Make room on your calendars for the Living Fully With and Beyond Cancer Conference, sponsored by M. D. Anderson Cancer Center's Anderson Network.

This year, the conference will be held at the Houston Marriott Westchase, 2900 Briarpark Dr., Houston, on September 6-8th.

For additional conference information, call the Anderson Network at 800-345-6324 or 713-792-2553 or visit : www.mdanderson.org/patientconference

Back in April 2006, I recommended a devotion entitled "Disrupted" by Rev. Dr. Virgil Fry. Dr. Fry has just published a companion book, entitled: "Rekindled, Warmed by Fires of Hope". Once again, Virgil has used his considerable experience as a chaplain and writer to create another rich devotional resource, drawing upon scriptures, wisdom sayings, and personal experience in the pastoral care ministry. The prayers he includes are real, and express the deepest spiritual longings of the heart.

The May 2007 edition of the magazine "Texas Living" highlights an article under the section of healthy outdoors, entitled "A Place To Heal", featuring the linear garden which adorns the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. To quote the article: "Like other healing gardens now thriving on hospital campuses across the South, it provides a little oasis of tranquility. The setting gives patients and caregivers a place to escape their sterile environment and connect with the natural environment."

From the perspective of spirituality and healing, gardens have always held the power and mystique to heal and provide a source of strength and respite. The surrounding beauty, aromas, and occasional visits by birds and insects help remind us of our connection with nature. The garden is a place where things are growing and flourishing, bringing hope to those with cancer. The garden reminds us of the essential goodness of life, and causes us to reflect upon the blessings we have received along life's journey.

Our pediatrics chaplain, Richard Maddox, has compiled some helpful suggestions about the spiritual life of teenagers living with cancer. Dick is available through the community forum message board if you would like to contact him.

1. The "work" of a teenager is to question almost everything. Under normal circumstances, it is not unusual for a teenager to question and rebel against the religious and spiritual belief systems of his/her parents or other family members. When diagnosed and subsequently living with cancer, it is even more common for a teenager to scrutinize and dismiss the faith of his/her family. This process is quite normal, and in some ways even necessary for the teenager in order to permit him/her to apprehend and own the faith for himself/herself. A very high percentage of teenagers eventually come around to hold the basic beleifs of their parents.

2. Regardless of the degree of independence sought by teenagers, or the level of rebelliousness expressed by them, and the resulting utter frustration of their parents, most teenagers still consider their parents to be the most significant people in their lives. Consequently, while not always readily apparent, most teenagers have a deep, yearning to please their parents. This includes their desire to respect and particiapte in the religious or spiritual beliefs and practices of their parents. This may not be in the literal substance or fashion preferred by the parents, but the basic desire is still present.

3. One of the most important elements in a teenager's life is friends. For many reasons, including treatment requirements, distance, life styles, social skills with the sick, etc., relationships with friends during treatment are initially strained and often diminish over tme. When this happens, teenagers lose interest in many of the important features in their lives: treatment assent and compliance, trusting parents and medical staff, and investment in faith and hope.

4. While adults are reasonably comfortable engaging others in conversation regarding faith issues, teenagers are not sure how to do so. They generally pick unexpected times and places, and launch test messages (indirect hints and clues) when wanting to explore faith issues. Parents often are surprised by this approach and feel unprepared especially when the teenager's illness is the precipitating issue for the conversation on faith. Consequently, parents often defer, dismiss, or reframe their teenager's interest in engaging in heart-to-heart talks about faith. Such responses discourage teenagers from discussing such issues, and leave them feeling more abandoned and confused about living with cancer.

A practical skills-building workshop for clergy and lay leaders. Presented by Partners in Healing of the Mental Health Association of Greater Houston. Workshop participants will be able to: indentify scriptural support to help congregants deal with life problems; promote a healthy and whole Christian lifestyle; identify next steps for building caring and supportive congregations. The workshop will take place on March 22,2007, 9am to 1:30pm at Fifth Ward Missionary Baptist Church Multipurpose Center, 4300 Noble st., Houston, TX 77020. Program fee is $10.00, including breakfast and lunch. To register call: 713-523-8963.

An important health reminder from M. D. Anderson Orlando oncologist Gregory Pennock, M.D.:

Drink tea. Eat broccoli. No fried foods. Lots of fish. Lose weight. Exercise more. Stop smoking. You've probably heard of all these ways to prevent cancer. But why bother? Is any of it really doing any good? Doctors say yes ... Only 10 percent of cancers are caused by genetics. So how can you help prevent the other 90 percent?

"Several cancer types have a genetic background, but that's certainly not true of all cancer types," says Gregory Pennock, M.D., an oncologist at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Orlando, Fla.

Only 10 percent of cancer cases are genetic. That means what we do to our bodies makes a big difference. Now new studies lay out an action plan for your next trip to the grocery store.