amanda's Page

Back in October, I wondered do cancer screenings help us or hurt us? This question came in response to the American Cancer Society's recent reports that "early detection of breast and prostate cancers has gone up, but there has been no decline in late-stage breast and prostate cancer." Since the ACS report came out warning against early detection and frequent mammograms, it seems everyone has bee… Continue

Often we wonder, "how can doctors and hospitals work together to provide patients faster and better care?" While we may have our own ideas as Health Activists, getting the ball rolling toward actual results is often difficult. Because of this fact, I wanted to share the recent story of what the Medical College of Georgia is doing with a grant they've received. Their initiative aims to provide more succinct care for… Continue

With new diagnoses come new discussions to have with people in your life. Whether you're explaining your own diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment or explaining a friend or relative's new diagnosis, there are certain ways to go about it in an inclusive, informative way. In the past we've discussed ways to do this and shared the difficulty that comes with… Continue

As Health Activists, we sift through an array of health information from medical reports and news articles to message boards and tweets. And, personally, as I research more about a disease or health condition, sometimes it takes a personal account or opinion-piece to really communicate the weight of the condition to me. This concept of coming to understanding via someone's personal story made me think about the way we define specific health conditions and disease and what goes into creating a… Continue

Explaining things to children isn't always easy. Sometimes you have to sacrifice telling the whole story as you understand it, in favor of reaching an understanding with them. But, as you've probably experienced personally, children are extremely perceptive and honest about their feelings. When talking to children in your life about health, have you struggled? What techniques did you use that worked? How much detail did you share? What did you purposely leave out or "soften" when talking t… Continue