Join Fred Hutch and ride against cancer
It’s easy getting distracted from working out, which is why a lot of athletes pick an event that’s months down the road to keep them focused. Read more…
Fred Hutch observes World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day is observed on Feb. 4 every year. However, the challenge of separating cancer myths from cancer facts doesn’t stop at the end of the day.
- Watch the video on Fred Hutch’s work with the Uganda Cancer Institute.
- Check out the infographic on how Fred Hutch is improving cancer care in Uganda. [PDF]
- Join the community and follow #WorldCancerDay on Twitter andWorld Cancer Day on Facebook. (Don’t forget to follow Fred Hutch on Facebook and Twitter as well!)
- Learn what you can do to raise awareness about cancer and its impact around the world at the official World Cancer Day website.
- Read more about the need for global awareness of cancer at thewebsite for the Union for International Cancer Control, the sponsor of World Cancer Day.
Join us for exciting science lectures at Fred Hutch
Science For Life
“Explore and experience science firsthand!”
Join us for a glimpse into the breakthrough science conducted at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Our “Science for Life” series will break down the concepts, skip the homework and offer a chance to interact with world-class researchers in a fun and informal atmosphere. Read more…
By Colleen Steelquist, Hutchinson Center Science Editor
Like many folks this time of year, I brush the sugar cookie crumbs off my lap and regret those umpteen cups of eggnog as I peek over my jiggling midriff at the telltale numbers on the bathroom scale. Ahh, January! Time to start indulging in kale and whole grains and put on my running shoes.
It isn’t all about vanity and the snugness of my waistband. Many studies have shown obesity increases cancer risk. Obesity is linked with about 100,000 cancer deaths in the U.S. each year.
So even though it sounds cliché, weight loss is one of my new year’s resolutions (along with almost 40 percent of Americans). Recently, a psychological journal published a study that found people who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t. That makes me feel successful before I’ve even begun!
It isn’t easy to lose weight and keep it off, but it’s one of the best things you can do for your health. Try these evidence-based tips from Fred Hutch researchers:
- Exercise daily for at least 30 to 60 minutes, either all at once or in short intervals.
- Prepare meals instead of eating out so you can control portion sizes and preparation methods.
- Set realistic goals, aiming for slow, steady weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week. said Dr. Caitlin Mason, a Center exercise and health researcher. “The biggest mistake people make when trying to lose weight is trying to lose too many pounds too fast or setting unrealistic goals,” Mason said. “No one wants to lose weight only to gain it all back—and often more—a few months later.”
- Avoid skipping meals so you won’t be tempted to eat anything in sight.
- Don’t take an all-or-nothing approach; if you get derailed, try new strategies the next time. “Don’t throw your entire routine out the window after one bad day,” Mason said. “Instead, try to identify the specific barriers that got in your way and think through strategies to avoid such challenges in the future.” For example, to avoid the temptation of buying a candy bar while standing in the checkout line at the grocery store, make sure to eat a healthy snack beforehand, such as a handful of nuts or a piece of string cheese.
- Set specific goals like eating nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day or drinking six glasses of water daily.
- Keep a journal to honestly and consistently track calories consumed, activity and weight.
Here’s to a healthy, happy 2013!
An eventful year at Fred Hutch: from defusing obesity’s role in cancer to breakthroughs in pancreas cancer research
Editor’s note: It was an eventful 2012 at Fred Hutch, with our researchers making major breakthrough announcements on several fronts. Our campus also was shaken by the death of one of our very own—Dr. Don Thomas, who has long been considered the father of bone marrow transplantation. Here’s a look back at a few of the key happenings at Fred Hutch during the last 12 months.
One million transplants
Read more…
Fred Hutch researcher named most influential person in health
By Colleen Steelquist, Hutchinson Center Science Editor
Hats off to Fred Hutch’s own Dr. Sunil Hingorani. We blogged about his incredible pancreatic cancer breakthrough earlier this year. And it turns out we weren’t the only ones who noticed this all-too-rare progress against the almost uniformly lethal cancer: Read more…
The evolution of bone marrow transplantation
By Clay Holtzman, Hutchinson Center science writer
A few years ago, researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center believed more patients were surviving bone marrow transplantation, a procedure pioneered by Fred Hutch. The team conducted a study and found that long-term survival rates were up 41 percent.
Investigators found that survival rates had improved thanks to a comprehensive reduction in the risk of several complications associated with the procedure—and all these improvements were made thanks to exhaustive studies by many of our own people at Fred Hutch. Today, Fred Hutch researchers continue their work to make the procedure safer and more readily available to a larger pool of patients.
The Center’s Communications Department has created an infographic to help readers better understand these complications and just how much the risk of their occurrence has fallen. You can check out the infographic below, or see it on a new web page dedicated to the evolution of bone marrow transplantation.
