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Heal

Heal offers support, inspiration, and practical information for cancer survivors. As a way to provide valuable resources to navigate survivorship, we offers tips, tricks and advice to addressing challenges; provide recipes to aid in recovery; Heal at Home discussions with health care professionals; and more.

Cancer is nonpartisan. It touches everyone — cutting across religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status.

Funding for Cancer Research: Hope in a State of Fear

The START Hope Hub is a robust digital platform designed to break down barriers to early-phase clinical trial access for those with cancer.

A New Digital Platform Aims to Expand Access to Early Oncology Trials 

When it comes to living with cancer, your nurses make a difference.

The Gift of a Good Cancer Nurse

Natalie Schnaitmann discusses urgent supportive care gaps that affect long-term quality of life for younger women with cancer.

Addressing Unmet Needs for Young Women Before, During and After a Cancer Diagnosis 

I’m here to prove that powerful phrase; after nearly 16 years living with incurable cancer, I know there’s more to my story than the statistics.

You Are Not a Statistic: Facing Cancer With Hope, Not Numbers

Valarie Traynham shares what survivorship means to her, and how the definition has evolved after her diagnosis, during National Cancer Survivors Month. 

A Cancer Thriver Breaks Down Her Definition of Survivorship 

Survivorship can mean something different to everyone, and it is important to reflect on the different definitions of survivorship, especially during National Cancer Survivors Month, which is recognized yearly during the month of June.

This month, according to the Fred Hutch Cancer Center website, serves a time to honor and celebrate the strength and resilience of individuals who have faced cancer. Moreover, it is time to acknowledge the importance of ongoing support and research patients.

Valarie Traynham understands the definition of survivorship well, as she is a cancer thriver and serves as a patient advocate following her diagnoses of multiple myeloma and breast cancer.

To discuss her idea of what survivorship means, Traynham sat down for an interview with CURE, where she explained the various ways, she has interpreted survivorship, and how the definition has changed from diagnosis to now.

How do you define survivorship, and how has that definition evolved since your diagnosis with multiple myeloma and breast cancer?

So, I think of survivorship in many different ways. One, for me personally, it is about thriving with cancer. I live with this every day, but I have learned how to thrive with it. I also find that it's about waking up every day and really just choosing to continue to live, even on those hard days when you're not sure how the day is going to go. You still have to get up and face it, taking those good days with the bad days. That thing I have hope in, that's what I try to focus on most.

I think survivorship has changed. I have noticed that it had changed from when I first even thought about survivorship, which was not something I considered until later in my cancer journey. Initially, I thought of it as just holding on, processing everything I had just been handed, dealing with this deck of cards I was given and playing them. But I've also found that it meant navigating the unknowns.

When you get that cancer diagnosis, a lot goes on, and you're a little bit unsure of how to handle all of that. Over time, I realized that it means much more. It's about living fully, as I said, thriving, celebrating every win, small milestones. Celebrate those small milestones and don't take anything for granted.

It also means learning how to speak up for myself, learning how to become a good self-advocate, speaking up for myself, knowing what questions to ask, and those types of things. But I'm finding it's about living with intention, living life with more meaning, and finding those special connections and finding that hope.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education,

don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

Dr. Andre Henri Goy shared how CAR T-cell therapy led a retired pilot with lymphoma into remission, showing the impact of personalized treatment decisions.

CAR T-Cell Therapy Leads to Remission in Retired Air Force Pilot With Lymphoma 

Dr. Andre Henri Goy of John Theurer Cancer Center shared the story of a patient with lymphoma who achieved remission after CAR T-cell therapy, illustrating how individualized treatment decisions can lead to long-term outcomes and renewed quality of life.

Goy described how a patient named Mark Daniel first came to him nearly two decades ago with low-grade lymphoma. Daniel responded well to an immunotherapy-based clinical trial and remained active for years — flying planes, exercising daily and staying in great shape.

Years later, Daniel returned with a very aggressive lymphoma. Given the intensity of chemotherapy needed and the patient’s age, CAR T-cell therapy became the most appropriate option. After some complications from initial chemotherapy, Goy convinced Daniel to undergo CAR T-cell therapy, which led to a full recovery and sustained remission. He is now back in the air performing aerobatic flying.

Goy highlighted the importance of tailoring therapy to the patient, noting that CAR T-cell therapy can be especially valuable for individuals with aggressive disease who may not tolerate traditional options. “If we can give back and help them have a better life, it’s a good thing,” he said.

Goy serves as physician in chief of Oncology Care Transformation Services at Hackensack Meridian Health. He is also chairman and chief physician officer of John Theurer Cancer Center and leads the lymphoma division at the center’s location within Hackensack University Medical Center.

How do you determine when a patient is a good candidate for CAR T-cell therapy?

It’s a really important question. We'll take the example of Mark Daniel, because an example is really — well, obviously very important — and then we'll talk a little bit more generally about how we can make things better.

So, Mark Daniel came to see me almost 20 years ago with a low-grade lymphoma. At that time, he really didn’t want to get chemotherapy and qualified for a trial we had for patients receiving first-line therapy that was essentially immunotherapy — a combination that included Rituxan (rituximab) with a small molecule. He did really well — so much so that it sort of disappeared. This is an avid pilot, a retired pilot from the U.S. Air Force, a commercial pilot, still flying, doing aerobatic flying now, and at the gym every day. Amazing shape. Great guy.

He came to see me about two and a half, three years ago with a very aggressive new lymphoma — a very large mass in his abdomen causing pain. Initially, he thought this was because he overdid it with exercise. But we found the mass, and when we did a biopsy, it was a very high-grade, aggressive lymphoma.

In that situation, you need to give a more intensive regimen, but it would be very toxic for him at his age — even though he was in good shape. So, we had to give him some chemotherapy to slow down the process. He had a lot of complications because of the mass’s location — with risk of perforation and so on. He was really not eager to continue chemotherapy and wanted to give up.

I convinced him to actually agree to do the CAR T-cell therapy, and then he went into complete remission. Not only did he do really well during the CAR T-cell therapy, but he recovered fully. Now, he’s been in remission for well over a year, and he's back on his plane, flying and doing aerobatic flying.

It’s a double success. It’s a great opportunity to treat someone who is fantastic, but also a veteran who was part of the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam. If we can give back and help them have a better life, it’s a good thing.

CAR T-Cell Therapy Leads to Remission in a Patients With Lymphoma

Watch oncology dietitian Kenisha Parikh prepare creamy lentil soup, a soothing, protein-packed recipe to help ease side effects during treatment.

Comforting Lentil Soup Recipe to Ease Side Effects During Cancer Care 

Maintaining proper nutrition during treatment for diseases like head and neck cancer can help reduce side effects, improve healing, as well as support immune health, explained Kanisha Parikh, a dietitian at John Theurer Cancer Center, part of Hackensack Meridian Health in New Jersey.

In this cooking demonstration, Parikh shares how to prepare a lentil tomato soup designed to help patients manage common side effects from treatment, such as taste changes, nausea, painful swallowing and mouth sores.

“This recipe is packed with flavor from ingredients like tomatoes, lemon juice, and warming spices such as cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and cinnamon,” Parikh said. “The lentils provide protein, and ingredients like olive oil and whole milk add calories and healthy fats to help prevent unintentional weight loss.”

For patients with more severe swallowing issues, Parikh recommended pureeing the soup with an immersion or countertop blender. The soup can also be frozen in advance for convenience on days when cooking feels difficult.

Adding calorie-dense foods like avocado, Greek yogurt, peanut butter or olive oil to meals is another helpful way to maintain strength during treatment, Parikh noted.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes
1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable broth
1¼ cups water
1 cup milk
Juice of 1 medium lemon

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the onion, bell pepper, and carrot. Cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the coriander, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, salt, pepper, sugar, garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the lentils, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Carefully puree the soup using an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth.

Stir in the lemon juice and milk. Season with additional salt to taste.

Watch oncology dietitian Kanisha Parikh prepare creamy lentil soup, a soothing, protein-packed recipe to help ease side effects during treatment.

Head & Neck

Patients can prepare personal overviews to help care teams connect with them as individuals, explained Michelle Kirschner in an interview with CURE.

How to Prepare for Self-Advocacy After a Cancer Diagnosis

Patients should consider creating personal overviews to help care teams see them as individuals, explained Michelle Kirschner.

In an interview with CURE, Kirschner noted that while advocacy is important, not everyone feels comfortable speaking up for themselves. In those cases, it can help to bring someone who can provide support during appointments.

She recommended preparing a personal overview — a short summary of what matters most to the patient — to help the care team understand the patient beyond their diagnosis. Adding this to the medical chart allows providers to connect with the patient as a person, not just as someone receiving treatment.

Kirschner is the director of Program Development at the Cancer Survivorship Provider Network, located in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she focuses on supportive care and long-term patient empowerment.

How can patients advocate for themselves to get the best care during treatment and beyond?

I think this idea of advocacy is really important, but not everyone is a born advocate. If you are, then knowing what to advocate for is key. But if you don’t feel like you can be your own advocate, it’s important to find someone who can come alongside you.

When you go to visits, come prepared with a few things. First, you want your care team to know who you are as a person. One thing I used to do with my patients was help them create a personal overview — a summary of who they are and what’s important to them. For example, you might write, “I value being an athlete. I value friendships. I love nature.” It should be something that truly expresses who you are, and you can have that added to your chart. That way, when your doctors and care team read your chart, they see a human being, not just a patient.

It’s always important to help your care team understand you as more than just the patient. You also need to be clear about your needs before your visits. That means writing things down and not assuming your care team will ask about everything that matters to you. A good example is sexual health. We know that very few providers bring it up, but it’s an important topic for many patients. Right now, your care team will probably help if you tell them what you need, but you might have to start those conversations yourself.

Patients can prepare for self-advocacy by bringing personal overviews to help care teams connect with them as individuals, explained Michelle Kirschner.

It is important to understand why it is vital that patients and survivors of cancer take steps to reduce the body’s burden both before and after treatment.

Protect Your Healing by Lowering Chemical Exposure After Cancer Diagnosis 

Although some environmental factors are beyond individual control, patients with cancer and survivors of cancer have the opportunity to take meaningful steps to reduce their body’s burden, according to Dr. Lorenzo Cohen and Alison Jefferies, MEd. This can be done by making intentional choices about what is ingested, applied to the skin and breathed in at the home.

Cohen and Jefferies sat down for an interview with CURE, in which the pair discusses why it is important for patients and survivors to take these important steps to limit the chemical burden on their body both during and after treatment. In addition, Cohen and Jefferies addressed common misconceptions surrounding the topic.

Cohen works at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston, Texas, and is a member of the CURE advisory board. Jefferies is a wellness coach at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, as well as co-author of the book, "Anticancer Living: Transform your Life and Health with the Mix of Six."

: One of the challenges in this area is that we have the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It's our belief that these regulatory agencies are there to protect us, and to some degree, they are. They exist to ensure that there are no unhealthy substances in our food, water, or personal care products.

The challenge, however, is that many chemicals found in our personal care products, often used as preservatives, are analyzed as single molecules, focusing on the potential harm of that individual substance. But, as all viewers know, if you look at a shampoo bottle or the ingredients in makeup, there isn't just one chemical; there are dozens.

Even the word "fragrance," which you will often see somewhere down the list of ingredients, is due to a deal the industry struck: if an ingredient is below a certain amount, they don't have to list what it is. So "fragrance" isn't one thing; it can actually be 100 different molecules, and they don't need to list them because they're below a certain threshold. None of these chemicals, however, have been analyzed for the potential harm that can come from their combined effects.

: You might also be thinking to yourself, "Well, I can't control what I'm exposed to." And I think a big misconception is that you don't have control. Granted, there are certainly things you don't have control over, but you do have a lot of control over, as Lorenzo said, what you put in your body, what you put on your body, and what you breathe in within your own home. Therefore, we have many different ways we can reduce the burden on our bodies.

When we receive a cancer diagnosis, we particularly want to reduce the burden our body carries from things that are not health-sustaining. If we are undergoing treatment, we want all of our body's energy to go towards being successful in receiving that drug, healing, and getting better. So, reducing the burden of chemicals your body carries is a great place to start.

: To add to that, chemotherapies, immunotherapies, and other targeted therapies, while effective, can be quite toxic. They need to be processed by our kidneys and liver. If these organs are already burdened, as Alison was saying, by processing toxins from personal care products and other items we use in our daily lives, that can be quite challenging.

Another issue in this area, particularly with the EPA, is that many chemicals have been "grandfathered in," so to speak. It's estimated that there are over 80,000 different chemicals in our system — in terms of food and other products we're exposed to — and only a fraction of them have been formally evaluated for their potential toxicities.

It is important to understand why it is vital that patients and survivors of cancer take steps to reduce the body’s burden both before and after treatment.


Although late-stage kidney cancer generated poor survival rates for over two decades, significant progress is being made in the treatment of the disease.

Breaking Down Kidney Cancer Treatment Advancements and Providing Hope

Although late-stage kidney cancer generated poor survival rates for over two decades, significant progress is being made in the treatment of the disease, according to Sid Sadler, who added that advancements driven by dedicated doctors, researchers and clinical trials have led to improved outcomes.

Sadler, a patient advocate and survivor of kidney cancer, went on to note that while a cure remains uncertain, ongoing research continues to develop, providing hope for patients with this disease. To further discuss this topic and the importance of forward-looking research in kidney cancer, Sadler sat down for an interview with CURE.

In case you missed it, you can also catch Sadler’s insights on takeaways from his experience with kidney cancer, as well as facts and tips, in a 

For kidney cancer, we are just beginning to see progress. For the longest time, for 20-plus years, the survival rate for stage 4 kidney cancer was not great. You can go online and see the numbers. While it's still not the best, we have greatly improved that number thanks to incredible doctors, researchers, scientists, caregivers and patients who have been willing to participate in clinical trials. I believe we are turning a corner in kidney cancer.

I don't like to use the word “cure,” and I don't know when that will be. I'm not a doctor, but I think the key message is that there are doctors, researchers and scientists who dedicate their lives to finding ways to cure this disease. So, if you are diagnosed and are listening to or reading this, it's not hopeless. There are many researchers, doctors, and institutions looking for a cure and have found very effective treatments, and even, dare I say, vaccines to treat patients.

On the advocacy side, if people are interested in getting involved, I say, do it. As I mentioned earlier, advocacy work isn't just online or social media or what I'm doing here. It can be many different things. It can be talking to people in your community, talking to another patient, or simply donating your time or money to an organization. Advocacy work has many avenues, so get involved if you're interested.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to 

subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

An expert spoke with CURE® about the emotional bonds that can develop while treating patients with cancer.

Kate, Princess of Wales, ‘Got So Attached’ to Her Port During Cancer Treatment

Kate, the Princess of Wales, has announced that her cancer is in remission, but revealed in a candid moment that she felt connected to her port mechanism through which drugs were administered.

During a Jan. 14 visit to Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where she’d received treatment, the princess said of her port, “I got so attached to it,” with the Associated Pres noting that she joked that she had been almost reluctant to have hers removed when told she no longer needed it.

Dr. Frank J. Penedo of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, in an interview CURE®, said that he doesn’t often hear of patients becoming attached to their port, but he is familiar with patients developing an emotional connection with their care teams.

“It's not uncommon… for the patient to have a sense of loss and disconnection from their care team, because they become such a critical part of their lives and such an emotional connection occurs with them,” said Penedo, Associate Director, Cancer Survivorship and Translational Behavioral Sciences; Director, Cancer Survivorship and Supportive Care; and Director, Biopsychosocial Mechanisms and Health Outcomes (BMHO) Lab, at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, in Miami, Florida .

While at the Royal Marsden, Kate thanked the medical team for their support and spoke with other patients, the Associated Press reported.

“I wanted to come and show my support for the amazing work that’s going on here, and for those who are going through treatment and having such a hard time,” she said.

Kate announced in March 2024 that she had received a 

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