Sweet Peas and Strawberries

Ahhh...all of this sunshine is so good for the soul. Does anyone remember last year's June-uary? It's not even officially summer yet.

I just started my day with green tea and the Globe and Sun, then watering the garden, picking strawberries and sweet peas as I went. The weeds will have to wait until the Jewellery Show is done.

Zack's sleeping in...no doubt using his subliminal powers to psych himself up for his Science final later this morning. Charlotte is off to school and the decks are almost clear to create all day long, the scent of sweet peas wafting around the design zone.

Happy day everyone.

Strong Link Between Diabetes & Cancer: Another Reason Why BC Cancer Agency Should Not Dispense Crappy Chocolate Bars from Its Patient Snack Trolley

Email to CBC's B.C. Almanac Program, June 4, 2009

RE: Link between Cancer and Diabetes

I was just listening with interest and concern to B.C. Almanac's Medical Columnist Tim Yeomans speak about the recent research linking type 2 diabetes and cancer. I became aware of the link between glucose and cancer in 2000 when as a follow-up to treatment for breast cancer I underwent a PET Scan that involved drinking a very sweet drink that contained the nuclear medicine. The doctor explained that cancer cells gobble up the sugar-laden substance and then the scan is able to detect the presence of cancer cells in the patient. Well that was enough for me to basically swear off sugar. My kids were three and five at the time and I very much wanted to be permanently free of cancer and get back to living a very long and fulfilling life.

Fast forward to 2009. I have just finished a round of chemotherapy at the BC Cancer Agency for treatment of metastatic breast cancer. I observed with great incredulity that the volunteer-run Snack Trolley that makes its rounds of the patient areas at the Cancer Agency is laden with Kit Kats, Snickers and the like.

I felt compelled to do a bit of advocacy work and wrote a letter to the Agency wondering at why they were making more appropriate snacks available and offering my time to source health-filled and delicious snack foods. I did receive a letter thanking me for my inquiry and was informed that a committee had been struck to look at the issue. A couple of weeks ago I followed up with Sue Fuller-Blamey of the Agency who explained to me that the reason that chocolate bars are offered was that patients have requested them. I asked her why it did not suffice to have chocolate bars available in the vending machines on the main floor of the Agency and why the Agency is not taking a leadership role in educating patients of the importance of diet as one tool to beat cancer. I was told that I would be contacted to have a face-to-face meeting with someone to address my concerns but so far that has not occurred.

Cancer patients should not have to glean this info from the media though as someone who hopes to live with metastatic cancer for a very, very long time I thank B.C. Almanac for today's interview on the link between diabetes and some types of cancer.

I find it empowering to know that there are things that I can do in my daily life such as eating a healthy diet low in simple carbohydrates, getting regular exercise and maintaining an appropriate weight that can greatly contribute to my health.