Health
On Friday’s show, we reported on a 24-year-old woman who claimed she was undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, even going as far as to shave her head and raise $10,000 for treatment costs. It was later revealed she was faking it — just to get some money for a boob job.
After the show, TODAY correspondent Sara Haines caught up with fourth-host and breast cancer survivor Hoda Kotb for her response to the astonishing story. Hoda admitted she was not only shocked, but nauseated by the news.
“The idea that someone would pretend to have [breast cancer] makes you just sick to your stomach,” said Hoda Kotb in a web-only video. “I can’t believe someone would do that." Watch the clip:
What was your response to the story? Were you also shocked?
Related: She faked breast cancer to get breast implants
Discuss: What kind of punishment should the faker get?
Hoda Kotb on being empowered after breast cancer
On Sunday, Natalie and Hoda competed in the “War at the Shore” triathlon in Long Branch, N.J., which consisted of a .4K swim, 9.5-mile bike race, and three-mile run. Natalie finished fifth in her age group, and Hoda surprised herself with her performance – partially thanks to
all the great prep work from trainer “Hot Rob.” See them in action here and send in your congratulations!
Video: Natalie, Hoda finish triathlon
CONTINUED >>
This morning, Hoda and Kathie Lee phoned Kathy Brickman, the latest winner of “Everyone Has a Story.” The 66-year-old homemaker has a particularly interesting and inspiring tale: she credits breast cancer for “saving her life.” A few years ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but when she went in for testing, doctors found something even more alarming – stage-4 lung cancer. No one thought she would live long, but she managed to beat both cancers, and this Thursday, she will celebrate her victory with TODAY.
“Cancer can knock your socks off,” Kathy said, “but once you catch your breath, you realize there is so much hope – you should never let go of that.”
Learn more about Kathy’s journey by reading her winning essay: CONTINUED >>
From Dr. Nancy Snyderman, chief medical editorTODAY we reintroduced you to
a courageous young woman (video) who not only survived cancer twice, but helped change the dialogue of reproductive needs of cancer patients in this country.
I first met Lindsay Beck shortly after she was diagnosed with tongue cancer at the age of 22. She endured surgery and six weeks of radiation, but two years later, the cancer came back. This time, she not only needed more surgery, but radiation and chemotherapy as well. What she soon learned -- but what none of her doctors, myself included, ever told her -- was that the chemotherapy that would destroy the cancer would also most likely leave her infertile.
Lindsay refused to give up her dream of becoming a mother, and set out to preserve her own fertility.
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(From Stephanie Becker, TODAY producer)
Here's a math problem that never came up in Mr. Gill's Geometry class. If a picture is worth 1000 words and television adds 20 pounds, how many times will I bypass the office candy jar after seeing my butt on a field tape?
That’s kind of the point of an on-going study being done at Stanford University. As Chris Jansing reported this morning (video), Professor Jeremy Bailenson's student, Jesse Fox is running a series of experiments asking the question: If you can see a computer clone of yourself lose weight, would you be more incline to be healthier in real life?
Early results have shown that as a result of the subjects exercising and watching their virtual bodies slim down, they spent more time working out in the next 24 hours than they normally would have done.
Now, before I get all snarky about this study, I have to come clean. I applied to Stanford University. They rejected me. So instead of wearing sweatshirts to class, I wore a parka and big bulky boots to get around during the winters at Indiana University in Bloomington. And I got a fine Hoosier education.
So my lack of a Stanford diploma has nothing to do with this critique: Who needs a virtual goal? Most of us already have some REAL life examples to propel us to lose weight.
For motivation I turn to my favorite skinny-me photo snapped 13 years ago. I was on the divorce diet plan. When my marriage failed, I spent the first week eating big tubs of gooey rice pudding. But once out of the comfort-food phase I just couldn't get up the energy to chew. So I didn't eat for three months. I lost 195 pounds of flab and 175 pounds belonged to my ex.
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It was my first time in the back of a police car. I didn't know the seat was going to be made of a sloped and slippery molded plastic that pushed me towards the floor.
Easier to clean up, I was told, when people vomited. I wondered how many times that had happened where I was sitting. Or rather, sweating. It was stifling back there, as the Plexiglas separating me from the officers also cut off the air conditioning on this 80-degree day.
There were, of course, no handles to open anything. Even though I had the peace of mind to know I could get out by just asking, the experience was suffocating and not something I'd want to repeat. CONTINUED >>
(From Janet Shamlian, NBC News Correspondent)
I'm sitting here thinking about how wrong it is that I'm better able to report a story on how to talk to your kids about sex than talk to my OWN kids about sex. WATCH VIDEO
I have five (kids, that is), and my oldest is 12. Fortunately, as I'm so often reminded, I'm married to an amazing guy. So, my better half (it's an expression) handled the first one.
I fear our second child, my daughter, has picked up more than I'd like from movies and friends. She should have heard it FIRST from me. By the way, did anyone else let their 5th grader watch the season finale of "The Office"? Just wondering.
CONTINUED >>
From Stephanie Becker, TODAY producerI think I've been a fairly generous person to my friends. I have given them the usual stuff: birthday gifts, money, books, a ride to the airport, and probably too much unsolicited advice (you get what you pay for). But I'm pretty sure I'd never give a friend an organ from my body. So it’s a good thing I’m not Annamarie Ausnes’ friend.
Sandie Anderson, a Starbucks Barista from Tacoma, Wash.,
donated one of her kidneys to customer Annamarie Ausnes. The friendship had brewed over the three years that Annamarie's been ordering her daily double-cupped single drip. In that time the 50-something women would chit-chat about kids and grandkids and they realized they had a lot in common. More, apparently, than they'd expected. So, when Annamarie told Sandie her kidneys were failing, Sandy offered to donate one of hers. Turns out she was a match and on March 11 the transplant took place. Annamarie calls Sandie her angel.
It's all making me feel badly about my selfish self. I looked at my barista the other day, the one with the pierced tongue, and I just knew I would never give her a kidney. But that thought made me feel guilty enough to give her a $5 tip for a $1.95 coffee. (I wondered if she would have to share that with her supervisor.)
CONTINUED >>
Hello, I’m Jodi, a 41-year-old married mother of three.
I had been overweight since the age of 10 and tried numerous diets for 25 years. Losing a few pounds and then gaining those back plus more was a common occurrence. Add those extra pounds up over 25 years and that equals an obese person. I was at the point of believing that it was truly impossible for me to lose even 10 pounds, not to mention a miracle if I ever lost enough weight to reach my goal. When I read a magazine article or watched a television show that featured an individual who lost an enormous amount of weight, I thought that only happens to “other people;” it would never happen to me. I had given up hope.
Jodi, right, had given up hope of losing weight
Then “that” funeral – the one that made me realize that I had to find that hope again because not only was being overweight uncomfortable, it was life threatening, a thought I had avoided for my entire life. At the funeral I witnessed a 17-year-old boy looking into the casket of his mother. She was overweight too. I looked at myself and knew that I was carrying more extra weight on my body than she was. My heart felt fine, but I’m sure hers did too…until it was too late. Then I thought of my three children having to be in the same situation as her son. I realized a change had to be made, and soon.
CONTINUED >>
(From Samantha Vallejera)
Samantha Vallejera joined us this morning to share her experience of living with alopecia areata, an autoimmune skin disease resulting in the loss of hair, and how Locks of Love has changed her life. Here, Samantha, 15, speaks in her own words...
When I first lost my hair 6 years ago, other kids would tease or bully me because I was different and it really hurt me. I think that when we were little, kids judged people by their appearances. We don't realize that even though my appearance is different, I was still the same person I always was. I lost my confidence and self esteem. When I got my hair prosthesis from Locks of Love, it really changed my feelings and I was able to regain my confidence and self esteem. Now that I am in high school, I don't want what happened to me in the elementary school. I am older now and know that I'm the same person. I would like to be judged for who I am. I am very grateful and thankful to Locks of Love for their awesome services rendered to teenagers like me.
When we first got the call from Madonna, the president of Locks of Love, for me to be on The Today Show, I was really excited. I was just thinking "Oh my god! I'm going to be on TV!" My experience at the NBC studio was a once in a lifetime, memorable experience. In the beginning I really didn't know what to expect. I was just so excited and anxious about what I was going to say and do. But once we started taping, I relaxed and I felt more confident. And now I really can't wait for Thursday, when I'll be on live television. That's another experience I'm really looking forward to. I just want to go through with it. I think it's a once in a lifetime opportunity that I'll never be able to have again, a chance to show people who I am and gain confidence despite my condition.
