caregivers coping with each type of thyroid cancer, provided review and input—thank you everyone!

Either download a handbook from our home page, or ask us to mail you a copy by filling out the Guestbook Form or e-mailing to thyca@thyca.org.

We also mail bulk copies free of charge to medical professionals to give to their patients. We mail them to people around the world.

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Serving People in 113 Countries

ThyCa is proud to report that our services have grown to reach people in 113 countries.

In addition to the United States, the 10 countries where we’re serving the most people are Australia, Canada, China, India, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, and United Kingdom.

Thank you to everyone who is helping to connect people worldwide with ThyCa’s free education, support services, publications, special events, and thyroid cancer research fundraising and research grants.

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Thyrogen Update: FDA Approves Widened Use

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of Thyrogen® (thyrotropin alfa for injection, manufactured by Genzyme), for a widened dose range of radioactive iodine (RAI) when used for thyroid remnant ablation after surgery for papillary or follicular thyroid cancer.

In the FDA’s previous Thyrogen approval for thyroid remnant ablation, the amount of radioiodine prescribed was fixed at 100 mCi (millicuries). Now, physicians may select a dose from the range of 30 to 100 mCi when Thyrogen is used to prepare for the RAI.

ThyCa has posted a summaryon our website and will add more information, linked from the home page, as well as in the Thyrogen section of our Links page.
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European Commission Approves Cometriq®

In late March 2014, the European Commission approved Cometriq® (cabozantinib), made by Exelixis, Inc. for the treatment of adult patients with progressive, unresectable locally advanced or metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). The drug was previously approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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Cabozantinib Clinical Trial for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: Update

The clinical trial of Cabozantinib for patients whose differentiated thyroid cancer has progressed while on a VEGFR inhibitor has now enrolled 50% of the patients for which it has spaces, reports Manisha H. Shah, M.D., of the clinical trial sponsor, the International Thyroid Oncology Group (ITOG). Dr. Shah is also a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

This clinical trial, ITOG’s first clinical trial, is a multicenter, open-label Phase II trial of Cabozantinib in patients who have radioiodine-refractory, differentiated thyroid cancer (papillary, follicular, and their variants), and whose cancer has progressed while on first-line therapy with a VEGFR antagonist.

Led by the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, the clinical trial is open at Massachusetts General Hospital, Mayo Clinic (Jacksonville and Rochester), M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Roswell Park Cancer Institute and University of Chicago.

The trial is coordinated by the Academic and Community Cancer Research United (ACCRU) and is funded by the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Additional funding for the clinical trial and correlative science is provided by ITOG.

More information related to this clinical trial and its eligibility requirements is available at http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01811212?term=cabozantinib+in+thyroid&rank=2.

For questions related to this trial, please contact Manisha H. Shah, M.D. at 614-293-4680 or manisha.shah@osumc.edu.

For further information about clinical trials, and suggestions on questions to ask from thyroid cancer patients who have taken part in clinical trials, visit the Clinical Trials page on our website.

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Conference Registration Opens

Register either online or by mail, for 1, 2, or all 3 days of the 17th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference, October 17-19, 2014, in Denver, Colorado. There are discounts for early-bird registration by September 17th.

There’s also a scholarship box to check on the registration form, for anyone who needs a scholarship to cover the registration fee. We want everyone interested to come, to learn from dozens of experts and meet others who understand what you’re going through.

Coming Soon: Speaker introductions and more. Watch our Conferences page for updates.

Hope to see you there!

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Free Patient Information Packet and Newsletters

We free mail patient information packets anywhere in the world. Each packet includes the 50-page handbook Thyroid Cancer Basics, and more.

We also invite you to join our worldwide community. We want to help you stay connected and informed about thyroid cancer news. And, with your help, we’ll be there for every person affected by thyroid cancer.

If you haven’t already signed up, we invite you to sign up today.

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Welcome to the Newest ThyCa Support Groups

More than 110 local ThyCa Support Groups provide e-mail, phone, and in-person support to people around the United States and in Australia, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Philippines.

Welcome to our newest groups, in Groups in Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Brockville, Ontario, and Medellin, Colombia.

Visit our Support Groups section for the web pages, contacts, and schedules for all the support groups.

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Nine Reasons To Attend an In-Person Support Group

ThyCa Local Support Groups meet every week, on both weekend days and weekday evenings.

Local thyroid cancer support groups are terrific ways to meet and get to know others in your community while sharing experiences, coping tips, information about local resources in your community, and encouragement. Read the Nine Reasons here.

More than 110 local ThyCa support groups serve communities around the United States and in Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, and Philippines.

If you don’t see a group in your area, consider starting one. ThyCa can help you start a group. Go to our Support Groups page for information.

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From the E-Mail Inbox

From Ohio:
Wow!!! Thank you so much. Yes, you were very helpful. I love the website and the recipes. I have gained so much knowledge through the posts of so many. I was able to prepare myself for side effect possibilities and I did have the salivary gland swelling. If it wasn’t for this web site, I would have gone to the ER thinking something bad was going on. Thank You.

From New Jersey:
I am a thyroid cancer survivor who is one of your members. I will be addressing my school next week about Thyroid Cancer. Can you send me information to hand out?

Thank you.

(Editor’s Note: Yes we can! Please send your requests for materials to thyca@thyca.org)

From Texas:
May I please have 75 of the Thyroid Cancer Basics handbook? I have ordered them in the past. We use these handbooks in the Learning Center (at our medical institution). Patients find them most helpful and of course we always suggest that they view your website.

(Editor’s Note: Yes we can!)

From North Carolina:
Many thanks! My daughter is starting the two week low iodine diet very soon before her RAI scan. I want to assist her with all I can learn. The cookbook will be my guide. What a fantastic relief from ThyCa for such an important diet. Again thanks.

From another correspondent:
I was looking for some info for a friend’s son (45 yrs old) that just had thyroid cancer surgery and I came across your web site. It’s wonderful. Having thyroid problems for a few years and then facing thyroid cancer was quite overwhelming for me in 1998. I have made it a mission to keep others informed. Your web site will be a wonderful resource for them. I wish I had known about your site then-oh well. Thanks again-keep up the good work—this world needs it.

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A Mother’s Thank You

Note posted to one of our online communities, from a mother in Canada, after receiving a free ThyCa Pediatric Backpack for her daughter with thyroid cancer:

“My daughter received her backpack with all the info for thyroid cancer and the cookbook for the low iodine diet. It is full of great info about Thyroid cancer. Anyone with a child with Thyroid cancer can ask for one to be mailed to their home.”

If you know of a child dealing with a thyroid cancer diagnosis, write us at thyca@thyca.org to ask for a backpack.

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Know Your Pills

Know Your Pills is the title of one of our popular handouts. It gives lots of helpful tips about storing and taking levothyroxine, together with a handy chart showing the U.S. levothyroxine brand names and dosages.

It’s on our web site on the Know Your Pills page.

If you live outside the U.S. and take a brand of levothyroxine, please let us know the name of your pill, and the country where you live. We’ll use this information to expand the handout in a future update. Please send your information to thyca@thyca.org. As always, ThyCa will protect your privacy.

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ThyCa’s Research Fundraising and Grants: An Update

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 terrific support!

We have awarded grants to researchers in France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and United States.

In 2014, we will award 3 new research grants, plus continuation grants. ThyCa’s Thyroid Cancer Research Grants are open to institutions and researchers worldwide, with grant recipients selected by an independent expert panel of the American Thyroid Association.

Together, we are helping research move toward our dream of cures for all thyroid cancer, and a future free of thyroid cancer.

Thank you to everyone who’s contributing to our research fundraising. Read more about our past grants and researchers, and find out how you can help, on the Rally for Research page.

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David Kalish’s Book Donation

Thank you to thyroid cancer survivor, David Kalish, for donating half of the week’s proceeds from sales of his novel, The Opposite of Everything, to ThyCa, in honor of “Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week” (April 14-20) as well as during future awareness observances and event.

Read an excerpt and more about The Opposite of Everything in our March 2014 Newsletter.

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Strokes for Hope Scramble Coming Soon

Spring has come to Pennsylvania, and the 2^nd Annual Strokes for Hope Scramble will raise funds for ThyCa’s Research Grants. Wonderful volunteers are planning this golf tournament for June 21.

Whether or not you can attend, you can support this great event!
Read more here: www.thyca.org/news/strokes0314

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Coming to Grips with Thyroid Cancer
By Vanessa E. Steil

On April 2, 2013, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. I was 26 years old.

One month earlier, during my annual visit to my gynecologist, my doctor had performed a complete physical. While examining my neck, he felt a lump on my thyroid. That discovery caught me off guard. I had no particular symptoms and had been healthy. Nonetheless, my doctor recommended that I have blood taken, a neck ultrasound, and he referred me to an endocrinologist.

I told myself the lump was nothing more than a benign nodule and I tried to put the findings out of my mind, but I could not. The next day, I scheduled a neck ultrasound and blood work. Something during the ultrasound troubled me, so I was not surprised when I received a call from my doctor a week later with the results. I learned I was hypothyroid in addition to having the nodule.

I had a consultation with an endocrinologist. He told me that the nodule was more than 1.8 cm and would require a fine needle aspiration. Six days later I had the nodule biopsied. The endocrinologist compassionately called me and requested that I come in so that he could deliver the news in person.

Not only did the biopsy reveal my biggest fear, a diagnosis of papillary thyroid cancer, requiring a total thyroidectomy, but it forced me to come to terms with having to take daily thyroid hormone replacement for the rest of my life. Before I left his office, the doctor advised me that I “should not make a research project out of the diagnosis.”

A few days passed as I digested the news. I had good days where I felt positive about my future, and days that were more difficult to endure. I began taking a low dose of thyroid hormone daily to treat my hypothyroidism, and each pill was a constant reminder of my present and what would become my future.

With all of this new information, I felt confused and overwhelmed. I knew I needed surgery, but should I get a second opinion? How do I find a good surgeon? Should I have a second biopsy? It was then that I began to understand the endocrinologist’s warning.

My first step in finding answers to my questions was the Internet. There I found one of my most invaluable resources, ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. (www.thyca.org). ThyCa had a wealth of helpful information for newly diagnosed patients, along with questions to ask your surgeon, what to expect during and after surgery, and support groups.

Another question arose. Did I want to have surgery near home, or did I want to see a doctor in the nearby city? I decided to get a second opinion. The second surgeon told me something new. I had Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, an inflammation of the thyroid gland that diminishes its ability to function properly. He recommended removing the entire thyroid and any surrounding lymph nodes. I felt confident with this surgeon and his proposed treatment and scheduled my surgery for May 2013.

However, when I returned home and thought it over, I realized that I needed more time to process everything. I wasn’t ready to have surgery the following month. Again, the endocrinologist’s words haunted me. By this time I was torn, and allowed myself to indulge in the “what ifs.” What if the biopsy was wrong and it was nothing more serious than an under-active, enlarged thyroid? What if I underwent a thyroidectomy for nothing and had a scar on my neck as a permanent reminder?

I needed more answers before I could feel certain that surgery was my only option. I sought the advice of a third surgeon. He came to the same conclusion as the surgeons before him had: I had thyroid cancer and needed a total thyroidectomy. His confidence finally forced me to face the reality I had been so desperate to avoid.

In June 2013 I underwent a total thyroidectomy with central neck dissection and lymph node removal. I was no longer someone with a diagnosis of thyroid cancer, but rather a cancer survivor. After I spent a night in the hospital and had symptoms no worse than a sore throat, I was ready to start the next chapter — recovery.

I saw my surgeon about a week later. The pathology results had come back. Of the six lymph nodes removed, one showed signs of cancer.

I had done little reading about radioactive iodine as a follow-up procedure, but I was sure that was going to be the next step. To my great surprise, my doctor had a different plan. He felt comfortable in recommending a wait-and-see approach, while monitoring my thyroglobulin, a marker for thyroid cancer. I left his office that day elated with my care plan. It marked the first time that I was able to think of something other than cancer.

It is now ten months after my surgery. In March 2014 I met with my doctor. I will continue to have blood work done regularly to ensure that my thyroid hormone dose remains at an effective level and to monitor my thyroglobulin level.

My scar is virtually undetectable now, but its remnants serve as an important reminder of how fragile life can be. I was blessed to have the support of family, good friends, and an amazing team of doctors. The thorough examination conducted by my gynecologist is what led to early detection and my diagnosis. To him, I am forever indebted.

If I could offer one piece of advice, no matter your age, it would be this: Have your doctor perform a thyroid exam at your next appointment and learn how to properly do the exam yourself. If you think you have a problem, consider a follow-up appointment with a qualified physician. I urge everyone to visit the ThyCa website where you can receive free information on thyroid cancer, the importance of neck exams by medical professionals, radioactive iodine treatment, and so much more.

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Santa Clara University Rowers Raise Awareness
By Missy Giorgi, Assistant Coach, Santa Clara University Women’s Crew

We had a wonderful series of events for ThyCa here!

On Saturday, April 5th, and Sunday, April 6th, we had a table at “Preview Weekend,” where admitted students and their families visit Santa Clara to see if it’s the right school for them.

We had people sign a poster-pledge, joining us on our “mission” against thyroid cancer. This catchphrase has been bouncing around campus recently due to the Santa Clara Mission on campus and our mission in the Athletics Department to compete. We adapted it for our own service mission with ThyCa! The poster-pledge was to help us make our message a tad more memorable, and to help us keep track of how many people we were able to reach!

Over the course of these two days, we found two thyroid cancer survivors, collected 50 or so signatures, and raised awareness and funds.

On Tuesday, April 8th, we had a table outside the cafeteria for the benefit of the usual student population. We collected another full poster of signatures and found another thyroid cancer survivor working in our on-campus bookstore—one of our very own community members! We sold baked goods and ThyCa-colored hair ribbons to raise additional funds.

For the ergathon, team members and our head coach worked on the rowing machine and the bike in hour-long intervals to go a collective 246,787 meters.

All in all, the events were very successful. It was great to see how knowledgeable these young women became, and I think that meeting several survivors really helped us understand how prevalent thyroid cancer is and how important ThyCa’s support organization is.

Thank you so much for helping us make this event so successful!

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Low-Iodine Recipe of the Month

Moroccan Style Stewed Chicken
Contributed by Carole P.

Ingredients:

4 Cups Chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons honey
2 teaspooons cumin
1/2 teaspooon cinnamon
1 14 ounce can no-salt diced tomatoes
1 large bell pepper, cut into 2″ long strips
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1/2 Cup raisins
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breast

Stir broth, garlic, honey, cumin, cinnamon, tomatoes, pepper, onion and raisins in slow cooker.
Add the chicken and coat the chicken in sauce.
Cook on low 7-8 hours.
Serve over rice or pasta.

Carole writes, “My hhusband is on the low-iodine diet. I’m a gourmet cook and have discovered many of my recipes that I can adapt for the diet. They are so tasty and have so much flavor that he says to post them for others. I use many herbs and spices. My recipes include slow cooker pork roast and roasted veggies such as fennel, onions, peppers, and mushrooms with thyme and rosemary.”

Thank you, Carole! We will include your recipes in the next edition of ThyCa’s FREE Downloadable Low-Iodine Cookbook.

Free and Downloadable: Click on the Cookbook link on our home page to 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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New Thyroid Cancer Infographic

A thyroid cancer infographic for use as a flyer or a larger-size poster will soon be available on our Raise Awareness page. This new publication is a collaborative project of ThyCa and I Had Cancer.

Visit our Raise Awareness Page for tips, tools, news, and a wide array of free downloadable materials. Or ask us to mail materials to you by e-mailing thyca@thyca.org.

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Follow Us on Facebook and Twitter

We’re now over 10,500 strong on the ThyCa Facebook page and over 1,930 on Twitter!

More Invitations:

If you’re not on either Facebook or Twitter, you may join at any time. They are 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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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

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.

Thank you to our writing, editing, and proofreading team for this issue: Tom Engle, Missi Giorgi, Leah Guljord, David Kalish, Carole P., Pat Paillard, Barb Statas, Vanessa Steil, Theresa Wickerham, 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.

Andrew’s Cancer Triathlon for His Daddy