"Paws for the Cure" - Friends of Mary Louise Pawlowski

This shirt was designed by Mr. Knickerbocker to support Mary-Louise Pawlowski, daughter of former pitcher and Clemson Baseball coach John Pawlowski. Five dollars of every shirt sold goes directly to help offset the cost of her treatment.

Go to the Mr. Knickerbocker site to order a shirt: http://www.mrknickerbocker.com/pc-625-18-paws-for-the-cure.aspx

What makes Mr. Knickerbocker unique is its dedication to Clemson as 100% of our merchandise is licensed Clemson products. With its total focus on Clemson University, Mr. Knickerbocker has a national reputation with Tiger fans, and the success of this unique philosophy has earned us the respect of manufacturers and other retailers.
"A Clemson Tradition for over Twenty Five Years."
The College of Charleston Baseball team plays at Clemson on Tuesday May 13, 2008 at 7:15pm

13 year old Mary-Louise Pawlowiski of North Augusta has been diagnosed with PNET (primitive neuroectodermal tumors), a rare malignancy seen in only two percent of children with cancer. X-rays showed a spot on her lung. They thought it might be pneumonia, but by mid-December the spot had doubled in size. Five days before Christmas, the doctors delivered the diagnosis.

The State reports: Smoking ban in Columbia bars possible

Complaints prompt Cromartie to consider law covering all workplaces
By ADAM BEAM - abeam@thestate.com

A deal might be in the works that would ban smoking in all Columbia workplaces — including bars.
Councilman E.W. Cromartie, one of the four council members who voted to exempt bars from the city’s smoking ban, is having second thoughts about the issue.
“I think we may have to look at that again,” Cromartie said. “It has been some time since the last time we voted.”
Only one council member would have to change his or her vote for the issue to be reconsidered.
The change comes after hearing complaints from restaurant and bar owners.
Andy Yogherty, owner of the Publick House on Devine Street, pleaded with council members earlier this week to change their minds. He said excluding bars penalizes businesses, like his, that have both a restaurant and a bar.
If there is to be a smoking ban, he said, it should be enforced across the board. Yogherty apparently struck a chord with Cromartie.

Mouth Test Could Predict Lung Cancer

Reuters Posted: 2008-04-14 09:56:02

WASHINGTON (April 13) - Damage to cells lining the mouth can predict similar damage in the lungs that eventually leads to lung cancer in smokers, U.S. researchers reported on Sunday.They hope it may be possible to some day swab the mouths of smokers to predict who is developing lung cancer -- saving painful and dangerous biopsies of the lung.The process may also lead to tests that will predict other cancers, said Dr. Li Mao, an expert in head, neck and lung cancer at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

The Island Packet of Hilton Head reports: God, family and golf: How Charles Perry defeated lung cancer

By: David Lauderdale

When the Verizon Heritage rolled around last year, the rumbling voice of Charles Perry was silent. For the first time in 21 years, Perry was not there in his knickers, red coat and straw hat, announcing each player as he approached the 9th green.
A year ago, Perry had just been hit by news that makes the chase for a little white ball seem trivial. He had been told he had lung cancer...He's been through lung surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. He's battled depression, low white blood cell counts, a violent reaction to chemotherapy that almost killed him, dizziness, a brain scan, loss of hearing, loss of energy, steroids, an endoscopy, a colonoscopy, hallucinations, anxiety attacks and enough side effects to fill a book of small print.
But he didn't lose his hair, his humor, his voice -- or his hope.

WIS News 10 of the midlands reports: High-Dose Chemo Fails Against Small Cell Lung Cancers

WEDNESDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- High-intensity chemotherapy does not improve the survival rate of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), a new Swiss study concludes.
Testing on 140 patients in a randomized trial showed no statistically significant differences in survival rate or tumor size between groups receiving either standard or high doses of chemo over a three-year period. The findings were published online April 8 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

-- Kevin McKeever
SOURCE: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, news release, April 8, 2008

From the editorial page of The State: Time of the essence for cigarette tax debate

By BRAD HUTTO and JOHN MATTHEWS - Guest Columnist
Last week, the Senate Finance Committee approved a bill to increase South Carolina’s lowest-in-the-nation cigarette tax. Our cigarette tax is only 7 cents per pack and has not been raised since 1977. The national average for state cigarette taxes has climbed to $1.11 per pack and will continue to increase as four states enact additional increases this year. We must address this life-saving legislation as soon as possible.
South Carolina ranks 45th among the states in the funding of tobacco prevention programs. South Carolina currently allocates $2 million a year for tobacco prevention, which is just 8 percent of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation. It would take only a few pennies of our cigarette tax increase to fund prevention programs on a recurring basis. In addition to saving lives by reducing smoking-caused heart disease, lung cancer and other diseases, studies show that the best programs have saved as much as $3 in smoking-caused health costs for every dollar spent on tobacco prevention.
We urge our fellow senators not to wait any longer to pass a significant cigarette tax increase. We have the opportunity to save our kids from the ravages of tobacco addiction. What better message could we send to our constituents back home?

The State reports Genetic link tied to smoking addiction:

WASHINGTON --Scientists have pinpointed genetic variations that make people more likely to get hooked on cigarettes and more prone to develop lung cancer - a finding that could someday lead to screening tests and customized treatments for smokers trying to kick the habit.

April 2nd is Kick Butts Day - A Nationwide Celebration

Kick Butts Day (www.kickbutts.org) is the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids' annual celebration of activism that empowers youth to speak up and take action against tobacco use at more than 2,000 events from coast to coast. With an adult smoking rate of 22%, a youth smoking rate of 19% and 13% of pregnant women smoking, tobacco is taking a terrible toll in South Carolina. But by taking measures, such as increasing the state cigarette tax, eliminating secondhand smoke from workplaces, preventing tobacco use initiation among youth and promoting cessation – the toll can be significantly lowered

The State reports: Columbia on track to curtail smoking

Columbia City Council, buoyed by a state Supreme Court decision Monday, will press ahead this week on activating a dormant 2006 ordinance that would prohibit smoking in public buildings.
Mayor Bob Coble said he asked the city’s attorney to brief the seven-member panel Wednesday on a ruling that upholds a municipal ordinance that bans smoking in Greenville’s restaurants and bars.