Isolation makes cancer worse - bbc online

Social isolation 'worsens cancer'

Stressed mice grew larger tumours

Social isolation may make cancer more deadly, US research on mice suggests.

Researchers found the social environment can modify the biology of the disease - and lead to significant differences in outcome.
Female mice stressed because they were separated from their mothers developed more and larger mammary gland tumours than more contented animals.
The University of Chicago study appears in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

It is now widely recognised that stress plays a part in illness, but no-one really knows how much Oliver Childs Cancer Research UK

Previous research has suggested that social support can improve health outcomes for patients with breast cancer, while social isolation has been linked to an increased risk of death from several chronic diseases.
The Chicago team worked with mice genetically predisposed to mammary gland cancer.
They found changes in the activity of genes that play a role in tumour growth in the stressed animals, suggesting that they may have been directly influenced by surging levels of stress hormones.
The researchers said more work was needed to pin down exactly which cell types are affected.
New treatments
But researcher Dr Suzanne Conzen said the study raised hopes of new ways to block cancer growth.
She said: "Given the increased knowledge of the human genome we can begin to objectively identify and dissect the specific alterations that take place in cancer-prone tissues of individuals in at-risk environments and that will help us to better understand and implement cancer prevention strategies."
Dr Caryn Lerman, editor of the journal, said: "This study uses an elegant preclinical model and shows that social isolation alters expression of genes important in mammary gland tumour growth."
Professor Thea Tlsty, of University of California San Francisco, said it had long been known that psychological factors could influence disease, but not how.
She said the study added to growing evidence that chemicals circulating in the blood - such as stress hormones - could influence the development of cancer by turning genes on and off within cells with the potential to turn malignant.
Previous work has also suggested that depression can have a negative effect on cancer prognosis.
Oliver Childs, of the charity Cancer Research UK, warned against drawing any firm conclusions.
He said: "These experiments were carried out in mice, so certainly do not prove that the stress caused by social isolation causes cancer to get worse in humans.
"It is now widely recognised that stress plays a part in illness, but no-one really knows how much and there is no good evidence from controlled studies that stress contributes to cancer progression."

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).

Our blog which was first established in October 2007 currently has more than 30,000 hits. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Petpositive.

You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

Asia's Attitude to Assisted Suicide - bbc online

Asia's attitude to assisted suicide

The authorities in Britain are due to issue guidance to clarify the law on assisted suicide. As more and more countries in the West are grappling with how to legislate on this difficult issue, the BBC's Vaudine England looks at how assisted suicide and euthanasia are viewed in Asia.

Tang Siu-pun, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, 26 August 2009
Ah Bun wants the right to choose death but will not discuss it with his family

Tang Siu-pun, also known as Ah Bun, wants the right to decide whether he might live or die.

He once wrote a letter to Hong Kong's leader, then Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, demanding the right to choose.

But he has never talked it over with his family - showing how strong the taboo is on talking about death, and individual choice, in Chinese and most other Asian cultures.

Between every few words, he takes a breath, thanks to a machine strapped to his body.

It gives his strong views on life and death an added poignancy, each phrase interjected by a breath.

"I could not do what I want. I must be helped to live. Even going to toilet. I was ashamed, shame on my life. I was very confused. But I was conscious.

"If I was still alive I must, I must be helped by others. Until I die. I didn't want to have this life. What can I do. Only euthanasia.

"Because it was my choice. I can decide by myself. Not others. Only thing I can do," he said, reinforcing the view that being given a choice often makes a person feel stronger and want to live longer.

Ah Bun has since received better treatment in hospital, and using a computer - and by moving his eyelids - he has written a book.

In "I Want To Have Euthanasia", he argues that choosing how and when to die is a basic human right.

Tradition

But he knows the chance of legislative change is almost non-existent.

"Tradition does not allow us to talk about dying. Our tradition is conservative. More than the West. Our society seldom discusses the issue.


Here, life is more a collective thing, we are less individualistic. Your life is part of the family. Even if you want to die, your family would not let you die
Dr Timothy Kwok, Hong Kong geriatrician

"In China, even if they are not Christian, they do not have any religion, they think dying, death, is a natural thing," says Ah Bun.

When Dr Philip Nistchke, Australia's best-known euthanasia advocate, came to Hong Kong recently, the Society for the Promotion of Hospice Care and related groups refused to join discussions with him.

"We support rational discussions on euthanasia in the community," they said in a statement, but added that the emphasis should be on improving palliative care.

Ah Bun's case has helped bring more subsidies and support to other quadriplegics, allowing some to live in the community - just as Ah Bun will do when a public housing flat is found for him.

But many more in poorer Asian societies are not so lucky - the expense of treatment often leads to people dying a slow death.

'Not ready'

Dr Timothy Kwok, a geriatrician who has worked in the UK and Hong Kong, believes there are not enough people pressing for greater openness toward either active or passive euthanasia for a substantial change to take place any time soon.

Highrise residential property in Hong Kong
About 300 people commit suicide a year in Hong Kong

Dr Kwok notes that in Hong Kong, for those who are able-bodied enough to take their own life, there is a surprisingly high suicide rate, about 300 cases a year, with high-rise apartment buildings making jumping easy.

But he says that for those who do not have this option, family structures in Asian societies are much more focused on keeping people alive than they are in the West.

"It's very rare a family would want somebody to die. They would try to preserve life as long as possible," he says.

In his clinical practice he is constantly coming across cases where families will provide daily, detailed care to people who are frail and almost vegetative.


ASSISTED DYING
Euthanasia: taking deliberate action, such as an injection, or withdrawing medical treatment to end a person's life
Assisted suicide: providing the means, e.g. medicine, to allow a patient to end their own life

Assisted suicide: Global debate

"Whereas in the UK, people tend to be more willing to let them go, more likely to let go," says Dr Kwok.

This is not because of a less caring society but a difference in perspective, he says.

In the West, there is "a higher respect for individuals' rights and quality of life," he believes. "Whereas here, life is more a collective thing, we are less individualistic. Your life is part of the family. Even if you want to die, your family would not let you die.

"You are part of the family. If you die there's a consequence to your family, to the people around you," says Dr Kwok.

That attitude applies even when the patient would rather end it all.

'Face' and faith

And in Asia, he thinks, people are more concerned about what others might think, the 'face' aspect.

Paradoxically perhaps, doctors suggest from anecdotal evidence that some Christians in Asia are more likely to let their elderly relatives go, or at least the more westernised care-givers are.

Another difference is that many older people in Asia lack the education required to fully debate the issues.

The 40-year old Ah Bun wants the right to choose - but does not want to hurt his parents.

"I never discuss with my family. I think, why can our lives not be decided by ourselves? Life is our property," he says.

But he will spend many more years "facing the ceiling only", before any laws in Asia will give him a choice.

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).

Our blog which was first established in October 2007 currently has more than 30,000 hits. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Petpositive.

You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

MBPJ Dog Forum - Another History Making Event in Petaling Jaya

FRIENDS, it is only two weeks more before another history-making event is achieved in Petaling Jaya. 

The latest is a first-ever dog forum by the Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya. It will be organised at the PJ Library in Old Town.    

For the very first time dog lovers and those with particularly no-interest for canines or pets will be attending a four-hour forum on dogs to discover if they are truly man's best friend or their worst enemy.


The brainchild of MBPJ Councillor Anthony SB Thanasayan, the forum is expected to bring together Petaling Jaya residents from both sides of the views in a meaningful awareness raising showcase that will feature a dialogue sessions where residents can voice out their views. 


"Dog-lovers and non pet lovers have often been at loggerheads with one another on the same issue of responsible pet ownership but have never had a chance - until now - to come together and learn from each other's grievances that has often inadvertently pulled local councils into the fray," said Thanasayan who is Head of the Canine Advisory Team or CAT; the only special committee to look into dog welfare in the State of Selangor.


"We certainly hope that by the end of the half-day event, participants will come away with a more enlightened point of view on the thorny issue of pets which has dogged councils for years," added Thanasayan.
 

The Forum to be launched by YB Ronnie Liu and the MBPJ Mayor will feature Dr Chandra Muzaffar as the keynote speaker on "A Just World for Animals." Other presentations will come from SPCA Selangor, Petpositive, the Department of Veterinary Science and MBPJ's Dog Unit. 


Registrations starts at 7.30am. The event proper will begin at 8.30am until 2pm. A light breakfast, tea and lunch will be provided. 


The Dog Forum is open to all residents of Petaling Jaya. The Petaling Jaya Library Hall in Old Town, PJ, has a capacity crowd of 300 people.


Please go to www.facebook.com/anthonythanasayan and click under Events to initially register yourselves for the Forum.


See you there!

   

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).

Our blog which was first established in October 2007 currently has more than 30,000 hits. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Petpositive.

You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

WEEKEND VIEW: A Living Legend With Epilepsy: Serene Low

EPILEPSY is a condition of the brain which causes a person to become unconscious.

This happens for short periods of time where he or she will move about in an uncontrolled or sometimes in a violent way.

Such movements are called “seizures”.

They are caused when there is a sudden and involuntary surge of electrical activity in the brain.

No one knows why this happens and so there is currently no cure for epilepsy.

Whoever is experiencing a seizure goes through a motion that alters the way a person thinks, acts or feels.

Now anyone reading these few paragraphs may be terrified of the disease, especially if it were to affect them or their loved ones.

NOT Serene Low, however, who lives in Bangsar in Kuala Lumpur.

The 49-year old wife and mum with a 21-year old son is convinced that having epilepsy is neither a death nor life sentence.

“Life is still beautiful with epilepsy,” she told Wheel Power last week.

Serene is in the best position to know this fact because she has epilepsy herself.

She has had the condition for nearly 40 years. And in all that time, Serene has experienced more than a hundred attacks of seizure.

“The good news is today there are so many types of anti epileptic drugs that are available,” she says.

“With proper diagnosis and the right medication, seizures can be fairly well, if not, very well controlled,” added the prominent epileptic awareness activist whose blog www.epilepsylegacy.blogspot.com won a top health blogger award in February of this year.

Serene went on to point out that anti epileptic drugs are usually enough in preventing seizures in a majority of people who take pains to consume them regularly and as prescribed.

It has been estimated that at least 50% of all patients with epilepsy gain complete control of their seizures for substantial periods of time. Another 20% enjoy a significant reduction in the number of epileptic attacks.

“I have lived with epilepsy for most of my life and I’m fortunate to say my seizures are very well controlled.

“I would also like to point out that without epilepsy, I would not be the epilepsy activist that I am today.

“My experience with the disease has helped me stay connected and in touch with other leading epilepsy activists, caregivers and people with epilepsy (PwE) not only in the country but also around the world as well.”

Serene stresses that being an epileptic does not make her feel less different from anyone else.

In fact, her epilepsy blog has been a huge plus factor for her.

“It has opened a whole new dimension in my life,” she explains.

“I have loyal followers and readers – many of whom are PwE who leave inspiring and motivating comments for me.

“In fact, if not because of epilepsy, I would still be the shy and quiet person that I was.”

Serene had her first seizure as a child after a high fever. Then she stopped having seizures for about ten years until it recurred when she was 18 years old.

Her last seizure occurred in March of this year.

“Epileptic seizures can be extremely dangerous for PwE, especially when they happen in dangerous places,” explains Serene.

“Once it happened when I was swimming in Port Dickson where I almost drowned until someone rescued me in the nick of time.

“At another time, I was at a traffic light waiting to cross a busy street and the seizure caused me to fall down on the five foot way where I broke the whole upper front row of my teeth that needed extensive surgery at the dentist.”

Despite those difficult times, Serene says that life has to go on for everybody and especially for PwE.

“In my case, I have learned to look beyond epilepsy.

“The way I see it, the horizon beyond epilepsy is colourful, beautiful and captivating like the artworks of Vincent Van Gogh and his divine paintings.

“His paintings have inspired me in my artwork which is one of my greatest interests.”

Serene says that although her paintings may never find a place in art galleries, painting has become a very therapeutic past time for her.

Three weeks ago, she submitted 13 images of her paintings to Jim Chambliss, a reformed attorney who is currently doing research on the influence of human conditions such as epilepsy and migraine in art at the University of Melbourne and St. Vincent's Hospital in Australia.

Serene says she was delighted that her works were picked as part of a study by Chambliss entitled, “Epilepsy and Creativity.”

Serene who also suffers from chronic migraine says that not only is she thrilled to bits that she was the only Asian artist outside Australia to participate in the study but she feels particularly proud to be able to contribute through her life with epilepsy that will further enlighten researchers about the relation between the disease, migraine and art.

Chambliss, incidentally, is also a PwE.

The End

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).

Our blog which was first established in October 2007 currently has more than 25,000 hits. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Petpositive.

You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

Most Mooed By Your Support

PETPOSITIVE SAYS:

Twenty nine thousand, nine-hundred and ninety! (29,990)

That was the grand figure of visitors to Our Loud and Proud Blog when we checked moments ago.

Just what can we say other than that WE ARE TRULY MOOED by your unflinching support to PET+BLOGSPOT - the only animal-assisted therapy Society in the country and Blog in cyberspace.

Thank You THANK YOU and THANK YOU ALL!

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).

Our blog which was first established in October 2007 currently has more than 25,000 hits. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Petpositive.

You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

Laff of the Day from Petpositive

Friday, September 18, 2009

HUMOUR OF THE DAY

A Lab Report & Cat Scan

A woman brought a very limp duck into a veterinary surgeon. As she laid her pet on the table, the vet pulled out his stethoscope and listened to the bird's chest. After a moment or two, the vet shook his head sadly and said, "I'm sorry, your duck, Cuddles, has passed away."The distressed woman wailed, "Are you sure?" "Yes, I am sure. The duck is dead," replied the vet."How can you be so sure?" she protested. "I mean you haven't done any testing on him or anything. He might just be in a coma or something." The vet rolled his eyes, turned around and left the room.He returned a few minutes later with a black Labrador Retriever. As the duck's owner looked on in amazement, the dog stood on his hind legs, put his front paws on the examination table and sniffed the duck from top to bottom. He then looked up at the vet with sad eyes and shook his head. The vet patted the dog on the head and took it out of the room.



A few minutes later he returned with a cat. The cat jumped on the table and also delicately sniffed the bird from head to foot. The cat sat back on its haunches, shook its head, meowed softly and strolled out of the room.The vet looked at the woman and said, "I'm sorry, but as I said, this is most definitely, 100% certifiably, a dead duck."The vet turned to his computer terminal, hit a few keys and produced a bill, which he handed to the woman. The duck's owner, still in shock, took the bill. "$150!" she cried, "$150 just to tell me my duck is dead!!!

The vet shrugged, "I'm sorry. If you had just taken my word for it, the bill would have been $20, but with the Lab Report and the Cat Scan, it's now $150."

Humour and laughter are the best medication all of us can afford to have because it comes without costs. Besides just taking our anti epileptic drugs daily, always make sure you top it up with an ample and generous dose of humour and laughter. Humour and laughter have the abilities to zap away your negativities, bleach your darkest moments till it turns glaringly white, flush away fear and embarrassment and spruce your mind, health and soul till it becomes cleany clean clean.

I always enjoy good humour and great hearty laughs. My hubby and I were engaged in a game of snooker recently. Both of us had no experience at all with this game. We were so clumsy in handling the long sticks. The only rule of the game was the winner will be decided based on the number of balls entered. My hubby and I posed in all sorts of wierd and funny positions when playing this game. At one point of time, my hubby showed off to me by doing a bend stroke. He bent his body so low onto the snooker table as if he was lying face front on the table. Then with limited vision, he pushed the stick forward. Instead of hitting the ball in front of him, the stick tilted and pointed upward to the ceiling. At that funny sight, I fell instantly onto the floor as if I was having a seizure. I grabbed my chest and tummy and was laughing uncontrollably. I laughed and laughed till all my body muscles ached. I was completely out of strength to stand up on my own. My hubby had to stretch out his hand to me to pull me up from the floor. Both of us continued laughing our hearts out.

So, laugh whenever you can. Laughter has miraculous healing power. Laugh and others will laugh with you. Share a humour and make your laughter contagious. Laughter will lift up your burdens. Laughter will make you forget about almost everything.

The above write up was published in www.epilepsylegacy.blogspot.com It is a superb blog on epilepsy managed and authored by Serene Low who is an epilepsy activist.

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).

Our blog which was first established in October 2007 currently has more than 25,000 hits. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Petpositive.

You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

HOLIDAY SPECIAL: Piety and Places of Worship by Dr Chandra Muzaffar

Piety and Places of Worship

Written by Chandra Muzaffar

Posted: 17 September 2009 07:50

The recent cow head incident has brought to the fore certain important prerequisites for the maintenance of peace and harmony in a multi-religious society like ours. One, an appreciation of the sensitivities of each and every religious community is fundamental. These sensitivities may be at variance with one’s own beliefs but recognizing them for what they are, is a pre-condition for ensuring inter-ethnic peace in a multi-religious society. Two, when these sensitivities are ignored, or worse, transgressed, it is individuals and groups from the offending community who should be more vocal in condemning the behaviour of their fellow religionists. This will have a more positive impact upon inter-religious ties than the denunciations of people from the aggrieved community. It is commendable that in the cow head incident a number of Muslim groups took a firm stand against the despicable action of a misguided few from their own community who had clearly violated Islamic teachings. I have no doubt at all that if police investigations reveal that those responsible for the pig head incidents in Malacca and Kuala Lumpur are from some non-Muslim community, there will be individuals and groups from the community who will condemn such debased conduct. Three, while Malaysians are generally conscious of the red lines that should not be crossed on certain matters pertaining to religion, the level of understanding and empathy among the different communities is still appallingly low. On a variety of issues ranging from education to economics, misconception and distrust continue to impact negatively upon ethnic relations. This is why public policies that seek to redress ethnic grievances, buttressed by effective public education, are so critical at this point in time in enhancing inter-community understanding. If there was empathy among the communities, the question of relocating a Hindu temple in Shah Alam would have been less controversial. No one would have argued that a minority religious community cannot have its own place of worship in a locality where the majority professes a different religion. Right through history, Muslim Rulers --- with a few exceptions—saw it as their duty to protect the temples, churches and synagogues of minority faiths, in accordance with Quranic principles. By the same token, in a number of societies where Hindus or Buddhists or Christians are in the majority, Muslim minorities have been able build their mosques and practise their faith in peace. Malaysia itself is an outstanding example of a country where the majority-minority dichotomy has had no effect upon the construction of places of worship. If we were influenced by such myopic thinking, there would be no gurdwaras in Malaysia since Sikhs are a tiny minority everywhere in the country! Of course, in any multi-religious society there will have to be unambiguous rules governing the construction, maintenance and expansion of places of worship. These rules should be just and fair to all religious communities. Equally important, they should be enforced effectively. The lack of effective enforcement has in some instances contributed to inter-religious friction and tension. From a broader perspective, while it is important to acknowledge the significance of a place of worship to the religious life of a people, it would be wrong to assume that a place of worship is proof of the piety of a people. We have to get rid of the idea that there is a direct equation between the two. True piety is reflected in faith in God and in good deeds. In the ultimate analysis, it is deeds that mirror values such as justice and compassion and kindness that really count. It is not just kindness and compassion to our fellow human beings that is indicative of piety. Showing kindness and compassion to animals is also regarded as a noble virtue in all our religions. This virtue was one of the edicts of that illustrious Buddhist Ruler of antiquity, Asoka. . The Qur’an even recognizes the rights of animals as illustrated in the story of the Prophet Salih and the people of Thamud. It explains why early Muslim jurists not only formulated rules and regulations aimed at protecting the welfare of animals but also prohibited animal torture. This is why stomping and spitting upon the slaughtered head of a cow with venom is an unconscionable act. The time has come for more individuals and groups of conscience to speak out against those attitudes and actions within their own religious community that violate the humane values and principles embodied in their respective faiths. Professor Chandra Muzaffar is President of International Movement for a Just World, and also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Yayasan 1Malaysia. 17 September 2009.

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).

Our blog which was first established in October 2007 currently has more than 25,000 hits. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Petpositive.

You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

HOLIDAY SPECIAL: Being Positive About Parkinson's

ONE of the most difficult parts about becoming or being disabled is when the person starts to lose control of his or her life.

This is especially hard and painful for those who have lived independently for most of their lives.

An insidious disease like Parkinson’s, for example, can leave its victim with shattered hopes.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) which is a neurological condition that currently has no cure only gets worse over time.

It often robs People with Parkinson’s (PwP) of the many basic abilities that is needed for independent living.

Its sufferers commonly experience difficulty in moving their arms and legs. In times like these, they have to depend on others for assistance.

They also develop tremors and facial tics which is characteristic of the disease.

PD causes PwP’s to gradually become more and more immobile.

In a debilitating situation like this, it is not surprising that society tends to look down on PwP’s as weak and pitiful human beings.

That scenario however is not true in the case of a particular gentleman I was privileged to be introduced to last week.

Mohd Yazid Ismail from Bukit Damansara in Kuala Lumpur has had PD for almost 20 years. And like most PwP’s, he didn’t realise he had the condition until much later.

“I was working in Brunei Darul Salam when I think the first signs of PD started creeping into my life,” said Yazid who is a retired higher executive officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Speaking to Wheel Power in an interview last week, the 74-year old gentleman explained:

“It started off at first as a slight tremor in my right hand that appeared once in a while.

“But I didn’t think about it much as I realised that my hand only started shaking when I got excited or anxious about something,” added Yazid, saying that he simply put it down as a temporary nerve problem.

The irregular tremors however stayed on for two years.

By that time Yazid noticed that his writing of numbers and alphabets had also started to shrink in size for some reason.

Despite these alarm bell signals, Yazid pushed away everything from his mind until his retirement in 1990.

That was when he returned to Malaysia.

“Because I was very active in sports, especially in badminton and had no known history of disability in my generation of family, I didn’t think that I had any real cause to worry,” he said.

By this time Yazid’s tremors had increased. However, he didn’t face any major problems in walking.

He finally met a general practitioner in KL, more out of curiosity than anything else, he said.

It didn’t take long for the doctor to suspect PD and refer him to a neurologist. However, Yazid had to wait three months before he could see the specialist who confirmed the GP’s suspicion.

“I must say that I was rather disappointed that both the medical doctors did not tell me much about PD other than I now had the condition,” Yazid recalls.

“All I knew then was that boxer Muhammad Ali and the late Pope John Paul II had it, and had difficulties in walking – other than that I knew nothing”.

However it was after Yazid doing some personal research on the subject through books and international sources that he discovered how serious his condition was.

Despite the grim prognosis, Yazid is heartened to learn that PD is treatable – especially in slowing down the full effects of the condition.

Today although Yazid is in a more advanced stage of his condition, he remains optimistic. Although he now requires the use of a wheelchair, he only asks for it when he absolutely needs it.

This is one of his parts of still “being in control” of his life.

Yazid pops as many as a dozen pills in a day.

“Although I do have the occasional ‘down moments’, I never blame God for what has happened to me.

“I think having PD is part of any other disease or problems we as human beings have to go through.

“But rather than staying depressed, I am fortunate that I am able to see the many blessings of life; such as still being alive at 74, and being surrounded by my family and relatives who I love and love me back in return,” Yazid concluded.

And that is exactly what Yazid and his wife Rahila plan to do over this weekend for Raya.

For more information about Parkinson’s Disease, please contact the Malaysian Parkinson Disease Association in Kuala Lumpur at: 03 7980 6685 or email them at: mpda1@streamyx.com

You can also visit them at their Website at www.mpda.org.my

The End

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).

Our blog which was first established in October 2007 currently has more than 25,000 hits. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Petpositive.

You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

Faith Healing Risks Recovery - bbc online

Faith healing 'risks recovery'

Faith healing could jeopardise recovery from illness, research by the University of Ulster suggests

A belief in faith healing could jeopardise recover from illness, according to a new study by a University of Ulster researcher.

Dr Tony Cassidy said he believes that some people who put their trust in faith healing may be less likely to adhere to medical advice.

He will be presenting his research at a British Psychological Society conference in Birmingham.

The Coleraine-based academic's research team questioned 766 people on their belief in and intention to use faith healing.

They were also surveyed about their intention to adhere to medical advice.

"We found that belief and intention to use faith healing was a significant predictor of self-reported non-adherence to a medication," Dr Cassidy said.

"Participants who believed strongly in faith healing were also more likely to say they were less satisfied with their GP.

"Given that only about one-in-three people follow medical advice totally and about one in four put their lives at risk through non-adherence, it's important that health care professionals understand their patients' beliefs about alternative remedies, such as faith healing."

But one Belfast GP, Dr Paul Corry, believes that sometimes the opposite is the case.

"Often patients that do have a faith in God or have had a Christian healing prayer for them, show a better outcome because they are more positive," Dr Corry explained.

"They have hope where maybe they didn't have it before."

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).

Our blog which was first established in October 2007 currently has more than 25,000 hits. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Petpositive.

You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

Must Have Mastiff - bbc online

China Mastiff new must-have item

Ms Wang said she spent a long time looking for her new dog

Tibetan Mastiffs have joined the roster of luxury items coveted by China's wealthy elite, according to a purchase reported by local media.

A young woman paid $600,000 (£360,000) for a Tibetan Mastiff and had a convoy of luxury cars meet her and the dog at an airport, the Xian Evening News said.

"Gold has a price but this Tibetan Mastiff doesn't," the woman, named only as Wang, was quoted as saying.

The dogs typically sell for about $2,000 outside China, breeders say.

Ms Wang and the dog were met at Xian airport after she returned from buying it in Qinghai province in north-west China, home to many ethnic Tibetans.

She was greeted by fellow lovers of Tibetan Mastiffs, who held up a long red banner welcoming the dog to Xian, capital of Shaanxi province.

Ms Wang said she and a friend had spent a long time looking for a true Tibetan Mastiff.

The dogs are fairly rare in Tibet and around the world, and are valued by the nomadic peoples of Central Asia for their skills as watch dogs.

Tibetan Mastiffs were also traditionally used to guard Buddhist monasteries in Tibet.

The dogs are large and fierce, reaching a height of up to 80cm (31 inches) and a weight of 80kg (176 lbs).

Richard Gardiner, chairman of the Tibetan Mastiff Club of Great Britain, said mastiff puppies typically sell in the West for between $1,400 and $2,000.

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).

Our blog which was first established in October 2007 currently has more than 25,000 hits. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Petpositive.

You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my

WEEKEND VIEW: 900 Dogs + 3000 People = Fun Day Out In UPM

ALTHOUGH nearly a month has passed since I participated at a special event that was held on the grounds of Universiti Putra Malaysia in Selangor, I still can’t forget how much fun I had there.

And it wasn’t just me alone who had such a roaring time.

All of my friends – numbering more than a dozen guys and gals mostly in wheelchairs, and some with walking sticks and the elderly – had a whale of a time too.

We were specially invited to a dog-event called Dogathon with more than 900 canines and 3000 people.

The organisers who were the veterinary students of UPM went to great lengths to play excellent hosts to the handicapped.

We had reserved car parks, a wheelchair-accessible mobile toilet, free coupons and meals that included breakfast, brunch and even lunch.

The best treatment yet was that each disabled person was assigned a volunteer to take them around the carnival-like environment.

I don’t recall seeing my pals being happier in any other similar outdoor event.

The volunteers were made up of veterinary students who were beaming from ear to ear as they went on their special mission.

Many of them flooded my email inbox with feedback of their experiences after the event.

Last week, I managed to put them together and thought that I would share with you, my readers, some of the best responses I received.

The feedback serves as testimonial of the fact that doing something good for others does not only benefit the person being helped. The helper also gets blessed in return for his or her kind deed.

Department of Veterinary Science Year One Student Lee Yee Cheng writes:

“Although I’ve helped handicapped people before, I was still nervous about helping people in wheelchairs.

“My main worry was how I was going to push and manoeuvre the wheelchair on the grass as the surface was not particularly difficult for wheelchairs.

“In such a circumstance I wondered if it would be better for me to just ask them for guidance first as I did not want to make my guest feel uncomfortable by my 'over-helping'.

“Luckily everything turned out for the best in the end though I wished there were guide or service dogs around as it would have been interesting to see how our canine pals would have tackled such problems.

“After all, that’s what these incredible dogs do for their disabled owners in overseas countries.”

• Aisyah, Year Two:

“I don’t know why some people react with pity towards the disabled. For me it was an incredible honour to be able to interact with them just as I did with other people on Dogathon day.

“I think the handicapped ought to be encouraged to keep dogs as pets too, considering the amazing things that canines can do for them such as guiding them around or pulling their wheelchairs.

“I can’t wait to volunteer again next year!”

• Chan Jia Xin, Year Three:

“It was a tremendous educational experience.

“I managed to learn the proper way of offering my assistance to the disabled and making them happy which also made me extremely happy in return.”

• Mohd Hafez Bahadom, Year Three:

“Through my interaction with the handicapped, I discovered that the best thing we can do for them is to treat them the way we ourselves like to be treated.”

• Wendy, Year One:

“I was assigned to take care of a man who was paralysed from his neck down. I was afraid at first as to what I was going to say to him.

“But he surprised me and did all the talking.

“I pleasantly discovered that the disabled are just the same as any other people. They like to talk and share their opinions with anyone who cares to take time and listen.”

• Lya, Year One:

“The disabled were just as excited as we were to see all the dogs and pat and play with as many as they could. The gentleman that I was assigned too was very nice and friendly. It was very easy to talk to him.

• Purshyla Manikam, Year Three:

“What a splendid eye-opener. I didn’t know what to expect at first because I had never met or spoken to a disabled person before.

“I never knew how challenging and unfriendly the environment was for people in wheelchairs until I was there with one of them and struggling with the wheelchair.

“Everything in our path seemed like a never-ending obstacle course, especially when little thought is given to the needs of such people.

“And yet, despite the often insurmountable difficulties, the disabled often take things in their stride and carry on with their lives.

“I think that is certainly something we all as non disabled people can learn from them.”

The End

PET+BLOGSPOT is the official online blog of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive).

Our blog which was first established in October 2007 currently has more than 25,000 hits. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Petpositive.

You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my