Cancer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — George Clooney, Will Smith and Gwyneth Paltrow will join an impressive list of stars taking part in September's "Stand Up to Cancer" telethon airing on major networks. Other celebrities announced Wednesday include Denzel Washington, Renee Zellweger, Kathy Bates and Richard Branson. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lance Armstrong and Elizabeth Edwards were previously announced as participants. Performers will include Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Neil Diamond, The Edge, Herbie Hancock, Lady Antebellum and Leona Lewis.

Health officials say it's a good time of the year to remind people about the dangers of the sun. Saturday at the GraceMed Health Clinic, officials offered a free skin cancer screening. It's sponsored by the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Cancer Society. The organizations have been putting on the free screenings for more than a decade. Doctors say getting a screening is now more important than ever. "The incidents of melanoma is probably doubling. " Says dermatologist Steven Passman.

A Wichita woman says the annual cancer screening saved her life. Judy Gibbs, 64-years old, was concerned about a spot on her arm but didn't have money or insurance to see a doctor. She went to Wichita's annual free cancer screening where they found Melanoma. They were able to catch it before it spread and she is now cancer free. The surgery left a big scar on her arm, but she doesn't mind. "I never used to wear my tank top in public but now I do and if people ask questions I tell them and maybe somewhere it might change somebody's mind or at least make them more aware of the risks," Gibbs said.

RINGTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A 19-year-old Pennsylvania man riding his bicycle across the country to raise awareness and money for breast cancer research was struck and killed by an SUV in New Mexico. Officials say John Anczarski, of Ringtown, Pa., died Tuesday of injuries suffered a day earlier in New Laguna, N.M., about 50 miles west of Albuquerque. Anczarski, a University of Colorado engineering student, and three friends called their project "The Pink Pedal. " The group said it had raised several thousand dollars for cancer research.

The Buhler community finally has the results from a cancer investigation. After months of analyzing data, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment released its findings. Certain types of cancer in and around Buhler are not higher than average. For months now, the talk in the small community of Buhler around the tables at the Mustard Seed Coffee Shop has been about cancer. "Probably every day, every table was talking about once or twice," Blanca Kaufman of Mustard Seed Coffee Shop said.

From getting Betty White on Saturday Night Live to social causes, if want to get something done, put it on Facebook. A Kansas City woman did. She wants Oprah Winfrey to devote a show to childhood cancer. She's created a Facebook page to do just that. The idea came because her friend and her friend's son are both fighting the disease. "I'm in remission. My breast cancer is done. I'm finished with treatments. Everything is done with my stuff, so that's a very happy thing.

The Kansas Department of Health releases vital statistics for 2009. The report shows a decrease in heart disease and the infant mortality rate. In 2009, 290 infant deaths occured.  That's 13 less than 2008. The death rate for heart disease dropped 6.3% from 2008 to 2009.  KDHE says the new statistics show that cancer has passed heart disease as the leading cause of death in Kansas. “It’s certainly too early to tell whether cancer surpassing heart disease as the leading cause  of death will become a trend, but it is an area we will continue to watch,” says Dr. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, State Health Officer and Director of KDHE’s Division of Health.

On Sunday, Joshua Belcher doesn't have to walk further than his front yard to escape the heat. "Lemonade is real good, real good," says Joshua Belcher. And gallons of it are being served in his driveway. A summer staple, lemonade stands often line Wichita neighborhoods. But three years ago, Simone Ward wanted lemonade by "Alex", she couldn't find one. "I wanted to donate, I looked on their website to find a lemonade stand in our area and there was not one," says Simone Ward.

Alone in her Buhler home, Elaine Franz is comforted by the memories that surround her in picture frames.  But, if it gets too quiet, the sound of her husband's voice isn't far away. "Each morning when I wake-up I say thank you Lord for giving me this gift of another day,” John Franz says those words in a message to his church.  You can hear John's fight with lung cancer in the video. "The doctor said right away, it's not curable.  We can treat it, but we cannot cure it,” Elaine said.

Residents in Sterling say it's the people that make this small community 'One of a Kind'.  It's a common theme in small towns, but a Sterling teacher quickly learned there was a lot to truth behind the statement. Susan Brown moved to Sterling seven years ago and hardly knew anyone.  Then in one day, the town of Sterling became family.  "I started teaching in August and was diagnosed in October," Brown said.  At the age of 35, she was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer.  And as a new teacher, she didn't have sick days.  She says that's when the community  took over.  "The teachers donated 80 plus sick days of leave to me and were willing to give more.