Men and the Fight Against Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is most heavily associated with female patients. In fact, the chances of women getting diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime is one in 8. However, men can also get breast cancer, although their chances of developing it are significantly lower, at one in 1,000. 

2016 has been the year of breast cancer awareness for men, as shown in an Oklahoma man who has recently been urging both men and women to check themselves for signs of breast cancer named Anthony Merka. He was diagnosed four years ago when his wife tickled him and discovered a lump, he told Fox News. Merka later had a double mastectomy to treat his disease, and since one of his daughters was found to have the BCRA mutation (which strongly increases a person’s risk of breast cancer,) she goes to the doctor every six months for regular breast cancer tests.

2,600 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 and 440 will die from the disease. And since it is so rare for men to get breast cancer, a lot of the time male cases will go undiagnosed for some time and are more likely to be at a later, deadlier stage once discovered.

Just because men are not often diagnosed with breast cancer doesn’t mean they shouldn’t self-exam, and in cases of a family history of the disease, or those that have mutations in the BRCA gene, screening for the disease by doing careful breast exams may be useful.

2016 also sees the launch of the "Real Men Wear Pink Campaign,” which was conceived by the New York and New Jersey chapters of the American Cancer Society. The program raises awareness about breast cancer by enlisting 25 prominent community leaders in the lower Hudson Valley, including a mix of business executives, medical professionals, and politicians. For the event, participants, who have all been affected by breast cancer in some way, are asked to wear a pink article of clothing every day throughout the month of October and commit to raising $2,500 for the cause through their social media networks and community outreach.

The program kicks off fundraising for “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk of Westchester” scheduled for October 16^th in Purchase. “It’s a way to get men more involved with the organization,” said Lillian Jones of the American Cancer Society. “What I found is the participants are finding a way to honor the people they know. It is an opportunity to help other people that makes sense for them.”

12 million participants of ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ since 1993 have helped raise over $750 million for the disease. “We are very excited,” said Jones. “It was really amazing because it’s been really positive for the men who are finding out ways to compete against one another.”

ClermontRadiology.com

14 Things to Do in Lake County in October

For October, I didn't even limit myself to five events to do in Lake County, because there are way more than five. There are an absolute ton of things to do in Lake County this October - from art fests to stage shows, to lots of Halloween frights. Mark your calendars!

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Scott’s Maze Adventures

Select dates in September, October, and November; check site for details.

Long and Scott’s Farm

26216 County Road 448A, Mount Dora

Scott’s Maze Adventures started years ago as a simple 7-acre corn field, but has since become a fun and educational activity for the entire family. Each year the corn maze is different and has a unique theme so it is a different experience every year!

Corpse! A Comedic Thriller

Select dates in September and October; check site for details.

The IceHouse Theatre

1100 N. Unser Street, Mount Dora

In this popular play, one actor plays twins – one a British actor, the other incredibly wealthy – where one continually attempts to get rid of the other. However, things don’t go exactly according to plan.

Fall in the Field

Saturday, October 1^st – Sunday, October 2^nd, 2016

Renniger’s  Antique Center

20651 U.S. Highway 441, Mount Dora

At the 5^th annual Fall in the Field, there’ll be plenty of opportunity for pumpkin picking in the designer pumpkin patch, live music  to jam to, eating tons of delicious food, Fall crafts, a Kid’s Zone with face painting, and more!

Bikes, Blues, and BBQ

Sunday, October 2^nd, 2016

South Lake Moose 1615

17335 US 27, Minneola

Come out for a rib cook-off dinner, live music, and more, in order to raise funds to benefit the Bradley Summersill Foundation.

42^nd Annual Mount Dora Bicycle Festival

Friday, October 7^th – Sunday, October 9^th, 2016

Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce

341 N. Alexander Street., Mount Dora

This year marks the 42^nd annual Mount Dora Bicycle Festival, and for a city that is one of America’s best festival cities, the bicycle festival is definitely one of their best. It will feature over 1,300 cyclists, and will have rides for all lengths and skill levels.

Lake County Folk Festival

Saturday, October 8^th – Sunday, October 9^th, 2016

Ferran Park and Downtown Eustis, Eustis

The family friendly Lake County Folk Festival celebrates their 19^th year this year, with plenty of  musicians, crafters, artists, and food vendors. There will be 9 different venues featuring over 50 groups and more than 150 musicians of different music genres including blues, Celtic, jazz, and folk.

5^th Annual Wings and Wildflowers Festival

Friday, October 14^th – Sunday, October 16^th, 2016

Venetian Gardens

201 E. Dixie Avenue, Leesburg

This three day outdoor festival will feature more than 100 activities and programs and host more than 25 birding, wildflower, and nature experts.

Oktoberfest Beer Walk!

Friday, October 14^th, 2016

Historic Downtown Clermont

685 W Montrose Street, Clermont

Every month downtown Clermont hosts a beer walk, and October is no different. With 20 + wines to sample and a free beer glass to keep with your ticket purchase,  there’s really no better place to be on this Friday night.

Clermont Music Festival

Saturday, October 15^th, 2016

Waterfront Park

Palm Street, Clermont

This year is the 4^th annual free outdoor music festival to benefit the Greater Clermont Cancer Foundation. There will be four stages, vendors, crafts, foods, and a Kids Zone.

Fall Festival at Southern Hill Farms

Friday, October 21^st – Sunday, October 23^rd, 2016

16651 Schofield Road, Clermont

The annual Fall Festival at Southern Hill Farms is back, and there will be a giant pumpkin patch for all to enjoy with a photo taking area and pumpkins of all sizes. Indian Corn will also be available for purchase, and there will be live music, food trucks, Shipyard Beer, hayrides, a playground, and of course the Southern Hill Market that will be open and selling all of your favorite blueberry goodies as well as new fall themed goodies.

Halloween Party for Kids at AMVETS Post 2006

Saturday, October 22^nd, 2016

AMVETS Post 2006

500 N Canal Street, Leesburg

A Halloween day for the kids, there will be plenty of fun Halloween activities, snacks, and candy.

31^st Annual Mount Dora Craft Fair

Saturday, October 22^nd – October 23^rd, 2016

Downtown Mount Dora, Mount Dora

The Mount Dora Craft Fair that happens twice a year is one of the most popular events in Florida, attracting over 200,000 visitors and hosting over 350 of the best crafters in the country.

Nightmare on the Clermont Trails 5K

Saturday, October 29^th, 2016

Downtown Clermont, Clermont

Sometimes you’re a runner, and you’d like to run a 5k, but you’re not a morning person AT ALL. If that sounds like you and you’re also a fan of Halloween themed things, you’ll love the Nightmare on the Clermont Trails 5K Night Run. There’ll be 10 unique scare zones to keep you on your toes as you run the length of the race, and when you finish zombies will greet you with glow in the dark medals and attempt to restrain their appetite. You won’t want to miss this one, so hurry up – participation is limited to 1,000 runners.

Clermont Harvest Festival

Saturday, October 29^th, 2016

Monstrose Street

685 West Montrose Street, Clermont

Come out to the Clermont Harvest Festival for a free family Fall fest! There will be free parking, and all kinds of fun, family-oriented activities, including music and plenty of food.

ClermontRadiology.com

Mammography and breast cancer diagnosis improved by considering patient risk

At the Advances in Decision Analysis sponsored by the INFORMS Decision Analysis Society, a conference that took place June 16-18 at Georgetown University, a new approach to examining mammograms was presented in which a woman’s health risk profile would be taken into account, therefore reducing the number of cancer instances missed and also cutting the number of false positives.

The findings were presented by Mehmet U.S. Ayvaci of the University of Texas Dallas and discussed the role of risk profiling in the interpretation of mammograms.

In order to reduce false negatives by 3.7% and reduce false positives by 3.23, the researchers concluded that the patient’s risk profile information for breast cancer should be provided to the radiologist at the most advantageous time when examining the mammogram, together with statistical weighting based on profile risk. This would help alert women whose early cancer would have gone undiagnosed at an early stage.

Family history, reproductive history, age, and ethnicity, as well as others, are included as risk factors.

Providing risk profile information about women being screened for cancer may bias radiologists and the paper examines these questions in full. It also examines whether this bias actually helps make readings more accurate. In the past, available clinical evidence has been inconclusive on the use of profile information when interpreting mammograms. Profile information helps radiologists make better decisions and should be employed when reading mammograms, according to one position. A contradictory position says that profile information may bias the radiologists, however, it is unclear if bias causes harm at all.

Profile information and potential bias in mammography interpretation was explored by the authors and used a decision science technique called linear opinion pooling, which assigns weights to better aggregate probability estimates.

Three groups were analyzed on decision performance: 1.) A mammogram-only reading, with no profile information about the patient, 2.) an unbiased reading, in which radiologists consult the risk profile after examining the mammogram and 3.) biased or “influenced” readings, in which radiologists consult a women’s risk profile as they examine the mammogram. Then the conditions in which profile information could help improve biopsy decisions was examined.

The use of profile information with an appropriate weight could reduce the false positives and the number of missed cancers were revealed by numerical analysis using a clinical dataset from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, especially in comparison to cases where profile information had not been examined at all.

Breast cancer is the second most non-skin cancer. In 2013, approximately 232,000 breast cancer diagnoses were made and about 39,000 women died from the disease.

ClermontRadiology.com

Memory Functions of the Aging Brain are Provided By Imaging Study

There may be a link between the long-term episodic memory function of the brain and dopamine D2 receptors, according to researchers in Europe who have been using PET and MRI brain imaging to investigate.

As a result of dementia and age, episodic memory functions often become degraded. The research could then help explain why some people suffer from memory impairment. Results of the study were published in the July 12, 2016 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The study was conducted at Umea University in Umea, Sweden by researchers who used Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) brain imaging for the study. Statistical analyses were then used as well as post processing – including 3D imaging, to study the mechanisms behind memory degradation that occurs during aging.

Patient's brain with dementia

181 people aged 64 and 68 were recruited for the study. The participants took part in memory and processing speed tests, coupled with measurements of the different parts of the brain using an MRI assessment. Then, a PET camera was used to examine differences in the D2 system of the brains of the individuals.

It was found that the D2 system was positively linked to episodic memory. The system was not linked to processing speed or working memory. D2 systems were also investigated by the researchers to learn how the D2 was affecting hippocampus function.

The director at the Umea Centre for Functional Brain Imaging, professor Lars Nyberg, said, “Our results link the dopamine D2 receptor to long term episodic memory, likely via hippocampus functioning. Episodic memory is often reduced with age and in people with dementia. Hence, impairment of the dopamine system are important to consider when attempting to understand the bases of impaired cognitive abilities due to aging.”



Resource: Umea University


ClermontRadiology.com

5 Awesome September Lake County Events

Who's as excited for Fall as I am? It's been one of the hottest summers on record here in Florida (and I'm pretty sure around the world as well,) so I'm more than ready to break out my sweaters, inhale pumpkin flavored everything, and lounge around a fire or two. It's not officially Fall till the end of September, but I like to pretend it starts the 1st. And on that note, Lake County has some cool things happening all of September to break in the Fall season. Check out our picks below!

Bouncing Blueberries

Thursday, September 8th, 2016

Southern Hill Farms

16651 Schofield Road, Clermont

If you enjoy blueberries and pancakes, come out to Bouncing Blueberries for family fun activities, blueberry pancakes, story time for the kids, and blueberry muffins, local raw honey, blueberry jam, and more for sale,  Hayrides will also be available throughout the morning. 

Florida Wildlife Festival

Saturday, September 10th, 2016

Cadwell Park

4 Cassady St., Umatilla

At the Florida Wildlife Festival, the focus is on increased awareness and promotion of the safe co-existence of humans and wildlife. It’ll be a fun and educational even and will focus not only on the Florida black bear, but other native Florida species as well.

Cool Summer Mornings 5K Series

Saturday, September 10th, 2016

Clermont's Waterfront Park

330 3rd Street, Clermont

The Cool Summer Mornings 5K Series continues with Race #4, this time with a pirate theme. If you are an avid runner or even if you're just a beginner, come enjoy a morning filled with running, along with post-race food, beer, and live entertainment. 

Vintage RV, Glamping, Hot Rod Show & Antiques Show

Friday, September 16th – Sunday, September 18th, 2016

Renniger’s Antique Center

20651 U.S. 441, Mount Dora

Renniger’s is the source for antiques, and they’ll open again for the Vintage RV, Glamping, Hot Rod & Antiques Show. There will be plenty of antique, vintage, RV and car-related vendors, in addition to camp fires, movies, food, and more. There will also be a contest for Best Vintage RV, Best Vendor Display, and Best Campsite.

Broadway's Rock of Ages Band

Saturday, September 17th, 2016

Mount Dora Community Building Theater

520 N. Baker Street, Mount Dora

Known as Broadway's best party, the Rock of Ages Band had a successful run for 6 years, ending in January of 2015. They are now bringing their party to Mount Dora, where they'll play hits from the glam and hair metal bands from the 80's, including Whitesnake, Quiet Riot, Ratt, Night Ranger, Foreigner, Journey, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benetar, and more!

ClermontRadiology.com

Natural Pain Relief for Cancer Patients

For those that are diagnosed with cancer, chronic pain can become an almost constant battle. Tumors often put pressure on bones, organs, and even nerves; the chemicals that are secreted by tumors also can create pain. But the cancer itself isn’t the only source of cancer-related pain. When you are going through cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation, living your daily life can be excruciating, and the doctor's answer is often to prescribe pain medication that is damaging and often addicting. This is the case with opioid painkillers such as codeine and morphine. When the pain becomes unbearable and the solutions offered by doctors create devastating side effects, it is time to look into natural pain relief in the form of herbs and supplements. Most of the herbs I will list below have anti-inflammatory properties that work by blocking the enzymes that trigger swelling and subsequent pain. Even though these herbs have been used as natural remedies for years in different cultures, please note that I am not a medical doctor and you should always consult with your physician before taking any natural herbs and/or supplements. 

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Tumeric:

Tumeric comes from India and is the spice that gives curry and yellow mustard its beautiful yellow color. Tumeric has long been praised for its anti-inflammatory properties, and the extract found in the turmeric root, curcumin, also possesses these properties. They also both have potent antioxidant properties. Curcumin especially is credited for its ability to reduce pain and slow deterioration in the body. Tumeric works by shutting down the COX2 enzyme that causes pain, as it's able to search for and destroy free radicals in your body. Some doctors even believe that tumeric is more precise than aspirin when it comes to shutting down inflammation. There are a couple different ways to get adequate amounts of turmeric in your diet in order for it to battle pain. Eating a lot of curried dishes, drinking turmeric tea, and taking a supplement (try to find one with the highest percent of curcumin extract) are all good ways to reach ideal levels. Tumeric is a safe alternative with no (known) side effects, so be sure to enjoy it regularly. (I especially love it on scrambled eggs, but if you're looking for more ideas, check out this awesome recipe post.)

Papain:

Papain is an enzyme that's found in papaya fruit and is derived from the sappy, milk like latex that comes from unripe papaya skins. The latex is dried and then made into a powder. Papain boosts the immune system by breaking down proteins, it attacks tumor cells, and was shown to protect against the damaging effects of radiation in animal studies. Papain is often applied topically for bed sores, burns, and surgical wounds; but is usually taken as a pain management supplement. Common side effects of papain include gastrointestinal distress when taken orally and mild burning when applied topically. The enzyme is easily found in supplement stores. 

Ginger:

Did you know ginger reduces pain and inflammation? Ginger lowers your number of prostaglandins, which are the messenger molecules that tell you when you're in pain. Since chemotherapy causes nausea in many cancer patients, ginger can help with that as well (since we all know the effect of ginger ale when we're sick.) The side effects of ginger are rare unless taken in incredibly high doses, but they include heartburn, diarrhea, and stomach discomfort. The herb can be bought fresh or dried, and you can also get it in capsule form, tinctures, extracts, and oils. It's also possible to grate the fresh root for recipes, as its extremely versatile (as you can tell from this awesome Buzzfeed article.) Ginger goes well with Indian/Asian dishes, soups, fish, desserts (like these simple ginger cookies,) and of course tea -- not to mention it pairs extremely well with tumeric and ginseng, two other herbs on this list. 

Capsaicin:

Capsaicin is the phenolic substance that is found in hot chili peppers, and there are plenty of studies that prove how well capsaicin is at pain management. Most of the time, it is used in topical pain relieving creams and patches, but it has also been shown to activate cell receptors in the intestinal lining, creating a reaction that lowers the risk of tumors. Researchers also believe that the compound may turn off an over-reactive receptor that could trigger tumor growth. Capsaicin has also been shown to be effective against breast, pancreatic, and bladder cancer cells. Side effects of capsaicin when eaten are stomach irritation, sweating, flushing, and runny nose. Taken in large doses capsaicin could possibly be dangerous and in rare cases could cause liver or kidney damage. (But that's rare, since I highly doubt many people are funneling tons of hot chili peppers down their throats.) And hey, if you can take the heat, here's a great list of 9 hot peppers and recipes to go with them. 

Feverfew:

Also known as wild chamomile, feverfew hails from the Balkan Mountains of eastern Europe, though nowadays it can be found throughout Europe, South America, and North America. It's been used as a treatment for migraines, fevers, stomach aches, toothaches, and other sources of pain for hundreds of years. There's a main ingredient in feverfew known as Parthenolide, and its responsible for much of its healing power, as it stops the spread of cancerous cells including those of breast, prostate, lung, bladder, leukemia, and myeloma. (Fun fact: the ancient Greeks called feverfew Parthenium, because it supposedly saved the life of someone who fell off the Parthenon during its construction.) It is most common to take feverfew as a supplement, and you can also make it into a tea (here's a good recipe.) You can also grow it in your garden if you are green-thumb inclined. (Me, not so much -- I kill plants just by looking at them.) With feverfew you are gaining not only the migraine and fever reducing advantages but the anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties as well. However, do proceed with caution when it comes to this herb as those allergic to the Asteraceae/Compositae plant family (this includes ragwee, chysanthemums, marigolds, daisies, and many others,) may have an allergic reaction with feverfew. Notable side effects of the herb include upset stomach, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and nausea; and pregnant women are advised not to take feverfew as there is concern for early contractions and/or miscarriage. 

Ginseng:

Ginseng is a very well known herb, mostly used as a natural energy booster and a fatigue combatant in cancer patients. New research linked to the compound "ginesenosides" found in ginseng reveal that the herb can kill cancer cells and inhibit cancer's uncontrolled growth, invasiveness, and angiogenesis. Cancer cells can break away from their primary site and spread to other parts of the body, and ginesenosides can inhibit cancer metastasis and decrease its invasive abilities. Non-toxic and safe, except for minor side effects such as diarrhea, itching, trouble sleeping, headaches, and nervousness, ginseng is recommended in the morning or early afternoon due to its stimulatory properties. Ginseng is most easily taken as a dried extract (200 milligrams,) a tea, or by taking 10 to 3 drops of the extract in a beverage. You can, however, use ginger in recipes, as shown on this ginseng Yummly page. (As mentioned above, ginseng is often used along with tumeric and ginger in recipes, so you get a triple whammy of healing properties!) 

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Overall, there are plenty of alternatives to the traditional cancer related pain solutions offered by pharmaceutical companies. A lot of the herbs listed above work just as well, if not better than, prescribed medication, but are just not as widely known about. Not to mention it's definitely useful that a lot of the herbs are extremely versatile and go well together in recipes. Even if you've never tried natural remedies before, it may be beneficial and money-saving to do so! Also, curry is one of the most delicious things on this planet. Just a side note. 

LOOK AT IT.

DISCLAIMER: All of the information above was gathered through research and reviews from various sources, but I am not a medical professional. If you are interested in taking any of the herbs above, please consult with your doctor before doing so, and know that there are always risks associated with any natural remedy, even if none were found and/or were listed. 


ClermontRadiology.com

The Genius of Marie Curie

If you know anything about radiology or how radiation helps treat cancer, you’ll know that none of today's advances in cancer treatments involving radiology would be possible without the discoveries of Marie Curie.

Born Maria Sklodowska in Warsaw, Poland on November 7^th, 1867, she was raised in a time when Poland was under complete control by the czar of Russia, and her family struggled financially because of her father’s Polish patriotism.

By the time Marie graduated high school at the age of 15, her mother and sister had both died from tuberculosis and typhus, and she fell into a deep depression. She visited her cousins in the country to attempt to clear her head, and after returning to Warsaw, Marie and her sister Bronya joined a “floating university.” A floating university was necessary because at that time women were not allowed to study at the University of Warsaw. So, therefore, the classes met at night and in constantly changing locations to avoid detection by the czar’s police.

Marie with her sister Bronya - 1886.

Marie and her sister Bronya were very close and made a pact to help each other with their educations. Marie would work to help pay for Bronya’s schooling, and when Bronya was complete and making money, she would work to help pay for Marie’s schooling. Therefore Marie worked for three years as a governess teaching the children of a beet-sugar factory owner, and during this time a chemist in the factory gave her some lessons on chemistry. (Poles were forbidden to teach laboratory science.) She continued working as a governess after returning to Warsaw in 1889, while secretly studying chemistry at an illegal lab for Polish scientists.

Marie was finally able to head to medical school at Sorbonne University in Paris at the age of 24, and even though she struggled with tuition, rent, and food, she successfully completed her master’s degree in physics and math in three years, earning a scholarship in the process.

Around this time, Marie was paid by the Society for the Encouragement of National Industry to investigate the magnetic properties of different steels, but Marie didn’t have a lab. That was when she was introduced to Pierre Curie, who was the Laboratory Chief at the Paris Municipal School of Industrial Physics and Chemistry. By then, the Spring of 1894, he had already made important scientific discoveries on magnetism and crystals. Pierre convinced Marie to stay in Paris to pursue science, and she convinced him to write up his magnetism research and get a doctoral degree. Needless to say, they fell in love and married in July 1895.

Marie and Pierre Curie's wedding day - 1895.

For two years she completed her research on the magnetic properties of steels, before she had her first daughter, Irene, in 1897. By then, Marie was looking for a research topic that would earn her a doctorate in science, a degree that no woman in the world had completed yet; she then decided to investigate uranium rays.

She soon discovered that the strength of the rays that came out depended only on the amount of uranium in the compound. Usually, normal properties changed according to how you treated a substance, and scientists at that time knew that such properties came from the way atoms combined with one another. They believed that atoms themselves could not change since they had been created at the beginning of time. She decided to try out various chemicals, in which she found that compounds that contained thorium also gave out rays. To describe the behavior of these two elements, Marie made up the term “radioactivity.”

Marie continued to work her way through other compounds, and her husband Pierre worked with her. They eventually discovered two new elements present in the mineral pitchblende (which was rich in uranium) and they named one “polonium” after Poland, and the other “radium,” for the Latin word for ray.

Radium was discovered to be constantly putting out energy, and Pierre also proved that it could damage living flesh, which opened new ways for treating cancer and other diseases. Radium was soon extracted for medical uses and experiments by scientists.

Soon, Marie became the first woman faculty member at France’s top training school for women’s teachers, and in 1903 she completed her doctoral thesis. The committee of examiners even declared that her work had done more for science than any other previous thesis project.

Marie in 1903.

Her work was recognized in 1903 when she and her husband Pierre won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903. Pierre was then appointed to a professorship at Sorbonne University, and Marie was hired as a laboratory chief.

In 1906 disaster struck when Pierre slipped on wet pavement on the way to the library and fell in front of a horse-drawn carriage, which ran over his head and killed him instantly. Marie was, understandably, devastated, but she went back to work a day after the funeral. And less than a month later, Sorbonne made her the first woman professor, taking up Pierre’s position.

Around this time she created the Radium Institute with the help of the French government and scientist friends, where she headed the radioactivity lab. She also taught physical science once a week at a cooperative school, where her daughter Irene and a few other students got lessons from their parents.

Marie won a second Nobel Prize for her discovery of radium and polonium in 1911, and in 1914, as Germany invaded France, nearly every member of the staff at the Radium Institute enlisted in the war effort. Marie convinced wealthy people to donate their cars, and with them, she assembled a fleet of 20 mobile X-Ray stations as well as 200 stationary stations for doctors on the battlefield. Her teenage daughter Irene also helped as an assistant to her mother, and later directed X-Ray stations by herself. Marie also discovered that radioactive gas that comes from minerals containing radium could be prepared in tiny glass tubes and inserted into patients at spots where the radiation would destroy diseased tissue.

Marie driving a mobile X-Ray clinic - 1915.

The war ended in 1918, and Marie went back to raising money for the Radium Institute. She even came to America and gained a gram of radium so powerful it could fuel thousands of experiments, as well as expensive equipment and quite a bit of money for the institute.

The Radium Institute became a world center for research and Marie carefully selected several dozen scientists to work with. In 1934, her daughter Irene and son in law Frederic Joilot Curie discovered artificial radioactivity, but, sadly, Marie died before she could see them receive the 1935 Nobel Prize for their discovery. She died on July 4^th, 1934 from aplastic anemia, which is a blood disease directly related to radiation exposure. Today, 83 years after her death, Marie Curie's possessions are still so radioactive that they cannot be handled without protection, most notably her notebooks. Her body was even placed in a coffin lined with an inch of lead. 

In 1995 Marie's remains, as well as Pierre’s, were transferred to the Pantheon in Paris, where they now lie among France’s greatest citizens. The president of France remarked that the transfer demonstrated the nation’s respect for all those, like the Curie’s, “who dedicate themselves to science.”

Marie with her daughter Irene - 1925

Without Marie Curie, we would not have the advanced treatments for cancer involving radiation that we have today. Other uses for radiation besides X-Ray technology include nuclear reactors, sterilization for medical equipment, and restoring eyesight to the blind.

ClermontRadiology.com