Our fifty-eighth meeting was held on July 11, 2007. This month we were pleased to have Mr. Reggie Panpophlet, a certified physical trainer come and speak and demonstrate several useful exercises that we could all use to help us fight fatigue and strengthen weaken muscles due to treatments. He also discussed weight management for those who have completed treatment and suggested some easy ways to get fit and healthy. Dr. Iyengar also stopped by and spoke of the importance of stretching and physical activity even if bed-bound to your overall health.

Our fifty-seventh meeting was held on June 13th, 2007. Our guest speaker this month was Dr. Arbor, radiation oncologist, at Bayonne Medical Center. Dr. Arbor spoke about an exciting new development in radiation called intensity modulated radiotherapy or IMRT. This treatment is now available at Bayonne Medical Center. IMRT uses computer generated images to plan and deliver even more tightly focused radiation beams to cancerous tumors than is possible with conventional radiotherapy. With this capability, Dr. Arbor can plan a precise radiation dose to the shape and depth of the tumor while significantly reducing the adverse effects of doses on healthy tissue. He also discussed the preparation needed for treatment as well as answering everyone's questions. If you would like more information of IMRT you can reach Dr. Arbor and his staff at (201) 436-6100.

Our fifty-sixth meeting was held on May 9th, 2007. Our guest speakers this month were Mr. Larry Pilarski, from the Bayonne Ostomy Alliance, and Ms. Mischelle Turi, insurance specialist from Jerrry's Drug & Surgical Supply. Larry told us his personal story of colorectal cancer and gave us some useful tips for people who have undergone bowel or bladder surgeries. Mischelle specializes in helping people coordinate their medical needs with their insurance companies. She knows how to navigate the maze of red tape and helps many patients get their supplies with the least amount of stress. She can be reached at (201) 339-1992 ext. 19 any time, day or night and you can leave her a message and she will get back to you promptly. Larry can also be reached at (201) 339-5251 or contact him via e-mail at ostomyvistor@aol.com. Everyone enjoyed their presentation and we all learned about living life to the fullest with an ostomy.

 Our fifty-fifth meeting was held on April 11th, 2007. Our guest speaker this month was Anita Czarnecki, MS, RD, Clinical Nutrition Manager from Bayonne Medical Center. Anita did a wonderful presentation on "The Rainbow Plate" using local availability of healthy food from every color of the rainbow. She told us about the powerful agents found in many foods and how to balance a healthy meal while undergoing different types of treatments for our cancer. She stayed and answered many questions and we all learned a great deal about Phytochemicals (substances found in plants that are associated with prevention of some diseases.) Carotenoids (serve as antioxidants) and Anthocyanins (antioxidants studied for their ability to fight heart disease and cancer and help with the aging process.) If anyone wants more information or help with a specific condition they can contact Anita at (201) 858-5252.

Our fifty-fourth meeting was held on March 14, 2007. Our February meeting was cancelled due to a snow storm. Our guest was the wonderful Cantigas Women’s Choir directed by Joan Litman. These ladies were fabulous! They sang from their hearts and lifted our spirits a great deal. One of their signature songs, “Beautiful” they sang as they walked around the room and everyone was overwhelmed with emotion. They even did a special Happy Birthday rendition for all our members who were celebrating a special day this month. Music therapy is a proven mood lifter and one we can all use safety.

Our fifty-third meeting was held on January 10, 2007. We would like to wish a happy and healthy New Year to all of our friends and their families. This month our guest speakers were Dr. John Grew and Dr. Bill Montgomery from New Jersey City University. They spoke about a federal grant they received to investigate cancer disparities in New Jersey communities. Project "Export" will include Newark and Jersey City and conduct research designed to reduce cancer rates among minorities and to increase the participation of minorities in biomedical and behavioral research as well as prevention and intervention activities. They spoke about their community outreach involving churches and barbershops to increase screenings. They were happy to answer questions and were quick to point out that while their grant did not include research into environmental issues-they play a large role in the cancer rate in New Jersey.

Our fifty-second meeting was our annual Christmas Party held at the 4th Street Senior Center. About two hundred of our members and their families enjoyed a beautiful evening with music from our DJ Juice and the girls from Holy Family Academy. We had wonderful prizes and Roseann Farber won our 50/50 that night. The delicious food from San Vito's was a big hit with young and old alike. Mr. William Campbell our gracious host said a few words about his friend George Strydio who founded our group. The volunteer's from Bayonne High School did a great job of setting up, serving and cleaning up. What a God send they were to us all. All of the children who attended received a stuffed animal which brought smiles to their faces. We are all looking forward to another year of surviving.

Our fifty-first meeting was held on November 8, 2006. What a night! Torrential rains caused the cancellation of our guest speakers but we will reschedule them for a later month. For the 28 brave souls who came out to the meeting we decided to break into small groups and talk about the things that were going on in our lives. What an interesting and insightful night it was. We all learned that everyone is coping with many issues and hopefully our nurses and friends gave us a new perspective and ways to handle the stress we all face each and every day.

Our Fiftieth meeting was held on October 11, 2006. Our guest speaker was Mariann Moore facilitator of the Hudson Perinatal Consortium. Mariann spoke about her group's Breast Health Initiative Program. This includes education in breast self exam and much needed help with medication, bras, prostheses and wigs. She shared her own personal story with us and her mission to help decrease the incidence of new breast cancer in uninsured or underinsured women. If you need help with any of these issues you can contact the consortium by calling (201) 876-8900.

Our Forty-ninth meeting was held on September 13th, 2006. Our guest speaker tonight was Dr. Silber, an endocrinolist. She had a great deal of useful information on the effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments on our thyroid glands and their functions. She also discussed how some of the premedications that people use contain steroids which cause even normal people to experience periods of high glucose readings and a added need for insulin. She told us of the various tests and blood work needed to monitor medication dosage and the important of taking care of the total patient. We were thrilled that she took time from her busy practice to speak to our group as this is not always something that your oncology goes into depth with you.

Our Forty-eight meeting was held on August 9, 2006. This month Rocco Paolino held a BINGO night for all of our members with lovely prizes for all of our lucky winners. Our oncology nurses were on hand to speak to new members and we all had fun, relaxing and playing the BINGO games.

Our Forty-seventh meeting was held on July 12, 2006. This month our guest speaker was Fireman Michael Petrakian of the Bayonne Fire Department. Mike spoke about the importance of fire safety. He explained how to receive free smoke detectors which double your chances of surviving a fire and showed us all how to operate a fire extinguisher. He also had important tips on using oxygen safely in the home. We also had a special ice-cream Sunday Social at this meeting. Linda Klimkowski brought ice cream and various toppings to build your own Sunday with; perfect for a hot July night.

Our Forty-sixth meeting was held on June 14, 2006. Our guest this month was Nora Cotrone and Joseph Pinkaya from John's Health Food Store. They discussed many adjunct therapies to use while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. From soothing aloe to yarrow for appetite our guest speakers had information for everyone here. Many questions were asked and they both spent time talking to everyone who needed help coping with their treatments. They were lovely guest and we can't thank them enough for sharing their time and knowledge with us.

Our Forty-fifth meeting was held on May 10, 2006. Our guest this month was the Cantigas Women's Choir, directed by Joan Litman. These wonderful women sang from their hearts and lead us all in several sing-a-longs. What a great time we all had! Using music therapy as a complementary technique to improve our overall health is an easy way to help us all feel better.

Our Forty-fourth meeting was held on April 12, 2006. Our guest speaker this month was Dr. Lorraine Riotto, an oncologist. Dr. Riotto spoke about breast cancer and some of the newer screening tests that are now available. She also talked about the wonderful new drugs that we now had to fight breast cancer. She gave us all some tips on lifestyle choices and contributing factors to prevent our cancer from coming back. She also spoke about other solid tumors and the drugs that doctors are having success with. Clinical trials are an important tool in finding new ways to treat and survive cancer and she also spoke about neuropathy. She answered all questions and stayed to talk to anyone who had more personal concerns. Thank you Dr. Riotto.

 Our Forty-third meeting was held on March 8, 2006. Our guest this month was Natalia Vladova-Mugue. Natalia took us through a very relaxing mediation exercise that we can all use to reduce stress and get through procedures and treatments with. She also spoke briefly about nutrition and some new findings in the holistic arena concerning cancer therapies. Kathy McNulty also spoke and showed a short film on the upcoming Relay for Life Event that will be held in June for the American Cancer Society.

 Our Forty-second meeting was held on February 8, 2006.  Our special guest this month was the Radioland Theatre Group. Catherine Balwin, Russ London, Joe Foley and Joanne Smith were fabulous as always. They performed two new skits, both about love.  The first skit was a King Kong movie reunion and the second was a modern romance between a super computer and a scientist. They also sang some old Valentine Day songs as a sing-a-long with the audience. Our nurses were here as well as Irma our Social Worker and everyone had a great time.

 Our Forty-first meeting was held on January 11, 2006. Our guest speaker was Catherine Macchi from the Hudson County Office on Aging. She discussed several programs and services that are available not only to seniors but people of all ages who are disabled. She brought handouts and explained how to apply for several programs such as transportation to doctors visits and help with energy cost. Many of our members asked her questions and were happy to have the opportunity to find out more about the programs in Hudson County. If you were unable to attend tonight Catherine Macchi can be reached at (201) 271-4322.

Our Fortieth meeting was our Christmas Party held on December 14th, 2005.  Over 200 people gathered together at the 4th Street Senior Center for a wonderful evening of food and music.  Rocco, Sophie, Barbara and Linda decorated and coordinated a magnificent party for everyone who attended. We had raffle gifts, beautiful centerpieces and placemats which were made by the children of Midtown Community School in Bayonne. Two choral groups one from Bayonne High School and the other from Holy Family Academy sang and they were wonderful! We also had Bayonne High School volunteers to serve the delicious food from San Vito's. Mr. Campbell spoke of how happy he was to see the support group continue on and George's daughters both attended the party with their children. Sharing the holidays together made all of our spirits stronger.

Our Thirty-ninth meeting was held on November 9, 2005.  We opened this meeting with an interfaith memorial service to our Founder George Strydio, who passed away on Nov. 15th 2004. Dr. Iyengar spoke at the service as well as Sister Diane Driscoll. Our guest speaker this month was Dr. Jack Smith who brought his slides set to music from his tour of Afghanistan and Iraq. He told us of the many different cultural aspects of the people and how many of our soldiers are coping over there. He was a dynamic speaker and all who attended, no matter what their views on the war were very impressed. It made us all stop and realize how precious life is and how fortunate we are to live in a country were health care is so accessible to all.

 Our Thirty-eighth meeting was held on October 12, 2005. This month our guest speaker was Elizabeth Segarra from Hudson County Communities Against Tobacco Coalition.  Elizabeth gave us all great tips on ways to stop smoking from common problems to good solutions without making anyone feel bad about themselves. From handling cravings for cigarettes to how not to gain weight when you quit she helped everyone see how easy and important giving up smoking can be. She had many useful handouts and resource information and anyone who could not attend but would like help with quitting smoking can reach Elizabeth at (201) 653-7166. Remember tobacco is the most preventable cause of death and disease in New Jersey.  Each year, smoking kills more people than AIDS, alcohol, drug abuse, car crashes, murders, suicides and fires combined. If you or someone you love needs help quitting, please get in touch with them.

Our thirty-seventh meeting was held on September 14, 2005. This month our guest speaker was Carol Sangi, Head of the Physical Therapy Department at Bayonne Medical Center. Carol spoke about the benefits of an active lifestyle from the medical and personal point of view for cancer patients. Simple stretching exercises that can be done in bed or sitting in a chair to walking and swimming if possible can prevent muscle wasting, reduce our risk of heart disease, reduce risk of blood clots, and can decrease nausea and fatigue. It also improves our self-esteem, increases our ability for social contact and makes all of us less dependence on others. Physical Therapy really improves our quality of life. If you do not stretch and use your muscles you will lose strength, decrease your flexibility, have difficulty with stairs, doing household chores and be more tired. She demonstrated several easy to do stretches that we could all do to help us maintain and improve our physical functioning.

Our thirty-sixth meeting was held on August 10th, 2005. This month we decided to play BINGO and we had beautiful prizes for all of our winners. Rocco made a wonderful bingo board and was our caller. Everyone had a good time playing a few games and as usual our nurses were on hand if anyone wanted to talk to them.

Our thirty-fifth meeting was held on July 13th, 2005. We did not have a guest speaker this month but decided to enjoy the summer with an ice cream soda social. Linda Klimkowski made all the arrangements for our super sundaes. Everyone had their choice of toppings and we sat in groups and talked. Our nurses and social worker were available to see anyone with their concerns and Vicki held a prayer meeting in another room. Everyone had a good time relaxing and catching up with each other.

Our thirty-fourth meeting was held on June 8th, 2005. Our guest speaker this month was Mr. John McBride from the Governor's Office. Mr. McBride spoke about stem cell research. He explained the different types of stem cells (adult, embryonic) the similarities and differences between them and the potential uses of stem cells in many medical treatments. New Jersey is a national leader in stem cell research and many scientists believe some day doctors will be able to replace cells lost or damaged by devastating diseases with stem cells. He answered many questions and spoke to several people throughout the night.

Our thirty-third meeting was held on May 11, 2005. Our guest speaker this month was Dr. Condo. He spoke about the need for follow-up care and screenings after cancer treatments were completed. He also shared tips on talking with your doctor about any physical or mental concerns that might be caused by our cancer or by the treatments. Once you had cancer it sorts of takes over everything, possibly shifting the focus away from other conditions that could be important such as diabetes care, cholesterol and blood pressure screenings. He answered many questions and was full of useful information and brought many helpful handouts with him.

Our thirty-second meeting was held on April 13th, 2005. Natalia Vladova-Mugue finished up her series of talks on nutrition and told us that all other recommendations would have to be based on individuals and their specific health problems. She is always available to talk to anyone who attends the meetings. She left us with one final demonstration on how negative thoughts can weaken us. Our special guest this month was the Cantigas Women Choir directed by Joan Litman. These ladies were wonderful! They sang a wide variety of music from around the world in beautiful harmony. Our group is now breaking into support groups after our guest and many people found this to be very helpful.

Our thirty-first meeting was held on March 9th, 2005. Natalia Vladova-Mugue asked us all to consider giving up or limiting our use of four nightshade vegetables; potatoes, peppers, eggplant and tomatoes. She pointed out to studies which say these vegetables cause inflammation and contribute to certain cancers. Our special guests the Radioland Theatre Group were wonderful! We all sang some Irish songs and they performed two old radio programs; the Bitterson's and a Detective Show that was spellbinding. Catherine Balwin, Russ London, Joe Foley, Joanne Smith, Shelley Miller, Jed DiMatteo, Arthur Fredman and Judy Fredman brought us all back in time to the golden age of radio programs. Everyone who braved the cold had a great time and enjoyed the show immensely.

Our thirtieth meeting was held on February 9th, 2005. Natalia Vladova-Mugue continued her series of short talks about nutrition. She told us how curry cleanses the blood and how Eastern people have a lower risk of cancer because of the food they eat. Our guest this month was Christopheray, a well-known yoga instructor. This was the second time Christopheray came to our group. Everyone enjoyed his program so much that we asked him to come again. He taught us that the goal of yoga is to have a clear, peaceful mind in a healthy, sound body. This wellness and stress reduction is brought about by bodily postures (asanas), breathing techniques and mediation. Everyone learned how to breathe to reduce anxiety and fear. This should help many of us with our testing and treatments.

Our twenty-ninth meeting was held on January 12th, 2005. Linda Klimkowski did a fantastic job on a film tribute to our founder George Strydio. The film touched us all and let the spirit of George shine once again. Pictures and video from throughout his life let us see our founder as a unique individual that loved his family and friends. Dr. Iyengar spoke about George and how they first meet (very funny) and how through the years they became close friends. He also stressed the importance of the support group and how he wanted the group to grow and strengthen in the coming year. Mr. Tom Flagg and Mr. Bobby Mansfield presented Dr. Iyengar with the warrior sword that George was laid out with and presented George's three daughters with a mounted black belt in memory of their father. Rest in Peace George, we all love you and will keep your memories in our hearts.

Our twenty-eighth meeting was our Christmas Party on December 8th, 2004. Over 200 people gathered together at the 4th Street Senior Center for a wonderful evening of food and music. Rocco, Sal, Jim, Jim Riccio, Pat Sakowski and Linda decorated and coordinated a magnificent party for everyone who attended. We had raffle gifts and beautiful centerpieces and placemats which were made by the children of Midtown Community School in Bayonne. Two choral groups from Bayonne High School sang and they were great! We also had Bayonne High School volunteers to serve the delicious food from Chris' Corner. Some of George's family members attended and were so happy that everything that George started and worked so hard to achieve is going on in his name. In fact, George had made many of the arrangements for this party before he passed on. We keep him in our hearts and will always remember the strength and hope he gave to each of us.

Our twenty-seventh meeting was held on November 10, 2004. Natalia Vladova-Mugue gave us some new diet tips this month. She asked half of the group to stop drinking coffee for a month and the other half to stop drinking milk for a month. She would like feedback on the results. We also had a guest from Glyconutrients. Mr. Steven Colacurcio presented a short talk and film on this science. It is a plant-based natural carbohydrate required for optimal health, yet lacking in the highly-processed food that makes up most of the normal American diet. It allows our cells to communicate with each other and many people have had good results with this product. It does not interfere with other medications you are taking and we have the information on this if anyone is interested in trying this approach with their doctors' approval.

Our twenty-sixth meeting was held on October 13th, 2004. Natalia Vladova-Mugue gave us our monthly nutrition tips. This month she discussed the benefits of adding ginger, turmeric, curcumin, cilantro, garlic, milk thistle tea and uva ursi tea to our diets. We also enjoyed a karaoke night. Some of us have beautiful voices! Even Dr. Iyengar joined in the fun and led the group in a sing-a-long of New York, New York.

Our twenty-fifth meeting was held on September 8th, 2004. Natalia Vladova-Mugue spoke on more nutrition issues. She told us how we should eat fruit 40 minutes before or after a meal and not with a meal as we do not absorb it effectively that way. She also suggested we chew our food better and drink more water. We also watched a Loretta La Roche video The Joy of Stress, Loretta's videos always leave everyone feeling much better. She uses humor to teach us ways to relieve stress and learn relaxing techniques that we can all use in our daily lives.

Our twenty-fourth meeting was held on August 11th, 2004. Our guest speaker for the evening was Dr. Lorraine Riotto, an Oncologist. She spoke to us about the different nutritional requirements our bodies need depending on the type of chemotherapy /radiation treatment we are undergoing and the part of the body affected. She knew exactly what vitamins were depleted and not being absorbed and what supplements people should be using at different times of their treatments. She was full of interesting information and was helpful to many of our members. She stayed all night and answered all questions and we were pleased to have her here.

Our twenty-third meeting was held on July 14th, 2004. We had two speakers once again. Natalia Vladova-Mugue, a holistic health nurse, talked about how our lifestyle choices affect us. She concentrated on nutrition and eating habits. This is an area that anyone with cancer can use to improve their lives. It really does affect the way you feel. She had some good tips for us all that we can easily try at home. Our second speaker of the night was Dr. Iyengar, an oncologist, who spoke about advances in the fight against cancer. He discussed several new therapies that have recently been approved by the FDA and spoke about clinical trials that are going on now. He spoke about environment issues and answered everyone's questions about the new drugs that target only cancer cells and what types of cancer they are most effective against.

Our twenty-second meeting was held on June 9th, 2004. We had two special guests. Mr. Donald Campbell, an attorney, spoke about the importance of having a health care proxy and a living will. He took a very interesting and complex issue and explained it in everyday language so we could all understand this important issue. He also had forms for anyone who needed them. He explained the need to update your forms as changes in your health or family situation occurs. He answered many questions and we all appreciated the time he took from his busy schedule to talk to us. Dr. Paul Roses, a local chiropractor, was our second guest of the evening. Dr. Roses wanted to show everyone how to strengthen their immune system by increasing the flow of blood throughout the body. He feels that by taking pressure off of nerves in your spine that the increased blood flow is beneficial to the immune system. He thinks that this can help your internal organs function at an optional level. We found his presentation interesting.

Our twenty-first meeting was held on May 12th, 2004. We had lots of fun watching and taking part in magic tricks. Mr. Vincent LeFante (Ian) was very entertaining as he performed and explained some great magic tricks. He also told some good jokes about doing magic and what has happened to him at several jobs. White roses appeared for all of the people who helped with a trick. Everyone present had a good time and we shared lots of laughs.

Our twentieth meeting took place on April 14th, 2004. We had a very interesting night learning about the holistic side of medicine. Dr. Sharda Sharma, a practicing family physician for over 30 years, has incorporated chelating, colon hydrotherapy, NAET, and successfully treated chronically ill patients. Everyone had questions and she was gracious to answer them all. We have her cards and brochures if anyone is interested in her services.

Our nineteenth meeting was held on March 10th, 2004. We had a fun night of entertainment with the Radioland Theatre Group. They performed two old time radio shows, Molly and Fiddler and an Alfred Hitchcock program. We were all spellbound! Catherine Balwin, Russ London, Joe Foley, Joann Smith, Shelly Miller and Ron Lier were simply outstanding. The group made everyone feel like they had gone back in time to the great days of radio programming. Our troubles were gone for the entire evening.

Our eighteenth meeting was held on February 10, 2004. Our guest this month was Dr. Carol Kornmehl, a radiation oncologist. She wrote a book The Best News about Radiation Therapy How to Cope and Survive. Nearly half of all cancer patients will require radiation therapy at some point. Radiotherapy often makes patients feel vulnerable because of fear and misinformation. Dr. Kornmehl spoke in easy to understand language about her field of medicine. She described the technical and emotional aspects of treatment and answered everyone's questions.

Our seventeenth meeting was held on January 14th, 2004. Our guest this month was Christopheray, a well-known yoga instructor. He taught us that the goal of yoga is to have a clear, peaceful mind in a healthy, sound body. This wellness and stress reduction is brought about by bodily postures (asanas), breathing techniques and mediation. Everyone learned how to breathe to reduce anxiety and fear. This should help many of us with our testing and treatments.

Our sixteenth meeting was held on December 10th, 2003. This was our second annual Christmas Party. About 200 friends gathered together to celebrate life and the holiday spirit. Once again the Bayonne Senior Citizens Orchestra delighted us with music and Bayonne High School and Holy Family Academy choirs sang for us. Children from Midtown Community School in Bayonne made beautiful placemats and centerpieces. Generous sponsors donated lovely gifts, which were given to our members. Chris's Corner provided delicious food served by volunteers from Pamrapo Bank and hospital nurses. Vito from Maintenance gave us a big hand as well as Gene Klumpp and TJ. We had many special guests, especially Mr. Bill Campbell, who did everything possible to make this a wonderful holiday season for all of our members and their families.
Our fifteenth meeting was held on November 12th, 2003. Our guest this month were two talented gentlemen, Mr. Ronald Raymond and Mr. Wesley Gray. They introduced us to drumming. Biofeedback research indicates that drumming alters the brainwave patterns into alpha (meditative) brainwaves and brings you to a state of relaxation and restoration. Drumming allows you to reconnect with yourself, others and the sacred. We all experienced the healing power of group synergy while connecting to our own internal rhythm and sacred life force.

Our fourteenth meeting was held on October 8th, 2003. Dr. Julie DiGioia and Dr. Desai were our guests for this special meeting on breast cancer. Since October is breast cancer month we asked these two wonderful, caring doctor's to speak to our members. Dr. Desai a radiation oncologist spoke about how radiation works on specific tumors in the breast and the side effects of these treatments. He answered many questions about the new advances in radiation therapy. Dr. DiGioia, a breast surgeon, spoke about several different kinds and causes of breast cancer. She explained several treatment options that patients have open to them and answered many questions from our audience.

Our thirteenth meeting was held on September 10th, 2003. Irma Terron-Wepner, Director of Acute Care Services at Bayonne Medical Center was our guest speaker. She shared several wellness approaches and strategies that will relieve the impact of stress and anger that come with a cancer diagnose. She gave everyone handouts that guided us through simple but effective relaxation exercises and deep breathing techniques that can be done during everyday activities or when we are going through treatments. Everyone enjoyed Irma who has been a volunteer with our group for some time.

Our twelfth meeting was held on August 13th, 2003. Our special guest was Jeanette Zevlas- Krupinski from Safe Haven Money Management Services. Jeanette has been part of our group from the very beginning. She has offered all of our members free services regarding billing problems. She gave handouts with useful information and answered questions about how to handle insurance claims. Everyone learned how to review their medical bills and health insurance explanation of benefits (EOB) statements to verify accuracy. She provided us with information on how to appeal denied claims and gave us all peace of mind.

Our eleventh meeting was held on July 9th, 2003. Laughter is the best medicine: Due to popular demand we purchased another Loretta LaRoche video-Get A Life. This video helped us ward off stress and depression and put our life into perspective. It offered us guidelines and affirmations that help us deal with daily stress and illness in innovative and joyful ways. We were all surprised how easy it was to lose our worries by finding humor in the most unlikely situations.

Our tenth meeting was held on June 11th, 2003. We were honored to have Betty Simpson and company perform for us at this meeting. The Bells of Saint Mary is a group of very talented ladies who sing and dance their way into your heart. Dressed as Catholic nuns the ladies did a wonderful routine that had everyone laughing and humming along. We also had a surprise visit from a bag lady that had a fight with George and started to do an innocent "stripe-tease". We were all howling and no one thought about their pain the whole evening.

Our ninth meeting was held on May 14th, 2003. We all watched a videotape by Loretta LaRoche. Loretta is a Harvard professor who uses humor as a coping mechanism. She reveals how to lose your worries by finding your sense of humor in the most unlikely situations. Loretta LaRoche delivers a recipe for a positive outlook and showed us how to elicit the past to reframe the present to create a simpler lifestyle that honors family, a sense of community, and ourselves.

Our eighth meeting was help on April 9th, 2003. Our speaker was Dr. Druck, an oncologist. He spoke about doctor/patient relationships. He told us how he develops strong bonds of trust, understanding and respect with his patients. Each person is unique and their response to their diagnose and treatment comes with up and down emotions. Their pain is not always physical but often spiritual and emotional. Simple questions are often symbolic: a woman may ask if she can still use deodorant when she is really worried about her breast cancer spreading by rubbing her underarms. A man asks if he can travel when he really wants to know if he can get on with his life, often the place he is traveling to is Atlantic City, not a very far trip. He spoke of miracles and windows of opportunities that some find in clinical trials. Where does hope lie? Where does it lie in you! By building these bonds of trust between doctor and patient and believing you and your doctor are doing everything to fight this disease; out of all of this comes your hope.

Our seventh meeting was held on March 12th, 2003. Our guest speaker was Natalia Vladova-Mugue, RN, MSH, HNC, Reiki Master, and Karuna Reiki Master. She demonstrated complementary therapies that can relieve pain, anxiety, sleep disturbances, nausea, and fatigue related to chemo/radiation treatments. Using imagery, therapeutic touch, Yoga and Reiki we were shown how to balance our energy flow, and stimulate our inherent ability to heal.

Our sixth meeting was held on February 12, 2003. Our guest speaker was Gertrude Aquinaldo, dietician and nutritionist. She discussed strategies for meal planning and preparation. She told us how to manage eating problems such as dry mouth, nausea, loss of appetite and much more. She reviewed the nutritional value of foods that people enjoy and shared some tips with us on getting all of our vitamins and minerals from everyday food that everyone can follow. She had handouts that were simple to follow and very easy to use.

Our fifth meeting was held on January 8th, 2003. OrthoBiotech Pharmaceutical Company sponsored a special oncology nurse, Ms. Meshall Mansor, to discuss treatment side effects and how to manage them. She covered everything from anemia to weight gain and loss. Many people had questions on some of the newest drugs and clinical trial data that change so rapidly. She stressed the importance of pacing yourself as fatigue is the number one side effect of chemotherapy that gets progressively worse after a number of cycles. She wanted everyone to realize the importance of getting plenty of rest.

Our fourth meeting was held on December 11th, 2002. This was our first annual Christmas Party. Over 150 friends gathered together to enjoy an evening of Christmas spirit. The Bayonne Senior Citizens Orchestra delighted us with a night full of traditional holiday songs. Mr. Marcus Santiago sang "You'll Never Walk Alone!" The inspiring lyrics with his beautiful voice touched everyone present. Children from Midtown Community School in Bayonne and students from PS #8 in Jersey City made lovely decorations that were admired by all. Special guest included Mayor J. Doria, Mr. Vincent LoRe, Mr. Frank Carrine, Mr. Bill Campbell, Dr. Iyengar, Dr. Hanna, and of course Santa (played by Ed Broderick). Chris's Corner provided delicious food served by George and Santa's helpers. It was a beautiful night to remember.

Our third meeting was held on November 13th, 2002. Our guest speaker was Jolynn Olszewski, C.H.A.H. Everyone received relaxation tapes and we all watched a very informative video on the power and use of hypnosis. Hypnosis is a relaxed state, resembling sleep, in which our conscious mind is bypassed by the suggestion of the hypnotist. The person being hypnotized is always in control and will take suggestions only if he chooses to. It is also a state during which the subconscious mind is opened to suggestion to create positive change.

Our second meeting was held on October 9th, 2002. Ms. Pat Spuma, R.N. demonstrated mind-body techniques. The knowledge tracing the effects of our minds, thoughts, and emotions on health has come to be called mind-body medicine, and the techniques used are called mind-body interventions or therapies. These techniques are rapidly gaining acceptance in mainstream medicine as viable complementary therapies. From affirmations, humor, music therapy, imagery, mediation and new advances in the fields of Neuroimmunomodulation and Psychoneuroimmunology it is easy to find one or combine several to work for you.

Our first meeting was held on September 10, 2002. Dr. Iyengar, an oncologist, spoke at our first meeting about the most recent advances in scientific research. He discussed gene therapy and new drugs that are now becoming available. Many types of cancer that were once feared can now be controlled with the great strides being made in the field. He stressed the importance of support groups and how they improve cancer patients "total lives". Dr. Iyengar used the tennis star Pete Sampras as an example of someone who shows resilient in the face of adversity and how this can help us overcome many obstacles in life.

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