Suárez's 3-run homer lifts Mariners over Pirates 6-3 in 10 innings
Eugenio Suárez hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 for their sixth win in seven games
2023-05-29 07:52
What does plus minus (+/-) mean in hockey?
So, what is Plus-Minus in hockey? Learn about this stat that tracks goal differential during equal-strength situations.
2023-10-03 19:18
De La Cruz gets first cycle for Reds since 1989
Rookie sensation Elly De La Cruz became the first Cincinnati Reds player in 24 years to hit for the cycle when he accomplished the feat against the Atlanta Braves
2023-06-24 09:58
Lil Kim Then and Now: Singer's transformation in showbiz and personal life
Lil’ Kim to became known for her style and she has served some iconic looks over the years
2023-09-29 15:50
Tesla's EV plug is closer to becoming the industry standard following a move by an automotive group
A key U.S. automotive industry organization says it will set performance standards for Tesla’s electric vehicle charging cords in another move toward using the Tesla plug on all EVs
2023-06-28 02:59
How to watch US Open men's semifinals as American Ben Shelton bids to upset Novak Djokovic
Before a ball was even hit at this year's US Open, many would have predicted three of the four semifinalists in the men's draw.
2023-09-08 16:56
Hunter Biden: The legal troubles of the US president's son
A five-year probe into the president's son looked set to end last month. Now it may be heading to trial.
2023-08-16 07:49
Protesters cut short questioning of San Francisco mayor over drug crisis
Protesters cut short a rare outdoor meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Tuesday where the board president had planned to question Mayor London Breed over the city's drug crisis
2023-05-24 08:22
Salon owner with incurable cancer who lost hair during treatment makes customisable wigs to help others feel ‘confident’
A salon owner with incurable cervical cancer who lost her hair while having chemotherapy has said wearing wigs has given her “reassurance in a world where nothing is certain”, and she now sells handmade, customisable bespoke wigs to help others feel “confident” in their own skin. Amanda Humphrey, 43, who owns Saramanda1 hair salon in Great Denham, Bedfordshire, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in October 2017 after delaying her smear test by seven years. She underwent a radical hysterectomy in December that year – a surgical procedure to remove the womb and surrounding tissues – and was in remission weeks later. The cancer returned and Humphrey received her second cervical cancer diagnosis just two days before Christmas in 2021, and she then started chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She described this as “hell on Earth”, and within two weeks of starting chemotherapy the second time, she noticed her hair was being “blown out of [her] head” by the wind. Humphrey shaved her head and embraced her baldness but soon realised she missed having “that comfort blanket” – and she then searched “high and low” for a realistic, non-synthetic wig. Through her own searches, which were often fruitless, she realised that the number of people selling customisable wigs made of human hair in her area were few and far between. This led to Humphrey making and selling her own – and now, despite her uncertain prognosis, she said her mission is helping people struggling with hair loss feel like themselves again. “My message is I get it, and that’s why I love the wigs that we produce,” Humphrey told PA Real Life. “I’m proud of the wigs that we produce, and I’m so grateful that people choose us to be a part of their journey. “Every wig is made with love and strength, they are made from the heart, and me and my entire team, we all want them to be just perfect.” Cervical cancer is a cancer that is found anywhere in the cervix – the opening between the vagina and the womb. Symptoms include unusual vaginal bleeding, changes to vaginal discharge, pain during sex or pain in your lower back, the NHS says. Humphrey, who was working as a detective in London at the time and had only just opened her salon, said she had no symptoms prior to her diagnosis and “always found an excuse to cancel [her] smear test”. It was only when a colleague strongly encouraged her to book her smear test, seven years after she was first invited to have one, that she received her diagnosis in October 2017. She said she holds herself responsible for this and has since campaigned for other women to book their smear tests without delay by sharing the message “Don’t be me”. Speaking about her first diagnosis, she said: “I walked into the room and I looked at the consultant and, before I’d even sat down, I said ‘Have I got cancer?’ And he said ‘Yes’. “Then I said ‘Am I going to die?’ And he said, ‘I need to examine you and then I can tell you.’” Humphrey explained that telling her son, who she wishes to keep anonymous, was the hardest part, and she later underwent a radical hysterectomy, which was performed via keyhole surgery. A biopsy revealed she was in remission just weeks later, and while this was positive news she felt “lost” afterwards. She did not process the “trauma” of the cancer and the fact she could no longer get pregnant due to the radical hysterectomy until much later. “Emotionally I struggled because although I didn’t necessarily want more children, I wasn’t ready to to lose that option,” Humphrey explained. “I grieved not having more children, I grieved something I didn’t have, and I never sought help on that, ever. “Given it’s a gynaecological cancer as well, when I visit my local hospital for any appointment, I sit in a room with pregnant people waiting for their appointments. “They come out of their appointments happy, with their files and scan photos, and you’re sitting there, thinking ‘I can’t have that any more’.” In the years that followed, after Humphrey was medically retired from the police, she continued with cervical cancer awareness campaigns and focused on her salon. However, she started to experience agonising pain in her left leg in 2021 and could not pinpoint the exact source of it. After undergoing scans and tests, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer recurrence just two days before Christmas that year. She then underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which caused her to experience sickness, muscle aches, nose bleeds and ulcers in her mouth. During her second round of chemotherapy she lost her hair within two weeks. “I remember saying to one of the nurses ‘The next time I see you in three weeks, will I have hair?’ And she just said ‘No’, and it was true,” Humphrey said. “I was stood outside my salon on week two and it was really windy and I was trying to make a phone call outside. “I said to my colleague ‘My hair is being blown out of my head’ – it was literally just floating past us – so we shaved it off.” Humphrey said she embraced being “bald and proud” initially, but she missed the “comfort” that having hair gave her – and so her journey to creating her own human hair wigs began. Each wig starts from approximately £450, depending on the length and thickness, and can take up to three weeks to make as Humphrey and her team at the salon custom-colour each one. Humphrey said she will often “work into the night” to finish an order, if required, and some customers have even cried when seeing the finished product. She has since partnered with Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust as well, and for every wig sold through the charity she will donate 10 per cent of the proceeds to the organisation. She explained: “Wearing wigs has given me so much reassurance in a world where nothing is certain. “Just having a wig on gives me that comfort and ability to just be normal, and I want to help others achieve that feeling.” In October 2022, Humphrey was informed her cancer is incurable and she will most likely not reach remission again – however she is determined to keep fighting. She is now having pembrolizumab – a type of immunotherapy – and has regular check-ups, and although she was told that statistically she may only have 18 months to live, she said she wants to “prove everyone wrong, even if (she dies) trying”, and she will not stop her “passion” of making wigs for others. “The results we get are amazing, they’re happy, and being able to support someone with part of their journey is so rewarding – it’s always something I’ve wanted to do,” she said. “It helps them feel confident, and the comfort comes in, but it’s just the fact they can walk out their front door feeling normal.” She added: “If my journey can help someone in the future, then I’m all in.” To find out more about Humphrey and the wigs she and her team make, search @saramanda1_wigs on Instagram. For more information and support about cervical cancer, visit Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust’s website here. 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2023-11-08 17:28
Women’s World Cup 2023: Lionesses train in Brisbane as preparations for opening match continue
England’s Lionesses have been taking part in private training sessions as preparations for their Women’s World Cup campaign continue in Queensland’s capital city, Brisbane. On the eve of the tournament, Sarina Wiegman’s squad hit out at the Football Association for failing to agree a bonus structure with players. In a statement signed by every single member of the 25-player squad, the Lionesses said they are putting negotiations on hold but will revisit the issue after the tournament. “We are disappointed that a resolution has still not been achieved. We view the successful conclusions of these discussions, through player input and a transparent long-term plan, as key for the growth of women’s football in England,” the statement read.
2023-07-18 19:47
I tried YouTube physical therapist duo Bob and Brad's D6 Pro massage gun
Late in 2021, I hurt my knee pretty badly from… stepping out of a van
2023-07-21 17:24
Pac-12 Football: 5 incredibly early bold predictions for the 2023 season
Pac-12 football fans are here for a good time, but not for a long time with realignment coming.For at least one more year, we will have a healthy helping of Pac-12 football out on the West Coast.With USC and UCLA leaving the league in 2024 to join the Big Ten, the Pac-12 feels like it is on ...
2023-05-20 02:58
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