A security guard is throwing himself in the deep end – by swimming the Channel in memory of a tragic pal.

Steve Jones was devastated when Jenna Wharton, 25, lost a 14-month battle with cervical cancer.

Jenna went to her GP after developing bleeding in November 2009.

She was stunned when tests revealed she had cancer – and it was too advanced and aggressive to be treated.

Jenna, from Salford, died last January. Now, a year on, Steve, 32, from Ellenbrook, Worsley, has decided to take on the marathon swim in tribute to her strength and bravery.

He is aiming to raise £6,000 for St Ann’s Hospice where Jenna, a former pupil of Walkden High School, was treated before her death.

He is swimming 22 miles a week in training for his attempt in August. Steve said: “Jenna was a true fighter, friend and an inspiration to us all.

“Her strength and courage was amazing and St Ann’s made her life, as much as was possible, a lot better. It’s a fantastic charity and I’d love to raise as much as I can to help other patients.”

Jenna’s mum Diane, a district nurse, explained how her family would always be grateful to the staff at St Ann’s for their support during her illness.

She said: “Jenna had always been very healthy – she didn’t think there was anything seriously wrong when she went to the GP. She just put it down to something hormonal. it was a massive shock when she was diagnosed.

“Jenna’s symptoms became complex and difficult to manage at home and she was very grateful for the support received from the team at St Ann’s Hospice.”

Steve, who works for a security company said:“My biggest concern is if it can’t take place because of bad weather but I’m being positive. I’m not too fond of jellyfish to be honest which is why I’m training in Albert Dock in Liverpool to get used to them.”

He has already completed 11 miles on Lake Windermere during his training and plans to do double that distance there before attempting the Channel crossing.

He is looking for sponsorship and has already received support from businesses and friends. a non-uniform day at Haslam Park Primary School in Deane, Bolton, raised over £170. To sponsor Steve go to swimforjenna.co.uk  or call him on 07403 296173.

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Shalom Life is proud to present our 2nd annual ”Top 20 under 40” list. This list encompasses 20 individuals of diverse occupations and backgrounds from businessmen and businesswomen and innovative entrepreneurs, to philanthropists, entertainers, doctors and more, the list places a spotlight on the myriad of talented, creative and passionate Jews, all under 40, who call Canada home.

Top 20 under 40 – Elana Waldman

Age: 38

There are those who talk the talk, others who walk the walk. Toronto’s Elana Waldman personifies the latter with her unique combination of strength, courage, compassion and inspiration.

Waldman, a 38-year-old native of Montreal, continues to show the leadership and commitment to her community – through volunteerism and generous philanthropy – that is a vital part of what makes Jewish Toronto one of the Diaspora’s most envied, and often emulated Jewish communities.

And, Waldman continues to make a difference in the lives of so many while she continues to stage a Herculean fight against ovarian cancer.

Married to Mark in 2002, and the mother of eight-year-old Sydney, Waldman, who earned her BA at McGill in Political Science and Law degree from Osgoode, practiced family law at McCarthy Tetrault until Feb 2007 when she was forced to take leave to undergo her first round of cancer treatment.

During her working days, Waldman became involved with the one Family Fund – an organization that provides direct financial, legal, and emotional assistance to victims of terrorism in Israel. she was the organization’s president for four years.

Along with volunteering her valuable time, Waldman continues to support a number of organizations financially as well.

Since her diagnosis, Waldman has used her unique skill set and uncommon commitment to helping others.

“While I was going through my first line of treatment I decided that I wanted to do something that would bring more awareness to the issue of ovarian cancer within the community at large. I reasoned that if someone who was relatively well informed about cancer and the BRCA mutations was so lacking in knowledge, most people probably knew even less.”

Shortly after that realization, Waldman, true to form, turned her words into actions after reading an article about an event that takes place in the Hamptons. Waldman decided to create a similar event in Toronto to benefit ovarian cancer research at Toronto’s Princess Margaret Hospital. and, with that, aWEARness was born.

“The first year of aWEARness was 2008,” says Waldman. “It was a huge success and I really believed that I had reached a large number of people who would otherwise not know about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. we also raised over $200,000 for research that year. we put the event on two more times. Unfortunately, with the turn in the economy and the continued health issues that I have, I had to make the decision not to do the event any longer.”

Not one to rest on her laurels, Waldman also became involved with an initiative called “It’s Time to Shout”.

“Ovarian cancer is called the cancer that whispers and this is a campaign of empowerment for those whose lives have been touched by the disease, either directly or indirectly,” she explains. “The website, itstimetoshout.com is the brainchild of Leigh Himel, one of Mark’s high school friends. Essentially, it is a website where people can upload their stories so that we have a critical mass of people raising their voices. the goal is to raise awareness and money for research into an early detection tool.”

In addition to the website, Waldman has a video blog on chatelaine.com, also called Time to Shout.

“I post every week or so about my journey with cancer. My aim is to educate about ovarian cancer but also to show that you can live with cancer. while it is challenging, there are still many wonderful things to enjoy in life and cancer doesn’t have to take those away.”

An inspiration to all who know her – and countless others who have never met her – Waldman maintains a happy, positive outlook on life.

“I have generally always been a fairly happy person. My disposition is just naturally optimistic and while at times that optimism has been tested, it has helped me focus on the light at the end of the tunnel when things get hard. People tell me that I am very strong. I don’t believe that. I am a mother. I do what I have to do to be here for my family. I do what I can to enjoy the time I have. whether I die from cancer, get hit by a bus or live a long life – no one knows. I can choose to worry about that or I can choose to make the most of whatever the time is that I have. I choose the latter.”

Shalom Life is currently searching for the best and brightest Jews under 40 in new York who have gained recognition in business, entertainment, philanthropy, technology and more. please send suggestions to

Today is World Tuberculosis Day. every year on March 24th, the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership (STP) has chosen this date to create awareness about tuberculosis (TB). Historically, this date was also the birthday of when Dr. Robert Koch discovered the bacteria, tuberculosis bacillus as the cause of this deadly disease in 1882.

With more than 100 years since the discovery of TB, it still remains an epidemic in much of the world today. Tuberculosis is the world’s seventh-leading cause of death. 1.8 million people died from tuberculosis last year, and it is estimated that three people died from TB every minute. it is one of three most deadly diseases that affect the underprivileged, with the other two being AIDS and malaria.

This year’s theme is “On the move against Tuberculosis” with the goal of eliminating tuberculosis by 2015. besides leveraging on more resources at all levels to accelerate the fight against tuberculosis, STP aims to promote this day as a day of inspiration for both individuals and companies to participate in their action plan.

to achieve their goal, they are seeking the public to help them:

• Find new and Better Tools to Fight Tuberculosis

  More resources must be allocated to turn scientific discoveries into new and better drugs, diagnostics and vaccines. it is also essential to increase the availability, accessibility and efficiency of tuberculosis services to the masses. according to the report, there were calls for commitment of US$ 1.1 billion for tuberculosis research in 2010, but there was a US$ 0.6 billion funding shortfall. With nearly two million people dying from tuberculosis annually, such research cannot be relegated to the backseat.

• Forge new and Stronger Partnerships to Reach the Global Targets

  With only 5 years to go before the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) to combat tuberculosis, it is important that innovative approaches are put in place in the most efficient manner. all stakeholders, such as drug manufacturers, donors, public health officials need to collaborate and accelerate in making these new medical breakthroughs a standard of care as quickly as possible in order to meet the MDG target to stop TB.

We are optimistic that the MDG goal of stopping tuberculosis can be realized by 2015, as long as individuals take the initiative to seek treatment upon suffering symptoms, and researchers continue to source for better treatments for patients worldwide.

Tuberculosis is a contagious respiratory disease. it is akin to the common cold as it spreads through the air when infectious people cough, sneeze, talk or spit. a person needs only to inhale a small amount of airborne germs to be infected. You don’t get TB through physical contact, such as touching the clothes or shaking the hands of someone who is infected. Instead, TB is spread primarily from person to person by breathing infected air during close contact.

Tuberculosis is generally classified as being either latent or active. Latent TB occurs when the bacteria are present in the body, but they are inactive. Hence, latent TB is not contagious. Infected people may not feel ill or show any symptoms if their immune system can keep the bacteria under control. their chest X-ray even looks normal, so the only way to diagnose is through skin test or tuberculosis blood test.

Fortunately, latent TB is curable and can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing active TB. Treatment with isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide for first two months, followed by isoniazid and rifampicin for four months has known to be successful.

In fact, being infected by latent TB is not uncommon. according to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 2 billion people in the world are currently infected with it. however, only about 5% – 10% will become sick with active TB at some time in their lives, usually within two years of the infection. People living with HIV are at a much higher risk. The vast majority of TB deaths are in the developing world, with majority of them happened in Asia as a third of new cases come from India and China.

Tuberculosis primarily affects the lungs, but it can also affect organs in the central nervous system, lymphatic system and circulatory system. When a person becomes infected with tuberculosis, the bacteria in the lungs would multiply and usually cause a local lung infection called pneumonia.

Common symptoms of pulmonary TB are

• a cough that lasts for more than two weeks
• blood stains when coughing
• feeling weak or fatigue
• fever
• loss of appetite
• pain in the chest
• sweating at night
• unexplained weight loss

if you have these symptoms, please seek medical attention immediately. an early stage of TB is curable. go to a local communicable disease centre (CDC) for tuberculosis testing now!

You can play a part to help prevent the spread of tuberculosis by:

• covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze
• not spitting on the ground
• seeking treatment if you suspect you have tuberculosis symptoms
• ventilating your houses, offices or other enclosed areas by allowing the movement of fresh air
• washing your hands frequently especially when you have been around people suffering from chronic coughs
• wearing a mask when you go to crowded public areas

Given the widespread of latent TB around the world, it is important to keep yourself fit and healthy knowing that the onset of active TB only triggers when your immune system is weak. You can keep yourself in the top condition by having a balanced diet daily, exercising regularly and abstaining from alcohol, drugs and smoking. For more tips on how you can have a healthy lifestyle, you can always refer to “How to start a Healthy Lifestyle?” article.

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at what time your medical doctor in the beginning detects Autism symptoms after that suggests with the intention of your spawn has Autism, your in the beginning inspiration force be present incredulity furthermore you force ensue forlorn to get belief commencing additional doctors to verify it. Autism occurs next to a fresh age, preferably than heart a disorder an elder offspring force develop. it is frequently detected more willingly than the time of 3, after that countless era a great deal earlier.

The formerly symptoms of this sort of prepare are frequently displayed to the same degree delays before drop popular tongue communication. a different ahead of schedule signpost is abnormal actions at what time your spawn is all the rage grouping fool around situations furthermore additional party situations.

As autism is self-same discrete popular all child, it is a tricky disorder to detect. in attendance are still a not many register methods popular which doctors bottle efficiently relate autism popular children, as well as proviso your spawn is performance whichever of these cryptogram of autism symptoms, you must holiday at your medical doctor without delay to utter your concerns.

The in the beginning movement to diagnosing autism is a thorough raw examination in the same way as fine in the function of a reconsideration of family unit times past by means of a doctor. even if your expected pediatrician willpower ensue adept to stain infrequent behavior, you desire compulsory your offspring to be present examined via a certified who specializes all the rage autism as a consequence additional like diseases popular enjoin force to assured your offspring is suitably diagnosed.

The subsequently footstep is with earshot tests. in attendance are 2 habits of aural tests, individual is to file the tones a spawn bottle be made aware as a consequence the additional of which requires sedation furthermore at that moment dealings the understanding reply to undeniable tones. poster prose next party skillfulness delays may possibly ensue payable to defective aural feelings as a result earshot investigation bottle present whether before not your spawn is autistic.

Of course, the formerly means is preferred, because it does not compel one manipulate of a sedative. subsequent to aural testing, your medical doctor may possibly furthermore adversity your offspring representing Fragile X syndrome, which frequently goes give popular give by autism. Metabolism may possibly and be present evaluated captivating a blood before urine illustration to dissect DNA. An MRI before CAT look bottle and be real beneficial all the rage diagnosing autism symptoms.

The weighty gadget is with the intention of you do by doctors you cartel closely. subsequent opinions may possibly ensue self-same beneficial representing you, except at what time your spawn has been diagnosed, you must stab together with 1 medical doctor as a result with the intention of dealing is unfailing with as a result with the intention of your spawn willpower find worn to this personality all epoch he before she goes representing checkup. Autism is testing to analyze furthermore equal extra arduous to treat, as a result you must discover to the same degree a great deal for instance viable on the order of the disorder to the same degree presently because your medical doctor identifies it.

If you comprise not vocal by your medical doctor approximately abnormal actions with the intention of you think about it popular your child, you must achieve as a result immediately. next to detecting autism symptoms early, you bottle create your offspring a nice risk emergent positive to be real a high-functioning distinctive together with a great deal extra opportunities all the rage life.

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Basically, I've read in a few places that he did and I certainly see it. he is a massive inspiration to me, being an aspiring writer. Also as I have Aspergers I would love to know this. (:

No. he is not on the lists

Heather’s had her fair share of struggles with Lyme. She’s a huge inspiration to me, as she’s still in the beginning stages of her treatment (remember those extra scary dark days?) and still manages to care for her kids, all while battling illness, making a difficult move across the country, and doing what’s best for her family, even when it means making tough decisions and sacrifices. Here are some of her thoughts based on her Lyme pregnancy experience:

How long have you had Lyme; when were you diagnosed?

I have had Lyme disease since 1989 when I was bitten by a tick in the Sierra Nevada mountains in CA. I wasn’t diagnosed until mid – 2010 and my real, debilitating symptoms started in 2007.

Were you treated before and/or during pregnancy? if so, what were/are you taking?

I was not treated before or during either of my pregnancies because I didn’t know I had Lyme! I suspected I had something that could be killed by some sort of anti-fungal or antibiotic so before my second pregnancy I was on Olive Leaf Extract and Lauricidin. DURING my second pregnancy I was on Lauricidin, Vit. D, and prenatals. But I had no idea I had Lyme or that whatever I “had” could possibly be given to my unborn child. I’m thankful for (so far) very healthy girls.

How did you feel physically during your first trimester?

Both of my pregnancies I was so so exhausted the first trimester. I could hardly do anything. I was also so nauseated that I threw up until week 21! I tried all sorts of anti-nausea meds and none really did the trick.
Second? like I said, mid-way into the second trimester I still was throwing up. But once it passed I felt great!!! NO fatigue, no joint pain, everything was awesome physically! My husband and I actually thought that being pregnant was the answer to avoid all the pain and fatigue I had been in.
Third? Both pregnancies ended up with me having kidney stones in the third trimester. there isn’t much they can do for you when you’re pregnant so I just had to stick it out until they passed. and toward the end of both pregnancies I was pretty tired.

How did you hold up mentally during your pregnancy?

First trimesters I was always depressed. Probably because I felt so ill with no “light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel”. and my second pregnancy I was also depressed in the third trimester but it went away fairly quickly after my daughter’s birth. again, since my Lyme symptoms had disappeared during pregnancy and I also didn’t KNOW I had Lyme, there wasn’t much to worry about. I think if I got pregnant again now that I know what disease is hurting my body, I’d worry so much just because those hormones make you so imbalanced! Crying and irritable and for me, irrational sometimes.

Did you experience a flare-up in symptoms after delivery?

most definitely, but not until about 2 months after the birth did the flare-up symptoms creep in. Joint pain, fatigue (not your normal baby-sleep-deprived state of mind), mental confusion, and twitches.

If so, how severe has it been, and what are your limitations?

After my second baby, I was diagnosed with Lyme and within a few weeks of finding out, I started having seizures for the first time. But before that, I was debilitated enough. the joint pain was manageable (meaning I could work through pain) but the fatigue was impossible to manage. there really isn’t anything you can do about being so fatigued you can’t move. I was confined to the couch or bed and my two littles had to be cared for by loving relatives and good friends who would come to the house during the day until my husband would get home from work.

What was the hardest part about pregnancy with Lyme Disease?

I think just not feeling well but having to care for another child and thinking that you’ll have TWO soon and now sure how you’ll feel physically after the birth.

What is the hardest part of being a mom with Lyme disease?

The hardest part of being a mom with Lyme disease is the physical limitations. most moms have an instinct on how to balance life with one or more children alongside the normal requirements of home or work life–multitasking. With Lyme, I found that I went from someone who multi-tasked very well, to someone who could NOT do more than one thing at a time and could only really BARELY do the bare minimum for my kids (feed, change diapers, and put down for a nap). My sole focus went from being my kids’ mom to being someone who could barely even care for myself. the GUILT that comes with that is almost unbearable. You feel as though you aren’t good enough for your kids and that they are missing out on a normal childhood; wishing you had the energy and state of mind to read to them, enrich their little learning brains, and giving them the physical loves and hugs they need. I find myself needing to tell my 3 year old multiple times a day, “No, you can’t sit next to me, you need to sit on the other couch” just because of my pain level. and it kills me every time. I try to take advantage of any “good” moments I have during the day to encourage, speak kindly, and give hugs to both my girls.

One of the toughest decisions my husband and I had to make was to send our oldest daughter (only 3 1/2) to stay with her grandparents for a month so I could get the rest I needed before making a big move across the country. Thankfully we felt comfortable with my parents caring for her and trusted them, but still, it was hard to be away from her (they lived out of state) for that long. But it was a wise decision because my body was able to get some rest that it needed at the time.

Do you have help when you need it? in what ways were you able to reach out for support, and have you been successful?

Most of the time we have had help when we needed it. when my husband was deployed to Iraq, I was at one of my sickest times and my family really stepped up to help me. Even some close friends would step in to chop veggies for that night’s dinner if my wrist joints hurt too much to do it or even just stop in to clean my bathrooms or do other various household chores every once in a while.

When my husband was home and a year or so later, I became really sick again and we found that our church friends really served us with earnest hearts. they found time in their busy schedules to come babysit the girls while I lay in misery on the bed or couch, or made dinners for us since my husband would get home too late to make a meal for us (I was too weak and fatigued to), or even just come and clean the house for me every week or so.

We have also had really supportive family even though they live out of state. they have flown multiple times to stay for weeks at a time to be “live-in” help for us. we have always been honest with them as to just how bad my illness is and they have never been unsupportive or questioned my Lyme disease. Even with conflicting information out there, they have always trusted us and seen with their own eyes just how bad this illness can be.

Looking back, would you have done anything differently (treatment courses, outlook, doctor communication, or would you have waited longer, for example)?

I think in my case, I had a gut feeling Lyme was the culprit for my sickness but I was so scared of it that when I was initially tested and it came back negative, I just accepted that. But deep down I knew it had to be Lyme and I wish at that point I had sought out wiser LLMD who could have diagnosed me properly. if I had done that, I MAY be feeling better today. But I know God has His plan for my life and sickness and He has me in this season for a reason. I definitely have grown a lot through it even though it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through.

What’s the best part about being a mom? Are you still able to enjoy motherhood even when you’re feeling ill?

I love that even though I am feeling rotten, I get so much joy out of both of my little girls. My 3 year old is walking entertainment and I find myself writing down multiple quotes a day to tell her dad when he gets home from work. She makes me laugh all day, even when I’m feeling my worst. and my 10 month old is all smiles most of the time and I just love enjoying both of their personalities. Even when I feel my sickest, I can still enjoy their cuteness. My children bring SO much joy to my life that I do believe it keeps my spirits up even though my physical life is down. I’ve never regretted having my girls even though I’m ill.

How was your experience with doctors and hospitals? were they accommodating? did they understand your Lyme?

I’ve only had to mention Lyme to a general practitioner a few times because of how recently I was diagnosed. But the time I mentioned it to my doctor a year or two before being diagnosed, he tried to convince me that it couldn’t be a possibility even though I had been bitten by a tick and gotten the bulls-eye rash. But, being a humble man, after I explained what I knew of the disease, he was willing to test me; it just wasn’t the right test.

Now, trying to get a general doctor in the new place I live, was more nerve-wracking THINKING about it and whether I was going to be met with kindness or animosity than it was actually meeting with the new doctor. I was blessed to find a doctor who didn’t know much about Lyme and felt compassion for me seeing me in a wheelchair at such a young age. He said he was willing to work with my LLMD and also said if there was anything else he could do for me, he would.

What advice would you give women who are considering having a baby?

I guess I would give the same advice I’d give to anyone considering to have children — make sure you’re ready for all the work it takes. it truly takes up every ounce of your body — especially those first 2 months!! Know that having a baby is hard and even more so when you’re ill. BUT — it also is one of the greatest joys. You’ll never regret having children. and I recommend having a great support base as you’ll most likely need help. and most definitely accept help when it’s offered….this took me a while to do but as I’ve lessened my pride I can see just how much I truly need/needed it.

As far as the possibility that Lyme can be passed to your children — well, in my case I didn’t know I had it when I had my children. But I am here to say that both of my girls are really healthy. we do suspect my oldest MIGHT have Lyme (only because of one symptom so far) but according to my LLMD, we wouldn’t do anything about it until more symptoms arose and all other medical tests were exhausted. He said not to get stuck worrying about every little ache and pain but to let her grow and that we will “know” what to look for and when to seek help.

To learn more about Heather and follow her Lyme journey, see her blog, Today I Feel Exceptionally…