WHEN his primary four classmates were reading about superheroes, Craig Fenton was given a book about his mum’s cancer. And as he lay in bed one night, the eight-year-old struggled over a difficult word. Mum Arlene, 43, said: “I told him the word was ‘chemotherapy’.

“I explained it was a type of drug that would make my hair fall out.

“He said: ‘No mummy – it says here it MAY make your fall out’. He looked at things differently from adults from the start. It was amazing.

And he completely accepts it now.”

It has been four years since social care worker Arlene was diagnosed with breast cancer. She knew she would have to come out fighting for the sake of Craig and his brother Mark, then three. As a family, the Fentons have raised £35,000 for Breast Cancer Care Scotland, with Craig and Mark working harder than anyone. Mark was only four when he took part in his first sponsored ‘toddle’.

Craig was nine when he started selling pink ribbon badges and wristbands, telling people: “My mum has breast cancer and I’m supporting her.

Would you like to help?”

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Total Nutrition Technology (www.tntgetfit.com), which specializes in weight loss, health management and enhanced sports performance, is partnering with Interrupt Hunger, a new charitable weight loss program that supports Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.  Total Nutrition Technology will be serving as the nutrition advisor for the program and providing nutrition information and tips on Interrupt Hunger’s Web site – www.interrupthunger.org

Interrupt Hunger is the brainchild of Charlottean, Bill Jollie, who thought of the concept last fall after hearing a National Public Radio report on hunger in America.  “I thought, how can so many people be hungry, when two-thirds of adults in America, including myself, are overweight,” said Jollie.

“In the 19-county region of North and South Carolina served by Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, over 360,000 people live in poverty,” said Kay Carter, executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.  “Sadly, this number includes 120,000 children and 42,000 seniors.  With rising fuel and food prices, more families are seeking help than ever before.”

“Since both groups have a problem with hunger – one doesn’t get enough to eat, while the other eats too much, I wanted to do something to interrupt the hunger cycle for both groups,” stated Jollie.  “If our willpower isn’t strong enough to overcome our food cravings, hopefully our compassion for others will.”

Interrupt Hunger motivates people to lose weight by donating $1 for every pound they lose to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.  Through the nutrition support of Total Nutrition Technology, Interrupt Hunger provides a charitable means in which to help motivate people to be healthier.

The symbolic color of hunger is orange.  In an effort to raise awareness, Interrupt Hunger will offer its own orange version of the popular rubber wristband to support its cause.  Additionally, this wristband serves as a behavior modification tool.  When craving something unhealthy, take the wristband off and put it on the other wrist.  This technique serves as a voice of reason and helps bring the person back to their focus of losing weight.

“I was so impressed by Bill’s passion for this cause and the opportunity he presented to help motivate people to lose weight through charitable giving,” said Angela Gallo, LSN, DTR, president of Total Nutrition Technology.  “Interrupt Hunger not only provides a worthwhile means to give to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, but the tools to help people succeed at their weight loss program.  This is a perfect fit for us as a company and we are excited about kicking off this program.”

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Four-year-old Felder Sartin, affectionately known to his fan club as “Super Felder,” is not just fighting for truth, justice and the American way. He’s also fighting for his life.

In late August, Felder was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and is currently undergoing outpatient treatments at Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children. ALL is a cancer of the white blood cells and is most common in children.
Meanwhile, his parents Jessica and Gareth Sartin and his brother Easton, 2, of Bogue Chitto, have a church family that wouldn’t just let Super Felder fight by himself. Jessica’s Bible study group, which calls themselves “Secret Sisters,” came together to help raise money and prayer support for the Sartins in their time of need.
“When something goes wrong we just contact our Secret Sister group, it’s just the kind of fellowship that we have,” said Jessica’s cousin Becca Guynes. “We rallied around her, and we’ll be here to follow it the whole way through. Nobody asked any questions when we heard about it, we just got together and started doing what we could do to help.”
And Jessica says in her time of need, her “sisters” are the life preserver that keeps her afloat.

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New York Giants linebacker Danny Clark recently saw a basketball player use his wristband to — get this — wipe sweat.

“I said, ‘That’s what those are for?’ ” Clark said. “I had forgotten that.”

Clark wears wristbands, too. But he does not wear them to wipe sweat, and he does not wear them on his wrists. Like a growing number of fashion-conscious NFL and college football players — and countless kids who emulate them — Clark wears his wristbands well above his elbows.

“I’ve got all sorts of biceps and triceps busting out of there,” Clark said. “It’s a good look.”

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