Animal Sanctuary for Pets of Cancer Patients

If you are a patient with end stage cancer and are looking for pet care and/or adoptions for your beloved pet, a cancer center support group called Hope is Alive, has developed an Animal Sanctuary for their patients for just such a need. They provide free foster care and adoptive homes for pets of their patients.

 If you would like to start an Animal Sanctuary in your area, Hope is Alive has offered to share how they started their program which is called The Kathy Wolford Animal Sanctuary. The sanctuary is named after a patient that died and had no one to care for her beloved dog. She had a friend that stepped forward to care for her dog. The friend had a kennel run and donated 4 kennel runs which birthed the Kathy Wolford Animal Sanctuary.

For more information, please contact Patricia McCullough, LSW, social worker for the Cancer Center and Clearfield Hospital at (814) 768-2830. McCullough said she’d eventually like to expand the sanctuary to include pets of Clearfield Hospital patients and home health care patients.

Free for Veterans

*Applebee’s*

Applebee’s is offering a free meal to military veterans and active-duty service members on Veteran’s Day, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. There will be 7 entrées to choose from. Military ID or proof of service required, VA card or dd214. For more information click here

*Chili’s *

Chili’s is offering all military veterans past and present their choice of one of 6 meals. This offer is available during business hours on November 11, 2011 at participating Chili’s in the U.S. only. Dine-in from limited menu only; beverages and gratuity not included. Veterans and active duty military simply show proof of military service. Visit their website to find locations.

*Golden Corral*

The 10th annual Golden Corral Military Appreciation dinner will be held on Monday, November 14, 2011 from 5 pm to 9 pm in all Golden Corral Restaurants nationwide. The free “thank you” dinner is available to any person who has ever served in the United States Military. If you are a veteran, retired, currently serving, in the National Guard or Reserves, you are invited to participate in Golden Corral’s Military Appreciation Monday dinner. Click here for more information.

*McCormick & Schmick’s*

McCormick & Schmick’s is celebrating their 13th annual Veteran’s Appreciation Event on Sunday, November 13th. Veterans will be able to choose a complimentary lunch or dinner entrée. Veterans must provide proof of military service.(Not every location will make this available to Active Duty – Vets Only) Be sure to contact your local McCormick & Schmick’s as this is valid at participating restaurants only. Also, Space is limited and reservations are highly recommended.

For more information click here.

*Outback Steakhouse*

Outback Steakhouse is honoring America’s military veterans by offering active duty military and veterans a free Bloomin’ Onion and a Coca-Cola product during the week leading up to Veteran’s Day. This offer is available to Military Personnel who have one of the following forms of
identifications: U.S Uniform Services Identification Card, U.S Uniform Services Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), DD form 214 Veterans Organization Card (i.e., American Legion and VFW), Photograph in Uniform, Wearing Uniform. For more information click here.

*Free Phones*

In honor of Veterans we would like to provide you with a free phone from some of the top suppliers in the business. Visit http://www.5linx.net/cwm. Just click on the products tab and go to 5linx mobile. Or call 866.814.9771 and use discount code 455277.

*Uno’s Chicago Grill *

Uno’s is offering a free entree or individual pizza with a purchase of an entree or pizza of equal or greater value. Offer good for all military for veterans and active duty military. ID or proof of service required: Show up in uniform (if your service permits), provide military ID, show a picture of yourself in uniform, or have other ID showing proof of service.

*Hooters*

Hooters is offering 10 free wings boneless or traditional to all Veterans and Active Duty Military Personnel. This offer is valid ALL DAY on Friday, November 11th. Drink purchase required. Must present Military ID or Proof of Military Service.Click Here for more information.

*Krispy Kreme*

Krispy Kreme is giving one free doughnut to all active-duty, retirees and Veterans on Friday, November 11th.

*Subway*

Subway is offering a FREE six inch sub to military Veterans on Friday, November 11th.

*Champps Americana*

Champps Americana is celebrating our Veterans with an All American Meal! All Veterans and Active Military will receive a free burger on November 11th! Proof of service required. Offer not valid for the Pepperjack Bacon Stack Burger or Kobe Burger. Dine in only, valid at participating locations. Find a location near you.

*Denny’s*

Denny’s Veterans Day Appreciation Event, Nov. 11. 2011. Free Grand Slam breakfast to any veteran from. Participating markets include select diners in Maryland, Virginia, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Indiana, Colorado and Washington, DC (from 6:00am – 2:00pm), as well as the following New York locations: Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo areas (from 6:00am – 10:00pm). Call ahead to verify, and check with your local Denny’s if you live in another area.

*Little Caesars® Pizza*

Little Caesars is honoring the men and women of the United States armed forces this Veterans Day by providing veterans and active military members with a free Crazy Bread® with proof of military status or proof of service at participating stores nationwide.

*The Olive Garden*

The Olive Garden, Free entrée. Offer good for veterans and active duty military, on Friday, November 11th during regular business hours. Chose from a special menu; all entrées inlcude freshly baked garlic sticks and choice of soup or salad. Off er good in US and Canada, proof of service required.Click here for more information.

*Knott’s Berry Farm*

Knotts Berry Farm Military Tribute Days – Free Admission. Knott’s Berry Farm has an annual Military Tribute event in which they offer military members past and present by offering free park admission. This year the Military Tribute Days run from November 1 – 24 November (Thanksgiving Day). Veterans or current serving military personnel plus one guest get in FREE with proper ID presented at Knott’s turnstile (DD214, Veterans Administration Hospital ID or Active Military Service ID). Purchase up to six additional tickets for just $17 each.Click Here for more information.

Palliative Care – State by State

Palliative Care is comfort care for relief from pain and symptoms caused by a disease. It can be provided with life-prolonging treatments to enhance quality of life. It may be provided from the time of a cancer diagnosis and at the same time as curative treatment.

2011 Palliative care state-by-state report card shows the nation Improved but regional gaps remain. According to a “Report Card” published by the Center to Advance Palliative Care, the nation overall gets a “B” grade, up from a “C,” when the report was first released in 2008.

The Report Card demonstrates considerable improvement in the growth of palliative care. (Out of a total of 2,489 hospitals nationwide who participated in this survey, about 1,500 provide palliative care services.) This number is expected to grow significantly over the next five years, but barriers continue to exist in three key areas. These areas are Workforce, Research and Access.

Key findings included in this report are that seven states plus the District of Columbia are given a grade of A. They are Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Only three states, Vermont, Montana and New Hampshire, received an A in 2008.

More than half of the fifty states received a grade of B. Seven states improved from a D to a C (Georgia, Kentucky, New Mexico, Texas, South Carolina, Louisiana and Wyoming).

Nevada saw dramatic gains, rising from a D to a B grade. Only two states – Delaware and Mississippi – got an F. Oklahoma, Alabama and Arkansas improved from an F in the last report card to a D in 2011.

View state rankings and recommendations here

The Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) provides health care professionals the tools, training, and technical assistance necessary to start and sustain successful palliative care programs in hospitals and other health care settings. CAPC is a national, non-profit organization located at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

2011 Open Enrollment for Medicare

The open enrollment dates for Medicare have changed and are

now from October 15-December 7. This is a switch from the past

enrollment period of November 15-December 15.

It does not seem like this change has been well publicized and the

concern is that Medicare recipients who want to make a switch will be

caught off guard and will miss the new deadline.

Please consider your satisfaction with your current Medicare benefits

and be attentive to the new enrollment deadline. Hopefully a reimder will

be issued soon from the Social Security Administration regarding the

deadline date change.

For more information regarding resources for enrollment for Medicare

contact Phyllis Ruja Tell, MSW at the Ronnie Lippin Cancer Information

and Resource Line at 877-752-2120 or view our self-help resources online.

Social Worker and Breast Cancer Survivor