BT Calgary Blogs

Many children are surviving childhood cancers these days. And these survivors often face certain issues following treatment like infertility. But a new initiative here in Calgary is hoping to change that.

The Regional Fertility Program has a fundraising arm called the Generations of Hope Fertility Assistance Fund. This charitable organization helps eligible families with the cost of fertility treatments. Their latest initiative will help boys to save their sperm prior to cancer treatment so that one day they may be able to father children.

I spoke to Dr. Calvin Greene, the Medical Director of the Regional Fertility Program, who says cancer treatments like chemotherapy, radiation and surgery often render the patient infertile. But for boys, freezing their sperm is a relatively easy way to preserve their fertility. So Generations of Hope is offering families that are financially challenged the opportunity to cover that first sperm sample and storage for a year…something that costs about 500 dollars.

Kris Joyce a clinical oncology social worker says this initiative means there’s one less thing families need to worry about. There are a few factors at play here when a family receives a cancer diagnosis. First off, Kris says the families are obviously traumatized and are trying to process what they’ve heard. Secondly, treatment usually needs to start within a matter of days of diagnosis. So, families have a lot to deal with very quickly. There is also the financial piece of the problem. Many families lose income in these situations when a parent has to quit or take a leave from work to stay at the hospital with the child. Other parents are unable to return to work for emotional reasons. So, having one less financial worry is paramount.

Fertility preservation is offered to boys 14 years of age and older. The boys go the sperm lab at the Regional Fertility Program and provide a sperm sample. That sample is then frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen at -196C. Dr. Greene says that sperm will then be viable forever.

Generations of Hope is having their annual fundraiser “Images of Hope” on March 10th. It’s a silent and live auction at the Hotel Arts. Tickets are $75. 

For more information on male fertility preservation and the upcoming fundraiser visit the website:

http://www.generationsofhope.ca/

or

http://www.regionalfertilityprogram.ca/

Google is about to make some major changes to its privacy policy. As of right now Google’s 60 plus applications all have their own privacy policy. All information is kept private within that application. Starting tomorrow that will change. All of the individual policies will melt together into one umbrella policy.

So what does this mean to you? Two things. You can expect to see more targeted ads for things you have searched for or chatted about online. Yes, Google monitors live chats in Gmail. But Google also claims the service will be better. Your searches will be more tailored to you and your likes and habits.

If this concerns you here are a few things you can do to ensure Google has as little information as possible about you.

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It’s always a risky venture resurrecting a classic franchise. Sometimes it works and sometimes the risk simply doesn’t pay off. Syndicate falls somewhere in between.

Based on the 1993 strategy game of the same name, Starbreeze Studios’ Syndicate is an attempt to breath new life and features into a game which has built a fanbase over the years. I’m not sure I would call Syndicate a reboot to the classic franchise, rather a re-imagining.

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Rosacea is very common. It affects up to 15 percent of the Caucasian population though it’s seen in most ethnicities. The most common kind is often known as “rosy cheeks.” These people flush usually in response to certain triggers like alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods and heat. This frequent flushing often causes broken blood vessels in the skin.

The second kind of rosacea looks a lot like acne, it’s characterized by redness along with pustules.

The final kind of rosacea is the least common and is characterized by the bulbous nose usually found on men.

Rosacea can be very challenging to live with. People who suffer from it often say they feel self-conscious about their appearance which affects their self esteem and confidence. Unfortunately there is no cure for rosacea but the good news is dermatologists can certainly treat the manifestation of the condition.

I spoke with Dermatologist Dr. Greg Storwick about rosacea. He says there’s no reason for people to suffer. For those with the flushing rosacea he says with certain lasers he can take down that flush by 50 to 80 percent. And for those who have the flushing that has caused broken blood vessels, he can use a laser and pretty much get rid of the redness altogether. Storwick says people can also change their lifestyle to avoid their triggers, but he suggests enjoying life and coming in for treatment every couple of years or as needed. 

For those with the pustules, Dr. Storwick says these patients would benefit from medical therapy. He suggests oral antibiotics for a few weeks, specifically of the tetracycline family.

Dr. Storwick says while there is no cure for this disease, he says there is no reason to live with the consequences. He also says a little flush is a good thing!

For more information on rosacea, there is a National Rosacea Society out of the States:

http://www.rosacea.org

While Sony has seen some success in the portable gaming market, it has always struggled to compete against Nintendo. With a solid fan base since the launch of the original Game Boy, Nintendo has always had a solid lead over Sony and their efforts in portable gaming. Could the introduction of the PS Vita be the turning point?

Sony is aiming to take portable gaming to the next level with its next-gen machine. With impressive specs and the addition of a second analog controller, Sony is clearly targeting hardcore gamers with the Vita. But are there enough features for gamers to buy another full-fledged gaming device?

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At its very core Resident Evil has always been known as a survival horror franchise. The series became famous for its eerie environments and cheap scares, which can be hard to pull off in a video game. But lately the very features that made the franchise popular have become watered down. Residents Evil 5 was more of a fast-paced action title and one could say Resident Evil Revelations focuses more on survival rather than horror.

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More women are likely to die of heart disease than men each year. And heart disease and stroke are one of the leading causes of death for women. Yet many women don’t realize this. That’s why for “Heart Month” I thought it was important to tackle this subject yet again.

I spoke with cardiologist Dr. Anne Gillis about this subject. She says women experience heart disease differently from men. They’re often not aware of the problem, they tend to underestimate their symptoms and even their perception of their symptoms may differ from men. For example, Dr. Gillis says the number one symptom of a heart attack is chest pain. But women are much more likely than men to delay seeking medical help. Now, why, is unclear. Dr. Gillis suggests they may not feel pain as intensely, they may dismiss their pain because they focus instead of the care of the family or they may even have a higher threshold for pain than men. This same difference between the genders is found when it comes to atrial fibrillation or heart rhythm disorders.  Women often ignore their symptoms, or don’t describe the symptoms as clearly or concisely to their physician as a man would.

Women are also physiologically different from men so they experience heart disease differently. Dr. Gillis says women are less likely to develop heart disease prematurely because of the protective effect of estrogen. However, when women go through menopause and their estrogen decreases they are at similar risk to men for the disease.

Treatment may also be different for men and women. Yes, there is a standard protocol for treating heart disease. But some women may not tolerate drugs the same way as men…nor may the dosages be appropriate for them.  And, Dr. Gillis says there is data to suggest that women are undertreated after a heart attack. For example, after a heart attack a patient is at risk of sudden death due to a fatal rhythm disorder. And women are less referred for preventative therapies like a defibrillator. Again, it’s unclear why. Are the doctors not understanding the benefit for female patients? Or are female patients less likely to pursue follow up care?

Regardless, women need to understand their risk factors for heart disease.

The risk factors we can control:

- smoking – ie. don’t smoke. (women are smoking more than men these days than men)

- high blood pressure and high cholesterol – know your numbers!

- obesity

- diabetes

- physical inactivity

The risk factors we can’t control include getting older, our genes and our gender. However, Dr. Gillis says if you know heart disease runs in your family make sure you talk to your doctor about preventative therapies that may work for you. And of course, everything in moderation. Eat well, exercise and ultimately, know your risk.

For more information on heart disease and women… the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation is a great resource.

http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3484041/k.D80A/Heart_disease__Women_and_heart_disease_and_stroke.htm

CALGARY WEATHER
TODAY: +2, AM: Partly Cloudy/PM: Chance Flurries (Wind NW/20)
TONIGHT: -11, Partly Cloudy (Clearing late this eve.)
FRIDAY: -2, Partly Cloudy – Look for flurries late in the evening
>Chance flurries on again/off again, until Saturday. Saturday we’ll see consistent snow flurries, with a lingering chance Sunday.
-Meteorologist Andrew Schultz ( twitter: @AndrewSchultzWX )

CALGARY WEATHER
TODAY: 5, Partly Cloudy (WIND: West 20 km/h)
TONIGHT: -3, Partly Cloudy
THURSDAY: 2, Partly Cloudy
>Today will be very mild – and still warmer than average Thursday (+2, when we should be at +1). Look for cooler temperatures and a good chance for Flurries Saturday and Sunday.
-Meteorologist Andrew Schultz (( twitter: @AndrewSchultzWX ))

CALGARY WEATHER
TODAY: 8, Partly Cloudy (WIND: West 30km/h)
TONIGHT: -1, Partly Cloudy – Cloud thickens late this evening
WEDNESDAY: 4, Chance AM Flurries, PM = Partly Cloudy
>Today will be the warmest of the week….look for another ‘taste’ of winter Wednesday morning, with clearing into the afternoon…Mild Wed./Thur. – cooler temps into the weekend, with Flurries Saturday and Sunday.
-Meteorologist Andrew Schultz ( twitter: @AndrewSchultzWX )