Due to the contracts signed by Yulia Tymoshenko in 2009, Ukraine will be overpaying from 3 to 5 billion USD for gas annually up to the year 2019.

On April 10 a press conference of Ukrainian officials was held at the premises of NCI European Parliament in Brussels, with the participation of European journalists, experts and community leaders. The topic of the press conference is “Why is Y. Tymoshenko still in jail?”

These results have already been reported to the Ukrainian Parliament’s deputies on March 20, 2012. After hearing the report, 266 people’s deputies out of 450 agreed with the Commission’s arguments. These are the results of the work of the parliamentary Provisional Investigatory Commission.

The Provisional Investigatory Commission has been working for the period from March 2011 to March 20, 2012 in accordance with the following principles:

а) The Commission’s conclusions were made solely on the basis of documents received through official channels;

b) The Commission’s work was carried out with the participation of the representatives of the governmental bodies as well as the opposition in an open mode;

The results of the Commission’s work had shown that during the negotiations and signing of the gas contracts the Prime Minister Tymoshenko violated the following rules:

а) concealed from the public and the authorities the facts of the conflict of interests and dependence on Russia – namely, the debt of her private companies to the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation in amount of 405 million US dollars and the criminal case on a charge of bribery;

b) held secret negotiations with the Prime Minister of Russia, in the result of which she agreed to the signing of unfair contracts that violated the provisions of the previous international agreements;

c) knowing that the government of Ukraine had refused to approve the Directives on signing of the contracts, approved them personally, though, only the Cabinet of Ministers, as the collegial body, has the right for such approval;

d) put pressure on the head of the company and made him sign the contracts, threatening him with the dismissal.

In accordance with the comparative analysis of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and other European countries it was proved that 11 EU member states have articles providing the punishment under the criminal law for such crimes.

Image Courtesy of    Telekhovskyi / Shutterstock.com

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To many, cancer remains one of the most frightening diagnoses in modern medicine. But much of this fear is a result of myths that have circulated for years in spite of the good information that is available. Indeed, many of cancer’s mysteries have been solved, and a great deal of success has been achieved in curing patients and helping them live longer and better lives.

In spite of advances in cancer treatment and prognosis, many continue to believe in myths surrounding cancer.  In particular, studies have shown that African Americans are more likely than whites to maintain some erroneous beliefs about cancer.

It is important to separate fact from fiction.  Some of the most common cancer myths not only cultivate false ideas and fears but can interfere with how people think and behave when facing cancer in themselves or in a loved one. It is important that the health messengers within the family and community have the most accurate information about cancer.

In many African American families, that is often the woman running the household. It is good for these health messengers and the people who listen to them to at least be aware of some of the most common cancer myths so that misinformation doesn’t stand in the way of getting counsel from a medical professional.

What Will Happen to Me If I Get Cancer?

Myth––Cancer is a death sentence. The fact is that more than 12 million cancer survivors are living inthe United States. Thanks to improved treatments and earlier diagnosis of some cancers, more than 3 of every 5 cancer patients are alive 5 years after their diagnosis. For children, the 5-year survival rate is 4 in 5.

Who Gets Cancer and Why

Myth––Cancer is contagious. You cannot catch cancer from someone who has it. What can spread among people are microorganisms (viruses and bacteria), and a few of these can cause cancer.

Myth––If a parent or close family member had cancer, you will inherit it. Cancer develops when genes change in certain ways, but most of these changes occur later in life and are not inherited. But some cancer-causing gene changes are inherited, so if a certain cancer seems to run in your family it is important to discuss this with a doctor.

Myth––People get cancer from . . . (just fill in the blank as to what you have heard). Scientists are continuously doing research to determine whether particular natural or manmade substances cause cancer. Research shows that the following are not likely to cause cancer: cell phones, microwaves, fluoridated water, hair dyes, deodorants, sugar, artificial sweeteners like saccharin and aspartame, and low-frequency magnetic fields produced by power lines and household electric appliances.

What You Can Do About It

Myth––You have no control over your own cancer risk. Although scientists haven’t figured out how to completely prevent cancer, there are things you can do to reduce your risk of certain cancers. For example:

• Not smoking or quitting smoking greatly reduces your risk of developing and dying from lung cancer.
• Maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active cuts your risk of several cancers.
• HPV vaccines prevent infection with the virus that causes most cervical cancers. And regular cervical cancer screening detects most cervical abnormalities so that they can be treated before they become cancer.
• Colorectal cancer screening reduces the risk of developing and dying from colorectal cancer.
• For women age 40 and older, getting regular mammograms reduces the chance of dying from breast cancer.

Myth––Your attitudes and beliefs can help you beat cancer. Unfortunately, despite many studies, this appears to be a myth. But a positive attitude may improve the quality of your life during and after treatment. Many people say that focusing on the joys in life and things that they can control helped them get through cancer treatment.

Spending time with family and friends, taking part in hobbies and activities when possible, and enjoying the little things in life may help one better manage the stresses and worries of cancer.

These are only some of the false and misleading ideas that can confuse and mislead people about the progress being made in cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. You can learn more from NCI about cancer prevention and screening.

NCI leads the National Cancer Program and the NIH effort to dramatically reduce the burden of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, through research into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers.

For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI web site at www.cancer.gov or call NCI’s Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). More articles and videos in the culturally relevant Lifelines series are available at www.cancer.gov/lifelines .

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“Now that the lead National Cancer Institute researcher on the abortion/cancer link has reversed herself and warned of abortion as a significant risk factor for breast cancer,” says Lolita Hanks, nurse practitioner and president of American Right To Life, “the pro-life pressure on Planned Parenthood and Susan G. Komen is increasing.”

“Louise A. Brinton was largely responsible for getting the government-funded NCI to deny the abortion-breast cancer link,” said Darrell Birkey, research director for ARTL, “and she has now reversed herself and co-authored a study which includes ‘induced abortion’ as a significant breast cancer risk factor.”

Brinton and her co-authors wrote in the peer-reviewed Cancer Epidemiology journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, “Specifically, older age, family history of breast cancer, earlier menarche age, induced abortion, and oral contraceptive use were associated with an increased risk for breast cancer.”

Endocrinologist Joel Brind, Ph.D. of Baruch College in New York City, dissented at the NCI’s conference that rejected the abortion link to breast cancer, a conference organized by Brinton. Professor Brind says, “The 2003 conference of the National Cancer Institute which denied abortion as a risk factor for breast cancer refused to allow attending scientists to present the opposing position of the scientific research establishing the link, showing that abortion was declassified as a cancer risk for political and not scientific reasons.”

“Following that political correctness,” says Hanks, “Komen is claiming they have halted funding to Planned Parenthood because a Republican chairman of a House sub-committee has inquired into their financial practices. We suspect the real reason is the growing evidence that abortion significantly increases the incidence of breast cancer.”

“The NCI’s own statistics show that breast cancer has increased, and only in women who were of child-bearing age when abortion was legalized in 1973,” said Brind, “so much so that nationally, cancer would have steadily declined, except it has held steady at the expense of women getting breast cancer.”

And Prof. Brind suggests that Komen now correct a factual error on their website which claims that, “the breast is mature after puberty.” Actually, “third trimester pregnancy hormones begin the final maturation process and the differentiation of mammary gland cells,” said Brind, a recognized expert in the field. “Abortion prevents this, leaving the woman with more undifferentiated cells vulnerable to carcinogens, increasing her risk of breast cancer.”

An ARTL state chapter, Colorado Right To Life, has protested Komen’s Race for the Cure for a decade, and met with Komen officials in Denver. As transcribed from a recording of the meeting, Komen’s public relations representative, Dana Brandorff was asked by CRTL’s Leslie Hanks, “Why aren’t women being told that abortion is the most preventable risk factor?” to which Brandorff answered, “We tend to focus on the cure… we’re focusing our energies on that, rather than the preventative.”

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The percentage of U.S. citizens screened for cancer remains below national targets, with significant disparities among racial and ethnic populations, according to the first federal study to identify cancer screening disparities among Asian and Hispanic groups.

The report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, was published in the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

In 2010, breast cancer screening rates were 72.4 percent, below the Healthy People 2020 target of 81 percent; cervical cancer screening was 83 percent, below the target of 93 percent; and colorectal cancer screening was 58.6 percent, below the target of 70.5 percent, according to the study, “Cancer Screening in the United States – 2010.”

Screening rates for all three cancers were significantly lower among Asians (64.1 percent for breast cancer, 75.4 percent for cervical cancer, and 46.9 percent for colorectal cancer) compared to other groups, the study found.  Hispanics were less likely to be screened for cervical and colorectal cancer (78.7 percent and 46.5 percent, respectively) when compared to non-Hispanics (83.8 percent and 59.9 percent, respectively).

“It is troubling to see that not all Americans are getting the recommended cancer screenings and that disparities continue to persist for certain populations. Screening can find breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers at an early stage when treatment is more effective,” said Sallyann Coleman King, M.D., an epidemic intelligence service officer in CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control and lead author of the study.

“We must continue to monitor cancer screening rates to improve the health of all Americans.” Healthy People 2020 sets national objectives for improving the health of all Americans. Such objectives include the use of screening tests recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers.

Women aged 50-74 years should be screened for breast cancer with a mammogram every two years. Women who have been sexually active for three years or are aged 21-65 years should be screened for cervical cancer with a Pap test at least every three years.

Colorectal cancer screening is recommended for average-risk men and women aged 50-75 years, using high-sensitivity fecal occult blood test (FOBT), done at home every year; sigmoidoscopy every five years, with high-sensitivity FOBT every three years; or colonoscopy every 10 years.

To assess the use of currently recommended cancer screening tests by age, race, ethnicity, education, length of residence in the United States, and the source and financing of health care researchers analyzed data from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey, which tracks progress toward the achievement of  Healthy People 2020 objectives.

For the ethnic subgroups, Asians were classified as Chinese, Filipino, or other Asian and Hispanics as Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican-American, Central or South American, or other Hispanic.

Significant findings include:

• Screening rates for breast cancer remained relatively stable and varied no more than 3 percent over the period 2000-2010.
• From 2000-2010, colorectal cancer screening rates increased markedly for men and women, with the rate for women increasing slightly faster so that rates among both sexes were nearly identical (58.5 percent for men and 58.8 percent for women) in 2010.
• From 2000-2010, a small but statistically significant downward trend of 3.3 percent was observed in the rate of women who reported getting a Pap test within the last three years.
• Considerably lower breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening use was reported by those without any usual source of health care or health insurance.

The authors note that this study reinforces the need to identify and track cancer screening disparities. Additionally, the report provides guidance for the development programs to increase the use of screening tests in order to meet Healthy People 2020 targets and simultaneously reduce cancer morbidity and mortality.

“Healthy People objectives are important for monitoring progress toward reducing the burden of cancer in the United States. Our study points to the particular need for finding ways to increase the use of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening tests among Asians, Hispanics, as well as adults who lack health insurance or a usual source of health care” said Carrie Klabunde, Ph.D., an epidemiologist in NCI’s Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences and a co-author of the study.

According to the authors, the Affordable Care Act is expected to reduce financial barriers to care by expanding insurance coverage. Other efforts are needed such as developing systems that identify individuals eligible for cancer screening tests, actively encouraging the use of screening tests, and monitoring participation to improve screening rates, they say.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/christianacare/

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Kick off 2012 in style with ShoeDazzle and the newest member of the fast-growing ‘Celebrity Shoe Design Program for Charity,’ actress, model and mother of three – Denise Richards. Joining forces with ShoeDazzle designers, Richards has created a light pink and gold embellished peep-toe sling-back pump, with a gold metallic pin-heel in honor of her mom, who passed away from kidney cancer. The shoe will be available in ShoeDazzle showrooms on January 16th.

100% of the profits from sales of her shoe will be donated to the Kidney Cancer Association (KCA), a charitable organization which helps fund, promote and collaborate with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), American Urological Association (AUA), and other institutions, on research projects.

In addition, one lucky fan will have lunch with Denise Richards. Four runners-up in this special contest will receive an iPod Shuffle. To be eligible to win the luncheon, contestants must upload a short video explaining why they want to win and must join the new KidneyCancer.me (http://kidneycancer.me) website. Contest details are available online at LunchWithDenise.com.

“Fashion has always been a passion of mine and I especially love shoes. What woman doesn’t love a feminine, yet sexy pump in her collection? Teaming up with ShoeDazzle to help a charity I admire and a cause that is particularly dear to me because of my mother provided an amazing opportunity to combine my passions,” said Richards. ”I decided to name the shoe after my baby Eloise because she has been such a blessing in my life.”

“It has been such a pleasure working with Denise as she helps to create awareness of kidney cancer and the need for a cure,” commented the Kidney Cancer Association vice president, Carrie Konosky. ”Despite being busy with her role on Spike TV’s hit series, ‘Blue Mountain State,’ while taking care of three children, Denise has always been incredibly generous about making time to help us.”

Prior to Denise’s shoe release, ShoeDazzle partnered with Perez Hilton, Carson Kressley, LaLa Anthony, Jenny McCarthy, Carmen Electra, singer Mel B and actresses Kristin Cavallari, Kristen Bell and Kristin Chenoweth for the ‘Celebrity Shoe Design Program for Charity.’

Image Courtesy of  worldswildlifewonders / Shutterstock.com

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