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Phoenix Resident Gives Voice to Confusion, Guilt and Grief that come with Diagnosis and Death of a Family Member from Glioblastoma  Losing a loved one to glioblastoma, commonly called glioma, the most aggressive form of brain tumor, is something too many people have experienced, and Phoenix resident Catherine Graves has experienced it firsthand. Approximately 13,000 Americans die from glioma each year, and it was the cause of Graves’ husband’s death. Yet despite the fact that many people, including well-known individuals like Sen. Ted Kennedy and film critic Gene Siskel, die from this form of cancer, diagnosis isn’t always easy. A patient’s symptoms can create confusion for loved ones. When Graves’ husband began acting out-of-character and disinterested, she initially suspected him of having an affair. He was then treated for depression. Graves details how her husband’s illness affected her and their children, and the challenges and heartbreak they faced, in her memoir, Checking Out: An In-Depth Look At Losing Your Mind. Written from the caregiver’s perspective, the book gives voice to the confusion, guilt, and grief that come with a diagnosis and death of a family member from glioma. Since the book’s publication, Catherine Graves has become a voice for loved ones of those suffering from the disease and those it leaves behind. She has been interviewed by Dr. Sanjay Gupta for CNN; has appeared on Good Morning Arizona; and has been interviewed by the Arizona Republic. Her ability to compassionately and candidly articulate the struggles a caregiver faces, while offering practical advice for how to cope, make her an ideal speaker on this difficult and important topic. About the Book  Checking Out: An In-Depth Look At Losing Your Mind by Catherine Graves is a memoir of one woman’s struggle with her husband’s death from glioma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer. Written from the caregiver’s perspective, the book explores mistakes made and the impact they have, as well as how difficult it can be to find absolution. In a book that is a must-read for anyone who has lost a loved one to a fatal disease, Graves openly shares the impact her husband’s illness and death initially had on her and their children, and how she was ultimately able to come to terms with the confusion, guilt, and grief that threatened to consume her. Checking Out: An In-Depth Look At Losing Your Mind by Catherine Graves is available wherever books are sold. About the Author Catherine Graves, a powerful and inspiring author and speaker, has the ability to share her experiences with loss in a way that resonate deeply with others. Her book, Checking Out: An In-Depth Look At Losing Your Mind chronicles her journey through extraordinarily challenging times to a place where healing and strength become possible. When not sharing her insights, Graves contributes to the Phoenix community where she resides with her two children. Her volunteer efforts include work with the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation, Florence Crittenton Center for Girls, Barrow Neurological Institute, and the Craniofacial Foundation of Arizona, among other organizations. Visit www.catherine-graves.com for more information. Technorati Tags: brain cancer, Catherine Graves, Glioblastoma, glioma  Read More →

Scottsdale Weight Loss Center Celebrates by Opening New Chandler Location Scottsdale, Ariz. – Losing weight is difficult, but a local company is taking a major bite out of Arizona’s overweight population. Today, Scottsdale Weight Loss Center announced it has helped Arizona residents lose almost 45 tons of weight. The 88,000 pounds lost is equivalent to a two-mile stretch of one-gallon water jugs. To celebrate the milestone, and the opening of their new office in Chandler, the clinic is opening its doors for a free two-hour “Lose It Arizona” celebration event on November 17, 2011. From 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at 600 South Dobson Road in Chandler, the casual open house will feature food, door prizes, giveaways and discounts from health-related businesses in the surrounding neighborhood, and more. This is a free educational event, not a sales presentation. See Scottsdale Weight Loss Center’s Facebook page (@ScottsdaleWeightLoss) for details. “The key to losing weight is not dieting – it is changing your lifestyle to support healthier habits and behaviors. Our success is not due to a short-term weight loss program, diet or fad. Its true value lies in physician-directed support, plus the combination of meal replacements with education, understanding what triggers over-eating, then retraining how you think about food,” stated SWLC physicians Craig Primack, MD and Rob Ziltzer, MD. “Through the Lose It Arizona event, we simply want to celebrate healthy lifestyles and feeling fantastic.” According to the Trust for America’s Health, six out of ten residents in Arizona are overweight or obese (63.7 percent). Arizona’s obesity rate has doubled in the last fifteen years, along with the percentage of those with  diabetes.   Published on behald of Scottsdale Weight Loss Center Scottsdale Weight Loss Center (SWLC) is a weight management center providing medical weight loss programs to the adults and children in the Greater Phoenix area. Since 2006, Robert Ziltzer, M.D. and Craig Primack, M.D. have helped Arizona residents lose nearly 88,000 pounds through custom diets and Optifast meal replacements, plus robust support and education programs. For details, visit http://www.scottsdaleweightloss.com. Technorati Tags: Chandler Arizona, Scottsdale Arizona, Scottsdale Weight Loss Center  Read More →

A memorial service will be held July 30 to celebrate the life of Valley business and civic leader William Bryan (Bill) Austin, 55, of Scottsdale, who passed away July 12, 2011 following a courageous two-year battle with brain cancer. Dedicated to helping others, Bill was a master networker, both online and in person, who used his passion for technology to enrich the lives of thousands of individuals and countless organizations. A leader in the social media world before it even had a name, Bill was known as @wbaustin on Twitter and had nearly 100,000 followers. Austin was active in multiple Valley chamber of commerce, networking and business mixers and served on the boards of numerous organizations including Community Information and Referral, Southwest Job Network and Maricopa County Fair. He served committees and projects throughout the Valley in many ways, such as being webmaster and social media expert for the Arizona Foreclosure Prevention Task Force. “Bill Austin was the salt of the earth,” said Mesa Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Peter Sterling. “He was one of the first people I met shortly after moving here and I quickly saw he was one of the most connected people in Arizona. He graciously gave his time and support to make the Valley a better place to live and work. The community has lost a devoted, talented man who was a good friend to many.” Austin began his career as a chemist following graduation from Loyola Marymount University where he obtained a bachelor’s of science degree in Chemistry and an MBA. During 10 years with Hughes Aircraft in California he invented the flame retardant glue that holds paneled walls inside airplane passenger compartments. In a 17-year career with Motorola, as a systems engineer, Bill was awarded multiple patents and patents pending, most notably, patents relating to Bluetooth technology. He also was on the team that developed Motorola’s first website and was the company’s first webmaster. When Motorola and other technology firms scaled back Arizona operations in the early 2000’s, Bill saw the need to support professionals in career transition and in 2002 he co-founded the Southwest Job Network (SJN). The organization has served hundreds of Valley residents from all industries and today, with more than 4,000 members, is one of the largest networking groups for professionals in Arizona. SJN President/Executive Director Christine Vicari said, “In addition to his passion for offering contacts and resource information to the many individuals seeking his counsel, Bill led the organization, and many job seekers, into new uses of technology. He provided infrastructure and other support for online functions as well as workshops for jobseekers on blogging, social media and more. A passionate man and a dear friend of the worker, Bill will be sorely missed.” In 2003, Bill Austin joined wife Kathee Austin’s company, AZhttp, Inc and helped build it into an industry leading Internet, advertising and marketing firm. The couple worked together as publishers of East Valley Living (EVLiving), an online community resource and independent media outlet providing local news, events and information about greater Phoenix and the East Valley. Kathee Austin continues ownership of the EVLiving.com family of web-based platforms and runs its operations under the Gorden Ventures division of AZhttp, Inc. where she serves as Chief Executive Officer A devoted family man, Austin especially enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father, Donald Austin and is survived by his mother, Sally Austin; wife Kathee Austin; daughter Cynthia Austin and her mother Lucy Gonzales; step-children: Christen Ciurana, Clinton Sullivan, Kelly Willhauck and Kathleen Boring; five siblings: Donald  ”Don Taco” Austin, Virginia Fellows, Valerie Price, David Austin and Steven Austin, plus 13 grandchildren. Friends and business colleagues are invited to join his family in celebrating Bill Austin’s life during a memorial service July 30 at 11 am at Franciscan Renewal Center, 5802 E. Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale.  Guests are asked to wear bright colors, and no suits, please. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Hospice of the Valley or Arizona Oncology Services Foundation. Technorati Tags: Bill Austin  Read More →