Cancer

While many teenage girls primp themselves to perfection during the precious minutes of their mornings, one girl’s routine has just been cut short. Literally. To raise money for cancer research, 16-year-old Jasmine McCann this week shaved her head. So did her father, Tim McCann, 51, both of La Crescenta. They are among more than 30,000 volunteers raising money through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. The Monrovia-based foundation has collected $13 million so far this year, drawing thousands to shave or be shaved at events nationwide.

A former photographer for the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader, Tammy Abbott, lost her 20-year battle with cancer on Saturday. She was 54. From Springville, near Sequoia National Park, Abbott spent much of her life in Los Angeles pursuing her artistic ambitions. Before becoming a photojournalist, Abbott worked in the music industry and painted. While studying photojournalism at Los Angeles Valley College, Abbott befriended Rick Meyer, a former Los Angeles Times photographer who became her mentor after she asked him to look at her portfolio at a conference, he said.

LA CRESCENTA — Break out the bowling shoes and the 10-pound balls because it's time again for "Bowling for Boobies," a breast-cancer fundraising event with a sense of humor and a whole lot of heart. Responding to the news that a friend in town had been diagnosed with breast cancer, a group of Montrose women took up her cause in 2004 and came up with the bowling event to raise money to defray the cost of her medical bills, said Nancy Hathaway, charter president of the Soroptomist International Club of the Verdugos, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the event.

Larry Zarian - a former mayor and the first Armenian American to be elected to the Glendale City Council - died of blood cancer Thursday at Glendale Adventist Medical Center. His family said in a statement that Zarian - who also had his own local cable show, “The Larry Zarian Forum” - was surrounded by relatives and friends as his favorite Frank Sinatra songs played at the time of his death, which was caused by aggressive multiple myeloma, a disease he kept secret from many.

All the cyclists participating in Tour of Hope have been affected by the disease in some way.It was the ride of his life. But more importantly to him, it was the ride for his son's life. La Cañada resident Doron Kochavi, whose son, Ari, is a brain-cancer survivor, bicycled 3,300 miles, from San Diego to Washington D.C., in nine days with 23 other cyclists and seven-time Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong. All the cyclists in the third Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope Ride Across America, designed to raise cancer awareness, have been affected by the disease.

Robert Chacon Paige Peterson, a Glendale girl who turned her personal battle with cancer into an opportunity to raise awareness of the illness and children's healthcare through campaigns involving Hollywood stars and even the First Lady, died Tuesday at Childrens Hospital, said her mother, Suzanne Peterson. She was 11. Paige, was born Jan. 21, 1993, at Verdugo Hills Hospital. She was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer that forms solid tumors along the adrenal gland, when she was 5. Her cancer went into remission three times, but returned each time, her mother said.

A group of local moms have shed their clothes to pose for a 2008 calendar so that the proceeds from sales can go to a father and husband in Crescenta Valley battling with base of tongue squamous carcinoma, a type of cancer. Inspired by the movie ?Calendar Girls,? this group of women from a local mom?s group rallied around the husband of their friend when he was diagnosed with cancer in March of this year. The couple have two young children. After joking about the idea of a calendar featuring nude mothers in the group, Lisa Fenton, mother of five, asked herself, ?

A "South Pasadena" girl, with only an outside shower, Doreen had a "Norman Rockwell" youth. As a young adult, she helped service men at the USO. She met Don while working the order desk. They married, had 2 girls and moved to Burbank. Doreen worked in the cafeteria at LBJH 74-76 and Macys, in Glendale 77-95. Stopping only after her first battle with cancer and having to take care of her elderly aunt. Doreen never made an enemy. Her motto was "kill them with kindness". She always had a loving ear to listen and encourage people.

More than 40 teams braved the blistering sun on Saturday to walk in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Robert Gross Park. This year's teams, each comprised of between 5 and 100 members, circled the dirt track around the park for 24 hours to raise money for cancer research. But the event represents far more than a fundraising opportunity, Relay for Life Co-Chair Dan Linegar said. "The main purpose is really honoring survivors," he said. "The more survivors we have, the more signs there are that there is hope ?

When La Crescenta resident Kate Natteel was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago, she didn't let her illness prevent her from enjoying life. After her treatment for cancer, Natteel decided to get active and focus on maintaining a positive attitude. Natteel, 63, got a part-time clerical job at the Sparr Heights Community Center. Working helped her cope with her illness. She also put her knitting and crocheting skills to use to make scarves to give to those battling depression, cancer or any other illness.

A "South Pasadena" girl, with only an outside shower, Doreen had a "Norman Rockwell" youth. As a young adult, she helped service men at the USO. She met Don while working the order desk. They married, had 2 girls and moved to Burbank. Doreen worked in the cafeteria at LBJH 74-76 and Macys, in Glendale 77-95. Stopping only after her first battle with cancer and having to take care of her elderly aunt. Doreen never made an enemy. Her motto was "kill them with kindness". She always had a loving ear to listen and encourage people.

Leticia Avila's battle with cancer lasted three years. She died just days before Christmas at age 53, leaving behind two sons and two daughters, including her youngest, Maria Cruz Castaneda Avila. At 10 years old, the fifth-grader at Horace Mann Elementary - who goes by Mari - must now face a future without her parents, having lost her father five years ago to liver complications. But that doesn't mean the girl whom teachers describe as gifted, smart and driven will be alone. A teacher at Horace Mann Elementary has started a districtwide campaign to establish a college fund for Mari - who reads at the sixth-grade level - so her dreams of attending USC don't fade.

More than 900 people took part in the American Cancer Society's 9th annual Relay for Life at the Scholl Canyon baseball fields in Glendale this weekend, helping to raise $85,000 for cancer research. At least one member of each team remained in the relay, which occurred from 10 a.m. Saturday through 10 a.m. Sunday. The walk began with a “Survivor's Lap,” in which dozens of cancer survivors rounded the first lap to cheers. “We're honoring them as well as remembering people who have been lost,” said event organizer Briana Maldonado.

More than 750 women and girls in our community are the recipients of tens of thousands of dollars from Soroptimist International of Glendale. Every year, the mighty Soroptimists give to local charities and hospitals. On Thursday (June 21) funds were ceremoniously donated to Glendale's three hospitals for breast cancer services. The Glendale Hilton was the setting for the Soroptimist's largesse, most of which has come from the club's popular Bras for a Cause. Raised from last year's ninth annual event was $31,000.

An avid photographer and all-around-go-to-girl, Julie Shermer was on the receiving end of the camera at Glendale Adventist Medical Center. On Thursday, in front of some 75 fans, Shermer received the first annual Courage Award for her courageous fight against colon cancer. Her oncologist, Dr. Boris Bagdasarian, presented the award to her in the hospital's “Garden of Hope” in front of the hospital's Cancer Services Center. Bagdasarian is also on the hospital staff and is a member of the L.A. Cancer Network.

TV host Mayte Prida, a Miami transplant from Mexico City, survived four bouts of cancer. For her first cancer diagnosis, third-stage breast cancer, she had no medical insurance. Her father gave her the money to get a second opinion, during which a malignant tumor was discovered growing on one of her kidneys. Her third bout - lung cancer. Her fourth bout - uterine cancer. In 2010, her 15-year-old daughter was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. “Latinos are diagnosed with breast cancer less but die the most,” Prida said.

Dear Frank, It pains me to write this. Last year I wrote to you, pleading with you to give us back our Los Angeles Dodgers and show yourself out of town. On behalf of all Angelenos who bleed Dodger blue, I implored you to do what you knew in your money-loving, American Express Black Card, bankrupt heart was best, and make a few hundred million dollars for yourself and your ex-wife by selling our team. And this week, you did it.* So here's the hard part. (deep breath)

Glendale Adventist Medical Center was one of nine hospitals in California to earn the "Outstanding Achievement Award" from the Commission on Cancer this month. Glendale Adventist -- one of just two hospitals, including the Cedar-Sinai Medical Center, recognized by the commission in the L.A. region -- received the award for its cancer patient services. In a statement, Boris Bagdasarian, director of cancer services at Glendale Adventist Medical Center, said the honor was yet "another eternal endorsement of our commitment to improve the health care of our patients through quality care based on the best medical evidence available.

A tranquil garden area built by a local teenager in honor of her grandmother, a breast cancer survivor, will serve as a cancer treatment refuge for other patients at Glendale Adventist Medical Center. Kristine Seuylemezian, a junior at La Cañada High School, built the garden area to earn her Gold Award in the Girl Scouts, but the reward has been about much more than a one-time honor, she said. Kristine said she wanted to create something for people to enjoy for years to come.

Glendale Water & Power plans to spend another $550,000 on a research project for stripping cancer-causing chromium 6 from local groundwater that already has cost $7.8 million. City officials say they need to make the expenditure because the current removal method has some drawbacks and the state may tighten restrictions. The additional funding comes from a coalition of stakeholders as California officials consider tightening restrictions on how much of the toxic element - already at 50 parts per billion - is allowed in potable water.