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Make A World Record In Cancer Fight

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By MARY SHEDDEN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 18, 2009

Brain cancer isn't the only thing Bob Gibbs and his family want to defeat.

The Clearwater father, his wife and four sons want to beat a world record at the Dunedin Blue Jays' April 10 season opener. They've contacted officials with Guinness World Records about their aim to recruit baseball fans to be part of the world's largest candlelight vigil.

Another purpose of the event, dubbed "Together in Hope," is to raise the profile of a cancer diagnosed in nearly 22,000 American children and adults in 2008. Just $8 gets you in to watch a ballgame and fireworks, and you can join thousands in a vigil against a disease that killed 13,000 in the United States last year.

"Hope is such an important component when you are fighting cancer," says Barb Gibbs, whose husband has endured multiple surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy since being diagnosed with tumors in 2004.

I first met Bob and Barb Gibbs in September, when they hosted a cycling event for their nonprofit group, called Miles for Hope. That fundraiser, like the April 10 vigil, helps recruit people with lower-grade tumors and pediatric patients to the clinical trial under way at the University of California, Los Angeles.

While Bob Gibbs, 39, is a participant in the UCLA study, he does not receive support from the Miles for Hope program. The trial allows UCLA researchers to create a customized vaccine using a patient's tumor, which is injected over a period of time into an arm. Bob Gibbs has been tumor free for 10 months, his wife says.

A 9-year-old brain cancer survivor will throw out the first pitch at the April 10 game, and singer Kevin Carlberg, another cancer survivor, will sing the national anthem.

For tickets or more information about the record-breaking candlelight vigil attempt, visit www.milesforhope.org or call (727) 647-6548.

Home Grown Produce

Everybody in the Tampa Bay area knows that it is strawberry season right now, thanks mostly to the annual festival over in Plant City. But I confess I'm not sure when a lot of local veggies and fruits are in season.

The folks who promote the state's agriculture think they have an idea to help. The "What's In Season Now" page offers up a literal shopping list of items available right now from Florida farmers. It's available at: www.florida-agriculture.com/shopping_list.htm.

This Web site makes a lot of sense. It supports nutritious choices and the items on the list are likely to help me save a few bucks by knowing what local produce is ripe for picking. And it supports business in the state. Seems like a no brainer.

Social Sites, Red Flags

It's amazing what people share on social networking sites, especially teenagers. But now researchers are saying kids' posts might raise a helpful red flag when they're practicing risky behaviors.

Substance abuse, sexual activities and violence were among the top topics referenced in a sampling of 270 teen MySpace pages, according to a study published in January in the Archive of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. A full 41 percent mentioned substance abuse; 24 percent talked about sex.

Not surprisingly, kids who displayed their church affiliation were less likely to mention these behaviors. Those who talked about sports or hobbies made fewer references to violence.

This observational study is by no means a sign that MySpace has any relationship to the chances of kids taking risks. But, unlike 20 years ago when gossip often was the only clue, friends and parents may have a high-tech resource to make sure a teen making poor choices doesn't get in too much trouble.

I think these pages offer friends an opportunity to watch out for each other online. If a friend starts acting differently on a MySpace or Facebook page, it may be the sign of troubles in real life.

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