Anderson Hospital Hosts Cancer Survivors: Livestrong Event Urges Healthy Living
By Jayne Matthews, Belleville News-Democrat, Ill.
May 17–MARYVILLE — Good health through exercise, nutrition and petting dogs was the theme for cancer survivors Wednesday at Anderson Hospital’s Livestrong Day in Maryville.
“This is supposed to help people with cancer to keep moving,” said Kathy Southwick, a respiratory therapist at the hospital for 30 years, organizer of the one-day event and a breast cancer survivor.
Southwick, who has been in various treatments for 18 months, said research indicates that exercise and a good diet help cancer patients live longer.
A healthy weight also prolongs life because chemotherapy increases body fat and attacks muscle tissue, Southwick said
Also on Wednesday, construction was under way on Anderson’s new cancer treatment center, which is expected to be open in October.
Scott Ivie and Angela Tomic, personal trainers at Ivie’s Personal Training Center in Glen Carbon, were on hand to show how heavy 20 pounds of fat can be.
They brought along a fat suit and had visitors put it on. They got the same reaction from the Livestrong guests as from people at their center.
“They really realize what 20 pounds feels like and they want to get it off,” Tomic said.
Handsome, a golden retriever, and Stone, a Portuguese water dog, gave visitors a taste of how good a pet can make them feel.
Both dogs and their owner, Toni Reilly of St. Louis, visit hospitals, children’s wards and nursing homes to give patients a little quality time petting dogs.
Handsome and Stone have interesting stories of their own about how they came to live with Reilly and receive the special training they need to become “touch dogs.”
Handsome made the news about 18 months ago when he was found wandering with a collar that had become too tight and had cut into his neck.
“No one ever claimed him so he came to live with me,” Reilly said.
Stone is the son of a search and rescue dog that worked at the World Trade Center in New York City after the Sept. 11. 2001 terrorist attack.
Stone turned out to be too playful for search and rescue, so Reilly received for free what would have been an expensive dog. She said he’s learned that when his harness goes on its time to stop playing and be petted.
“When you put it on, he gets a work ethic,” Reilly said.
The touch dogs were popular among patients and visitors Wednesday.
“Everybody wants to pet the puppies,” said Francesca Borowski of Glen Carbon, a Livestrong volunteer helping Reilly.
The event at Anderson mirrored similar events taking place around the country in partnership with the Lance Armstrong Foundation started by the champion cyclist who also is a cancer survivor.
Contact Jayne Matthews at jmatthews@bnd.com or 345-7822, ext. 25.
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Copyright (c) 2007, Belleville News-Democrat, Ill.
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