“Is pregnancy after cancer treatment possible? Is it safe?”
Christina Applegate,Giuliana Rancic – these celebrities have beaten cancer and then became moms. Is it possible? In some cases, yes. If you have beaten cancer, congratulations! You are a survivor. You have been through a difficult battle. Probably you can still experience its consequences today. The aftermath of battling cancer may include chronic fatigue, weakness, pain and, for some patients, …. infertility. Cancer treatment may put female fertility at risk, even many years after the cancer is gone into remission.
Cancer treatments and fertility
Depending what type of treatment you have had, surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy (you may also have a combination of the three), your fertility may be affected in different ways. In the case of cancer of the female reproductive organs, your doctors may recommend removing the affected ovary (or ovaries), uterus, or fallopian tubes through surgery. Removing the mentioned organs will make it impossible for the woman to conceive on her own. In case when the uterus is unaffected, the woman may potentially undergo an IVF treatment with egg donation program and carry a pregnancy in the future.
Chemotherapy’s aim is to damage cancer cells but, unfortunately, woman’s eggs are at risk of damage by chemo drugs. As you know every woman is born with all the eggs she will ever have. Eggs are not produced throughout your lifetime. The drugs damage the DNA of eggs and natural conception and healthy pregnancy may be at risk in the future. Eggs will be of low quality and genetically abnormal and this may result in failed fertilisation, early miscarriage or birth defects. Cancer treatment in the form of radiation may also affect fertility, destroy eggs or even trigger an early menopause for the cancer survivor.
How can cancer survivors beat infertility? Is pregnancy after cancer treatment possible at all?
Preserving your fertility
Nowadays there is more talk (though still not enough) about fertility preservation options for women and young girls who are going to undergo cancer treatment. Young women, upon learning about their cancer diagnosis, are advised to consult a fertility specialist. If the timing and other factors are on your side, the doctor may recommend freezing your eggs and storing them in an egg bank or an IVF clinic for future use. You may not want children now, but who knows what “future you” would want. Still, according to Institut Marquès, only 1 in ten women who started an IVF cycle had their eggs frozen before they started chemotherapy.
Some cancer survivors wonder if pregnancy can trigger cancer in some way. According to the doctors at Institut Marquès, being pregnant after cancer is safe. It is important that the patient’s health is closely monitored not only by gynaecologists but also by an oncologist, radiotherapist, and endocrinologist. The clinic has examined a group of cancer survivors and 89% of them turned out to be healthy enough to start their IVF treatment. And, what is more, 70% of them had babies within two years from the first appointment at the clinic.This is very reassuring news!
The clinic’s research says that on average cancer survivor usually waits approximately 8 years from the moment they find out about their cancer before they consult a fertility specialist. That is a very long time. It is worth taking action much earlier and visiting a fertility clinic no matter if you are over 30 or only 18. Find out what options you have and how to prepare for IVF. Take your fertility matters into your own hands. It is you who should decide when and how to have a baby, not cancer.
"Sun backed bout will be the first of its kind and hopes to raise vital charity cash" - The Sun
Charity Boxing
"Fight for Lives in association with Born Fearless Boxing (Ex SAS team) November 2016 in London in the iconic York Hall, with plans to fight Ex Navy Seals, in association with Brandon Webb in the US. The aim is to fight in the US each and every year.
Fight For Lives are working in partnership with many great charities, which include Care After Combat, Talking2Minds and Pilgrim Bandits.
Our aim is to raise awareness of their campaigns and to help to raise funds, which enables them to be there for those who need it." - Fight4Lives
I personally want to thank all those who organised this behind the scenes and their hard work to get this charity boxing match officially launched.
For those of you who have read my first blog, you'll know I blogged about PTSD and interviewed Foxy from Channel 4's #SASWhoDaresWins.
As a young girl when I saw my Dad for the first time read huge military books, it was then from that point that my passion for military history was ignited. As time went by and I started to learn things about military history from a young age and having respect and being in awe of what our men and women do in the military while serving for our country, the most selfless thing I think someone can do by putting their life on the line without hesitation.
I know they they probably don't like making a big fuss about it but sometimes they need our help and support in society. If anything it's the least we can do for them and especially for the fallen. (Lest we forget)
What made it even more precious was the event I volunteered for recently was on the 11th November which was Remembrance Day and Ex SAS were boxing against Ex Navy Seals for charity, who especially came over from the US.
The main reason was to raise awareness of PTSD, military issues and things that our veterans need help with but might need the government to do more. Thankfully there are charities like Talking2Minds and Pilgrim Bandits helping our veterans and raising awareness of vital issues directly affecting our veterans in everyday life especially after leaving the forces.
Talking2Minds was founded by Ex SAS member Rob Paxman and I believe it takes someone whose been there and done that to fight on behalf of others who are in the same position they once were.
I've been following the work of Talking2Minds and Pilgrim Bandits, I am so impressed to see all the hard work they do all year round.
The Remembrance Rumble is in association with Fight4Lives and Born Fearless Boxing.
My Sister and I arrived early at York Hall to change into our outfits and be ready to know what Graeme from (Fight4Lives) wanted us and the other volunteers to do for the night.
It was so nice to meet such a friendly bunch of women, who were all excited like us to help for the first ever charity boxing match against Ex SAS and Ex Navy Seals.
We met the lovely Wendy (Phil Campion 's partner) and Phil's beautiful daughter when setting everything up at the reception desk. My sister ended up selling the Born Fearless merchandise with Wendy opposite the Pilgrim Bandits charity with Ben Parkinson MBE etc.
Being unwell but wanting to help out that's why I brought my sister along with me! Thanks Sis! X
It felt great to be a small part of something so big that will help so many veterans in the US as well as the U.K. behind the scenes where each charity will personally help those in need.
(Paul in the middle on the night.)
The MC for the night was Mr Paul Booth. Paul was MC at Wembley Arena earlier this year for the famous Eubank - Blackwell fight, & has appeared as Boxing MC on every Sports TV network in Europe including both Sky Sports & Channel 5 in the UK, alongside Boxing Paul's appeared as MC for other sports on BBC Sport & ITV Sport as MC on the Great North Run, Crown Green Bowling and Darts.
Both the SAS and Navy Seals had 6 men on each side boxing on the night.
Brandon Webb (39) is a former Navy Seal who had trained the famous Chris Kyle (who was a United States Navy SEAL veteran and sniper) - who was portrayed and immortalised as the deadly sniper in the movie American Sniper.
Brandon, said: “I thought it was a great idea, especially in the Special Ops community the guys have the same mind-set, we’re cut from the same cloth, we all come from these crazy backgrounds. And I just think it’s a good way to work together to raise awareness around the veterans issues which we are still having on both sides of the pond. We’re putting the team together and we hope to hold this event in New York next year. It is going to be a spectacle like no other.”
"When I first meet Rob back in June he never had many skills in boxing but he has come on tremendously. I'm really proud of what we have achieved together, getting ready for this rumble. We have gone through every boxing drill there is from your basic boxing stants to the highest level of coaching as I would a senior elite amateur boxer. Rob has done everything I have asked him to do, he has learnt everything I have showed him and he actually looks like a Boxer. He certainly trained like a Boxer these last few months. Repetition is the mother of all skills. Never again would I listen to the old saying you can't teach an old dog new tricks because Rob is an old dog and he has learnt many new tricks." - Mulv - (Rob's trainer & sparring partner.)
Rob Paxman ex SAS was fighting for his chosen charity which he heads up. Talking2Minds work with those suffering severe stress related conditions, such as PTSD. Rob said the Remembrance Rumble is a unique and fantastic opportunity to raise awareness that not only civilians but the military too can suffer from mental health conditions.
Rob said T2M really appreciated everyone's support for such a small charity that gets amazing results with people. Rob had said before the event to me that "Friday will be an awesome event that will go down in history as a first ever. A real privilege to be able to fight once again for what is close to my heart."
As of the 6th July 2016 - details of boxers:
Phil Campion – ex 22 SAS – 47 years old – 280 pounds – Novice boxer
Rob Paxman – ex 22 SAS – 48 years old – 238 pounds – Novice boxer
Billy Billingham – ex 22 SAS – 51 years old – 175 pounds – Intermediate boxer
Jim Walker – ex 22 SAS – 40 years old – 180 pounds – Novice boxer
Floyd Woodrow – ex 22 SAS – 47 years old – 220 pounds – Intermediate boxer
"The ethos behind this is we all fought for countries and now we are going to fight for our beliefs. And we are going to put in the same level of commitment as we did when we served into this project. We are going to give the public something they have never seen before.” - Phil Campion
Remember even though this is ( UK vs US ) it's all about helping soldiers/veterans on both sides through military charities/causes who work hard everyday to support those in need who just need a helping hand until they're back again having a better quality of life. Raising money through events like these are just one way you're helping the military community get the best care they deserve!
Let's get behind all the guys fighting again next year and show our support. Please donate to their fundraising page below if you can:
(Taking a photo with Alex Hartley after charity boxing match.)
Alex Hartley told me what the Remembrance Rumble meant to him:
"It's hard to really put into words what the Remembrance Rumble meant to me. I've always been one to stay out of the spotlight as I tend to be more quiet and reserved than most men who are in NSW (Naval Special Warfare). But when Brandon called me and asked if I wanted to be a part of this event there was no way I could say no. Guys like Brandon, Eric Davis, and our mutual friend Glen Doherty are guys that I looked up to and heard stories about while going through training. These are the very men that encompass what it means to be a Navy SEAL or a Navy SWCC. I feel like many people have this idea about what and who Navy SEAL's and SWCC's are. They have this sort of expectation about the type of men they are. In reality though, while we are all professionals we aren't too far off from your everyday father, husband or son. Brandon said it best when he said that all of us part of Special Operations whether in the US or abroad are all cut from the same cloth. I think that just being able to come over to London and help out our brethren from the SAS was and will always be an incredible experience. They were so hospitable, entertaining, and kind hearted. Every single one of them. It is an experience that I will never forget. I hope that this event set the precedence to help in starting a dialogue about giving our troops the support they need when returning home. They really do need a lot of support. I was barely 18 when I enlisted, and I was off in a combat theater while I was still a teenager. While I don't struggle with PTSD, I know a lot of men and women who do. This isn't just a problem in the Special Operations community. It's an issue that expands throughout the whole military. I chose to donate to Mission 22, which is a charity that helps suicidal veterans or those struggling with depression or other anxiety disorders get back on their feet. 22 represents the number of veterans in America who kill themselves everyday due to these issues. I hope that by stepping in the ring and getting my nose broken helped people realize how much our troops deserve. Not only this, but if being a part of this event helped just one veteran who was struggling with what to do with his or her life, remember that they aren't forgotten, and there are people who still care about them, than I feel this was a major success. I am very excited about what Brandon and Phil are able to put together for the upcoming years. I will forever be a part of this event because I believe so deeply in what it stands for, and I am humbled to have been a part of it. All that is left to say is ,for all those who've been down range, to us, and those like us -- damn few. Cheers."
I'm blogging about the Remembrance Rumble and wanted to know if you don't mind please giving a quote about what you thought of it?
Sure! The Rememberance Rumble was a Spectacular showing of unity for the common good of Veterans Awareness on a Global Scale.
How you felt it went?
As the host for SofrepTV, I felt the Remembrance Rumble has set a precedence for charity boxing events world wide while focusing on Veterans and helping raise awareness for Veterans charities weather it's in the United Kingdom, USA, Denmark, Norway, Australia, Canada, IRAQ etc. Veterans come in all shapes, sizes and cultures.
Was it a good experience?
The Remembrance Rumble was a life changing event for my self and I know the fighters (Navy Seals, USMC, ARMY, USAF, SAS) would agree . The hospitality that the United Kingdom provided us, the hugs that everyone gave to one another, really set up a great enviornment for raising Veteran Awareness that Big Phil Campion, Brandon Webb, and all those involved in making this come to light (Graeme, Roger, Our Families)
How it will help veterans, through awareness etc in the US/UK?
This event will help veterans by letting them know we are fighting for them, we are them, we want all veterans to get a hand shake, a Job, Prosthetic limb, mental health, family benefits and home loans for all. I'm not saying joining the military should be your lottery ticket however, think of the workforce mental bearing for your military if they knew they had pensions and benefits waiting for them after they get done with their service agreement?
Are you excited about it coming to the US next year?
I am super stoked for the Remembrance Rumble to be here in the USA 2017, as the fighters, productions crews, security teams, and house staff know, we are here to raise awareness for all Veterans the Energy in infectious and everyone involved has a sense of pride in doing something selfless for the good of others. SO I see this happening here in America with the Remembrance Rumble here in 2017.
#GlobalVeteranAwareness
Phil Campion tells me what he wanted from the Remembrance Rumble:
"We want to turn this into an annual fund raiser. We plan to fight in the States as well next year and then back here. Born fearless Boxing will also open events up to the rest of the vet community not just SF and hold events up and down the country."
The punchline at the end was a special one and you had to be there to see it! Who says Ex SAS men are always tough because that night we saw Big Phil's soft side. Being near the ringside at the end I did wonder why someone handed Phil a red rose 🌹 but then I clicked it had to be something to do with his partner Wendy. It was such an honour to be see Phil propose to Wendy and it was so romantic. When I first saw Wendy looking very surprised, it had shown that Phil obviously had kept it top secret and very apt with him being Ex SAS lol. It was lovely for everyone to be a part of their special moment and night! Wendy and Phil are such nice people and I wish them every success in the future and hope they have a fabulous wedding!
Check out some of this Artist's work below around the subject of the Remembrance Rumble and Ex SAS and Navy Seals......the super talented artist is Ernie McGookin,,,,,
The AMERICAN RUMBLE will take place in May 2017!
There will be another REMEMBRANCE RUMBLE held in London again in November 2017!
I look forward to helping and supporting Fight4Lives and Born Fearless Boxing again sometime.
“Fight For Lives challenges you to fulfill your ambitions and aspirations.”
If you couldn't make the boxing match you can see it here below.....
