Tonight's picture was taken on Halloween of 2006. Mattie was four years old and finally got to wear his calico cat costume while trick or treating. We made this costume together the year before, but given that Mattie was hospitalized on Halloween of 2005 with sepsis, he never got to wear this costume. Fortunately the costume was comprised of a sweat suit, Mattie's favorite material, so it stretched and fit him perfectly. The cutest cat around!
Quote of the day: There’s a lot of confusing and misleading information on the Internet about the relationship between sugar and cancer. The notion that refined sugar causes cancer or that cutting sugar from the diet is a good way to treat cancer are two common — and incorrect — claims that turn up in a Google search. ~ Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Given we are approaching the Halloween candy season, I find that I receive MANY emails from members in the community who want to participate in our Post-Halloween Candy Drive. I try to make it clear that the candy goes to FAMILIES (parents and caregivers) of children with cancer. Nonetheless, it isn't unusual for me to receive disgruntled emails, like the one I opened up today:
I received an email from our concierge service asking for the following: Donate your extra Halloween candy to provide a sweet treat to families who are battling childhood cancer. Benefiting the Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation. I read a lot about natural health and although it is important for children with cancer to be treated as normally as possible, I find it unsettling for a charity for childhood cancer to be asking for candy, as candy (sugar) feeds cancer. Thank you for reading my email expressing my concerns.
Whenever people push back on me about candy, I could do one of two things. First I could ignore it, or two, listen and address the concerns. Given that I am NOT personally collecting the candy, but doing it as part of the Foundation, I ALWAYS respond to any inquiry. I certainly could give this woman some facts about sugar and cancer, but I didn't. I didn't because people don't always want to hear the FACTS about cancer. It is much easier to think that we can eat differently or change our behaviors and this will PREVENT us from getting a cancer diagnosis. Unfortunately it doesn't work this way and it DEFINITELY doesn't work this way with childhood cancer. Considering that MOST childhood cancers occur by happenstance and not as a result of genetics and environmental factors.
So instead, I addressed her concerns and told her about our FREE snack and item carts at local hospitals. The carts are intended for the parents and family members caring for children in the hospital. Therefore the candy on our Carts supports EVERYONE else but the child with cancer! I have personal experience both as a mom whose child had cancer and as a Foundation leader who pushes our Carts around hospital units quarterly, that candy makes a big difference! Parents thank me, and feel that the Carts are a lifesaver! When helping a child with a life threatening illness, you need as much energy as you can get to manage the 24/7 routine. Under times of crisis, most of us DO NOT turn to a granola bar. Candy, can feel like a real gift when isolated in a hospital unit and honestly when I push the Carts, I observe parents' eyes lighting up when they see chocolate... almost as if they won the lottery.
Now that's the psychosocial piece. The piece I did not share with the woman who made the inquiry is the scientific fact..... SUGAR has not be linked to causing cancer!
According to the Mayo Clinic:
Sugar doesn't make cancer grow faster. All cells, including cancer cells, depend on blood sugar (glucose) for energy. But giving more sugar to cancer cells doesn't speed their growth. Likewise, depriving cancer cells of sugar doesn't slow their growth.
This misconception may be based in part on a misunderstanding of positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which use a small amount of radioactive tracer — typically a form of glucose. All tissues in your body absorb some of this tracer, but tissues that are using more energy — including cancer cells — absorb greater amounts. For this reason, some people have concluded that cancer cells grow faster on sugar. But this isn't true.
However, there is some evidence that consuming large amounts of sugar is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, including esophageal cancer. It can also lead to weight gain and increase the risk of obesity and diabetes, which may increase the risk of cancer.
I remember when Mattie was dealing with cancer, he practically ate and drank NOTHING. He was turned off to food for the most part. However, there were times when he had cravings for things and frankly WHATEVER it was, we gave it to him.... potato chips, vanilla shakes, donuts, etc. I am sure this woman who wrote to me today would most likely think that I was being irresponsible. However, I think what I was being was a mom. When you are helping someone who is battling a life threatening illness the last thing you are thinking about is the nutritional value to be blunt. You are thinking about.... WHAT CAN I GIVE THIS CHILD THAT WILL PUT SOME CALORIES INTO HIS BODY? So NO, I do not share her concerns and better yet SCIENCE has debunked her theory!
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