Mar/Apr 2019 Archives - Oncology Buddies

Patient Stories Judd shares his testi-monial

March 20, 2019 Word for Word Media

Hollard DareDevil Run ambassador, Judd Van Den Bergh, shares his testi-monial of being diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 23. Judd Van Den Bergh (27) lives in Benoni, Gauteng. Young and indestructible Judd never worried about his health and fitness. As a result, he was overweight and never thought too much about it. In his mind, he was young and indestructible. But in April 2015, his indestructibility crumbled. He felt a lump in his testicle while doing a self-examination in the shower. This was thanks to a good GP emphasising the importance of testicle self-examinations to Judd. “When I first found the lump, I was…

For the boys Top 5 cancers in men

March 20, 2019 Word for Word Media

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CANSA informs us of the top five cancers that affect men in South Africa. Elize Joubert, CANSA’s CEO, says that it is of great concern that the number of men being diagnosed with late stage cancer is on the rise. “Men need to be pro-active about their health and should recognise warning signs. We encourage monthly testicular self-examinations, annual medical check-ups and cancer screening for early detection, as symptoms don’t always present until cancer has spread. Men also need to lead a healthy, balanced lifestyle, cutting out lifestyle factors that increase their cancer risk.” With this said, below are the…

Sexuality and cancer Sexuality – a ‘new me’ and a ‘new we’

March 20, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Satisfying sexual activity doesn’t rely on full physical perfection, and often after a diagnosis of cancer, a couple can connect and find levels of intimacy greater than what they had previously. Dr Anthony Smith explains. The diagnosis and management of cancer causes a radical disruption to normal life and can be devastating to the sexual lives of men. Over the last decade advancing therapies have allowed more people to survive cancer, resulting in longer periods of time over which disturbances in sexual function can occur. How cancer affects a man’s sexual health can broadly be divided into three areas: …

Multiple myeloma Living with an incurable cancer

March 20, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Though Fareed Bruintjies’ (47) story encompasses just about everything that can go wrong in a cancer survivor’s journey, he’s emerged more determined than ever to do battle with his persistent illness. With Fareed’s diagnosis, of multiple myeloma, carrying a median survival rate of four years, he accidentally bumped into a patient who’d survived the same cancer for 12 years in the chemotherapy room. That woman, 11 years his senior, had undergone multiple treatments for 10 years. He realised that there was strength in the support of fellow survivors. Her very existence confirmed the hope he’d picked up on, in…

Oncofertility Male fertility protection

March 20, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Prof Thinus Kruger shares the fertility options males have when faced with a cancer diagnosis. The diagnosis of cancer When the diagnosis of cancer is made, it’s often a frightening experience for patients. It’s foreign territory for the patient but not for the medical staff involved. Sadly, at times the oncologist may overlook the fertility preservation aspect, as the focus at the time is to treat and cure the cancer. Germ cells sensitive to chemotherapy and radiation Chemotherapy and radiation with surgery are often involved in the treatment plan of these patients and can cause infertility. The function of the testes is to…

Colon Cancer Seven tips to eat right

March 20, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Berna Harmse, a dietitian, shares seven tips to eat right. International guidelines1 apply for those who want to reduce their cancer risk and for cancer survivors. So, eating well may help you reduce your risk of cancer and beat cancer in a variety of ways. If you have cancer, eating well can positively support treatment. This may help you live well for years to come after treatment. 1. Keep a healthy weight One in five people who die from cancer have an overweight or obese body mass index. But, exactly how weight affects cancer risk is unclear. Excess weight increases your risk by 50% for oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Weight in the belly area…

Leukaemia Chronic myeloid leukaemia

March 20, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Haematologist, Dr Michael Cass, educates us on chronic myeloid leukaemia. What is chronic myeloid leukaemia? Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), also called chronic myelogenous leukaemia, is a chronic (long-term and slow-growing) type of leukaemia. Leukaemia is a cancer of white blood cells which originates in the bone marrow (blood-forming organ of the body). CML results in an increase in the number of immature blood cells in the bone marrow. These cells also spill out of the bone marrow into the blood and accumulate in the spleen. CML is sometimes discovered incidentally in an asymptomatic patient who has a blood test done for an unrelated reason. Symptoms When it is symptomatic,…