Martina Navratilova Fighting Breast Cancer - ABC Video

In February 2010, the tennis legend was diagnosed with an aggressive form of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), considered the earliest form of breast cancer. Navratilova had a lumpectomy in February, during which her doctors determined that the cancer had not spread to her lymph nodes. She says there is only a "very small chance of it coming back."

Navratilova's cancer was diagnosed during a routine mammogram, after not having one for four years, and she hopes that speaking out will inspire other women to get mammograms.

"The reason I wanted to speak about this is to encourage these woman to have mammograms," she said. "I just want to encourage women to have that yearly check-up."

References:
Martina Navratilova Fighting Breast Cancer

Rock legend Ronnie James Dio is fighting stomach cancer

On 25 November 2009, Dio's wife and manager announced that he was diagnosed with stomach cancer:

"Ronnie has been diagnosed with the early stages of stomach cancer. We are starting treatment immediately at the Mayo Clinic. After he kills this dragon, Ronnie will be back on stage, where he belongs, doing what he loves best, performing for his fans. Long live rock and roll, long live Ronnie James Dio. Thanks to all the friends and fans from all over the world that have sent well wishes. This has really helped to keep his spirit up." -- "He has had a few hiccups between Christmas and New Year's," she said in a statement to fans. "He has had a blood clot, a trip to the emergency room, and a three-day stay at the hospital."

ArtisanNewsService — April 13, 2010 — "One of heavy metal's premiere vocalists Ronnie James Dio shares his thoughts on his battle with stomach cancer at the Revolver Golden Gods awards." On 14 March 2010, Dio's wife and manager Wendy posted an online update on his condition: "It has been Ronnie's 7th chemo, another cat scan and another endoscopy, and the results are good - the main tumour has shrunk considerably, and our visits to Houston (MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas) are now every three weeks instead of every two weeks."

Ronnie James Dio passed away on May 16, 2010 at age 67. The music lives on: http://www.ronniejamesdio.com

References: Ronnie James Dio. Wikipedia. Black Sabbath, Dio singer Ronnie James Dio gives cancer update. NME.com.

Eddie Trunks Metal show with guests Ronnie James Dio & Geezer Butler, May 30, 2009.

Metal legend Ronnie James Dio dead at 67. USA Today, 2010. Ronnie James Dio, Rock Singer, Dies at 67. NYTimes, 2010. Ronnie James Dio died at age 67. YouTube. Ronnie James Dio Remembered By Metallica's Lars Ulrich. MTV. The Lighter Side of Ronnie James Dio. NYTimes. Lars Ulrich's letter to Dio.

Dio, another day. Nigel Britto, TOI Crest, May 22, 2010. Dio monument in Bulgaria - source one, two, three (in Bulgarian), 10/2010. Cortland native Ronnie James Dio will be honored Thursday with the SAMMYs Lifetime Achievement Award, 2014 http://buff.ly/1lHk3j5

Updated: 10/24/2010

Night shift workers are fighting ancient rhythms that order them to hunt or forage

From the National Geographic Magazine:

We sleep 1.5 hour less a night than we did just 100 years ago

We sleep on average 1.5 hour less a night than we did just a century ago. Some of our epidemic of insomnia or sleeplessness is probably just our refusal to pay attention to our biology. The natural sleep rhythms of teenagers would call for a late morning wake-up—but there they are, starting high school at 8 a.m.

The night shift worker sleeping in the morning is fighting ancient rhythms in his or her body that order him or her awake to hunt or forage when the sky is flooded with light. Yet he or she has no choice.

We fight these forces at our peril. Harvard's researchers note that going without sleep for 24 hours or getting only 5 hours of sleep a night for a week is the equivalent of a blood alcohol level of 0.1 percent. Yet modern business ethic celebrates such feats. "We would never say, 'This person is a great worker! He's drunk all the time!' "

One in 20 medical residents admits to making a fatigue-related mistake that resulted in the death of a patient

A 2004 study included 2,700 first-year medical residents. These young men and women worked shifts that were as long as 30 hours twice a week. The research revealed the remarkable public health risk that this sleep debt entailed. "We know that one out of five first-year residents admits to making a fatigue-related mistake that resulted in injury to a patient. One in 20 admits to making a fatigue-related mistake that resulted in the death of a patient. One day people will look back on what will be viewed as a barbarous practice."

References:

The Secrets of Sleep. National Geographic Magazine, 2011.

Image source: A halo around the Moon. Wikipedia, GNU Free Documentation License.