What if Barbie had Cancer? | Care2 Causes

Barbie is known for her long, flowing hair that can be styled again and again. But what if Barbie was bald? And what if she was bald due to cancer treatment?

There?s an online movement to encourage Mattel to create a ?Cancer Barbie,? and it?s gaining supporters who see it as a good way to help children cope with cancer.

One of the many Facebook pages dedicated to the cause calls it the ?Beautiful and Bald Barbie.?

?We would like to see a Beautiful and Bald Barbie made to help young girls who suffer from hair loss due to cancer treatments, Alopecia or Trichotillomania. Also, for young girls who are having trouble coping with their mother?s hair loss from chemo. Many children have some difficulty accepting their mother, sister, aunt, grandparent or friend going from a long haired to a bald.

?Accessories such as scarves and hats could be included. This would be a great coping mechanism for young girls dealing with hair loss themselves or a loved one. We would love to see a portion of proceeds go to childhood cancer research and treatment.?

An online petition wants the Barbie to be named ?Hope? to honor children fighting cancer.

For more insight into the potential emotional response to the proposed ?Cancer Barbie,? I reached out to Therapist and Parenting coach Tammy Gold, who offered an interesting pro and con perspective:

Pro: It is good to show bald is beautiful. It is good to make cancer less scary and give it a ?face.? It is good to have an ability to speak openly about the disease and what happens.

Con: It could normalize cancer so much that children could begin worrying they may get cancer. Depending on the child it could strike anxiety or fear regarding the topic.

Psychologist Jason Evan Mihalko tells Care2 that ?Children use toys to work out and explore anxieties, fears, anger, and hopes. Having appropriate toys that reflect real-world concerns will enhance opportunities for children with illnesses to engage in age appropriate play where they can think about and explore their inner world of feelings. Toys like this also give parents and other caregivers opportunities to help children develop ways to talk about their complicated feelings as well as ways to guide their children into effective ways of coping with their illness.?

Life Coach Rebecca Cagle lost her hair to cancer and thinks the doll is a great idea. ?I let children try on and play with my wigs to help make them more comfortable with my baldness. My hair is grown back and the kids still occasionally ask me if my hair is still a wig or real. A cancer Barbie would help kids with cancer as well as kids who have other children and adults in their lives bald from cancer.?

It remains to be seen how Mattel will respond to the prompting for a ?Cancer Barbie.?

In the meantime, there are other dolls that address the issue of cancer. Among them, the Kimmie Cares doll was created to help children cope with cancer, and all proceeds from sales go to the Partners for a Cure Foundation, where funds are distributed to cancer patients in need.

Related Reading:
Wonder Woman Checks Breasts for Cancer
Nappie Barbie to Promote Self-Esteem
?Human Barbie? Stuffs Daughter?s Stocking with Surgery Voucher
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Series

Image source: facebook/com/baldandbeautifulbarbie

Source: http://www.care2.com/causes/what-if-barbie-had-cancer.html

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Factors Affecting Health Care Utilization for Children in Japan

Ishida Y et al. ? Compared with the data from the United States, more children in Japan visit community physicians and hospital?based outpatient clinics. Results of this study would be useful for further delineation of health care utilization of children in the context of a health care system unique to Japan.

Methods
  • A population-weighted random sample from a nationally representative panel of households was used to estimate the number of health-related symptoms, over-the-counter medicine doses, and health care utilizations per 1000 Japanese children per month.
  • Variations in terms of age, gender, socioeconomic status, and residence location were also examined.
Results
  • Based on 1286 households (3477 persons including 1024 children) surveyed, on average per 1000 children, 872 had at least 1 symptom, 335 visited a physician's office, 82 a hospital-based outpatient clinic, 21 a hospital emergency department, and 2 a university-based outpatient clinic.
  • Two were hospitalized, and 4 received professional health care in their home.
  • Children had 2 times more physician visits and 3 times more emergency visits than adults in Japan, and Japanese children had 2.5 times more physician visits and 11 times more hospital-based outpatient clinic visits than US children.
  • Pediatric health care utilization is influenced significantly by age but not affected by income or residence location in Japan.

Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5720026596

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World's First "Chopra Yoga Center" Opens in Vancouver, Canada

International chain of studios to offer yoga teachings inspired by Deepak Chopra, M.D.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 01/10/12 -- Deepak Chopra, M.D. announced the launch of the world's first Chopra Yoga Center in Vancouver, Canada. The custom-designed 8,000-square-foot wellness studio is the first in a planned series of yoga centers that will be rooted in foundational teachings developed by mind-body healing pioneers Deepak Chopra, M.D. and David Simon, M.D.

"We're excited to bring Chopra Yoga to Vancouver, a city that is emerging as a world class center for yoga," said Dr. Chopra. "In our beautiful new studios, both beginners and advanced yogis will have an opportunity to explore the deepest principles of yoga and conscious living."

The Chopra Yoga Center offers a wide variety of classes that range from meditation, hot hatha, and power vinyasa to Cho fit, Yoga Barre, and Pilates. There are also classes that focus specifically on the Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga - a practice developed by Dr. Chopra and Dr. Simon. The studio's philosophy is inspired by the principles in Dr. Chopra's best-selling book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success and emphasizes the benefits of yoga for physical health, spiritual awakening, and inner calm and balance.

"In our modern electronic culture, so many people feel fragmented and overwhelmed with stress," said Dr. Simon. "Our intention with Chopra Yoga is to help as many people as possible experience the balance, calm, and vitality that yoga naturally cultivates."

The Chopra Yoga Center, located at 451 Granville Street, in Vancouver B.C., is now accepting new members. The programs are designed for both new and experienced yoga practitioners. Recognizing the importance of community, five per cent of all profits are donated to local charities. For more information, please visit www.choprayoga.com.

About the Chopra Yoga Center

The Chopra Yoga Center is a full-service yoga, health, and wellness studio. Our approach integrates the timeless principles of Deepak Chopra's "Seven Spiritual Laws of Success to any yoga style. Choose from a wide variety of yoga, Pilates, dance, and meditation classes in our custom-designed 8,000-square-foot studio in downtown Vancouver, BC. Learn more at www.choprayoga.com.

About the Chopra Center for Wellbeing

The Chopra Center for Wellbeing was founded by Deepak Chopra, M.D. and David Simon, M.D. in 1996. Located in Carlsbad, California, the Center offers a wide variety of programs, retreats, and teacher training programs that integrate the healing arts of the East with the best in modern Western medicine. The Chopra Center has helped millions of people around the world find peace of mind, physical balance, and emotional healing. The website www.chopra.com is your starting point on the path to wellness.

Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5728068819&f=378

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US agents helped launder millions in drug proceeds (AP)

MEXICO CITY ? Mexico's government allowed a group of undercover U.S. anti-drug agents and their Colombian informant to launder millions in cash for a powerful Mexican drug trafficker and his Colombian cocaine supplier, according to documents made public Monday.

The Mexican magazine Emeequis published portions of documents that describe how Drug Enforcement Administration agents, a Colombian trafficker-turned-informant and Mexican federal police officers in 2007 infiltrated the Beltran Leyva drug cartel and a cell of money launderers for Colombia's Valle del Norte cartel in Mexico.

The group of officials conducted at least 15 wire transfers to banks in the United States, Canada and China and smuggled and laundered about $2.5 million in the United States. They lost track of much of that money.

In his testimony, the DEA agent in charge of the operation says DEA agents posing as pilots flew at least one shipment of cocaine from Ecuador to Madrid through a Dallas airport.

The documents are part of an extradition order against Harold Mauricio Poveda-Ortega, a Colombian arrested in Mexico in 2010 on charges of supplying cocaine to Arturo Beltran Leyva. A year earlier, Beltran Leyva was killed in a shootout with Mexican marines in the city of Cuernavaca, south of Mexico City.

The documents show Mexico approved Poveda-Ortega's extradition to the United States in May, but neither Mexican nor U.S. authorities would confirm whether he has been extradited. Mexican authorities listed his first name as "Haroldo."

In a statement issued late Monday, Mexico's Attorney General's Office said it cooperates with the United States in combatting money laundering and said the Poveda-Ortega case, like others of its kind, "are carried out strictly within the legal framework."

While the statement said that "coordinated money laundering investigations are carried out exclusively by Mexican authorities," it also noted that "sometimes, these investigations require specialized techniques to detect money laundering, which each agency carries out within its own jurisdiction."

U.S. officials did not respond to requests for comment.

The documents offer rare glimpses into the way U.S. anti-drug agents are operating in Mexico, an often sensitive subject in a country touchy about national sovereignty.

On one occasion, the informant who began working for the DEA in 2003 after a drug arrest met with the girlfriend of a Colombian drug trafficker in Dallas and offered to move cocaine for their group around the world for $1,000 per kilo. In a follow-up meeting, the informant introduced the woman to a DEA agent posing as a pilot. The woman is identified as the girlfriend of Horley Rengifo Pareja, who was detained in 2007 accused of laundering money and drug trafficking.

Another scene described the informant negotiating a deal to move a cocaine shipment from Ecuador to Spain and minutes later being taken to a house where he met with Arturo Beltran Leyva.

Beltran Leyva was once a top lieutenant for the Sinaloa drug cartel, led by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. But he split from the cartel shortly after his brother was arrested in 2008, setting off a bloody battle between the former allies.

Fractured cartels have led to an increase of drug violence in Mexico. According to several counts more than 45,000 people have been killed since late 2006, though the government stopped giving figures on drug war dead when the toll hit nearly 35,000 a year ago.

On Monday, police in western Mexico found the bodies of 13 men at a gas station in the state of Michoacan.

The bodies were dumped near a convenience store on the gas station lot in the town of Zitacuaro, said Michoacan state prosecutors spokesman Jonathan Arredondo.

Arredondo said threatening messages were found with the bodies, but he wouldn't comment on their content or give any other details.

However, the federal Interior Department later said a total of 15 bodies had been found in Zitacuaro. The statement did not specify whether all were found at the gas station.

Also Monday, the Michoacan state prosecutors office reported three high school students were shot to death by assailants who opened fire from a passing vehicle while the youths were relaxing in a park in the town of Yurecuaro, near the border with the neighboring state of Jalisco.

There was no evident motive in the attack.

The western state of Michoacan is home base to The Knights Templar cartel, which like its predecessor, La Familia, is a pseudo-religious gang specializing in methamphetamine production, drug smuggling, extortion and other crimes.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120110/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico

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Chiefs pick Crennel as head coach (AP)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. ? The Kansas City Chiefs made Romeo Crennel the permanent head coach on Monday after he led the floundering team to a pair of wins late in the season.

Crennel had been the interim coach and the leading candidate to replace Todd Haley, who was fired last month. He was scheduled to be introduced at an afternoon news conference.

"We are very excited to name Romeo the new head coach of the Chiefs," Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt said in a prepared statement. "In 30 years as a coach in the National Football League, Romeo has established an outstanding track record of success, and we believe his experience and proven ability make him the best person to help us reach our goal of consistently competing for championships."

The former head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Crennel had been serving as defensive coordinator when general manager Scott Pioli made him the interim coach. He quickly united a disjointed locker room and instantly endeared himself to fans in Kansas City, leading a team that had been ransacked by injuries over Green Bay, the Packers' only loss this season.

Crennel's lone defeat came in overtime against Oakland, which knocked the Chiefs (7-9) from playoff contention. But he rallied his team to a season-ending victory over the Broncos, after which players spontaneously began to chant his name in the locker room in Denver.

"Romeo's vast experience and intelligence have helped him achieve success at the highest level," Pioli said. "The way in which he creates accountability and respect amongst the team creates a very productive work environment and will be critical in continuing to develop our young core of players."

Crennel was considered the front-runner to get the full-time job not only because of his work over the final three weeks of the season, but because of his calm demeanor and strong ties to Pioli, whom he worked with during his days running the New England Patriots defense.

"I have a deep appreciation for the vision that Clark Hunt has and his commitment to building a championship-caliber team," Crennel said. "I believe in the types of players that we are trying to win with and the identity we are trying to create."

Pioli also spoke to former Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher, Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin and former Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio before settling on the in-house candidate.

"It is a rare opportunity to be a part of an organization like the Kansas City Chiefs with its storied history and passionate fans," Crennel said, "and I am eager to get to work and bring this franchise and our fans the success they deserve."

Crennel went 24-40 during four years in Cleveland, though the record is somewhat misleading.

He took over a suffering franchise short on talent and went 6-10 and 4-12 in his first two seasons, missing the playoffs each year. But his breakthrough came in 2007, when the Browns went 10-6 and fell just short of the playoffs, earning Crennel a two-year contract extension.

After falling back to 4-12, though, the affable Crennel was summarily fired.

He figures to have a much better chance of success in Kansas City, where Pioli has locked up several young players to long-term deals and continues to overhaul an aging roster.

The Chiefs should be the favorites to win the wide-open AFC West next year. They nearly claimed a second straight division crown despite losing several star players to season-ending injuries.

Tight end Tony Moeaki, All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles and Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry were lost to knee injuries by the second week of the season. Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Cassel joined them on injured reserve in Week 10 after he hurt his throwing hand in a game against Denver.

That left the team in the hands of journeyman Tyler Palko. The Chiefs claimed quarterback Kyle Orton off waivers from Denver, but he hurt his hand on the first pass he attempted against Chicago, and did not return until the final three weeks of the regular season.

By that time, Haley had been fired and Crennel had been given the reins.

"Throughout the year, we were all over a little bit. We came to a common ground over the last three weeks," said fullback Le'Ron McClain, who is a free agent but has said he hopes to return to the team next season. "We started doing good when Romeo stepped in."

Fisher reportedly spoke briefly with the Chiefs about the head coaching job, but he's expected to decide between St. Louis and Miami. Philbin also was linked to the job, and Del Rio's agent, Phil DePicciotto, had conversations with the Chiefs about the former Jaguars coach taking over.

Crennel will likely have to hire a defensive coordinator to replace himself, and also could be in the market for a new offensive coordinator.

The Chiefs struggled to move the ball under longtime assistant Bill Muir, who was in his first season as a coordinator. Muir has been contemplating retirement.

"Trying to put a staff together is a tough deal, because maybe the guys you want aren't available, so you have to look other places. You end up trying to do the best you can, getting the best guys you get," Crennel said. "You have to adapt and adjust as you go along."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120109/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_chiefs_crennel

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Video: Obama advisor: Romney?s a ?corporate raider?

>> up their attacks based on a his taime running bain capital . he was called a corporate raider . today the wall street journal reports on romney 's time at bain . the journal examines 77 businesses bain invested in while romney ran the company. 22% of those businesses filed for bankruptcy protection or closed their doors. bain was recording 50 to 80% annual gains at the time which is considered high. joining me now wall street journal , jerry. the bottom line is this article points out there are some highlights for mitt romney here but there's a lot of low lights there's enough to really strike hard.

>> there's ban lot of back and forth. without a lot of detail research. we decided to step back and look at it in detail. we took 77 companies with the investment this bain made and took a look at the record. there's going to be a bit in what we found for both sides. it was a slightly higher average of bankruptcies. there were also some spectacular successes. the staples, the sports authorities and dominos pizzas. they created a lot of jobs. you can look at this detail study and see a bit on both sides.

>> with that said, when you have gingrich's super pac and it has people that lost their jobs and a new sound bite from mitt romney stumbling through an answer and says he likes to fire people . when you look at the success records of some of the success companies, you wonder how many people lost they're jobs for that company.

>> the i like to fire people is going to be a cringe inducer. he was talking about firing your health insurance company but the context will be seen as bain capital context which is unfortunate for the romney campaign. you'll see people who say i worked for a company that was rated or looted by bain capital and you'll see, i predict shortly, the romney cam tan will say bain capital saved by company. one of the difficult things for the romney campaign to argue here is that there are jobs that were saved. you can't count jobs that are now there but that would have been gone. it's like president obama saying the economy would have been worse if i hasn't been there to help it along. there's been so much in the last 72 hours , that i think the romney come paampaign will have to come back with

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/newsnation/45931316/

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13 bodies found at gas station in western Mexico (AP)

MORELIA, Mexico ? Police in western Mexico have found 13 bodies at a gas station in the state of Michoacan.

Michoacan state prosecutors' spokesman Jonathan Arredondo says the bodies were dumped Monday near a convenience store on the gas station lot in the town of Zitacuaro.

Arredondo said threatening messages were found with the bodies, but he wouldn't comment on their content or give any other details.

Michoacan is home base to The Knights Templar cartel, a pseudo-religious gang specializing in methamphetamine production, drug smuggling, extortion and other crimes.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mexico/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120109/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico

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HBT: Posada reportedly to retire in 2 weeks

Sweeny Murti of WFAN in New York just reported that Jorge Posada will announce his retirement within the next two weeks.

This shouldn?t come as a big surprise. We already knew Posada wasn?t returning to the Yankees in 2012, but he hadn?t ruled out the possibility of continuing his career elsewhere. In fact, there were even rumors of the division-rival Rays expressing interest just two weeks ago. Still, it would have been weird to see him end his career in any other uniform.

Posada, 40,?batted just .235/.315/.398 with 14 home runs, 44 RBI and a .714 OPS over 387 plate appearances last season. If Murti?s report is indeed correct, he?ll end his 17-year major-league career with a .273 lifetime batting average and an .848 OPS to go along with 275 home runs, 1,065 RBI, five All-Star appearances and four World Series titles.

Those are fantastic offensive numbers for a catcher and while this sounds funny to say, one could argue that he?s actually a little underrated for his contributions as a Yankee. That?s what surrounding star power will do sometimes. He should make for an interesting Hall of Fame case.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/07/report-jorge-posada-will-announce-retirement-within-next-two-weeks/related/

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Pakistan's Zardari says not leaving office (Reuters)

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) ? Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari has said leaving office is not an option and that no one has asked him to resign, responding to speculation that the powerful military wanted his departure.

"No one has asked for it yet. If someone does, I'll tell you," Zardari, who appeared in good spirits after medical treatment in Dubai last month, said in a pre-recorded interview with one of the country's most popular television anchors.

Zardari is facing his biggest political crisis since he took office in 2008 over an unsigned memo to the Pentagon that sought U.S. help in reining in Pakistan's generals, who have ruled the nation for more than half of its history.

Although his position is largely ceremonial, Zardari wields considerable influence as leader of the ruling party and any forced departure would be a humiliation for the civilian leadership and could throw the country into turmoil.

When asked in the interview if "escape" was an option for him, Zardari replied:

"Why should it be?"

(Reporting by Qasim Nauman; Editing by Michael Georgy)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120107/wl_nm/us_pakistan_president

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Golf courses open this weekend

CREATED 11:58 AM

MILWAUKEE - The balmy weather has prompted the Miwaukee County Parks Department to open seven golf courses this weekend.?

"More than 500 rounds of golf have already been booked," Parks Director Sue Black said.? "People are pretty excited about it."

The courses include: Currie, Grant, Greenfield, Hansen, Lincoln, Oakwood and Whitnall (front 9 holes).

Courses are scheduled to remain open into next week as the weather permits.

Source: http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/136822378.html

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