ocf – Oral Cancer News

OCF’s Tobacco Cessation Spokesperson and Bradley Cooper’s Stunt Double Rides in Pendleton

You won’t find Cody Kiser at this year’s NFR, but you will find him working as a stuntman in the 2014 blockerbuster hit “American Sniper” starring Bradley Cooper. The biographical war drama was directed by Clint Eastwood, and told the story of U.S. Navy Seal Chris Kyle. Kiser, who rode Saturn Rocket for a 75.5-point score Friday at the Pendleton Round-Up, stepped in for Bradley during the scene that shows Kyle riding broncs during his rodeo days before he joined the Navy. “That was the coolest thing I have ever done,” Kiser said. “I got to hang out for a day with Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper. Clint told me I looked a lot like Bradley. They said they wished they had me for the whole movie.” A friend of Kiser’s who does stunt work in California put Kiser in touch with the people from the movie. “They needed a bareback rider who had a certain look,” he said. “They had me and a saddle bronc rider, but he couldn’t ride bareback very well, so the job was mine.” Kiser, 27, said he was living in Texas near where Kyle was shot in 2013, and that he had a friend working at the Rough Creek Ranch-Lodge in Erath County, Texas, where Kyle was shot. “It’s such a small world,” he said. Kiser earned a nice paycheck for his work, but said playing Kyle, even in a stunt role, was an honor. “To be a part of that was unreal,” he [...]

Charlotte Parker2018-09-28T09:37:18-07:00September, 2018|OCF In The News|

In Memoriam: Jimmie C. Holland, MD

The Oral Cancer Foundation is deeply saddened by the passing of OCF Science Advisory Board member, Dr. Jimmie C. Holland. When our organization was in it’s infancy, Dr. Holland was an early supporter of OCF. She was one of the first in the profession to focus attention on the mental well being of cancer patients. With OCF being a foundation that is heavily geared to funding the advancement of research, and being very hard science and research oriented, her compassion for the mental health of cancer patients was a key component in humanizing our efforts, and ensuring that we stayed people centric. We are tremendously grateful for her advanced work in Psycho-oncology, the good it has done for so many in the oral cancer community, and the guidance she offered us. She will be missed by many. Author: William Breitbart Source: https://blog.oup.com Date: Feb. 23, 2018 Jimmie C. Holland, MD, internationally recognized as the founder of the field of Psycho-oncology, died suddenly on 24 December 2017 at the age of 89. Dr. Holland, who was affectionately known by her first name, “Jimmie,” had a profound global influence on the fields of Psycho-oncology, Psychosomatic Medicine, and Oncology. Dr. Holland was the Attending Psychiatrist and Wayne E. Chapman Chair at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and Professor of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York. In 1977, she was appointed Chief of the Psychiatry Service in the Department of Neurology at MSK. The Psychiatry Service at MSK was the [...]

Charlotte Parker2018-04-21T11:53:40-07:00February, 2018|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

CDHA Urges Hygienists to Remind Patients of Oral Cancer Screening

Author: Canadian Dental Hygienists Association Date: January 29, 2018 Source: https://www.oralhealthgroup.com World Cancer Day (February 4) is a perfect time for dental hygienists across Canada to remind the public of the importance of regular oral cancer screenings, not only during dental appointments, but also now at home. The Canadian Cancer Society projected in 2017 that 4,700 Canadians would be diagnosed with oral cavity cancer, and that 1,250 Canadians would die. In hopes of improving the long-term outcomes for people diagnosed with oral cancer, the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) has partnered with the Oral Cancer Foundation and the American Dental Hygienists Association on a “Check Your Mouth™” initiative to help individuals identify the early signs and symptoms of oral cavity cancers. “Dental hygienists recognize that early detection has great potential to reduce the oral cancer burden in Canada,” states Sophia Baltzis, CDHA president. “Between dental visits, which usually include an oral cancer screening, our clients can and should examine their mouths for suspicious tissue changes.” The Check Your Mouth™ campaign features an interactive website (www.checkyourmouth.org) that offers easy-to-use tools and tips for a quick visual and tactile examination of the oral cavity. Individuals can learn to self-discover the early symptoms of disease and then seek further evaluation from a dental professional if necessary. “Dental hygienists are your partners in prevention,” adds Baltzis. “We encourage all Canadians to maintain a healthy lifestyle, practice good oral hygiene habits, and spot the early signs of oral cancer. The Check Your Mouth™ website is a valuable [...]

Charlotte Parker2018-02-06T14:57:40-07:00January, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Expert says Nivolumab Poised to Change Standard of Care in SCCHN

Source: www.onclive.com Author: Laura Panjwani Nivolumab (Opdivo) is a game-changing agent for the treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), according to Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD. “Recent findings have shown us that this agent is really the new standard-of-care option for all platinum-refractory patients with head and neck cancer,” says Ferris, vice chair for Clinical Operations, associate director for Translational Research, and co-leader of the Cancer Immunology Program at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. “This is regardless of whether patients are PD-L1–positive or negative or whether they are HPV-positive or negative.” The PD-L1 inhibitor received a priority review designation by the FDA in July 2016 based on the CheckMate-141 study, which demonstrated a median overall survival (OS) with nivolumab of 7.5 months compared with 5.1 months with investigator's choice of therapy (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.51-0.96; P = .0101) in patients with recurrent or metastatic SCCHN. The objective response rate (ORR) was 13.3% with nivolumab and 5.8% for investigator's choice. The FDA is scheduled to make a decision on the application for the PD-1 inhibitor by November 11, 2016, as part of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act. Ferris was the lead author on an analysis that further evaluated preliminary data from CheckMate-141, which was presented at the 2016 ASCO Annual Meeting. In an interview with OncLive, he discusses the findings of this study, potential biomarkers for nivolumab, and questions that remain regarding the use of the immunotherapy in SCCHN. OncLive: What [...]

Charlotte Parker2016-08-24T13:28:58-07:00August, 2016|Oral Cancer News|

Rodeo Competitors Fight Smokeless Tobacco Use at Laramie Jubilee Days

Source: www.y95country.comAuthor: Nick Learned Two professional rodeo contestants will ride exclusively for the Oral Cancer Foundation this weekend as part of Laramie Jubilee Days with a goal of preventing young fans from using smokeless tobacco. Cody Kiser and Carly Twisselman each aim to show rodeo fans, particularly the younger ones, chewing or using other forms of smokeless tobacco isn’t what makes them who they are. They promote the Foundation’s campaign which uses the slogan “Be Smart. Don’t Start.” Their approach is anything but confrontational or aggressive. Rather than encouraging people to quit, they hope to encourage young fans to never pick up the habit in the first place. And where some rely on statistics to make the point, Kiser and Twisselman take a different approach. Simply giving attention to young rodeo fans is a big part of getting their message across. “Its not the facts that they’re going to take home,” Kiser says. “Everybody knows that tobacco’s bad; you can get cancer and you can die. But the biggest impact that I see is just acknowledging those kids or acknowledging those people in the audience that want to know more, and you can show them what you can do without tobacco.” “I’m not out there to tell anybody how to live their life or preach to them about needing to quit,” Kiser says. “It’s not our place to do that,” Twisselman says. “People most of the time aren’t going to listen when you tell them something like that anyway.” The pair will be wearing Oral Cancer Foundation gear [...]

Charlotte Parker2016-07-08T11:15:42-07:00July, 2016|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Rodeo outreach program fights oral cancer

Source: www.olivesoftware.comAuthor: Stewart M. Green Carly Twisselman, a spokesperson with the Oral Cancer Foundation’s rodeo outreach program, and her horse Chanel travel the Western rodeo circuit and talk with kids about the dangers of using spit tobacco. Photo by Stewart M. Green Carly Twisselman brushed her horse Chanel outside a stall at the Norris-Penrose Event Center, home of the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, which will roll into town July 13-16. “I’ve been rodeoing my whole life,” she said. “Now I do it at the professional level. This is my rookie year so I’m going really hard. I want to win the rookie title.” Summer is the busiest time of the year for cowgirls and cowboys. “We call it Cowboy Christmas, the 4th of July run,” she said. Twisselman and her travel partner have recently competed in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and just drove up from Pecos, Texas, to Colorado Springs for qualifiers. “It’s a crazy time,” she said. “Lots of traveling, but lots of money to be won.” Twisselman, a 30-year-old barrel racer, grew up on a ranch near San Luis Obispo on the central California coast. “My family’s been ranching there for seven generations,” she said. “I was on the back of a horse all the time. I was riding before I could walk.” While growing up in the Western ranching and rodeo culture, Twisselman was aware of the widespread use of spit tobacco by cowboys. “I’ve been around it my whole life and seen a lot [...]

Charlotte Parker2016-07-06T17:39:17-07:00July, 2016|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Reno Rodeo: Cody Kiser ‘The luckiest guy in the world’

Source: www.rgj.comAuthor: Jordan Wines 2016 Reno Rodeo competitor Cody Kiser has been competing in rodeos from the time he could walk. He began his career riding sheep and roping dummy heads on hay bales. As he grew, so did his competitive spirit. Kiser began riding bulls, but suffered an injury early in his career. "I had a bull step on my face, and I broke all the bones in the left side of my face," Kiser said. "I broke my jaw in two places and had my jaw wired shut. I had to get plastic surgery on my face to get it put back together." After recovering, Kiser began riding bucking horses, bareback specifically. He continued to compete while attending college at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he completed his degree in civil engineering. Splitting time between school and his life on the rodeo circuit presented its own set of challenges. "I did college rodeo for about two years, and I loved it. It just became way too much doing rodeo and school. I would put all my effort into schoolwork during the semester, and then would try to hit a couple of rodeos during school. During summer, I wouldn't take any classes, and I would hit the rodeo as hard as I could, which was still difficult because I had internships and jobs over the summer." Riding bareback is more than just an event for Kiser, as his father also rode bareback competitively, and Kiser still uses some of the same [...]

Charlotte Parker2016-06-20T11:56:24-07:00June, 2016|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Aspen Dental Practices Donate More Than $20,000 To The Oral Cancer Foundation For Oral Cancer Awareness Month

Source: www.pharmiweb.com.orgAuthor: Aspen Dental SYRACUSE, N.Y., May 31, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspen Dental–branded practices will donate $22,375 to The Oral Cancer Foundation (OCF) as part of a program that contributed $5 for each ViziLite® oral cancer screening conducted during April for Oral Cancer Awareness Month. In total, more than 4,000 patients were screened across more than 550 practices in 33 states. Since 2010, Aspen Dental-branded practices have donated more than $105,000 to OCF. "Approximately 48,250 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with an oral or oropharyngeal cancer this year; and of those only about 57% will be alive in five years," said Natalie Riggs, Director of Special Projects for The Oral Cancer Foundation. In 2016 we estimate that 9500 individuals will lose their lives to oral cancers and we are grateful for the support from Aspen Dental practices in helping us raise awareness and aiding in our efforts to fight this disease." Oral cancer is frequently preceded by visible pre-malignant lesions and can be diagnosed at a much earlier stage (I or II) with ViziLite® Plus, a specially designed light technology. When caught early and treated, the survival rate is 80 to 90 percent. "We're working to educate our patients about the risk factors, warning signs and symptoms associated with oral cancer so that we can help them catch the disease before it progresses," said Dr. Murali Lakireddy, a general dentist who owns Aspen Dental offices in Ohio. "Many of our patients do not think about oral cancer when they go to [...]

Charlotte Parker2016-06-16T10:28:42-07:00June, 2016|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Rodeo rider raising awareness of chewing tobacco and oral cancer

Source: www.krcrtv.comAuthor: Danielle Radin REDDING, Calif. - The Redding Rodeo kicked off Wednesday night with events like barrel racing, cattle roping and mutton busting. Professional barrel racer, Carly Twisselman said chewing tobacco is prominent at rodeos. She's teamed up with the Oral Cancer Foundation to try to change that. "We want to show children that you can follow your dreams, be who you want to be, pursue being a rodeo athlete and not chew tobacco," said Twisselman. Twisselman competes in rodeos across the country and sees chewing tobacco time and time again. She's teaching children chewing tobacco is not the 'cool thing to do.' She also wears letting on her sleeves every race that reads, "Be smart, don't start." She also has a brother who chews and had a health scare from it. "My brother's had signs of cancer of the mouth from chewing," said Twisselman. " "I just think that's the wrong message we should be sending to this children." According to the oral cancer foundation, there will be about 48,000 new cases of oral cancer in 2016 in the United States. 75 percent of all oral cancer patients use tobacco. They estimate nearly 10,000 people in the United States will die from oral cancer in 2016.

Charlotte Parker2016-05-19T11:39:43-07:00May, 2016|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Cowboy raises awareness for oral cancer

Source: www.kristv.comAuthor: Annie Sabo In an environment where smokeless and spit tobacco is prevalent, cowboy, Cody Kiser, says he feels like the luckiest guy in the world to represent the Oral Cancer Foundation. He told us, "I just happened to be in a class with a classmate. Their sister works for the oral cancer foundation...one thing led to another and they said we've been looking for a cowboy that doesn't smoke or chew and we'd love to be able to work out some kind of deal where we help you out you help us out...now I'm here." Although Cody has not been personally affected by the cancer, he wears a special patch on his shirt to raise awareness for the deadly disease. He said, "I'm very lucky that I haven't had any family members or friends be affected by oral cancer. I've made friends with people that have been now and it's a real eye opener." Since partnering with the oral cancer foundation, he works hard to promote this message: "Be smart don't start...we want to get out to the kids and fans who haven't smoking or chewing yet." Cody says the best part about working for the oral cancer foundation is serving as a role model for children. He told us, "You can be an elite athlete and an amazing cowboy without having to smoke or chew. That's our goal is to get to those kids before they do that. I just want to be a good role model for [...]

Charlotte Parker2016-04-15T10:41:00-07:00April, 2016|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|