Beyond the Ribbon Blog

Being the main caregiver for a loved one with cancer, expectations for the holidays, or the challenges of Covid are a lot to deal with individually, but we know that many people are dealing with all three right now. We have some suggestions on how to ease your burden during this season, including ways to…
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Are you aware of medical cannabis and its use for breast cancer-related issues? With the recent legislation passed in Virginia decriminalizing medical cannabis and four dispensaries now open in the state, medical cannabis products can serve as a new aid for medical conditions and symptoms. Dr. Terel Newton shares information on medical cannabis and its…
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Did you know that our brains process approximately 60,000 thoughts per day? ifthinking about how much you think is exhausting, you might want to try practicingmindfulness. Anne Chamberlain, a mindfulness instructor and coach, explores theelements of mindfulness and the impact it can have on mental, physical, and emotionalhealth. Anne shares many helpful tips and resources…
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The latest Healthy People national report was recently released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Healthy People identifies public health priorities to help individuals, organizations, and communities across the United States improve health and well-being. Healthy People provides data-driven, measurable public health objectives – and…
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Does an anti-cancer diet need to be all organic? Allie Farley from VCU Massey CancerCenter debunks some common myths and shares information on how to make gradualtransitions in both diet and activity levels in order to improve overall health. Allieprovides additional tips regarding nutrition during and after a cancer diagnosis as well.Check out this video…
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Have you heard of Virginia’s recent passing of medical cannabis laws? Jenn Michelle Pedini with Virginia NORML shares information on medical cannabis products and the process of accessing them in the state of Virginia. As dispensaries are set to open soon in Virginia, access to medical cannabis may be closer than you think. Check out…
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When I travel the state to give presentations about breast health basics, I talk about all of the advancements we have made in the past 30 years in the treatment of breast cancer. About how we now have targeted therapies for some kinds of breast cancer that ideally reduce treatment toxicity and effect on healthy…
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If you are looking for where to go to get a mammogram, or for a breast surgeon or oncologist if you are experiencing an issue, it can be confusing to know where to start. One tried and true method of finding a provider is through your social circle. Talk to your friends who have had…
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At VBCF, we are big proponents of mammograms because they can help someone catch their breast cancer early. This can hopefully lead to less invasive and intense treatment and better outcomes.  However, in recent years there has been a back and forth in the research world as to whether more mammogram screenings actually save lives,…
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There are a lot of financial resources out there now that weren’t there before COVID-19. We’ve looked into a few of them to hopefully give you a better idea of the assistance these programs are offering and what these programs will cover (and what they won’t). The first few I have listed are specific to…
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There is A LOT of nutrition information for cancer floating around, and it’s hard to know what is real, research-based information and what…isn’t. Here’s a review of nutrition information for breast cancer, complete with sources. If you have any questions about the information included below or are thinking about making some dietary changes to reduce…
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