Our Programs
CARING AMBASSADORS PROGRAM
The Caring Ambassadors Program supports individuals in gaining control of their health care, regardless of the illness they face. Remember, this is your JOURNEY; these are your CHOICES. Healing is possible; how you achieve it is up to you.
LUNG CANCER PROGRAM
The Caring Ambassadors Lung Cancer Program Empowers patients and providers with access to free educational materials, and resources; Educates communities about the importance of screening and to share current information with patients and their families; and Advocates for access to screening and treatment for lung cancer for all communities.
HEPATITIS C PROGRAM
The Caring Ambassadors Hepatitis C Program uses a unique approach in our work to address the elimination of viral hepatitis and specifically hepatitis C. We are honored to serve the community to help eliminate the largest infectious disease outbreak of our time
Outreach in Action
Caring Ambassadors Program sponsored the Health Pavilion at the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland for 12 years. We provided free hepatitis C testing to over 3500 people in those years, identified 197 people living with the virus, and educated hundreds of thousands.
What we do
A Few of Our Services
My Choices: A Planer for Healing
MY CHOICES© is a tool to help you recognize and act upon what you can control in your health care journey to achieve optimal healing, regardless of the illness you face. It contains elements of a guide book, health planner, journal, and activity book to help orient you to and plan for the journey ahead.
The Choices Bundle
A trilogy of books with comprehensive lung cancer information, a guide for caregivers, and a healing planner to empower people anywhere in their journey. Caring Ambassadors Lung Cancer Program is pleased to announce that we have received support from our corporate partners to offer free printed copies of our books (while supplies last)
What Drives Us
Our Mission
To improve the lives of patients and communities by empowering and educating them to be advocates for their own health.
Weekly News Update
Weekly News UpdateMy Choices© Update
Week Ending December 5, 2023
Out for blood? For routine lab work, the hospital billed her $2,400
“Reesha Ahmed was on cloud nine. It was January and Ahmed was at an OB-GYN’s office near her home in Venus, Texas, for her first prenatal checkup. After an ultrasound, getting anti-nausea medication, and discussing her pregnancy care plan, she said, a nurse made a convenient suggestion: Head to the lab just down the hall for a standard panel of tests.”
Why You Shouldn’t Self-Treat With ‘Natural Antibiotics’
“When you start to feel the itch in your nose or the scratch in your throat that tells you you’re in the early stages of a cold or sinus infection, people tend to fall into one of three camps. One group tries to ignore it and hopes it clears up on its own. The second runs to the doctor for some quick relief. And then there’s the third group: The ones who rummage through their medicine cabinet or hit up their local pharmacy or health store looking for a DIY solution.”
Vegan diet outperforms omnivorous in cardiometabolic health, twin study reveals
“In a recent study published in the journal JAMA Network Open, researchers in the United States compared the cardiometabolic impact of vegan diets versus omnivorous diets after eight weeks of intervention among adult identical twins.”
How dietary restrictions, including intermittent fasting, impact gut microbiota and overall human health
“In a recent review published in Nutrients, researchers reviewed preclinical and clinical data to analyze gut microbial alterations in various dietary conditions.”
Life Beyond Anorexia Nervosa
“By age 10, it was clear that Kristina Saffran would have a bright future. She was intelligent, outgoing, and active in soccer. Then, a routine conversation derailed her life.”
Diet has a major impact on risk of Alzheimer’s disease
“December 4, 2023 San Francisco, CA: In a detailed study, Diet’s Role in Modifying Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease: History and Present Understanding published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, we can finally see which diets are helpful in reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The role of diet in modifying the risk of Alzheimer’s disease is discussed in detail. Diets that are more plant based, like the Mediterranean diet and traditional diets in China, Japan, and India, are shown to reduce risk, especially when compared to the Western diet.”
Sleep problems linked to heart health risks during and after menopause
“How well a woman sleeps – not just how long – as she transitions through menopause may affect her projected risk for heart disease and stroke, new research suggests. The study found women who were peri- and postmenopausal who experienced a range of sleep disturbances scored worse on key measures of cardiovascular health than their premenopausal peers. The findings were presented in November at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions conference in Philadelphia and are considered preliminary until full results are published in a peer-reviewed journal.”
Hepatitis C News Update
Week Ending December 4, 2023
Earlier Testing of Infants With Perinatal Hepatitis C Exposure: A Key Step Toward Elimination
“Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection continues to be a major national public health problem and is targeted for domestic and global elimination. Driven by the ongoing opioid epidemic, HCV incidence has been rising in the United States over the past decade, with highest infection rates among young adults including women of childbearing age. This is significant because if these young adults with HCV viremia get pregnant, their infants are perinatally exposed to the virus. In 2020, as part of a strategy to increase testing of all adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended universal HCV antibody screening with every pregnancy, a critical first step to improve maternal health and enhance identification of infants at risk for HCV.”
No increased risk for COVID-19 related mortality associated with HCV alone
“BOSTON — In the absence of cirrhosis, no specific precautions are needed for patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and a history of hepatitis C virus, according to findings presented at The Liver Meeting.”
Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir with tenofovir alafenamide efficacious for HCV, HBV co-infection
“BOSTON — After 12 weeks of treatment with sofosbuvir/velpatasvir in combination with tenofovir alafenamide, patients with hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus co-infection demonstrated high rates of sustained virologic response. Moreover, patients did not experience reactivation of HBV DNA during the treatment period, according to data presented at The Liver Meeting.”
New Model Uses Longitudinal Data to Predict HCC Risk in Patients with HCV-Related Cirrhosis
“A recently developed longitudinal model for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk after sustained virologic response (SVR) using repeatedly measured data in a random survival forest (RSF) algorithm yielded accurate predictions and outperformed a baseline model.”
Two-Week DAA Prophylaxis Prevents Hep C After Kidney Transplant
“TUESDAY, Nov. 28, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Two-week direct-acting antiviral (DAA) prophylaxis prevents hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in individuals without HCV viremia who received kidney transplant (KT) from donors with HCV viremia (HCV D+/R−), according to a study published online Nov. 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.”
Editorial: Louisiana leading the way for once. Can U.S. follow the model?
“Louisiana is hardly leading the nation in an arena of vital importance to every human, health care. But a Louisiana innovation is now being pushed by the White House as a way to tackle the dread disease of hepatitis C.”
Free hepatitis C, HIV and syphilis testing for the month of December
“Southeastern Idaho Public Health will be offering free rapid hepatitis C, HIV and syphilis testing to individuals throughout the month of December in all their county locations. Testing only takes a few minutes and you can get results before you leave. Visit siphidaho.org to locate a clinic near you. Same-day appointments are available. There is only one way to know — get tested.”
Videos:
Curing your Patients from Hepatitis C: Addressing Complex Needs with Simplified Treatment Approaches : Episode 4
Baseline Lab Test to initiate HCV treatment
Lung Cancer News
Week Ending December 4, 2023
‘Relentless’ mom battles Stage 4 lung cancer
“A young non-smoker, Alisa Secaida was surprised to receive an advanced cancer diagnosis. Fortunately, doctors at City of Hope uncovered a rare genetic marker that made her tumor treatable.”
Lung Cancer Survival Improved Significantly Based on Early CT Screening: 20-Year Follow-Up Study Findings
“Low-dose computed tomography (CT) screening was found to significantly improve the cure rate for patients with lung cancer, according to a study led by Mount Sinai researchers.1”
Scientists discover how a key protein can help stop lung cancer spreading
“Researchers have identified a protein that could slow the spread of lung cancer and lead to the development of new anti-cancer drugs.”
Research Evangelist: UC expert discusses improving accessibility to lung cancer treatments
“The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center’s Robert Van Haren, MD, recently joined the Research Evangelist podcast to discuss advancements in lung cancer care. He said while there are exciting advancements in treatments, it is important to continue to work to address disparities in accessibility to the best treatments.”
What happens during lung cancer screenings, and who should get one?
“Regular preventive screenings save lives. Their primary purpose? Catching disease in the earliest stages leads to more effective treatments, improved outcomes and better quality of life. Just as a mammogram, blood pressure check, or colonoscopy screening can be lifesaving, the same holds for annual lung cancer screenings for those who meet the criteria.”
AI Tool Flags Non-Smokers at High Risk for Lung Cancer
“To identify the 10% to 20% of lung cancers in people who have never smoked, researchers have developed an AI-deep learning too that flags non-smokers at high-risk for lung cancer from a single chest X-ray.”
Videos:
Woman’s surprising cancer diagnosis an example of growing trend
“More young and middle-aged women are being diagnosed with lung cancer, now at an even higher rate than cases in men, and Palatine resident Mandy Warford is one of them. Health and Wellness Reporter Lauren Petty shares her story, and what advice Warford offers to women in the Chicago area.”
Impact of Molecular Testing on Lung Cancer Survival: Real-world Insights
“A comprehensive study on the association between the availability of molecular genotyping results and overall survival in advanced non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer patients, shedding light on the importance of timely and concurrent testing.”
More Tools
Stories of Hope
Living with Lung Cancer
Share Your Journey
Living with Hepatitis C
OUR SYMBOL
All aspects of wellness are inextricably intertwined. Explore the loops of the Integrative Health Ribbon to discover how integrative approaches can enhance your well-being and help you heal, no matter your diagnosis.
Remember, this is your JOURNEY; these are your CHOICES. Healing is possible; how you achieve it is up to you.
Join Our Weekly News Update
Caring Ambassadors Program provides 3 weekly news updates covering Lung Cancer News, Hepatitis C News, and My Choices© Update. Receive them delivered weekly to your inbox.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA