News and Blog

Mar

Cancer survivor on a mission to help others discover proton therapy treatment

From the minute his doctors told Rex his proton therapy worked, and he was “all clear” from cancer, he became a man on a mission. He would dedicate his life to helping other people facing a cancer diagnosis. He would educate them about the benefits of proton therapy. Most importantly, he would help them find something positive in a time where the negatives can be overwhelming.

“If you’re spared life, you need to spend that life helping others,” said Rex, a gastrointestinal cancer survivor. “You need to help other people deal with cancer. I want to reach out to those people and, through proton therapy, help them see good things happening in their life at a bad time.”

Jan

A Black senior couple sits down and speaks with the doctor about a prostate cancer diagnosis

New report says prostate cancer cases are on the rise

By Webmaster Provision

Published: Jan 25, 2023 at 10:09 AM EST

Reversing a trend that saw the number of new prostate cancer cases drop sharply between 2007 and 2014, the American Cancer Society (ACS) reports an increase in prostate cancer incidence between 2014 and 2019.

In its annual report published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, the ACS compiles the most recent data on cancer occurrence and outcomes. This year’s report, Cancer statistics, 2023, includes some updates about prostate cancer. From 2014 to 2019, the incidence rate increased by about 3% each year. That means nearly 100,000 more cases occurred than if rates had stayed the same. Furthermore, of those extra cases, about half of them were advanced, which means they’re harder to cure.

Jan

notepad for writing New Year's resolutions

3 things for cancer survivors to think about when choosing their New Year’s resolutions

By Webmaster Provision

When it comes to starting the new year off right, we all know the typical resolutions. They range from losing weight to traveling more, getting more organized or maybe spending less money. But New Year’s resolutions for cancer survivors are a little different. They tend to revolve around things that will make survivorship easier, which makes it very important to see them through. However, having recently been through a battle with cancer, you may find it mentally, physically, and emotionally difficult to maintain that commitment all year long. That’s why we’ve come up with a few things for cancer survivors to consider when deciding on and trying to stick to your New Year’s resolutions.

Dec

A woman smiles as she prepares a holiday card for someone with cancer

How to Write a Holiday Card to Someone with Cancer

By Webmaster Provision

There’s something so special about receiving a hand-written holiday card this time of year. They’re usually filled with cheerful messages of glad tidings and great joy. However, for someone with cancer, even a simple, well-intentioned greeting like “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year” could come off as insensitive. With that in mind, as you fill out your cards this year, we’ve come up with a few tips to help you write a holiday card for someone with cancer.

Nov

Debunking lung cancer myths for lung cancer awareness month

Top 5 Lung Cancer Myths Debunked

By Webmaster Provision

Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in America and the leading cause of cancer death. As such, there is a lot of information out there you might come across while researching the disease. But how do you sort the fact from fiction? Well, we’ve done some of the legwork for you by finding our top five lung cancer myths and setting the record straight.

Oct

Kari says being her own advocate allowed her to choose proton therapy for breast cancer treatment

Self-advocacy, persistence lead breast cancer patient to proton therapy

By Webmaster Provision

Kari describes her breast cancer experience as a long journey filled with little blessings – small moments that popped up occasionally to guide her in the right direction. She calls these blessings her “angels,” and she’s not sure where she would be today without them. In fact, one of those angels led her to Provision CARES Proton Therapy.

Sep

Prostate cancer survivor says proton therapy treatment was ‘phenomenal’

By Webmaster Provision

When Steve was diagnosed with prostate cancer, his doctor laid out a few treatment options to consider, including proton therapy.

“I was looking at surgery, seed implants, and two or three others, but the one was I was looking at the most was proton therapy because it’s so non-invasive.”

Aug

Men report proton therapy side effects has lower impact on their quality of life than other treatments

Proton therapy patients report fewer side effects after prostate cancer treatment

By Webmaster Provision

A national survey of prostate cancer patients shows that proton therapy side effects have less impact on quality of life compared to patients who choose other treatment options. The benefits of proton therapy for prostate cancer are well-documented by clinical research, and these patient-reported outcomes further verify the advantages.

Jun

Lu and Gabe are the faces of the Chemo Duck cancer program

Provision employee uses her family’s cancer experience to help and inspire other patients

By Webmaster Provision

To say the things Lu has done in her life are inspirational, might be an understatement. As a Care Coordinator at Provision CARES Proton Therapy, Lu is often the first person a cancer patient speaks to when they call our center. Her ability to put others at ease makes her a calming presence for people who are coping with stress and uncertainty as they seek out treatment options.

Her gifts come naturally, but they’re also amplified by her own life experience. Lu’s family has dealt with cancer on more than one occasion – her son was diagnosed as an infant; her husband got cancer more than a decade later. Not only did she find a way to channel that experience to help Provision patients, but she also used it as an opportunity to start the Chemo Duck program, helping thousands of pediatric patients cope with cancer treatment.

Jun

Raising awareness and celebrating life during National Cancer Survivors Month

By Webmaster Provision

June is National Cancer Survivors Month and each year, on the first Sunday of June, we celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day! With nearly 17 million people in the U.S. living with and beyond cancer – and 43 million cancer survivors worldwide – we all know someone whose life has been touched by cancer.

Naturally, this is a very special event for our Provision family. Since 2014, more than 5,500 patients have been treated in centers developed by Provision. We are so grateful to have been a part of each of their journeys. In honor of them, we wanted to share this blog that includes more information on cancer survivorship and how you can join in on the June activities.