News & Events
Voices of Hodgkin’s Blog
Voices of Hodgkin’s Blog
Menopausal cancer survivors offered HRT under new guidance
The Times –

Great news for cancer survivors experiencing menopausal symptoms: recent updates in medical guidelines now consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as a potential treatment option.

Belonging Beyond Borders: Facing Cancer as a Migrant
Youth Cancer Europe –

This is a thought-provoking short video about the challenges that cancer survivors face when they are diagnosed with cancer in another country. Hear from Carmen, an AYA survivor of Hodgkin’s who is from Costa Rica, and April, who is from the Philippines, as they negotiate cancer care in a world that is not their own.

‘Would he have lived?’ When insurance companies deny cancer care to patients
NBS News –

Insurance companies have been in the hot seat lately, for good reason. Both private insurers and Medicare are experiencing piercing scrutiny for their routine and often mind-boggling refusals to reimburse. Read this article if you have any doubt that the system is broken.

Lack of Insurance Could Mean Later Cancer Diagnoses for Black, Hispanic Americans
Health Day News –

According to this new study, “Being uninsured accounts for a significant proportion of racial and ethnic disparities in cancers that are only detected at a later, more life-threatening stage.” This expansive study, led by the American Cancer Society, used data from roughly 1.9 million patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2019. The findings were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Susie Leigh – Founding a Movement, Shaping the Future
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship –

A Vietnam veteran, an oncology nurse, a four-time cancer survivor, and one of the founding members of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS), Susie Leigh is not just a cancer survivor; she is a pioneer in the cancer survivorship movement.

Patients First: Samantha & Samuel Siegel’s Marriage of Medicine and Advocacy
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship –

I “met” Samantha Siegel, fellow Hodgkin’s survivor via Zoom last year and knew immediately that she was a true kindred spirit. “Sam” is a fierce advocate for cancer survivors. She brings both a personal and a professional perspective to the world of advocacy, with the added “plus” that her husband, Samuel, is also a survivor and a physician. I was lucky to meet both Samuel and Samantha in person in late June at the National Coalition For Cancer Survivorship’s CPAT meeting where they shared their amazing story.

In The US, Cancer Survivors Form A Vocal Community. In Switzerland, Some Patients Want To Change A Culture of Silence.
NZZ (New Journal of Zurich) –

In the U.S., cancer patients must often be their own health care advocates. This has helped create a community of cancer survivors that offers the long-term support Swiss patients lack. A visit with doctors, activists and patients in Chicago and Bern.

Survivor Views: Majority of Cancer Patients & Survivors Have or Expect to Have Medical Debt
American Cancer Society –

There are some startling statistics presented in this research article from the American Cancer Society – most notably, that nearly 50% of cancer survivors who were studied had or expected to face significant financial debt due to their cancer and cancer treatment, while, at the same time, almost ALL of those same survivors had insurance. What is wrong with this picture you ask? Plenty.

I’m a ‘Syringe Half-Full’ Kinda Girl
The Irish Times –

Meet Sheilagh Foley, a Hodgkin’s survivor with a familiar tale to tell, and she does it so beautifully. Hodgkin’s International was mentioned as a resource, and we are thrilled to have the “shout out!”

The Rise of the Expert Patient in Cancer: From Backseat Passenger to Co-Navigator
American Society of Clinical Oncology Journal –

Long-term survivors have been using the internet to understand their Late Effects for years. The value of self-advocacy is highlighted in this article.