Aviva, is a health insurance firm in the UK.
They has just named the top ten health fads of the rich and famous and has deemed them a total waste of money and useless.

Bad news for all the centers and people who offer these treatments and most importantly, bad news for Scientology.

Why Scientology? 
Because Scientology is BIG time into detoxing. And detoxing was number four on Aviva’s list.

Well hello Scientology’s Purification Rundown! A double shout out to Scientology’s NY Rescue Workers Detoxification  program. (which was spearheaded by Tom Cruise)

AND add to that list, is Scientology’s Narconon, Second Chance, Criminon or any of the many other names that Scientology hides this program behind. It’s all the SAME detox program. These programs are delivered by people without medical backgrounds and these centers and programs are all unlicensed. Shocked?

It’s hard to believe that someone would fork over so much money and sign up for such a grueling program without researching it first. It happens all the time to desperate families searching for a cure to get off drugs and states in the US have actually funded these programs with TAX PAYER’S DOLLLARS.

Celebrities and rich people are big targets for health fads, because they have the dough, they are vulnerable and I guess they just don’t do enough homework on the backgrounds of these treatments. 

Aviva reported:

GPs have slammed the health-styles of the rich and famous, warning that UK women are wasting money and potentially risking their health following celebrity health fads like cupping, colonic irrigation or extreme detoxes.

GPs have named and shamed the ten most useless alternative health trends used by celebrities and their fans and, in a damning diagnosis, declared many a waste of money and with no medical value. The research was done for Aviva.To try each treatment on the GPs’ list could cost women more than £800.GPs have issued a stark warning that celebrities are having a dangerous level of influence over women’s health choices and that celebrity endorsement of unproven health treatments could be putting the public at risk.

Nine in ten women believe celebrities pay for the very best and most effective treatments. A third will try a health fad simply because a celebrity has used it. Seven in ten would try alternative treatments rather than visit their doctor.

Dr Douglas Wright for Aviva says, “We understand that people like to deal with their own well being in a number of ways, but too many women are wasting money following health fads that have little effect, Just because it is expensive, or rumoured to be a celebrity favourite, is not an automatic guarantee that a treatment will work. Some women are opting for treatment trends rather than seeking medical advice.” 

 

The Daily Mail reported the top ten:

Cupping, a form of acupuncture in which heated cups are placed on the skin to stimulate blood flow and ease stress and pain, tops a list of ‘health hoaxes’ identified by GPs.

Second on the list is colonic irrigation, in which a large, water-filled tube is used to ‘cleanse’ the bowel.

Actor Ben Affleck has tried it, but there is no medical or scientific evidence it works, according to the NHS Choices website.

In third place is food intolerance testing, which singer Geri Halliwell has tried. Kits can cost up to £275 but the results are said to be highly variable.

The others in the top ten are: 4 detoxing; 5 macrobiotic diets; 6 aromatherapy; 7 reflexology; 8 vitamin B12 injections; 9 extreme yoga; 10 overnight health farm stays.
The list was compiled by insurance firm Aviva from a survey of 200 GPs.

 

Now although all of the top ten fads that Aviva named can be a waste of money, not all can be harmful. For instance, I doubt if cupping, food intolerance tests or extreme yoga (whatever that is) would be very harmful?

But detox is. I was REALLY pleased as punch to see detoxing on their list. Some of the detoxes out there can be quite harmful to the body. And of course one of the detoxes out there is Scientology’s Purification Rundown aka the “Purif” for short. 

This regiment consists of ingesting oil, and mega doses of niacin aka “vitamin bombs”, LONG daily saunas that are up to five hours a day for five or more weeks and working out hard on a tread mill. Niacin in such high doses can be very harmful to the liver.

Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard also claimed that this program can rid the body of radiation . *snort!*

Recently, ABC Nightline interviewed Scientology defector, Amy Scobee, in a two part series along with other defectors. 

Amy spoke about ”grey stuff” coming out of her pours from being on the Purification Rundown. She said she was FORCED to go on this program while she was in Scientology’s Sea Org and was put on a punishment called the RPF. (Rehabilitation Project Force)

Cult spokesman, Tommy Davis said that Amy was not forced to go on this program and that she used the program for “religious reasons”.

So…..
if the Rundown is “religious” as Davis states, then why is this same exact program used in Scientology’s Narconon and Criminon programs? And why are states funding these programs? Scientology has always claimed that Narconon and Criminon are separate from Scientology and non religious. Hmmm, which one is it Scientology? It can’t be both.

Scientology’s Narconon program has been banished from several countries.
Scientology was also recently convicted of fraud in France. One of the many charges involved it’s Purification Rundown. They were charged for dispensing vitamins without a license.
Thank you France!

Why doesn’t our government investigate Scientology? Especially after the numerous court cases filed against them. That is a real head scratcher, don’t you agree?

I guess it doesn’t bother our government that these programs are run by non professionals who have NO medical backgrounds. They are unlicensed and there isn’t any scientific data to back up their claims that the detox does ANYTHING beneficial for the body at all. In fact it is just the opposite.

Narconon’s outright lie of their 70% success rates (so laughable) of getting people off drugs with this detox regiment is utterly ridiculous. The government pretends to care about our well being, but they do nothing to stop this madness and allows Scientology to continue to prey on people who need REAL help.

Perhaps the insurance companies will do something about it? I doubt they will want to deal with cases filed with health related issues from these regiments. Easy solution… close all the Narconon and other Scientology detox centers down.

So what about the Scientology celebrities who support this pseudo science? 

Before John Travolta’s son’s untimely death this past January, Travolta put his son Jett on this SAME regiment and openly admitted it. Did John and his wife Kelly Preston actually believe that this regiment would really help Jett with his seizures or autism? Well, obviously they did. They are taught to believe whatever their “church” says without questioning it.

I am not quite sure on how the Travoltas were able to put Jett through such a grueling program? I would think it would be very difficult to put ANY child on this program. I guess since John and Kelly are celebrities, and their cult convinced them that this was the right way to go according to their teachings, they will never be questioned further about it. *shakes head*

Their son has been gone now for 10 months and John and Kelly said they are having “daily religious sessions“ with Scientology.

So it looks like there is no hope for John leaving the cult. Him and bimbo wife Kelly will continue to follow a cult that tells them that all psyche drugs are bad, psychiatry is totally evil, that a body is just a “meat body”and that normal emotions like grieving and sadness are very low on the tone scale.

To suppress such normal emotions, especially when it comes to a child’s death, is downright ludicrous and very dangerous to some one’s well being.

A little bit of info on some of the emotions listed on Scientology’s tone scale:

The tone scale states that grieving is 0.5 (out of a possible plus 40) Sympathy is 0.9, and NO Sympathy is higher at a 1.2.
Oh! and regret weighs in at a whopping 1.3. 

Nope, I am not making this up. Look it up for yourself. This is what every Scientologist believes. From Tom Cruise, to all Scientology members. I am not going to get into their whole Xenu alien belief system, as many religions have strange beliefs to some. People can believe in whatever they want and that is their right. BUT! when it comes to harming people both mentally and physically, family disconnection, other abuses, human trafficking, and forced abortions, something must be done about it.

Of course Scientology tells it’s members that the Purification Rundown is a wonderful and beneficial thing, and members do not question it. I read the program costs a member $15,000 (that price was from 1992) I am pretty sure that price has doubled. That’s a lot of money for oil, vitamins a couple of courses and a tone scale chart.

We all remember what Katie Holmes looked like after she went on this regiment. Her pictures were plastered everywhere showing her gaunt, pale, and sickly. She went on this program before she became pregnant. Great Tom, you’re my hero.

Katie also wore gloves for quite a while because her hands were purple from all the niacin she was ingesting. Oh Katie, how many times do we have to tell you? Run!

Katie Looking More Like Grandma Cruise

So people save your money. Do some research. If the fad you are following is not dangerous and you have the dough, and it makes you think that you feel better, then that’s your business and good luck to you. But if it is harmful, and being delivered by non professionals with no medical backgrounds and there is NO scientific proof of it’s success besides patient testimonies, BEWARE and I say stay away.

It is obvious many of the states who have funded and continue to fund this “drug treatment” program, have not done their homework at all, when it comes to Scientology’s Purification Rundown. State officials MUST check backgrounds and research the name of these drug treatments being offered. Don’t forget, they are using your tax payer dollars to fund these programs. People must learn to read the fine print. If the name L. Ron Hubbard is found ANYWHERE within the program, then it is Scientology lock stock and barrel. No question about it.

These programs are also allowed to continue in our prison systems, which goes by the name of Criminon, or Second Chance and other names. And of course many Scientology members, both public and on staff do this regiment. 

You can find Narconon, Second Chance and other names used for drug rehab all over the Internet, even though many centers are closed. They advertise in college fliers on campus, they take out adds in newspapers, they hand out pamphlets in our schools. So Beware!

How is Scientology allowed to continue this giant farce? Especially for the fact that is is also all about indoctrination into Scientology down the line. It really blows my mind how our government continues to allow such idiocy.

Luckily, some states have wised up.
New Mexico was not only duped, by the Second Chance program, they were left with a hefty unpaid bill. And some other areas in other states have thankfully shown these Scientology programs the door. France finally convicted Scientology, and I hope the US follows suit and also puts an end to it and banishes all their drug treatment centers. Enough is enough.

If you have or know a family member or friend who is considering going to Narconon, Second Chance or any drug treatment, please warn them to do their homework first! Also If you have a friend or family member in jail who was put on this program or offers this program, you have been warned.

Help lift the veil of secrecy off Scientology. Write or call your town officials, heads of state, write to Obama, join an anti Scientology protest and let your voice be heard and say the Church of Scientology needs to be investigated and held accountable for all of it’s human rights abuses, phony drug treatment centers and all the lives they have ruined and continue to ruin.

We will continue reporting the abuses of Scientology until someone listens and something is done about it.

For more information on the scam behind Scientology’s detox programs visit these few web pages:

Narconon Exposed-
http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Narconon/

Australian News Report On Ex Narconon Couple -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EV4stLA-aPc

Narconon Is Scientology- http://www.crackpots.org/

Narconon’s Influence In The Prison System http://www.scribd.com/doc/9506184/Second-Chance-MA-Thesis

Newkirk Herald Journal Report-
http://www.xenutv.com/print/newkirk/narconon-15.htm

Scientology Is Always On The Look Out For Fresh Meat

Oh where do we begin? Seriously, there is so much WRONG in this picture that I can’t even pick an area to work on without being distracted by something even more horrific. This photo was taken at the KIIS FM’s Wango Tango concert this past weekend, so this is not an old photo.

I am not going to make jokes about Kelly’s weight, because this isn’t even in the Jessica Simpson realm of looking a little puffy or flabby, this is just sad. Kelly looks incredibly unhealthy in every facet of her being. Her face looks very bloated, like a person suffering from high blood pressure or perhaps undiagnosed diabetes. Fortunately, she’s rocking a “pear shape” so that may be good news for her internal organs, otherwise with all that excess baggage her body could be under tremendous strain. I am NOT joking, Kelly is a young woman and there is just no legitimate excuse for her to be at least 50 to 75 pounds overweight, and that is NOT an exaggeration.

A few weeks ago I caught her performance on SNL and was alarmed with how much she had blown up, seemingly overnight. Similar to the above picture, she was wearing a terrible outfit that merely emphasized her weight problems, but what bothered me most was just how unhealthy her face looked. Her skin was dull and her hair looked greasy and lifeless. It’s as though she had stopped caring for herself altogether. Including adopting some major hygiene issues.

Forget stylist, Kelly needs an intervention for her own well-being. I know in the past she has made statements to the media about not caring what people thought of her appearance and that she wasn’t one to worry about being Hollywood thin, I applaud that and think that’s a great attitude. That however, does not mean she should stop caring about herself or how she looks altogether. Which it appears she has. She’s a role model for a lot of young women, and with obesity becoming a major issue for young people, it really is irresponsible of her to not set a better example.

Kelly has an amazing voice and tremendous charisma. She’s also a very pretty girl, without all the Hollywood facade, but this is really a pretty dramatic drop off, even for her. Sadly, besides the general health problems she is creating for herself, her fans are eventually going to take notice that she’s not even trying to better herself or maintain her appearance. There’s a happy medium somewhere between scary skinny and obese, I hope Kelly finds it and gets herself back on track.

And not to be cruel, but a good haircut and some shampoo would help A LOT.

The lovely Farrah Fawcett, who was voted “Best Looking” in her high school class, had no idea back then, that she would be later posing for the most popular pin up gal poster in history.

Fawcett was a huge sensation in the early 70’s with her golden tresses and pearly whites and wholesome girl-next-door beauty, and before her acting career took off, she made a name for herself starring in TV commercials. Like the sexy one of her and Joe Namath for Noxema cream and also her famous Ulta Brite TV commercials, just to name a very few. 
Faberge, even came out with Farrah Fawcett Shampoo commercial. This commercial featured her HUGE hair, which became all the rage in the 1970’s and was simply known as “The Farrah”.

It wasn’t long until Farrah’s iconic beauty launched her into major stardom with a very sexy, but tastefully done poster of her in a bathing suit with a Indian blanket backdrop. This poster hung on many teen boys’ and college dorm walls world wide and still remains as the most remembered photo of Farrah today and also the top selling “pin up” poster of all time, beating out Betty Grable and the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. 

 

Farrah’s next big shot of stardom, was in 1976, when she landed a part in Aaron Spellings “Charlie’s Angels” as Jill Munroe along with Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson.  Charlie’s Angels action figures were also made and were on every little girl’s Christmas list.

Farrah only shot one season with the Angels (she was unhappy with her $10,000 per episode) and was replaced by Cheryl Ladd. But within that short time, Farrah already had oodles of fans. The show had quite an impact its popularity continues today spawning the lucrative remake of a Charlie’s Angels big screen action flick starring Drew Barrymore, Lucy Lui and Cameron Diaz.

Today, there are many websites dedicated to the Angels from Charlies Angels Forever to Jack Condon’s website who is the holder of the Guinness World Record for the biggest Charlie’s Angel memorabilia collection world wide.

Farrah also graced the cover of Playboy back in 1978, with wearing nothing more, than a white buttoned down shirt. Throughout her acting career, Fawcett won three Emmys and one was for her outstanding break out performance in “The Burning Bed,” the first movie to ever feature a live 800 hot line for abused women.

Her first marriage was to fellow 70’s star, Lee Majors who played the Six Million Dollar man, and that union lasted from 1973 to 1982. Farrah then went on to a VERY rocky 27 year on again/off again relationship with actor Ryan O’Neal that ended in 1997, only to be revisited later. O’Neal is best remembered for his Academy-nominated performance in the heart-wrenching film, “Love Story” and for playing opposite his young daughter Tatum, who won a Best Supporting Oscar in the film.

Though Farrah and O’Neal never married, they did have one child together, son Redmond. Unfortunately, both O’Neal and Fawcett have made tabloid news in the last few years because of Redmond repeated legal troubles stemming from a serious drug addiction, something which seems to have plagued virtually ALL of O’neal’s kids.

For the sake of Farrah, I won’t get into the abusive escapades of O’Neal’s temper, and his other two children, actress Tatum O’Neal and brother Griffith, from his former wife. That’s a whole other tawdry and sordid tale.

Despite a hiatus in their relationship, Farrah rushed to O’Neal’s side when he was diagnosed with leukemia in 2001 and nursed her old flame back to health. The two rekindled at that point, and as the story goes, Farrah simply showed up on his doorstep and wanted to lend support and a helping hand. I think that in itself, showed the class this women has.

Farrah went on to do “Chasing Farrah” a TV Land reality show that aired in March 2005. It followed Farrah in her every day life. The show was only 7 episodes long. During this time it was rumored that O’Neal and Farrah married on one of the episodes, this however was a RUMOR.

In 2006, to the delight of many fans, Farrah was reunited with her Charlie’s Angels co-stars for the Prime Time Emmy Awards, where they paid tribute to the late series creator, Aaron Spelling. Fans of the show were delighted to see the three reunited once again.

Sadly, not all of Farrah’s life has been charmed, besides dealing with her sister’s death from lung cancer in 2001, O’Neal’s cancer and her son’s drug addiction, the blonde beauty also lost her agent and her Mom in 2005. Then the final blow came in 2006 when Fawcett was diagnosed with intestinal cancer.
 
Farrah heroically battled the disease emerging elated and hopeful, on her 60th birthday when she was told that she was cancer free and in total remission. The respite from tragedy was brief because three months later her health took a turn for the worse.

In 2007, it was reported Farrah was seeking holistic treatments for the disease in Germany, as the cancer had returned with a vengeance as rectal cancer. She had her journey filmed and chronicled, as she wanted the world to see her struggle in her terms, and her way, which will air in a two-hour NBC TV special.

News in the past month has stated her cancer has now metastasized into her liver. Family members have stated the star is battling for her life and down to a mere 86 pounds. And those famous locks she’s so well known for? Gone.

Her family is now gathering around her to try and comfort Farrah the best they can including her 91-year old father flew in from her home state of Texas to be by his daughter’s side. 

But wait, there’s more…

In Madonna’s world, it’s always someone else’s fault. Such is the power you wield when you are a super-famous gazillionaire. And when Madonna falls off a horse, clearly, someone other than Madonna is at fault, even in the face of evidence to the contrary.

Last weekend Madonna fell off her horsey (her 2nd of such incidents) while visiting in the Hamptons. News reports, including CNN, considered this a major headline despite Madonna’s camp stating that her injuries were minor. Madonna and her PR pimps told anyone who would listen that a photog jumped out the bushes and startled her horse, which is why it threw her off. But according to police reports and the photog himself, he was nowhere NEAR Madonna when this happened. Maybe he’s also responsible for this and this?

Now, Liz Rosenberg, Madonna’s spokeswhore says Madonna didn’t tell the officers what really happened during the incident, because she had fainted, TWICE and was in no condition to tell them what she saw. Uh huh. Of course, after an injury like that, you’d think Madonna would take it easy. Think again, her trainer says it’s back to pumping iron for the Material Girl.

She was discharged hours later but Madonna’s representative, Liz Rosenberg, claimed the singer would undergo “further tests and continues to remain under observation by doctors.”

However, Madonna’s trainer Tracy Anderson insists the Material Girl’s injuries are minimal and would not disrupt her exercise schedule as she prepares for the summer jaunt of her ongoing Sticky and Sweet world tour.

Anderson told Usmagazine.com on Monday, “She’s going to be fine. She fell on her butt. She’s fine.

“We’re going to train tomorrow. We have our set training. She’s like a professional athlete. She can’t mess around with her training. I mean, she has to be able to perform in front of 70,000 people who are sucking the life out of her, and she’s singing and dancing. There are no shortcuts when you’re training in that way.”

Which is it, so injured she needs observation (’cuz they are sticking with their pap bushes story) or “fine” and ready for action?

To make a long story short, Madonna’s big fat ego was too big for the poor horse to take, it threw them both off its back and now Madonna is telling stories to save face. How sad is that?

I almost feel sorry for Madonna, she can’t even take a spill without lying about it. Imagine being married to someone that full of themselves? Guy Richie deserves some kind of saintly stature for his duties to mankind.

Just this morning the Today show was on at my house and I thought to myself, “That doesn’t look like Matt Lauer,” and I’m sure Meredith Vieira will be happy to hear that my powers of observation are as astute as ever.  No, really, Matt seemed to be MIA, and I had noticed that he had not been around, so I took to the interwebs to see just what happened.  It seems that he almost  had an up close and personal encounter with a deer:

“He was riding his bike over the weekend and he had a run-in with a deer,” co-host Meredith Vieira explained.

Vieira added that although Lauer’s shoulder was hurt, his sense of humor was intact: He joked in an email that he thought “the deer was hired by the competition.” 

“I’d hire the deer — but just to graze him,” Vieira quipped to Weekend TODAY anchor Lester Holt, who filled in for Lauer.

Vieira said that the deer apparently leapt in front of Lauer, who slammed on his brakes to avoid a collision. The sudden stop threw him off the bike and onto his shoulder. Luckily, Lauer was wearing a helmet.

Lauer, 51, is an avid cyclist who has ridden a bike on TODAY on a number of occasions, most recently around the Olympic velodrome in Beijing. He also rode a bike last year in the Netherlands during his annual “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” globe-girdling trip.

“Hired by the competition” of course is code-speak for, “Paid off by Katie Couric to take Matt out at the kneecaps.”  Seriously, I could just see Bambi running off into the woods with a lead pipe in its teeth while Matt lay on the ground screaming, “WHY? WHY?” to Mickey Mouse.  Somewhere, you know Katie is preparing for the free skate, otherwise known as the co-anchor chair.

So get well soon, Matt, and hustle your butt back to the show.  I mean, Al Roker is hot, but he’s just no Matt.

Manic comic Robin Williams had to recently go under the knife to repair a faulty valve in his heart, but it seems that his recent surgery was a success:

Robin Williams was recovering at the Cleveland Clinic after heart surgery that his doctors deemed successful, his publicists said Monday. The 57-year-old actor had an operation to replace an aortic valve on March 13, publicists Mara Buxbaum and Chris Kanarick said. He was expected to make a complete recovery in the next eight weeks.

“His heart is strong and he will have normal heart function in the coming weeks with no limitations on what he’ll be able to do,” said Dr. A. Marc Gillinov, a cardiothoracic surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic. “A couple of hours after surgery, he was entertaining the medical team and making us all laugh.”

Williams was initially treated at the University of Miami Hospital before being transferred to Cleveland. He had been in Florida earlier this month when he was forced to cancel the remainder of his one-man comedy show, “Weapons of Self-Destruction,” after experiencing shortness of breath.

Williams, whose sold-out, multi-city tour is expected to resume in the fall, thanked staff at both hospitals.

“I can’t thank them enough for their kindness and dedication while I was in their care,” he said in a statement. “I must also thank all the people who have expressed their love and concern for me. I have been deeply touched by their support.”

Williams being Williams, he couldn’t resist a comic aside.

“I got some great new material for the tour and can’t wait to get back on the road,” he said. “I’m thinking the next leg of the tour will be `Weapons of Self-Destruction and Reconstruction’!”

I’ve always liked Robin Williams, even though some people find his humor too ADD and wild.  I can follow his train of thought so I’m good with it.  You know my favorite Robin Williams role?  The Genie in Aladdin!  I would have to say that his role in Good Morning Vietnam is probably second.  What’s yours?

One’s heart is nothing to mess around with and I am glad to hear he is doing better.  We wish him all the best!

Some of you may not know who Jade Goody is; I didn’t either until I started reading the British papers a couple of years ago.

She was a working-class girl who shot to fame and fortune by just being herself on the UK version of Big Brother, and she died on Sunday (UK’s Mother’s Day) at the young age of 27 from cervical cancer:

Jade’s young sons awoke on Mothering Sunday to the heartbreaking news she had died in the night.

Five year-old Bobby and his brother Freddie, four, were told by their father Jeff Brazier that ‘mummy has gone to heaven’.

Her mother Jackiey, husband Jack, 21, and close friend Kevin Adams were by her bedside when she slipped away.

According to Mr [Max] Clifford she has been heavily sedated throughout most of her final week in a bid to control the pain.

‘In recent days she slipped deeper and deeper into unconsciousness,’ he said. ‘The last 24 hours she has been pretty much in a coma.” [...]

Jade discovered she had cervical cancer last August while taking part in the Indian version of Big Brother. She was told the disease had spread to her bowel and liver and was terminal in January.

Even by her own account, she wasn’t a very bright girl (she once said, ““I am intelligent but I let myself down because I can’t speak properly or spell,” and thought Rio de Janeiro was a soccer player), but the public could not get enough of her.  Her career in the spotlight had many ups and downs, and Jade was embroiled in a racial scandal when she returned to the BB house and became involved in bullying Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty.  She and Miss Shetty had later spoken and patched things up (she flew to the UK in hopes of seeing Jade before she died, but Jade was too ill), and Jade agreed to go on the Indian version of the show to try and restore some of her image, but not before Jade took a beating in the press and saw her once-lucrative career start to dry up.

Once she arrived in India and began filming the series, she had only been in the house for two days when she received the news that she had cervical cancer and was to return to the UK immediately for treatment.  However, even after a hysterectomy and aggressive treatment for the disease over the course of several months, Jade was told that her cancer was terminal and there was nothing left the doctors could do.

She had starred in other reality television shows about her life; but in a unique twist, she decided to sell the rights to her wedding (her new husband had his police curfew lifted for the night so he could be there) and other events concerning her last days in an attempt to put aside money for the care of her two young sons; she has paid their school tuition until they are sixteen with the money she earned.  She could have splurged on herself, but that wasn’t Jade…it was all about her sons:

JADE’S sons have been left financially secure with a £4million legacy from their mum.

She was raised in the back streets of Bermondsey, South East London. Her dad Andrew was a drug addict and jailbird.

But she was always determined to succeed — and Bobby, five, and Freddie, four, are guaranteed a better start in life than she had.

She once said: “I’ve always wanted my family to have what I never could, no matter what it might cost.

“I wanted to get Bobby into a private school. It costs over two grand a term, but I was willing to put all my savings into giving my kids a good education.”

Jade had four separate procedures to remove abnormal cells, but ignored the last two letters asking her to return:

Jade Goody ignored a letter warning her she needed to have abnormal cells removed from her cervix because she was too scared to go back to hospital.

The 27-year-old Big Brother star, who is now fighting advanced cervical cancer, had already had three abnormal smear tests and after each had endured an operation to remove the cells.

But after her fourth abnormal smear she ignored a letter telling her to return to hospital, instead hoping it would go away on its own.

‘When I heard I had more abnormal cells I thought, “this is the fourth time I’ve been told I need to have the same operation now,’ she told Heat Magazine.

‘Once you have them burnt off they shouldn’t come back, I was too scared.’

It was only after the mother-of-two collapsed from blood loss on August 5, for the fourth time in four years, that she realised she couldn’t ignore her condition.

‘The doctors were doing tests for my blood loss – but they seemed unclear about what it could be. It was then that I was told I must have another operation on the dodgy cells on my cervix.

‘They’d sent a letter to me ages ago telling me I needed to go in, but I’d been too scared to do anything about it.’

Jade’s first had an abnormal smear test when she was just 16.

‘Even before I was sexually active, I had to have pre-cancerous cells removed. And that nearly traumatised me for life, it was so painful.’

After collapsing in August Jade was warned that she could be facing a terminal illness, but she decided to go ahead with her trip to India. She reasoned that the £100,000 fee would be needed to raise her two young sons if she fell ill.

Jade’s life was not easy nor was it pretty, and it was often cringe-worthy and maddening, but it was real.  Truth be told, she wasn’t the brightest, nor the smartest, nor the prettiest, and her life was often a series of one embarassing blunder after another after another.  In many ways, it was a textbook example of the horrible things that happen to a naive person thrust into an unforgiving spotlight shone by a world that is too ready and eager to devour its wounded.

But Jade had the last word, by taking her ill-begotten fame and turning it around…it was she who caught the public eye and turned her own private hell into a vehicle for the importance of getting regular cancer screenings.  If nothing else, Jade’s choice to chronicle her struggle with cancer in the ever-present lens of the camera serves to remind us that nobody is immune to cancer.  This isn’t just a problem dealt with by the old or infirm, or a far-off event that may or may not happen to us when we reach a “certain age”, or a tragic event that happens to “somebody else”; it strikes the young and healthy as well, often without warnings, many times with easily-rationalized symptoms, and it can even strike close to home.  It should serve as a wake-up call to women that we need to take care of our bodies, that we need to be diligent with screenings and follow-ups and doctor appointments.  There are no other reliable ways of screening for these types of cancer, and a few moments of embarrassment and discomfort is worth it.

I normally detest “reality” contestants, but in this case her reality was so real that it hammered home a very important point.  So…in honor of Jade, I am going to call and make an appointment with my doctor for a checkup of all things female.  It’s time…I’ve put it off long enough.  And I urge any woman out there reading to do the same…it is the best way to honor her memory.

“I could b*tch about dying young,” she said in her last days, “but at the end of the day, I can look back on my life and be proud of what I have achieved.”

Rumor is that actor Patrick Swayze, who disclosed his cancer diagnosis a few months go and who was recently hospitalized with pneumonia, has decided enough is enough and he is discontinuing his treatments:

The 56-year-old is said to have made the decision after doctors told him there was little they could do to stop the progress of his illness, according to reports from US magazine The National Enquirer.

The Dirty Dancing star was diagnosed twelve months ago with pancreatic cancer, one of the most virulent forms of the disease.

Medical experts say most patients have less than six months to live after being diagnosed with such cancer.

Swayze had been determined to fight but earlier this month suffered a setback when he was admitted to hospital with pneumonia.

He was released on January 16 after a week under doctors’ supervision.

The magazine claimed the Ghost star was now growing increasingly weak.

A family friend told the Enquirer: ‘There’s nothing more doctors can do for him.

‘We are down to the wire and the goal now is to keep Patrick comfortable.

‘His condition is inoperable and they have stopped the chemo. He’s still losing weight and he’s very weak.’

The friend added: ‘Patrick regards himself as a cowboy, and is determined to die with his boots on and no regrets.’

Now, yes, it is the National Enquirer via the Daily Mail, both of whom have been known to get their stories crooked (as opposed to straight).  But lately the NE has been doing a good job of not only breaking news but actually getting it right when they do.

You’ll recall his words a while back when he sat down for an interview with Barbara Walters:

“I’ve never been one to run from a challenge,” Swayze told Barbara Walters in his first interview since his cancer diagnosis last January.

Still, when asked if he was scared, Swayze told Walters, “I don’t know. I will be so either truthful or stupid as to say no. But then I immediately, when I say that, I have to say yes, I am.”

“You can bet that I’m going through hell,” Swayze said. “And I’ve only seen the beginning of it.” [...]

Beating the odds, Swayze has lived with his cancer for a year and has stayed out of the spotlight, except when he appeared on the televised “Stand Up to Cancer” fundraiser last September. The crowd leapt to its feet when he walked onstage.

“I keep dreaming of a future, a future with a long and healthy life,” Swayze said, “not lived in the shadow of cancer, but in the light.”

Regardless of whether or not this turns out to be true, we wish Patrick and his lovely wife Lisa all the best and our prayers and thoughts are with them.

Actor Patrick Swayze, currently in the middle of promoting his new television show on A&E, has reportedly been hospitalized with pneumonia:

Patrick Swayze has developed pneumonia and has checked himself into a hospital for observation.

The news was revealed Friday at a press event for the Television Critics Association in Los Angeles.

“As we arrived here this morning we have some news,” A&E President Abbe Raven told People. “Patrick Swayze has checked himself into the hospital. However, he asked us specifically to go forward with today’s panel. We wish him the very best with his recovery.”

The actor, who is battling pancreatic cancer, was going to appear at the TCA to talk about his new show, “The Beast,” scheduled to air Jan. 15.

But don’t count him out yet.

“Patrick is undergoing treatment and he’s still fighting,” a source tells People. “He felt so bad that he couldn’t be at the TCAs. He’s fighting and doing well, and that’s all anybody can hope for at this stage. He is not at death’s door. Nobody ever knows with cancer, but he’s doing alright.”

I fought pneumonia back in the spring and it’s difficult enough when you start out healthy, I can’t imagine the battle when you’re also battling cancer and dealing with chemotherapy.

The actor recently sat down with Barbara Walters and gave a revealing interview in which he disclosed that yes, in fact he is scared:

“I’ve never been one to run from a challenge,” Swayze told Barbara Walters in his first interview since his cancer diagnosis last January.

Still, when asked if he was scared, Swayze told Walters, “I don’t know. I will be so either truthful or stupid as to say no. But then I immediately, when I say that, I have to say yes, I am.”

“You can bet that I’m going through hell,” Swayze said. “And I’ve only seen the beginning of it.”

But despite the odds (many people diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer only live about six months, and it’s been a year since his diagnosis), Patrick is determined to make the best of his life:

Beating the odds, Swayze has lived with his cancer for a year and has stayed out of the spotlight, except when he appeared on the televised “Stand Up to Cancer” fundraiser last September. The crowd leapt to its feet when he walked onstage.

“I keep dreaming of a future, a future with a long and healthy life,” Swayze said, “not lived in the shadow of cancer, but in the light.”

Our thoughts and prayers are with Patrick and his family as he fights this new battle.

Actor David Duchovny, of X Files fame, has reportedly entered a treatment center to receive help for his sex addiction:

“I have voluntarily entered a facility for the treatment of sex addiction,” the actor says in an exclusive statement. “I ask for respect and privacy for my wife and children as we deal with this situation as a family.”

And I say good for him, for recognizing that he has a problem and for taking steps to deal with it.  What he needs is privacy and our prayers, not stupid jokes that just spread misunderstandings about what he is dealing with.  Some of the articles and comments I’ve seen on other sites really make me sick.  Would people be making jokes if it came out that he was struggling with alcohol addiction, or drug addiction?  It is imperative that anyone dealing with any sort of addiction, no matter what it is, recognize the warning signs and be willing to seek help.

Our thoughts and prayers are with David and his family.