Cancer

The diagnosis of breast cancer can change a woman's life, and the lives of those close to her. These changes can be hard to handle. It is common for the woman and her family and friends to have many different and sometimes confusing emotions. At times, patients and their loved ones may be frightened, angry, or depressed. These are normal reactions when people face a serious health problem. Many people find it helps to share their thoughts and feelings with loved ones.

K-State Basketball Coach Frank Martin along with lawmakers swapped their dress shoes for something a little more comfortable Thursday.  They laced up sneakers to tip off the event Coaches verses Cancer. Martin, Governor Sam Brownback and House Minority Speaker Paul Davis gathered at the Statehouse to talk about how cancer has touched their lives.  Martin says he's sure that Kansas will help in defeating cancer.   "It's not a matter of if, but when and it will happen. With us moving forward here in the State of Kansas hopefully getting these facilities to treat our own in a better way, giving them the kind of care that they need is something that's near and dear to all of us that are residents here in the state," Martin said.

Hundreds gathered near Exploration Place in downtown Wichita Saturday morning to take part in the Victory in the Valley walk/run. This was the 21st year of the event. Victory in the Valley is a non-profit organization. They take care of cancer patients in Kansas all throughout the year. The walk Saturday is seen as a celebration. "we do it to celebrate life," says Britt Fulmer, Chairman of the board of Victory in the Valley. "People get a cancer diagnosis many times and they say...oh...that's the end of the line it's all over when in fact a lot of people live with cancer.

It's a competition that dates back hundreds of years. Pitting east against the west. The East/West 5k Run/Walk goes  much deeper than this rivalry. “My mom started Victory in the Valley in 1983 after her diagnoses and she just passed away this week," said executive director, Diana Thomi. "So this is a tribute to her in a way.” These runners came to support the hundreds of Kansans affected by cancer. “My family comes every year in memory of my mom she passed away in april of 2005,” said runner Saul Steffen.

A community college baseball player isn't letting cancer keep him out of the game. Skylar Hill , Barton Community College sophomore, was recently diagnosed with cancer. He threw the first pitch against Hutchinson Community College Saturday night. The team held a strike out cancer fundraiser to help pay for Hill's medical bills. He started chemotherapy treatments this week, but will undergo another round in a couple of weeks. "Baseball has been there your whole life and then it kinda gets taken away from you," Hill said.

About two weeks ago, the Buhler school district announced it hired a private firm to investigate environmental concerns inside Buhler Grade School.  This after, several community members called and emailed our newsroom.  They were concerned about a "cancer outbreak" at the grade school among teachers and staff.  The district expects those test results next week. Meanwhile, some in Buhler believe there's possibly a bigger problem - a cancer cluster.  Factfinder 12 Investigator  Melissa Scheffler found out why a cancer cluster is hard to prove and if the Buhler cases are enough evidence of a cancer cluster.  That's coming up Sunday, on Eyewitness News at 10.

The Via Christi Cancer Institute opened its doors on Thursday, July 7, with a brand new feel and environment. Located on the seventh floor, the 40,700-square-foot Cancer Institute features a nature-inspired décor which is meant to create a calming and relaxing environment for the cancer patients.   The $9 million renovation project began in July 2010 and was completed on schedule and within budget. Some of the new features in the Cancer Institute include forty private patient rooms that span 240 square feet or larger, window shades that can be remotely controlled from the patient’s bed, and a hand-held remote to call nurse’s smart phones when patients need assistance.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) – Up to a third of breast cancer cases in Western countries could be avoided if women ate less and exercised more, researchers at a breast cancer conference said Thursday, renewing debate on a sensitive topic. While better treatments, early diagnosis and mammogram screenings have dramatically slowed the disease, experts said the focus should now shift to changing behaviors like diet and physical activity. The comments added to a series of findings that lifestyle changes in areas such as smoking, eating, exercise and sun exposure can have a significant effect on all sorts of cancer rates.

Don't be surprised if you see wichita firefighters wearing pink this week. They're raising awareness of cancer. It comes ahead of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, which takes place Saturday, September 25. We're told the effort was actually the idea of the firefighters themselves. Those in the battle against cancer say they've been receiving calls from people who have noticed the pink shirts and have been inspired by them. The shirts will be available for sale Thursday and Friday at Towne East Square Mall and at Saturday's race.

Cell phones can do a lot of things; they can open your car doors, program your television, among other things. Now -- a new report finds they may cause brain tumors.  That's led the World Health Organization to label them "possible carcinogens", joining the likes of the pesticide DDT and coffee. In our high-tech world, most of us keep our cell phones at our fingertips.  But the World Health Organization looked at all the data available, and said the same thing that keeps us connected could give us cancer.  "Particularly when you have long-term exposure the way people use cell phones as we currently do," said neurosurgeon Dr. Keith Black, "30 minutes or more a day. " So we asked people enjoying the Wichita weather Tuesday, what else causes cancer.  The answers range from asbestos to cigarettes to artificial sweeteners.