Oct. 11, 2022 – During the early days of the pandemic, Alivia Gustman, then simply 8 years previous, was in a category tasked with the objective of beginning a enterprise.

For Gustman, this wasn’t the time to pitch a bake sale. Instead, having just lately watched her mother undergo breast most cancers therapy, an concept instantly popped into her thoughts: Why not promote teddy bears to lift cash to assist children with most cancers — or to anybody whose family members are in therapy?

After doing a digital pitch to her Boca Raton, FL, instructor and classmates, the concept broadened when her dad jumped on board and helped construct a web site and safe a trademark.

The consequence: A family-run undertaking and the launch of Cancer Bears, a nonprofit that has already bought greater than 1,000 bears in over 30 states and overseas.

Best of all: Thanks to all of those bears being despatched throughout the nation (and globe), Cancer Bears has raised $30,000 so far and donated these funds to most cancers facilities throughout the nation. In reality, since they began the group, they’ve arrange donation partnerships with Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, and NYU Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center – all places that performed a job in serving to Alivia’s mother – and fashioned an alliance with Keaton’s Child Care Alliance, a nonprofit that gives assist companies to households dealing with a pediatric most cancers prognosis.

So how did a then-third grader make all of this occur?

“Knowing that my mom would be OK motivated me,” says Gustman, now a really busy fifth grader who turns 10 on Oct. 16. “I wanted anybody going through treatment to be able to hold onto something. I thought a bear would be the perfect thing to cuddle with.” 

For Tara Gustman, Alivia’s mother, serving to others is within the household DNA.

“This was such a simple act of kindness that happened during virtual school and right when I was getting back on my feet again,” says Tara, who was recognized with stage II breast most cancers in December 2018 and went by means of a double mastectomy, the removing of 12 lymph nodes, 16 rounds of chemo, and seven weeks of radiation. She’s now been in remission for 4 years.

“The feedback that we get from everybody is remarkable. We can’t wait to continue to make a difference to those in need.”

And, whereas Alivia admits that she’s busy with schoolwork– it’s all about time administration, she says – there’s nothing higher than seeing all the bears lined up and able to be shipped out of her (and her grandparents’) storage.

Recently, Alivia and her sister, Savannah, 8, have gotten very busy attaching ribbons to every bear earlier than it’s shipped.

“You can request the ribbon for the person’s cancer – so teal for ovarian, yellow for childhood cancer, and pink for breast cancer,” she says. “My sister is really good at organizing the ribbons.”

Ultimately, that is one household that’s laser-focused on serving to others.

“Every 2 minutes, someone is diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. and, while that is unfortunate, what we’re doing keeps our entire family motivated,” says Tara. “We’ve become a resource of encouragement in the form of bears and conversation with people in our community. Happily, Alivia’s story keeps getting shared, and the more people know about us, the more we can help others.” 

Ask Alivia and she’ll tell you that being a kid should never be a barrier to rolling up your sleeves.

“Personally, I’d tell other kids to follow their dreams,” she says. “If something motivates you to help others – do it.”

The post Meet the Girl Comforting Cancer Patients with Teddy Bears appeared first on Healthy and Slim Life.

March 25, 2022 — Jen Gunter, MD, refuses to remain silent when she sees deceptive claims about girls’s well being merchandise.

In reality, the world’s most well-known — and outspoken — OB/GYN (as described by The Guardian), is on a social media mission to talk up every time she sees firms or governments “prey on women’s health and vaginal shame.”

With practically 400,000 followers, Gunter by no means shies away from an issue.

Just this week, she railed towards vitamin and complement maker Olly’s vaginal probiotic, taking the corporate to job for its product premise and objectionable advert copy.

WebMD caught up with the San Francisco-based physician and writer of two books, The Vagina Bible and The Menopause Manifesto. The following interview has been frivolously edited for size and readability.

WebMD: So these Olly capsules purport to be “Probiotics for Your Panty Hamster.” What was your response to this?

Gunter: Seeing the phrase “panty hamsters” is so egregious. I’m so used to baseline vaginal opportunism, however this was simply completely egregious and I needed to name it out.

WebMD: What are vaginal probiotics anyway?

Gunter: These are certainly one of these massive wellness scams the place firms attempt to promote you on in some way hacking your microbiome by taking them. They’re not cheap, both, and might vary in value from $30 to $150 per thirty days, relying on how bespoke they’re. And but the info isn’t good. There is little to no proof of the worth of those probiotics besides to shareholders.

WebMD: What’s one declare made within the Olly probiotic packaging that bothers you probably the most?

Gunter: The product claims to steadiness the vaginal pH. To say that may be a gross misunderstanding of the vaginal ecosystem. If that tagline is what you’re main with, what else don’t you realize?

Also, if these items labored, we’d advocate them. Vaginitis is complicated and sometimes misdiagnosed, and it’s simple for an organization to be predatory and swoop in and say they’ve a product for you.

If I feel your product for the vagina is terrible and you haven’t studied it in not less than one high quality scientific trial (by no means thoughts company-funded or not), and your advertising and marketing shows a surprising ignorance about vaginal well being, don’t method me about your product. Really.

WebMD: When there’s a popular culture reference to, say, menstruation, you’re fast to weigh in.

Gunter: I noticed these viral messages from a boy mother (that’s what she known as herself) the place she wrote about being disgusted that there have been mentions of intervals in Turning Red, the animated film.

Everything is right here due to menstruation. If you didn’t menstruate, you wouldn’t have a child, we wouldn’t have the one that had the intelligence to construct the pc you’re spreading this message on. Menstruation is a crucial a part of human copy, and it’s much more complicated than folks suppose. For that motive alone, folks ought to find out about it

WebMD: Do you ever get nervous about being so “out there” on social media?

Gunter: I’ve my stalkers I suppose, however the trolls don’t hassle me. I don’t care if some no matter artwork vendor in New York thinks I’ve psychological sickness for selling masks. That’s the most effective you’ve acquired? Honestly, this doesn’t even register with me. It’s like throwing a grain of sand at a automobile.

WebMD: You additionally acquired into an change with Dr. Leana Wen, CNN’s medical analyst, about masks sporting.

Gunter: She clearly has a special opinion than I do. I feel one of many largest points within the pandemic is the change in messaging and this concept that in some way folks aren’t residing their regular lives proper now. I used to be unhappy to see her promote that idea.

This weekend I went out for lunch, I went furnishings buying, I went to the films, I took a hike. My household and I put on masks all over the place. I fail to know how sporting a masks means you’re not residing a traditional life when it’s clearly linked with the decreased unfold of the virus.

Almost all the things in medication is about threat discount. You can do issues to decrease your threat of coronary heart illness. It’s not 100% assured, however wouldn’t we wish a decrease threat of unhealthy issues? I’m going to maintain sporting a masks perpetually!

WebMD: Do you would like extra medical doctors have been extra vocal such as you?

Gunter: I want extra medical doctors would have conversations about well being outdoors of the workplace in methods they’re snug with. Like, you’re on the hairdresser and also you share data, otherwise you share data with 15 of your Facebook associates. If you’re a physician and publish an article about COVID-19 and the way it impacts the center, your 15 associates usually tend to learn that article than in case your good friend who’s a lawyer places that up.

As medical doctors, I imagine we are able to typically affect folks in massive and small methods.

The post Meet a Fierce Advocate for Women’s Health: Jen Gunter, MD appeared first on Healthy and Slim Life.