Believe Big > Articles by: BelieveBig

LAUNCH DAY! Believe Big Podcast – Episode #1

April 19, 2022 Blog Comments Off on LAUNCH DAY! Believe Big Podcast – Episode #1

Dr. Dagmara Beine

Navigating Pediatric Cancer – Episode #1

Dr. Dagmara Beine is not only an amazing practitioner, but she truly understands what a family goes through as her daughter Zuza was diagnosed with cancer AND given a very poor prognosis at 3 ½ years old.
Having worked in emergency medicine for 12 years, Dagmara understood the value of western medicine and how it could save her daughter’s life. However, as her daughter moved through her treatment and recovery, she was shocked at how western medicine failed to care for Zuza as a whole person. She knew as a mother and clinician that she needed to incorporate other tools to guide Zuza through treatment and help her thrive as a cancer survivor. She is going to share with us today the tools she found and uses today in her practice.
PS – Please follow our podcast on Spotify or iTunes and share this episode with a friend.

Listen now: www.believebig.org/podcast

               

Read more

Story of Hope – Colon Cancer

March 7, 2022 Story of Hope Comments Off on Story of Hope – Colon Cancer

In November, 2013, I went in for what I thought was a routine endoscopy from thinking I had taken too much Advil over the years. I also scheduled a colonoscopy, which I thought I was too young for but had been “talked into” by the GI doctor because “I might as well since I had to be there and sedated, anyway.”  Much to mine and my husband’s surprise, I woke up being told I had a 7 cm tumor in my colon. To say we were in a state of shock would be an understatement. I was active, healthy, and had no family history.  After meeting with a surgeon at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, I felt like I was in excellent hands and just wanted to get through the surgery and know the pathology of my tumor and surrounding lymph nodes. 

I was fortunate, my cancer had been caught at stage 2, which meant I needed to be closely monitored with blood work and scans, but no conventional intervention, such as chemo or radiation was recommended. At the time of my diagnosis, I was thankful this was the case. I had been told just a few years before that, that traditional interventions would’ve been recommended.  But to stay cancer-free, where to go from here?

I had heard about Believe Big through my church, the same church that, at that time, the founders were also part of. I was familiar with Ivelisse’s story and her use of mistletoe, so I had spoken to her, then met with one of our local mistletoe providers before I even had my surgery and, in addition to much compassion and helpful information, he started on mistletoe injections at home.  I did turn ghost white when I found out the mistletoe was an injectable therapy, that detail somehow escaped me until that appointment!  Once I learned how to do it myself, my comfort level increased, but it took time.

This was an incredible gift from God that the cancer had been caught early, so preventing recurrence and staying healthy became my focus. In addition to continuing using mistletoe, I met with a nutrition therapist at Remission Nutrition to ensure I was on track with my nutrition and supplements. I thought I knew a lot from my education and background, but was blown away with her knowledge and the suggestions she gave me. A few years after my diagnosis, I started volunteering for Believe Big. It was such a great way to give back to others on a similar journey and get more involved with such an incredible organization.  So much so, that I was eventually asked to be on staff as a patient advocate.  I was quite honored to be asked and absolutely loved working with and getting to know the patients, whom I still miss greatly having recently needed to focus my attention on other work. 

I continue to use mistletoe, just using it with less frequency, continuing to adjust my nutrition as needed to feel my best, and am staying as active as possible. All of this is even more important after all I learned as a patient advocate. I am so very grateful I have the opportunity to continue to live my life and share my story.

I continue to keep up with all going on with Believe Big, including requesting mugs and books as people close to me or their loved ones receive a diagnosis.  At a time that is overwhelming and scary, Believe Big brings the hope, prayer, and calm that people may need most in those moments.  

Read more

Register Today

February 24, 2022 Blog Comments Off on Register Today

Did you catch the Believe Big’s Annual Fundraising Event? Watch the replay today!

Watch the Replay >

An evening of inspiration, information, and celebration. You will be the first to hear the latest regarding the mistletoe clinical trial with The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, inspiring stories from patients on the impact Believe Big has had on their cancer journey and some exciting NEW announcements!

Watch the Replay >

Read more

Food For Thought – Nutrition Program

January 3, 2022 Uncategorized Comments Off on Food For Thought – Nutrition Program

Join Us for “Food for Thought”

Nutrition plays an important role in cancer at all stages – prevention or risk reduction, treatment, and post-treatment. The time to start eating well is now and Food for Thought was created to give individuals a simplified look for incorporating healthy practices and dietary therapies into their daily routine.
Classes will be led by Paula Weinberg, Integrative Oncology Nutritionist and founder of Healthspan Nutrition, and moderated by Believe Big’s patient advocate and owner of Fit2Order, Stacy Fritz.
Register today and start now to learn the foundational basics of nutrition to optimize and enhance your overall health and wellbeing. This class is for everyone – patients, caregivers, and those wanting to learn more about nutrition.

REGISTER >

Read more

You Made Our Day, Month, YEAR!

January 3, 2022 Uncategorized Comments Off on You Made Our Day, Month, YEAR!

You Made Our Day, Month, YEAR!
Thank you for linking arms with us! You helped us surpass our goal and raise $439,000 once we add the $100,000 challenge grant funds! We are in awe of your goodness and God’s. These additional funds will allow Believe Big to help more patients gain access to mistletoe and nutrition therapy through our grant program. These funds will also help to provide the resources needed to continue our mistletoe research with Johns Hopkins, which will one day make mistletoe therapy part of the standard of care in oncology. It will help to provide the building blocks to see The Believe Big Institute of Health realized and much more! With so many unknowns in this world, what comfort to know that we have such an incredible support team behind us to keep our programs running. Without your support, none of what we have done and will do in 2022 would even be possible!
Take a moment to read the most recent messages we received over the holidays about how your generosity impacted lives.
From a Hope Package Recipient:
“Dear BB Family, Thank you! We are so grateful for the care package you sent our family. Holidays are hard-especially the first one after a loss. The tools of faith you sent are much needed. I fully believe that your group and the mistletoe extended my Mom’s life far beyond expectations. And of course, our FATHER had a hand in that as well. Pat is safe and happy in Heaven. We will see her again someday! Until then she continues to send us reminders of her love.”
From a Grateful Parent:
“Thank you! Your research and information helped cure our son of Stage 4 colon cancer.”
From a Grateful Patient:
“Thank you Believe Big for helping people faced with cancer. I appreciate what you did for me. I am celebrating 2 years cancer-free today!”
Thank you again for your incredible support!
Read more

Gratitude is Good for Us!

November 29, 2021 Blog Comments Off on Gratitude is Good for Us!

Why?

It’s good for our bodies, our minds and our relationships.  It changes the way we interact and react in our daily lives. Gratitude changes how our immune systems and our  bodies respond to positive and negative events.  Gratitude changes the way we look externally and internally.  It’s a Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual exercise.
In this study by Robert Emmons, the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_gratitude_is_good
Gratitude journals and other gratitude practices often seem so simple and basic; in our studies, we often have people keep gratitude journals for just three weeks. And yet the results have been overwhelming. We’ve studied more than one thousand people, from ages eight to 80, and found that people who practice gratitude consistently report a host of benefits:
Physical
  • Stronger immune systems
  • Less bothered by aches and pains
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Exercise more and take better care of their health
  • Sleep longer and feel more refreshed upon waking
Psychological
  • Higher levels of positive emotions
  • More alert, alive, and awake
  • More joy and pleasure
  • More optimism and happiness
Social
  • More helpful, generous, and compassionate
  • More forgiving
  • More outgoing
  • Feel less lonely and isolated.

 

“Mighty Micah” Beats Stage IV Cancer! Watch his amazing story!

 

Read more

Gratitude vs. Stress

November 24, 2021 Blog Comments Off on Gratitude vs. Stress

5 Practical Steps to Manage Stress & Your Health During the Holidays

Functional medicine expert, Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD shares that having some stress in life is unavoidable, but there are positive, healthy strategies to help you manage it. And while there’s no such thing as a stress-free life, building habits that support you can go a long way in keeping your stress levels in check. Regularly practicing these techniques can prevent stressful times from interfering with your life. Even if you can’t rid yourself of the source of your stress, you can learn to manage it and prevent it from affecting your health. Dr. Kelly Turner shares that stress can keep the body in fight or flight mode, instead of rest and repair mode.
What can you do this holiday season to manage stress? How can you make this year different? Here are our favorite tips.
  1. Practice Gratitude – It isn’t always possible to change your circumstances, but you can change where you focus your mind, heart, and soul. The words we speak can set the course for your future. Need a tool to help you? Our new Gratitude Journal will encourage you to speak God’s promises over your daily life, affirm his blessings, and help you to pray from a place of victory.
  2. Plan Ahead & Set Boundaries – Be intentional with your time. Get adequate consistent sleep by setting an alarm on your phone for the same time each night to turn technology off and get ready for bed. Planning ahead by simply taking the time to write out a daily or weekly to-do list can work wonders for keeping stress at bay. “It’s ok to say “no”. You are not obligated to accept every invitation, request, or opportunity that comes your way. Especially if you know saying “yes” will make you anxious or doesn’t align with how you really want to be spending your time.”
  3. Learn New Ways to Relax – We love the NEW One Minute Pause app or learn a new hobby like photography or painting.
  4. Make Time for Exercise – Exercise not only decreases stress hormones but also boosts energy levels and the feel-good chemicals in the brain. You don’t have to join a gym. A short, brisk walk outside can do wonders for your mood. There are also several apps you can use at home to help keep you motivated like Sworkit, 7-min workout, or the Peleton app.
  5. Know What You Can (and Can’t) Control – For some people, the holidays can trigger stress and anxiety because of past experiences. Many have family members that can be difficult, leaving us with a lot of negative emotions. Set an intention to create a different way of navigating challenging relationships. Acknowledge the triggers and set an intention to approach that person with a positive outlook. Keep conversations light and don’t get drawn into their drama or debate. You don’t have control over what others say and how they act, but you DO have control over whether you allow others to affect your mood and stress level.
*Click here for more tips from Dr. Carnahan
** Photo by Nathan Dumlao @ Unsplash

PS: Please consider forwarding this email or texting the video link to TEN people you know.

 

“Mighty Micah” Beats Stage IV Cancer! Watch his amazing story!

Read more

“Mighty Micah” Beats Stage IV Cancer! Watch his amazing story!

November 11, 2021 Blog, Hope, Patient Story Comments Off on “Mighty Micah” Beats Stage IV Cancer! Watch his amazing story!

For years now, Believe Big has been spreading the word about integrative therapies for cancer. Every day, we hear more positive outcomes– like six-year-old Micah’s.

Micah’s oncologist put it best: “This is a first for us. He’s doing better than we’ve ever seen.” And your gifts helped make Micah’s miracle possible.
Thanks to you, Micah received the integrative therapies that helped him overcome a rare Stage IV cancer called ACC. Overcoming ACC is even more amazing when you realize that most children don’t even make it through the harsh treatment, let alone beat the disease.
Now I’m hoping we can count on you again because I have some exciting news.
Believe Big has been offered a $100,000 challenge grant. But, we’ll only receive the money if we reach our goal of raising $300,000 by the end of the year.
Can you imagine how much more we could do for our patients with another $100,000? But we’ll need everyone’s help to get there. That’s why I’m asking if you’ll become one of our Hope Givers. You can provide vital support by:
  • Making a one-time donation by December 31st
  • Becoming one of our Monthly Partners
  • Becoming a Family or Corporate Partner
  • Participating in your employer’s Matching Gift Program
  • Sharing Micah’s video story with 10 friends via text or email.
You have certainly come through for us before. When the pandemic threatened to halt some of our essential programs, we found new ways to deliver them, thanks to your help. We were even able to offer new services like our virtual support group!
If you’re wondering whether your gift will make a difference, look no further than by watching Micah’s story (or Mighty Micah, as we call him). Then consider how many more people we could help if we receive that challenge grant.
I thank you for whatever gift you can make and for helping us change the way Americans think about cancer.
Sincerely,
Ivelisse Page

PS: Please consider forwarding this webpage url or texting the video link to TEN people you know.

 

“Mighty Micah” Beats Stage IV Cancer! Watch his amazing story!

Read more

Help Families Face, Fight, and Overcome Cancer – Believe Big

November 3, 2021 Uncategorized Comments Off on Help Families Face, Fight, and Overcome Cancer – Believe Big

Recently Ivelisse Page was interviewed by Go Solo. That article is copied below, original source can be viewed here >

 

Interested in starting your own journey in a non-profit organization, but not sure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ivelisse Page, co-founder of Believe Big in Colorado, USA.

Tell us about your organization…

It is our mission to help families face, fight, and overcome cancer. We do this by educating individuals on a comprehensive approach to cancer prevention and treatment. We help connect patients with physicians trained in mistletoe therapy, oncology nutritionists, and the resources necessary to allow them to advocate for their health. We provide spiritual and emotional support to help patients and their families overcome fear and anxiety. Lastly, we plan to overcome cancer with The Believe Big Institute of Health and support the ongoing phases of the Mistletoe Clinical Trial in collaboration with The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

How did you get started? What is your motivation?

After facing, fighting, and overcoming stage IV colon cancer, I wanted to reach out to other patients facing the many challenges I encountered through my cancer journey. After assembling a team of doctors and accumulating extensive research, my husband and I established Believe Big in 2011 to help families bridge the gap between conventional and complementary medicine for treating cancer.

What’s your biggest accomplishment so far?

My most significant gift in what I do is bringing hope to those feeling hopeless in their cancer diagnosis. I have witnessed in the lives of hundreds of patients that Believe Big helps not only quality of life but also quantity of life.

What’s one of the hardest things that you’ve faced with your organization?

One of the biggest challenges we face is to continue to meet the funding needs of our organization. The number of those diagnosed with cancer continues to grow, and thus the need for our help grows. All of our resources are free to patients that contact us, and at times it can be challenging to meet all of the funding needs of our programs. I am grateful that we have been able to help every patient that has reached out to Believe Big due to our faithful donors. Just last year, we impacted over 170,000 individuals.

What are the top tips you’d give to anyone looking to start, run and grow an organization today?

To someone starting, I would advise them to know their why, share stories, and engage with other businesses and organizations for support. Your why will carry you through the difficult days and help you be creative when things are hard. The stories you share of the lives you impact each day build loyalty and inspire others to know their donations or support make a difference. Lastly, engaging with an organization or business five years out from you can help you maximize your efforts and energy.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

In the days ahead, when you are facing seemingly impossible challenges, remember that God can turn your adversity into victory, your obstacles into opportunities, and your problems into possibilities.

Where can people find you and your organization?

Website: https://believebig.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believebig/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/believebig
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChM9CgletyS8WEq5FNoV3MA

If you like what you’ve read here and have your own solopreneur story that you’d like to share then email community@subkit.com, we’d love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn “one day” into day one.

Read more

Donor Spotlight – Meet Willie & Jeff Barrett

October 14, 2021 Blog Comments Off on Donor Spotlight – Meet Willie & Jeff Barrett

I was invited to the very first dinner when Believe Big was launched, and that’s when I heard Ivelisse’s remarkable, hope-filled story.  I was blown away by her testimony about her journey to becoming cancer-free.

After hearing that inspiring story, it was so easy to volunteer at the Believe Big offices and to donate financially to this cause I wholeheartedly believe in.  Believe Big respects the mind, body, and spirit connection and offers their incredible guidance and assistance to anyone on the cancer journey.  I know this firsthand, as they helped me when they provided useful information, direction, and emotional and spiritual support as I walked with both my husband and niece on their cancer journeys. Believe Big helps so many of us who have seen our loved ones suffer through cancer. Their tireless efforts to assist others facing this ugly, hideous disease are successful largely due to their supporters’ financial contributions.

 I ask each of you to come alongside Believe Big by giving any amount you can, so the word of its mission can spread and more people can receive help.

Cancer is a journey none of us volunteer to take, but each of us has been affected by it in one way or another.  Partnering with Believe Big is an excellent and rewarding way to help cancer patients and their families.  The resources and support Believe Big offers are free to patients, but we need to provide the finances so the good work Believe Big does will continue and increase. I hope I never, ever hear the diagnosis that I have cancer, but if I do, I know that my first call will be to Believe Big.  Willie (Lieberman) Barrett Believe Big Supporter    

Everyone knows someone with cancer.  I encourage you to get involved with Believe Big today!  Your support will help so many thrive in the face of cancer!
DONATE TODAY To help a cancer patient, face, fight, and overcome cancer.
 
Read more
Archives