Wade Hayes poses for a publicity shot before his diagnosis. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Country singer Wade Hayes was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in November Hayes is 42 years old and has no family history of gastrointestinal disease Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women (CNN) — He thought the bleeding was a hemorrhoid, brought on by a strenuous weightlifting session at the gym. He thought the fatigue was due to his life on the road, performing coast-to-coast with the band Alabama’s lead singer, Randy Owen. He thought at 42, he was too young to get a colonoscopy. Then the excruciating pain hit. Wade Hayes, the country musician best known for his No. 1 hit “Old Enough to Know Better,” spent Thanksgiving in the hospital. His intestine had collapsed in on itself — a condition called intussusception. Intussusception blocks food and liquid from passing through the intestine and cuts off the blood supply to the rest of the digestive tract, according to the Mayo Clinic. Normally found in children, it’s rare in adults unless caused by an underlying condition. For Hayes, that underlying condition was stage IV colon cancer. Doctors discovered a large tumor had caused the collapse. And that wasn’t the end of the bad news. You just don’t expect a man in his young 40s, who was perfectly healthy in every other way, to get this kind of diagnosis.Mike Robertson, Hayes’ manager The cancer had metastasized, or spread. Surgeons removed approximately 70% of Hayes’ liver and more than 20 inches of his large intestine. “You just don’t expect a man in his young 40s, who was perfectly healthy in every other way, to get this kind of diagnosis,” says Hayes’ manager, Mike Robertson. “There was a part of me that was going, ‘Surely this can’t be happening.’ ” Colorectal cancer — often referred to as colon cancer — is the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women, according to the American Cancer Society. It’s also the most preventable. Colorectal cancer usually develops slowly, over the course of 10 to 15 years, from noncancerous polyps. Approximately 90% of new cases occur in people over the age of 50. The American Cancer Society recommends colonoscopies every 10 years for people beginning at that age, unless they have high risk factors such as a family history of colorectal cancer or another gastrointestinal disease. Colonoscopies can spot and remove polyps before they become malignant. Coming clean about my first colonoscopy “Oftentimes, [colorectal cancer] has no symptoms,” says Dr. Paul Limburg, a gastrointestinal cancer prevention specialist at the Mayo Clinic who has not treated Hayes. “The most important message is that people really should understand that screening should be done regularly. It could make a substantial difference in the number of lives saved.” Hayes had no family history of gastrointestinal disease, which is one of the reasons he ignored his symptoms for so long. In fact, when he walked into the hospital in November, he was in better shape than everyone in the waiting room, Robertson remembers. Since then, Hayes has lost 50 pounds and is struggling to regain a sense of normalcy through multiple rounds of chemotherapy. He’s fighting an uphill battle — a 2004 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute estimated the five-year survival rate for stage IV colon cancer to be 8.1%, and an institute study of cancer data put the survival rate at 6%. “It hurts like hell,” Hayes says of his recovery. “I always thought of myself as a man’s man, but I just discovered what a wuss I am.” Wade Hayes performs at the Stars Go Blue For Colon Cancer benefit on March 6, 2012. Thankfully, Hayes is anything but alone in Nashville. Willie Nelson called from Hawaii to wish him well. Kix Brooks helped him connect with the best doctors in the city. Jay DeMarcus from Rascal Flatts arranged for a private room at Vanderbilt hospital. “That part of it has been really shocking for me. I had no idea how many people cared about me or even knew I existed.” Robertson says that’s the kind of person Hayes is — modest to a fault; an introvert who enjoys reading detective dramas and has no desire to just sit around. Hayes lives with his dog, Jack, a boxer he found as a stray, eating out of the garbage at a filling station 75 miles from Nashville. He loaded the starving, tick-covered dog into the back of his truck and took him home, where Jack proceeded to chew on everything in sight. “He’s very lovable but a pain the ass — just like me,” Hayes says with a laugh. Hayes’ scans were clear of tumors in early March. But the musician still has four more months of chemotherapy to go. Chemo has left his hands and mouth incredibly sensitive. Food tastes funny, and touching anything cold feels like “being electrocuted.” Some days, he has trouble gripping his guitar. He performed at the Stars Go Blue benefit concert for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month on March 6 but had trouble singing because of the chemo’s effects on his vocal cords. If I had caught it early, I wouldn’t be where I am now.Wade Hayes He’s eager to get back to writing music, but the chemotherapy chemicals invading his body make it difficult to concentrate. “He’s seen something taken away that he’s very passionate to get back to,” Robertson says of Hayes’ impatience. “He’s always bounced back from everything. I think he thought he’d have the surgery, and then. … The recovery has taken longer than he expected.” Still, Hayes is doing his best to help the process along. Studies have shown that environmental and dietary factors can influence your risk of colorectal cancer, according to Limburg. A low-fat, high-fiber diet is good, as is regular exercise. “In general, things that are healthy overall, are healthy for your colon,” Limburg says. So Hayes is eating less red meat, more fruits and vegetables. He’s sold his house in the city and is hoping to buy a small farm in the country. Most importantly, he’s speaking out about getting screened early and often. “If I had caught
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Musician battles stage IV colon cancer
Wade Hayes poses for a publicity shot before his diagnosis. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Country singer Wade Hayes was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in November Hayes is 42 years old and has no family history of gastrointestinal disease Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women (CNN) — He thought the bleeding was a hemorrhoid, brought on by a strenuous weightlifting session at the gym. He thought the fatigue was due to his life on the road, performing coast-to-coast with the band Alabama’s lead singer, Randy Owen. He thought at 42, he was too young to get a colonoscopy. Then the excruciating pain hit. Wade Hayes, the country musician best known for his No. 1 hit “Old Enough to Know Better,” spent Thanksgiving in the hospital. His intestine had collapsed in on itself — a condition called intussusception. Intussusception blocks food and liquid from passing through the intestine and cuts off the blood supply to the rest of the digestive tract, according to the Mayo Clinic. Normally found in children, it’s rare in adults unless caused by an underlying condition. For Hayes, that underlying condition was stage IV colon cancer. Doctors discovered a large tumor had caused the collapse. And that wasn’t the end of the bad news. You just don’t expect a man in his young 40s, who was perfectly healthy in every other way, to get this kind of diagnosis.Mike Robertson, Hayes’ manager The cancer had metastasized, or spread. Surgeons removed approximately 70% of Hayes’ liver and more than 20 inches of his large intestine. “You just don’t expect a man in his young 40s, who was perfectly healthy in every other way, to get this kind of diagnosis,” says Hayes’ manager, Mike Robertson. “There was a part of me that was going, ‘Surely this can’t be happening.’ ” Colorectal cancer — often referred to as colon cancer — is the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women, according to the American Cancer Society. It’s also the most preventable. Colorectal cancer usually develops slowly, over the course of 10 to 15 years, from noncancerous polyps. Approximately 90% of new cases occur in people over the age of 50. The American Cancer Society recommends colonoscopies every 10 years for people beginning at that age, unless they have high risk factors such as a family history of colorectal cancer or another gastrointestinal disease. Colonoscopies can spot and remove polyps before they become malignant. Coming clean about my first colonoscopy “Oftentimes, [colorectal cancer] has no symptoms,” says Dr. Paul Limburg, a gastrointestinal cancer prevention specialist at the Mayo Clinic who has not treated Hayes. “The most important message is that people really should understand that screening should be done regularly. It could make a substantial difference in the number of lives saved.” Hayes had no family history of gastrointestinal disease, which is one of the reasons he ignored his symptoms for so long. In fact, when he walked into the hospital in November, he was in better shape than everyone in the waiting room, Robertson remembers. Since then, Hayes has lost 50 pounds and is struggling to regain a sense of normalcy through multiple rounds of chemotherapy. He’s fighting an uphill battle — a 2004 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute estimated the five-year survival rate for stage IV colon cancer to be 8.1%, and an institute study of cancer data put the survival rate at 6%. “It hurts like hell,” Hayes says of his recovery. “I always thought of myself as a man’s man, but I just discovered what a wuss I am.” Wade Hayes performs at the Stars Go Blue For Colon Cancer benefit on March 6, 2012. Thankfully, Hayes is anything but alone in Nashville. Willie Nelson called from Hawaii to wish him well. Kix Brooks helped him connect with the best doctors in the city. Jay DeMarcus from Rascal Flatts arranged for a private room at Vanderbilt hospital. “That part of it has been really shocking for me. I had no idea how many people cared about me or even knew I existed.” Robertson says that’s the kind of person Hayes is — modest to a fault; an introvert who enjoys reading detective dramas and has no desire to just sit around. Hayes lives with his dog, Jack, a boxer he found as a stray, eating out of the garbage at a filling station 75 miles from Nashville. He loaded the starving, tick-covered dog into the back of his truck and took him home, where Jack proceeded to chew on everything in sight. “He’s very lovable but a pain the ass — just like me,” Hayes says with a laugh. Hayes’ scans were clear of tumors in early March. But the musician still has four more months of chemotherapy to go. Chemo has left his hands and mouth incredibly sensitive. Food tastes funny, and touching anything cold feels like “being electrocuted.” Some days, he has trouble gripping his guitar. He performed at the Stars Go Blue benefit concert for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month on March 6 but had trouble singing because of the chemo’s effects on his vocal cords. If I had caught it early, I wouldn’t be where I am now.Wade Hayes He’s eager to get back to writing music, but the chemotherapy chemicals invading his body make it difficult to concentrate. “He’s seen something taken away that he’s very passionate to get back to,” Robertson says of Hayes’ impatience. “He’s always bounced back from everything. I think he thought he’d have the surgery, and then. … The recovery has taken longer than he expected.” Still, Hayes is doing his best to help the process along. Studies have shown that environmental and dietary factors can influence your risk of colorectal cancer, according to Limburg. A low-fat, high-fiber diet is good, as is regular exercise. “In general, things that are healthy overall, are healthy for your colon,” Limburg says. So Hayes is eating less red meat, more fruits and vegetables. He’s sold his house in the city and is hoping to buy a small farm in the country. Most importantly, he’s speaking out about getting screened early and often. “If I had caught it early, I wouldn’t be where I am now.” For more information on colorectal cancer, visit Cancer.org.
Musician battles stage IV colon cancer
Wade Hayes poses for a publicity shot before his diagnosis. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Country singer Wade Hayes was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in November Hayes is 42 years old and has no family history of gastrointestinal disease Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women (CNN) — He thought the bleeding was a hemorrhoid, brought on by a strenuous weightlifting session at the gym. He thought the fatigue was due to his life on the road, performing coast-to-coast with the band Alabama’s lead singer, Randy Owen. He thought at 42, he was too young to get a colonoscopy. Then the excruciating pain hit. Wade Hayes, the country musician best known for his No. 1 hit “Old Enough to Know Better,” spent Thanksgiving in the hospital. His intestine had collapsed in on itself — a condition called intussusception. Intussusception blocks food and liquid from passing through the intestine and cuts off the blood supply to the rest of the digestive tract, according to the Mayo Clinic. Normally found in children, it’s rare in adults unless caused by an underlying condition. For Hayes, that underlying condition was stage IV colon cancer. Doctors discovered a large tumor had caused the collapse. And that wasn’t the end of the bad news. You just don’t expect a man in his young 40s, who was perfectly healthy in every other way, to get this kind of diagnosis.Mike Robertson, Hayes’ manager The cancer had metastasized, or spread. Surgeons removed approximately 70% of Hayes’ liver and more than 20 inches of his large intestine. “You just don’t expect a man in his young 40s, who was perfectly healthy in every other way, to get this kind of diagnosis,” says Hayes’ manager, Mike Robertson. “There was a part of me that was going, ‘Surely this can’t be happening.’ ” Colorectal cancer — often referred to as colon cancer — is the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women, according to the American Cancer Society. It’s also the most preventable. Colorectal cancer usually develops slowly, over the course of 10 to 15 years, from noncancerous polyps. Approximately 90% of new cases occur in people over the age of 50. The American Cancer Society recommends colonoscopies every 10 years for people beginning at that age, unless they have high risk factors such as a family history of colorectal cancer or another gastrointestinal disease. Colonoscopies can spot and remove polyps before they become malignant. Coming clean about my first colonoscopy “Oftentimes, [colorectal cancer] has no symptoms,” says Dr. Paul Limburg, a gastrointestinal cancer prevention specialist at the Mayo Clinic who has not treated Hayes. “The most important message is that people really should understand that screening should be
Venus Williams vows to rise again after illness
Venus Williams has remained in the public eye despite her health problems, appearing at Vanity Fair’s Oscars party in West Hollywood in February. It proved to be a landmark year for Williams. She won gold in the women’s singles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, as well as the doubles title with Serena. She then secured her first U.S. Open title by beating compatriot Lindsay Davenport. Williams retained her U.S. title in 2001 by beating Serena in the first grand slam final to be played between two sisters in the post-1968 Open era. A bright future? A prodigious talent Falling at the final hurdle Sister, sister Wimbledon winner Flying the flag Sibling rivalry A family affair The battle begins On the comeback trail STORY HIGHLIGHTS Venus and Serena Williams have been beset by health issues in recent times Serena suffered blood clots on her lungs, and Venus has Sjogren’s syndrome Seven-time grand slam winner Venus makes her return to the WTA Tour on Wednesday The former world No. 1 has not played since pulling out of the U.S. Open in August 2011 (CNN) — The Williams sisters have not had it easy in recent years. Two of the modern era’s most successful women tennis players have been beset by health problems which have deprived the game of two of its most marketable stars. Serena has overcome life-threatening blood clots on both lungs, while older sibling Venus is this week making her long-awaited WTA Tour comeback as she battles a debilitating illness that has sidelined her since last year’s U.S. Open. After pulling out of her second-round match in New York, Venus revealed she had been diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome — an incurable condition which affects energy levels and causes pain in the joints. “I just didn’t feel well before my second-round match, to the point where I couldn’t play,” the 31-year-old told CNN’s Connect the World show. “At the beginning of the tournament, I wasn’t sure how far I would get or what I would do, I was kind of living on a hope and a dream.” After a glittering 18-year professional career which has seen her become the first black woman to be ranked world No. 1 in the Open era, winning seven grand slam singles titles and 12 major doubles crowns alongside Serena, Williams would have been forgiven for deciding to chuck in the towel. But, instead of eying an early retirement, the winner of three Olympic gold medals set her sights on managing her illness and returning to the baseline ahead of this year’s London Games. “When you don’t feel well and things are taken away from you, it’s hard to stay positive,” the former world No. 1 said. “But, for me, it is not an option to get negative or to feel sorry for myself. “It’s easy to say, ‘I’ve done enough’ — or it would be easy to go on a permanent vacation. But I need to look back and know that I gave everything. “I know I still have so much more. Before I was sick I was on top of the world in singles and doubles. So that’s my goal, to return to that.” When you don’t feel well and things are taken away from you, it’s hard to stay positiveVenus Williams Williams has played just one Fed Cup doubles rubber for the U.S. team and an exhibition match against Serena since withdrawing in New York on August 31, and she will make her return as a wildcard at the Miami Masters this week — an event she has won on three occasions. “I’m looking forward to coming back,” she said. “Sjogren’s syndrome definitely changed my life, it changed everything. It changed how I eat, it changed my whole life.” Learning to manage her condition has given Williams hope of returning to her imperious best. By managing her diet, she is aiming to one day play unaffected by the syndrome’s debilitating symptoms. “I don’t think the road will be perfect, but I think I can get it as close to perfect as possible,” she said. “My hope is to be symptom-free one day. I work with my doctors on that, but also I work on my diet, which I’ve found has been huge. With Sjogren’s you deal with a lot of fatigue and joint pain and inflammation. “It’s because of the things I’m eating. I’ve started eating raw, vegan, unprocessed foods, doing lots of juicing, I juice twice a day. I drink wheatgrass
Health care message wars heat up on anniversary of law
Tea party supporters protest against the health care bill in March 2010 outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Second anniversary of President Obama signing health care reform into law approaches Democrats plan to highlight key provisions of law this week Obama Cabinet officials are going on the road to tout what they say has worked Republicans are using anniversary to argue law should be repealed Washington (CNN) — Two years after President Barack Obama signed health care reform legislation — and with the U.S. Supreme Court about to consider a challenge from several states trying to overturn it — supporters and opponents of the controversial law are gearing up for a message war like it’s 2009. At that time, Democrats, emboldened by a new president and big gains in Congress, pushed sweeping legislation to expand coverage for uninsured Americans, clashing with Republicans who branded the bill “Obamacare” and warned it would trigger an unprecedented intrusion by Washington into people’s medical decisions. Raucous crowds at town halls across the country that summer, many focusing on health care, captured the intensity of the debate. When Democrats muscled the final version of the bill through the House of Representatives in a late-night vote, not one Republican voted for it. Obama signed his top legislative achievement into law on March 23, 2010, but by then the issue was already shaping up to be a central flashpoint in that year’s midterm elections. That November, Democrats were tossed out of the majority in the House after voters elected a new class of 87 Republicans who campaigned on repealing “Obamacare.” GOP candidates for the 2012 presidential nomination have made rolling back the law a central promise of their campaigns. Democrats stress benefits, argue warnings never happened Congressional Democrats this week, with a major push from the White House, are planning a series of events to highlight the two major provisions of the law implemented in the last two years — rules extending health care coverage for those with pre-existing conditions and allowing young adults to remain on their parents’ plans until they turn 26. The most controversial parts of the law — such as requiring all Americans to enroll in a health care plan or pay a penalty and setting up a federal health care insurance exchange, where people can compare and shop for plans — won’t go into effect until 2014. Democratic aides admit that while certain key components of health care reform are having an impact on some, many Americans are only “vaguely aware” of them, as one aide noted, so the emphasis will be on showing what’s changed in two years. Democrats will also argue that all the dire predictions …
Health care message wars heat up on anniversary of law
Tea party supporters protest against the health care bill in March 2010 outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Second anniversary of President Obama signing health care reform into law approaches Democrats plan to highlight key provisions of law this week Obama Cabinet officials are going on the road to tout what they say has worked Republicans are using anniversary to argue law should be repealed Washington (CNN) — Two years after President Barack Obama signed health care reform legislation — and with the U.S. Supreme Court about to consider a challenge from several states trying to overturn it — supporters and opponents of the controversial law are gearing up for a message war like it’s 2009. At that time, Democrats, emboldened by a new president and big gains in Congress, pushed sweeping legislation to expand coverage for uninsured Americans, clashing with Republicans who branded the bill “Obamacare” and warned it would trigger an unprecedented intrusion by Washington into people’s medical decisions. Raucous crowds at town halls across the country that summer, many focusing on health care, captured the intensity of the debate. When Democrats muscled the final version of the bill through the House of Representatives in a late-night vote, not one Republican voted for it. Obama signed his top legislative achievement into law on March 23, 2010, but by then the issue was already shaping up to be a central flashpoint in that year’s midterm elections. That November, Democrats were tossed out of the majority in the House after voters elected a new class of 87 Republicans who campaigned on repealing “Obamacare.” GOP candidates for the 2012 presidential nomination have made rolling back the law a central promise of their campaigns. Democrats stress benefits, argue warnings never happened Congressional Democrats this week, with a major push from the White House, are planning a series of events to highlight the two major provisions of the law implemented in the last two years — rules extending health care coverage for those with pre-existing conditions and allowing young adults to remain on their parents’ plans until they turn 26. The most controversial parts of the law — such as requiring all Americans to enroll in a health care plan or pay a penalty and setting up a federal health care insurance exchange, where people can compare and shop for plans — won’t go into effect until 2014. Democratic aides admit that while certain key components of health care reform are having an impact on some, many Americans are only “vaguely aware” of them, as one aide noted, so the emphasis will be on showing what’s changed in two years. Democrats will also argue that all the dire predictions GOP opponents warned about in 2009 haven’t materialized. Republicans said senior citizens would lose their health care coverage and private plans would be forced to impose massive hikes in premiums. “None of those things have happened, and in fact good things have happened — so that is a help to us,” claimed one senior Democratic aide coordinating the week’s activities. “People are seeing the good things and the crazy things Republicans said were going to happen didn’t happen.” Recently the No. 2 Democrat in the House, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland, acknowledged that health care reform was a liability for the party in the 2010 elections, but he said he believes polls now show that time and public awareness about the law will help Democrats on the ballot this November. Each day leading up to Friday’s anniversary, Democrats and a coalition of outside health care advocates will focus on five specific themes, highlighting a different one each day. These include talking about benefits for senior citizens, lower costs for prescription drugs, expanded coverage for women and new insurance requirements to cover children and young adults as well as people with pre-existing conditions. Supporters in Congress are expected to keep the message machine cranked up with press events featuring people talking about personal experiences with the law, links to facts about the law disseminated on social media, and speeches. But because many in Washington have already made up their minds about the issue, Democrats and pro-health care groups will also target their message beyond the nation’s capital. Top Cabinet officials will travel to events across the country to talk about how the law has worked so far, according to an Obama administration official. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will go to St Louis on Monday to discuss the law’s impact on senior citizens. “We’re reaching out to see people out in their communities. This is part of our regular communication with the American people,” the official told CNN, emphasizing there’s been an ongoing effort in the last two years to educate consumers. Obama hasn’t made major remarks on the topic recently, but his campaign has taken to social media in recent days to remind people of the law’s benefits. In a tweet Friday, the president’s Twitter account gave a statistic about how many people would be affected by the law’s (officially called the Affordable Care Act) change on coverage: “@BarackObama The #ACA lifted lifetime caps on health care for 105 million Americans-so coverage will be there when they need it.” GOP pushes for repeal, highlights ‘broken promises’ Republicans view the two-year anniversary and the three days of arguments over the health care law in the Supreme Court next week as golden opportunities to show the government is overreaching and to argue again that the law needs to be repealed entirely. With polls indicating the public still sharply divided on the issue, GOP aides said that showing the overall costs and impact on the nation’s deficit ties into their message that Obama isn’t focused on the economy and rising gas prices. A memo from the Republican National Committee released Friday promised a two-week campaign: “Working with our allies on the Hill and in key battleground states, we’re spearheading an aggressive offense to draw attention to the failures and unpopularity of Obamacare.” House and Senate Republicans are both promising to highlight what one senior GOP Senate leadership aide called the “broken promises” Democrats made about costs coming down and the deficit being lowered. Leaders as well as rank-and-file GOP members will pen editorials for their local papers, head to the floor to make speeches deriding what they see as the law’s intrusive provisions and use social media to conduct “Twitter town halls” to engage voters around the country in the debate. “Every Republican in the building is eager to talk about health care,” the senior GOP aide said. House GOP leaders have also scheduled a vote this week to repeal a key component of the law known as the Independent Payment Advisory Board. The panel consists of 15 experts who are tasked with making recommendations on how to achieve the Medicare savings in the law that help offset new health care costs. Republicans argue the panel gives “unelected bureaucrats” more power over medical decisions than patients and their doctors and would result in “rationing” care. Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential candidate, referred to this proposal as a “death panel,” arguing its decisions outweighed patients and doctors. But congressional Republicans have refrained from reviving the term so far. While some Democrats have criticized the structure of the Independent Payment Advisory Board and are likely to vote to eliminate it, they oppose it mostly because it takes power from Congress and gives it to the executive branch. These Democrats still believe the health care law is working. The House GOP’s campaign arm is also marking the occasion by running ads against a handful of House Democrats who voted against repealing health care when Republicans took over in January 2011. Paul Lindsay, spokesman for the National Republican Campaign Committee, said the ads “will continue to hold Democrats accountable for cutting $500 billion from Medicare in order to pay for Obamacare.” The s
ame week health care approaches its second anniversary, House GOP Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin will also roll out his annual budget proposal. As it did last year, it’s expected to include a plan to make dramatic changes in Medicare to counter the program’s impact on the nation’s deficit. Congressional Democrats are already honing in on that proposal, saying it shows Republicans are more concerned with continuing tax breaks for the wealthy than protecting care for senior citizens. The bitterly partisan battle on the GOP’s changes to Medicare promises to be as divisive as the debate over health care was two years ago. Debate ramps up ahead of Supreme Court arguments After Friday’s anniversary, the focus turns from Capitol Hill to the Supreme Court, which has scheduled three days of oral arguments on challenges to the health care law. A coalition of health care advocacy groups that lobbied for the law in 2009 are planning events in more than 30 states starting this week to demonstrate how the law is working …
Poster child for smoking campaign speaks out
Woman’s life is a warning for smokers STORY HIGHLIGHTS Terrie Hall of North Carolina is featured in harsh anti-smoking ad campaign Hall describes how 23 years of smoking led to her battling cancer Her worst moment was immediately after doctors removed her larynx She joined the ad campaign because “it will save lives” Editor’s note: As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rolls out a new anti-smoking ad campaign this week, Terrie Hall, 51, of Lexington, North Carolina, has become a poster child of sorts. One of the hard-hitting ads starkly features Hall’s remarkable struggle against deadly tobacco-related disease. (CNN) — CNN: Do you remember the first time you smoked cigarettes? HALL: The first time was on a camping outing with friends in North Carolina. One of my friends snuck them in. I was thirteen. That was the first time I tried a cigarette. It made me sick. Then, at seventeen, I started smoking to be with my friends and be with them. It didn’t make me sick that time. it was pretty quick that I became addicted and within a year I was a pack-a-day smoker. CNN: Tell us about the photo of you when you were younger. HALL: That was my senior year in high school, right after I started smoking. Terrie Hall, left, at age 17, when she started smoking regularly. Now 51, right, Hall is battling tobacco-related illness. CNN: At that age, did it ever occur to you that it might be dangerous? What, if anything, did you know about the possible downsides of smoking? HALL: I knew nothing. Absolutely nothing. It just made me feel grown up. I wish I had had someone like me come see me in school and talk to me about the dangers of tobacco. I think it would have changed my life. CNN: How long were you a smoker? HALL: I smoked for 23 years. CNN: At your worst, how much did you smoke in a day? HALL: Two packs a day. Video: Terrie Hall talks about how she discovered she had cancer and why she joined the ad campaign CNN: Tell me a bit about your life. HALL: I am divorced and I have one daughter in her thirties and a ten-year-old grandson. I do a lot of volunteer work and advocacy work. I go to the middle and high schools around North Carolina and talk about smoking and tobacco education and awareness. CNN: It’s clear in the ads that you’ve been sick. Tell us about your condition today. How are you doing? HALL: I’m still undergoing treatment for cancer. My cancer initially started in my mouth and was discovered by my dentist and I had to go through radiation. The whole time I was going through radiation, I had a really bad sore throat and I thought I was just smoking too much. After the radiation was complete, in June 2000, I lost my mother in August and in December I discovered the tumor on my larynx. They told me they were going to remove my voice box, but all I heard was cancer. I didn’t hear the part about them taking something from me. So I woke up in ICU and the nurse asked me if she could get me anything, and I was in
Health care message wars heat up on anniversary of law
Tea party supporters protest against the health care bill in March 2010 outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Second anniversary of President Obama signing health care reform into law approaches Democrats plan to highlight key provisions of law this week Obama Cabinet officials are going on the road to tout what they say has worked Republicans are using anniversary to argue law should be repealed Washington (CNN) — Two years after President Barack Obama signed health care reform legislation — and with the U.S. Supreme Court about to consider a challenge from several states trying to overturn it — supporters and opponents of the controversial law are gearing up for a message war like it’s 2009. At that time, Democrats, emboldened by a new president and big gains in Congress, pushed sweeping legislation to expand coverage for uninsured Americans, clashing with Republicans who branded the bill “Obamacare” and warned it would trigger an unprecedented intrusion by Washington into people’s medical decisions. Raucous crowds at town halls across the country that summer, many focusing on health care, captured the intensity of the debate. When Democrats muscled the final version of the bill through the House of Representatives in a late-night vote, not one Republican voted for it. Obama signed his top legislative achievement into law on March 23, 2010, but by then the issue was already shaping up to be a central flashpoint in that year’s midterm elections. That November, Democrats were tossed out of the majority in the House after voters elected a new class of 87 Republicans who campaigned on repealing “Obamacare.” GOP candidates for the 2012 presidential nomination have made rolling back the law a central promise of their campaigns. Democrats stress benefits, argue warnings never happened Congressional Democrats this week, with a major push from the White House, are planning a series of events to highlight the two major provisions of the law implemented in the last two years — rules extending health care coverage for those with pre-existing conditions and allowing young adults to remain on their parents’ plans until they turn 26. The most controversial parts of the law — such as requiring all Americans to enroll in a health care plan or pay a penalty and setting up a federal health care insurance exchange, where people can compare and shop for plans — won’t go into effect until 2014. Democratic aides admit that while certain key components of health care reform are having an impact on some, many Americans are only “vaguely aware” of them, as one aide noted, so the emphasis will be on showing what’s changed in two years. Democrats will also argue that all the dire predictions GOP opponents warned about in 2009 haven’t materialized. Republicans said senior citizens would lose their health care coverage and private plans would be forced to impose massive hikes in premiums. “None of those things have happened, and in fact good things have happened — so that is a help to us,” claimed one senior Democratic aide coordinating the week’s activities. “People are seeing the good things and the crazy things Republicans said were going to happen didn’t happen.” Recently the No. 2 Democrat in the House, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland, acknowledged that health care reform was a liability for the party in the 2010 elections, but he said he believes polls now show that time and public awareness about the law will help Democrats on the ballot this November. Each day leading up to Friday’s anniversary, Democrats and a coalition of outside health care advocates will focus on five specific themes, highlighting a different one each day. These include talking about benefits for senior citizens, lower costs for prescription drugs, expanded coverage for women and new insurance requirements to cover children and young adults as well as people with pre-existing conditions. Supporters in Congress are expected to keep the message machine cranked up with press events featuring people talking about personal experiences with the law, links to facts about the law disseminated on social media, and speeches. But because many in Washington have already made up their minds about the issue, Democrats and pro-health care groups will also target their message beyond the nation’s capital. Top Cabinet officials will travel to events across the country to talk about how the law has worked so far, according to an Obama administration official. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will go to St Louis on Monday to discuss the law’s impact on senior citizens. “We’re reaching out to see people out in their communities. This is part of our regular communication with the American people,” the official told CNN, emphasizing there’s been an ongoing effort in the last two years to educate consumers. Obama hasn’t made major remarks on the topic recently, but his campaign has taken to social media in recent days to remind people of the law’s benefits. In a tweet Friday, the president’s Twitter account gave a statistic about how many people would be affected by the law’s (officially called the Affordable Care Act) change on coverage: “@BarackObama The #ACA lifted lifetime caps on health care for 105 million Americans-so coverage will be there when they need it.” GOP pushes for repeal, highlights ‘broken promises’ Republicans view the two-year anniversary and the three days of arguments over the health care law in the Supreme Court next week as golden opportunities to show the government is overreaching and to argue again that the law needs to be repealed entirely. With polls indicating the public still sharply divided on the issue, GOP aides said that showing the overall costs and impact on the nation’s deficit ties into their message that Obama isn’t focused on the economy and rising gas prices. A memo from the Republican National Committee released Friday promised a two-week campaign: “Working with our allies on the Hill and in key battleground states, we’re spearheading an aggressive offense to draw attention …
Poster child for smoking campaign speaks out
Woman’s life is a warning for smokers STORY HIGHLIGHTS Terrie Hall of North Carolina is featured in harsh anti-smoking ad campaign Hall describes how 23 years of smoking led to her battling cancer Her worst moment was immediately after doctors removed her larynx She joined the ad campaign because “it will save lives” Editor’s note: As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rolls out a new anti-smoking ad campaign this week, Terrie Hall, 51, of Lexington, North Carolina, has become a poster child of sorts. One of the hard-hitting ads starkly features Hall’s remarkable struggle against deadly tobacco-related disease. (CNN) — CNN: Do you remember the first time you smoked cigarettes? HALL: The first time was on a camping outing with friends in North Carolina. One of my friends snuck them in. I was thirteen. That was the first time I tried a cigarette. It made me sick. Then, at seventeen, I started smoking to be with my friends and be with them. It didn’t make me sick that time. it was pretty quick that I became addicted and within a year I was a pack-a-day smoker. CNN: Tell us about the photo of you when you were younger. HALL: That was my senior year in high school, right after I started smoking. Terrie Hall, left, at age 17, when she started smoking regularly. Now 51, right, Hall is battling tobacco-related illness. CNN: At that age, did it ever occur to you that it might be dangerous? What, if anything, did you know about the possible downsides of smoking? HALL: I knew nothing. Absolutely nothing. It just made me feel grown up. I wish I had had someone like me come see me in school and talk to me about the dangers of tobacco. I think it would have changed my life. CNN: How long were you a smoker? HALL: I smoked for 23 years. CNN: At your worst, how much did you smoke in a day? HALL: Two packs a day. Video: Terrie Hall talks about how she discovered she had cancer and why she joined the ad campaign CNN: Tell me a bit about your life. HALL: I am divorced and I have one daughter in her thirties and a ten-year-old grandson. I do a lot of volunteer work and advocacy work. I go to the middle and high schools around North Carolina and talk about smoking and tobacco education and awareness. CNN: It’s clear in the ads that you’ve been sick. Tell us about your condition today. How are you doing? HALL: I’m still undergoing treatment for cancer. My cancer initially started in my mouth and was discovered by my dentist and I had to go through radiation. The whole time I was going through radiation, I had a really bad sore throat and I thought I was just smoking too much. After the radiation was complete, in June 2000, I lost my mother in August and in December I discovered the tumor on my larynx. They told me they were going to remove my voice box, but all I heard was cancer. I didn’t hear the part about them taking something from me. So I woke up in ICU and the nurse asked me if she could get me anything, and I was in really bad pain, and I opened my mouth to speak and nothing came out. Not even a breath. I have a hole in my neck now, and I’m called a laryngectomee. It’s just shocking. You can’t wrap your mind around it. That’s when I faced the reality of what happened. That was my worst moment. That’s also when I quit, at age 40 in 2001. Opinion: New anti-smoking ads a smart move CNN: Can you tell us a bit about the people you love most and how your journey has impacted them? HALL: My daughter and grandson, my stepfather and my fellow laryngectomiees are the most supportive. My daughter is very proud of me. She recently quit smoking herself in January. It makes me feel wonderful! They are very proud that I have taken a stand in a positive direction and that I am trying to help save other people’s lives. CNN: How did you become a part of the CDC ad campaign? HALL: I was approached by Save organization, Survivors and Victims of Tobacco Empowerment. They gave my name to the CDC because of all that I had been through. Because of tobacco. It’s been more than my mind can wrap around, but I am excited about the possibilities and the numbers of lives this campaign can save is overwhelming. Related: Should smokers be targeted with educational ads? CNN: What does it mean to you to be a part of this? HALL: I feel very honored and I really appreciate the privilege to be a part of something so positive. And I know that it will save lives and I’m glad to be a part of it. It’s real. We are all real victims of it, and we’re survivors. We did survive and we should get the word out to other people that this can happen to you too. Quit. If you never start, you never have to worry about stopping. It’s the number one preventable death. Related: CDC unveils graphic anti-smoking ads CNN: What do you hope the ad you’re featured in can accomplish? HALL: I hope it gets the message out to young people and middle age people that this can happen to you. I only smoked for 23 years and that’s not that long to be diagnosed with any cancer. This is reality.
Health care message wars heat up on anniversary of law
Tea party supporters protest against the health care bill in March 2010 outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Second anniversary of President Obama signing health care reform into law approaches Democrats plan to highlight key provisions of law this week Obama Cabinet officials are going on the road to tout what they say has worked Republicans are using anniversary to argue law should be repealed Washington (CNN) — Two years after President Barack Obama signed health care reform legislation — and with the U.S. Supreme Court about to consider a challenge from several states trying to overturn it — supporters and opponents of the controversial law are gearing up for a message war like it’s 2009. At that time, Democrats, emboldened by a new president and big gains in Congress, pushed sweeping legislation to expand coverage for uninsured Americans, clashing with Republicans who branded the bill “Obamacare” and warned it would trigger an unprecedented intrusion by Washington into people’s medical decisions. Raucous crowds at town halls across the country that summer, many focusing on health care, captured the intensity of the debate. When Democrats muscled the final version of the bill through the House of Representatives in a late-night vote, not one Republican voted for it. Obama signed his top legislative achievement into law on March 23, 2010, but by then the issue was already shaping up to be a central flashpoint in that year’s midterm elections. That November, Democrats were tossed out of the majority in the House after voters elected a new class of 87 Republicans who campaigned on repealing “Obamacare.” GOP candidates for the 2012 presidential nomination have made rolling back the law a central promise of their campaigns. Democrats stress benefits, argue warnings never happened Congressional Democrats this week, with a major push from the White House, are planning a series of events to highlight the two major provisions of the law implemented in the last two years — rules extending health care coverage for those with pre-existing conditions and allowing young adults to remain on their parents’ plans until they turn 26. The most controversial parts of the law — such as requiring all Americans to enroll in a health care plan or pay a penalty and setting up a federal health care insurance exchange, where people can compare and shop for plans — won’t go into effect until 2014. Democratic aides admit that while certain key components of health care reform are having an impact on some, many Americans are only “vaguely aware” of them, as one aide noted, so the emphasis will be on showing what’s changed in two years. Democrats will also argue that all the dire predictions GOP opponents warned about in 2009 haven’t materialized. Republicans said senior citizens would lose their health care coverage and private plans would be forced to impose massive hikes in premiums. “None of those things have happened, and in fact good things have happened — so that is a help to us,” claimed one senior Democratic aide coordinating the week’s activities. “People are seeing the good things and the crazy things Republicans said were going to happen didn’t happen.” Recently the No. 2 Democrat in the House, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer…
