FCRC Beyond Blue Fall 2021 - Flipbook - Page 6
Reader FEEDBACK
What’s the best nutrition
advice you’ve ever received
(and stuck with!)?
DENELLE
SURANSKI
Stage II Survivor
“Having an associate's
A:
degree as a dietetic
technician and a chef apprentice, I am
very passionate about nutrition and
what I’ve learned. I can give the most
solid words of advice: Eat to live; don't
live to eat. For example, when you eat,
think about how nurturing it truly is
for your body. Are you eating because
you're hungry or because it tastes
good? It’s also important to eat farm
to table. When eating, think about
how many processes your food had
to go through for it to look the way
it does. Was it a lot, or is your food
simple—like something straight from
the farm? Are you eating a potato
or a potato chip? This advice has
personally helped me and fueled my
passion for helping others.”
JOSH WIMBERLY
Stage IV Survivor
“Ask for a referral to a
dietitian, nutritionist,
A:
or nutrition coach.
Trust their knowledge as much as
you trust your oncologist's, for they
should be part of your treatment
team. Exercise goes right along with
my nutrition advice and comes from
advice I've learned from my coaches.
BE CONSISTENT! That's the hardest
and most successful strategy. There is
no magic diet, no magic exercise plan,
nor a magic wand. The true success
behind any program is someone's
discipline and consistency.”
SHEILA SCHRACK
Stage III Survivor
“I reached out to a
nutritionist after
A:
having increased
abdominal pain and constipation. My
GI had placed me on a prescription
medication after he learned I took
four MiraLAX® daily and still had
issues. I was speaking with another
advocate at Call-on Congress and
she recommended a nutritionist from
Chicago. Since I’m in Ohio, we had
consultations via phone or email. I
shared I had already cut out gluten,
cruciferous vegetables, corn, and
popcorn. We worked together on a
meal plan and it helped greatly for
a long time. But, slowly over time, I
have begun having more problems.
I am getting new tests done—a CT
scan and a gastric emptying test. It
is so frustrating and my quality of
life has taken a decline. I have swung
from being bloated and constipated
to severe diarrhea. But, I don’t give
up and I keep searching for answers,
hoping to find what will help both me
and other patients. I recently began
PT for pelvic floor strengthening and
it's helping.”
EVAN CANTWELL
Stage III Survivor
“After eating corn
chips for three years,
A:
I needed bowel
resection surgery for a perforated
small intestine. Listen to advice!
Challenged physically with both a
urostomy and ileostomy, I started
being more intentional about both
natural foods and non-sugary
electrolyte supplements like Nuun,
balancing my sodium and potassium.
This is helping me embrace a more
active lifestyle while staying hydrated.”
Holiday Favorites
Spotlighting
Carrie Lynn Gibson,
M.Ed & Wellness,
RDN, LND
Assistant Chief for Nutrition
and Food Service
Carrie is a familiar face around
Fight CRC. She and her twin sister
Elsa are devoted advocates based
in Puerto Rico. In fact, Carrie got
permission from her hospital to
represent Fight CRC during March
and has presented about the impact
of micro and macronutrients in CRC
at conferences. Additionally, posting
a #StrongArmSelfie and reaching out
to representatives in D.C. are some
of the many ways Carrie is fighting
colorectal cancer.
In her role at the VA Caribbean
Healthcare System, she works to
improve the health of her entire
community as a dietitian.
“I’ve always been curious about
how our dietary patterns affect our
physical and mental health. I was
once told that nutrition science is
always changing and evolving, and
that dietitians will have to study
forever...that sounded like a good
challenge for me. I’m very grateful
for this job and I enjoy every day to
the fullest. Every day is a challenge;
every day is very different. I interact
with a lot of different people from all
types of services to achieve positive
results for our entire community of
patients and residents. I love that
my work directly impacts and can
improve others’ lives.”
At the time, I didn’t realize how memorable
the first Thanksgiving I spent at a nursing home
would be, or why.
I was well-aware it was likely one of the last holidays I’d spend with my grandma.
We had ordered Thanksgiving dinner from a grocery store so nobody had to cook.
Plastic cutlery and to-go containers holding pre-sliced turkey cutlets, casseroles,
salads, and rolls filled the table instead of Grandma’s dinnerware. It was a new
normal for us, but that was OK.
As the takeout containers got passed around, I reached for a lunchbox I’d packed
earlier that morning, breaking even more family traditions. I’d never brought my
own meal to a holiday, but I knew spending Thanksgiving with Grandma—two
hours from home—required adaptations. I struggle with low anterior resection
syndrome (LARS), and I knew if I ate the traditional fare, I’d likely spend more time
in the bathroom than with my family. I didn’t want to stop at every gas station
restroom on the drive home. Fortunately, I found recipes with safe ingredients
that incorporated Thanksgiving’s traditional flavors. I prepared my own food and
brought it with me.
The holiday was untraditional, but it became one of my favorites. Not only was it
one of the last meals I shared with my grandma, but I didn’t feel miserable after
eating. I’d taken control of my health, and it felt awesome.
Hands down—figuring out what to eat and what not to eat as families affected by
colorectal cancer is one of the most challenging aspects of the disease. There’s not one diet that works for
everyone, and there’s no easy answer to the question, “What should I eat?” Plus—it changes all the time!
As the holiday season nears, remember: You don’t have to suffer. Food may be a challenge, but it can also be
an adventure. I hope you will embrace and explore new dishes and drinks with confidence after reading this
issue. Who knows…maybe this year you’ll whip up a cherished memory or even a new holiday favorite.
STAY STRONG,
No Excuses
DANIELLE RIPLEY-BURGESS
EDITOR & TWO-TIME SURVIVOR
GET INVOLVED IN 2021
TOP 10 WAYS
WHY ADVOCATE
VOICES MATTER
TO STAY CONNECTED
BOTH NEAR & FAR AWAY
ABOUT THE EDITOR
Danielle Ripley-Burgess
is a 20-year colorectal
cancer survivor first
diagnosed at age 17.
Today, she’s in remission.
Danielle is an awardwinning communications
professional, author of Blush:
How I Barely Survived 17,
and she serves as Fight
CRC’s Chief Storyteller.
WHAT IS IT and WHO IS IT FOR?
VOLUME 15 • ISSUE 1
VOLUME 14 • ISSUE 2
COVID-19 &
Colorectal Cancer
A New Zest
for life
Hometown
HERO
HOW LIFESTYLE EXPERT
& SURVIVOR BARBARA MAJESKI
Stays Positive
Stage III Survivor & Pro Hockey Player
EDDIE OLCZYK BEAT the ODDS
TOP 10 GIFTS
FOR CANCER SURVIVORS & CAREGIVERS
Meet the 2020
Ambassadors
Survivors & Caregivers
RELENTLESS CHAMPIONS
OF HOPE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST
COLORECTAL CANCER
If you were guaranteed the next
10 years of life, how would you
spend them?
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y
PALLIATIVE CARE
VOLUME 16 • ISSUE 1
A Magazine for
TELL US
FOLLOW DANIELLE!
@DanielleisB
But, over the years, I’ve learned there are some guideposts for healthy eating. There are tips for those of us
facing “trial and error” when it comes to our diets. As patients, we’ve just got to learn the ropes of navigating
the advice and finding what works for us. That’s why we’ve brought in experts, foodies, and advocates for
this issue of Beyond Blue.
HOW DO I GET BEYOND BLUE?
Beyond Blue is a magazine curated by
and for members of the colorectal cancer
community. Each fall and spring, Resource
Champions hand-carry thousands of copies
into doctors’ offices, hospitals, gyms, health
fairs, airports, and more.
A Magazine for
RELENTLESS CHAMPIONS
OF HOPE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST
COLORECTAL CANCER
© Mike Esperanza
Q:
Letter from the EDITOR
Resource Champions are mailed
complementary bundles of magazines
to read and distribute. To volunteer
as a Resource Champion and help
distribute our next issue, sign up
at FightCRC.org/ResourceChampions.
A Magazine for
RELENTLESS CHAMPIONS
OF HOPE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST
COLORECTAL CANCER
PUTTING A FACE
TO COLORECTAL CANCER
Beyond Blue is also available as a digital
magazine. To read and share this issue
online, visit FightCRC.org/BeyondBlue.
Email your story to danielle@fightcrc.org for a
chance to be featured in our next issue!
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