Cancer is scary. It’s scary to think about, and even worse to experience. It also takes incredible strength to fight cancer or support someone you love who is. Two organizations are doing their best to provide hope and comfort to those individuals who have experienced or are currently experiencing the difficulties of cancer.

The Mesothelioma Group and the American Childhood Cancer Society are two of many organizations who hope that by providing support and information to families facing cancer, they can also offer some level of stability and normality to their lives. One way both organizations are doing this is by providing scholarship opportunities for families in need.

Paying for college is a hard enough prospect to face, even without the additional hardship of supporting a family member through cancer treatments or experiencing the illness yourself. By providing scholarship opportunities, these organizations make the possibility of college a little more of a reality. Each organization offers something a little different, so it’s just a matter of finding which opportunity works best for the individual.

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Forget about drones, wearable computers, fingerprint sensors and all the trappings of modern life, for it is the new November.

It’s Movember. The bane of wives, fiances, moms, girlfriends, and boyfriends everywhere. “Movember” is a portmanteau of “moustache” and “November,” and it means dudes everywhere will begin sporting all manner of bizarre upper-lip caterpillars. Toothbrushes and bathroom sinks will never be the same after this month.

If you or someone you know is between the ages of 15-35, chances are you’ve already realized what you’re in for this month. Movember aligns with “No Shave November,” making this modern trend of antiquated nature the most wonderful time of the year for manly men. The rules of No Shave November are simple: shave on November 1st and don’t do it again until December 1st. It can be a hairy time for everyone, as the beardily challenged can sprout some truly horrendous man scruff.

But after the whiskers have settled upon December’s tenderly shorn face, some real good will have occurred. Movember is not only a widespread movement in male bonding, it’s also a charity dedicated to promoting men’s health. Movember.com aims to “have an everlasting impact on men’s health,” namely in the areas of mental health and prostate and testicular cancer. Read the rest of this entry »

A terminal case of pulmonary lymphoma did little to stop Monte Bute, a professor at Metropolitan State University. He was handed a 14-month expiration date but Bute didn’t throw in the towel. Throughout his treatment, he has taken the opportunity to teach his students as much as he can. He captivates each class and takes them deep into the world of philosophy, history, literature, life and death.

Bute has been many things in his life, none of which are considered conventional. Bute has experienced all 65 years of his life quite fully- from juvenile delinquency, to a peace activist hippy and now, a revered professor. Much to the joy of his inspired students, Bute’s cancer is currently in remission. Unfortunately, this particular type of cancer has a way of returning more aggressively than the first time. Bute is ready for it, happy to have extended his time on Earth by even the littlest amount. He told Minnesota Public Radio, “Death showed up at my door on my birthday last year and I’ve been playing him a game of chess. I may win or lose, but I’m willing to keep taking it on. If I win, I live. If I lose, he takes me.”

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