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Those living in a highly segregated community could face a bigger lung cancer threat, according to a new study.

The New York Times reports on new research that found a link between segregation and the deadly disease. In this first such study to look at segregation as a factor in lung cancer mortality, it’s not the segregation itself that leads to the higher incidence of cancer deaths. The authors of the study theorize that African Americans in more segregated counties may be less likely to have health insurance or access to health care and specialty doctors. Plus, lower levels of education could possibly mean that they are less likely to seek care early. And lastly but probably most importantly, racial bias in the health care system might also be a factor.

“If you want to learn about someone’s health, follow him home,” Dr. Awori J. Hayanga, a heart and lung surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, who was the lead author of the study, told the newspaper.

The study was published in JAMA Surgery, and it divided all counties in the country into three levels of segregation: high, medium, and low. According to the data analyzed, lung cancer mortality rates were nearly 20 percent higher for blacks who lived in the most segregated counties, than for blacks living in the least segregated counties.

African Americans in general have the highest incidence of lung cancer and are more likely to die from it. And according to the American Lung Association, black women tend to smoke less than white women but the two groups have similar lung cancer rates.

The authors of the study hope that this will draw attention to “the environmental factors involved in the stark disparities in health outcomes in the United States because they lend themselves to change through policy,” writes the Times.

Source: WENN

Sherman Hemsley will finally be laid to rest soon in a military burial three-and-a-half months after the actor passed away July 24. Sadly, Hemsley’s burial was delayed due to bickering over his $50,000 estate, and based on the ruling the judge laid down it was all for nothing. During a hearing, Sherman’s original wish for Flora Enchinton to be the beneficiary of his estate was upheld in court.

The cause of the delayed burial was Richard Thorton, a man who claimed to be Hemsley’s half-brother and who challenged the validity of the actor’s will, which was written six weeks before he died. According to Fox News:

At a deposition in September, Thornton was ordered by the judge to take a DNA test to prove his relationship to Hemsley. According to his attorney, the tests did prove their brotherhood – but at that point the judge refused to take the evidence into consideration as Thornton missed the deadline to submit the results to the court.

The proceedings were dragged out due to complications associated with gathering evidence, and then pushed back to the travel woes caused by Hurricane Sandy. However, court proceedings may not be completely over just yet.

“The judge admitted the will to probate and appointed Flora Enchinton Bernal as the independent executrix of the Estate. The Court also ruled that Ms. Enchinton Bernal was the person authorized to make the decisions as to Mr. Hemsley’s burial arrangements. At the conclusion of the trial, Mr. Thornton’s attorney indicated that he planned to appeal. To my knowledge, no appeal has yet been filed,” added Neill.

Regardless of the threat of appeal, Echinton’s lawyer told Fox that a military funeral is now being planned for Hemsley, who served for four years in the United States Air Force prior to launching his acting career.

“My client is planning on a military funeral for Mr. Hemsley at Fort Bliss National Cemetery here in El Paso. Mr. Hemsley previously served in the United States Air Force and thus is eligible for a military funeral,” said attorney Alexander Neill. “At the present we are waiting for all of the final orders to be entered by the Court so the funeral plans can proceed.”

Let’s hope they wrap this up by Christmas — literally.

Source: WENN

Under normal circumstances I would say Sherman Hemsley must be turning over in his grave right now, but unfortunately the actor still doesn’t have one because he hasn’t been buried yet, despite passing away July 24. Shameful, right?

The hold up is the $50,000 “fortune” Hemsley left to Flora Enchinton, a woman he considered his “beloved partner.” Though the wish is plainly stated in a will, the actor’s alleged brother is contesting it, claiming the money should go to him and now a judge is making him prove his family ties. According to the Las Cruses Sun-News:

On Monday, Probate Court No. 1 Judge Patricia Chew delayed the trial over the actor’s estate — and his body — until Oct. 31. At the same time, the man who says he’s Hemsley’s brother was asked to take a DNA test.

Hemsley’s body has been at an East El Paso funeral home since he died of lung cancer July 24. The body will remain there until the probate trial ends and a beneficiary is determined.

The trial, originally scheduled for Monday, will settle a lawsuit involving Richard Thornton, the man claiming to be Hemsley’s brother, and Flora Isela Enchinton Bernal, his listed beneficiary, who lives in El Paso.

Thornton and his lawyer, Mark Davis, asked the court to order a genetics test to see whether Hemsley’s DNA matches Thornton’s. The request was made after Enchinton questioned whether Thornton was really Hemsley’s brother.

The genetics test must be filed with the court by Oct. 15.

“Be prepared to produce it because there will be no more continuances,” Chew said…

After hearing of Chew’s ruling, Mike Wells, who said he is a cousin on Hemsley’s mother’s side, said he will try to intervene legally before Oct. 31.

“There is only one person in the world who I believe Sherman would call a sister, and that is my mother,” Wells said. “And I’ll say that in court anywhere and to anyone.”

Wells believes that Enchinton was not close to Hemsley and that the Thorntons are not related to the actor.

“I believe I might know who Sherman’s father is, and it is not a Thornton,” Wells said. “We are family, and we are not looking for money. But if we are entitled to something, we don’t want anyone else to have it.”

Before the judge ordered the test, Thornton’s nephew, Robert Thornton, took the stand to speak in favor of a DNA test.

Robert Thornton said his uncle’s father, William Thornton, was a “lover” of Hemsley’s mother but was with another woman by the time Hemsley was born.

Robert Thornton said that Hemsley lived with William Thornton for five years as a child and that there was a loving relationship between Hemsley and his alleged father.

“It was family knowledge that he was Sherman’s father,” Robert Thornton said. “I saw the relationship was there. He was present with Sherman quite often.”

When Neill brought up media interviews in which Hemsley said he was an only child and did not have contact with his father, Robert Thornton maintained that the two were close.

“I couldn’t know what was in his head or why he would be saying that at the time,” Robert Thornton said. “He was at his father’s funeral. If he had no relationship with his father and didn’t care of him, why would he travel over 2,000 miles to attend his funeral?”

I really don’t even know what to say about all of these individuals quarreling over $50K that it appears Hemsley clearly delegated who he wanted it to go to. But of course as these things go, the supposed distant relatives don’t believe the will is valid.

“I’m aware she has a paper,” Robert Thornton said. “It seems kind of strange to me, one of the signatures seems like a tracing to me. I’m not a signature expert or anything, but it looked odd.”

I think the best way to tell who really has Hemsley’s best interest at heart is the person willing to put foolishness aside in order to finally put his body at rest. So basically no one.

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Source: Allvoices.com

Families know how to act up when someone with a little bit of money dies don’t they? In case you were wondering why there were never any details reported on Sherman Hemsley’s funeral it’s because it hasn’t happened yet — and it likely won’t for a long time. “The Jefferson’s” actor has been dead for over a month now, 36 days to be exact, yet his remains still remain refrigerated in an El Paso, TX, funeral home because of a dispute over the validity of his will.

News One reports:

In the will Hemsley signed six weeks before dying of lung cancer July 24, he named Flora Enchinton, 56, whom he called a “beloved partner,” as sole beneficiary of his estate, which is estimated in court documents to be more than $50,000.

The will is being contested by Richard Thornton of Philadelphia who claims to be Hemsley’s brother and says the will might not have been made by the actor.

Enchinton told the Associated Press on Wednesday that she had been friends with Hemsley and had been his manager for more than 20 years. Over the time she, Hemsley, and Hemsley’s friend Kenny Johnston, 76, lived together, she said he never mentioned any relatives.

“Some people come out of the woodwork – they think Sherman, they think money,” Enchinton said. “But the fact is that I did not know Sherman when he was in the limelight. I met them when they (Hemsley and Johnston) came running from Los Angeles with not one penny, when there was nothing but struggle.”

With no date set yet for this case to be heard in court, there’s no telling when Sherman’s body will finally be laid to rest. Whatever the deal is with his will, I’m sure this isn’t what he had in mind.

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Source: Shadow and Act

When Sherman Hemsley passed away late last month, his death was a shock to everyone. Though “The Jefferson’s” actor had been somewhat out of the spotlight for a while, his sudden passing at 74 seemed odd given no one was aware of any health complications. The El Paso, Texas, resident did in fact have them though, as TMZ reports he was suffering from lung cancer.

 ”According to the Postmortem Report, obtained by TMZ, the primary cause of death is listed as “superior vena cava syndrome” — a complication resulting from a mass on Sherman’s lung.

“According to the report, Sherman had been advised to get chemo and radiation therapy before he succumbed to his illness. It’s unclear if Sherman was a smoker.”

As we mentioned when Sherman passed July 24, he had no wife or children and it doesn’t appear any other relatives released a statement on his passing. His obituary in both the LA Times and New York Times noted “Information on survivors was not immediately available.”

Perhaps Sherman decided not to endure the pain of chemo and embrace death rather than try to sustain his life battling this disease.

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Source: TheDailyMail.com

All weddings are emotional, but the ceremony between 56-year-old Sonia McClean and 57-year-old Malcolm Alleyne at the MJHS Hospice residence in the Bronx on Wednesday was especially touching given the bride and groom’s health conditions.

The couple married at the New York hospice center because Mr. Alleyne is dying from lung cancer, which he was diagnosed with last April. The cancer has now spread to his brain, giving him just weeks to live, and the new Mrs. Alleyne has been living with him at the hospice residence for the past six months.

The ceremony was witnessed by nursing staff who decorated the hospice in white and blue flowers for the big day. Sonia’s wedding dress, veil, and the couple’s cake had all been donated by local stores and friends who wanted to make their day as special as possible, and the groom wore a black suit and blue shirt with a white rose in his lapel.

Unfortunately, Malcolm isn’t the only one of the pair with health concerns. Sonia suffered a brain injury after being hit on the head during an attack at a center for disabled young people several years ago. Luckily she has been able to cope with that reality quite well, but she’s also known the pain of losing a husband before as well. The Air Force veteran’s first husband was murdered many years back and she had to raise two daughters alone. Given those realities, it’s easy to see why she’s treasuring the little time she has left with Malcolm.

The pair met about five years ago when Sonia moved into the same apartment building as Malcom in Jamaica, Queens. Soon, the two began cooking and watching movies together and growing closer.

“My relationship with her was instantaneous,” Malcolm told the NY Daily News before the big day.

Sonia confirmed the feeling, saying:

“He treated me like somebody special.”

Today, she’s grateful for the time they’ve shared and however much longer they have to be together, telling the newspaper.

“Me and Malcolm had a good life together. “I shouldn’t say we ‘had’ — we have a good life together. I’m gonna miss him.”

Check out a video of their ceremony here.

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Caring about everyday issues like pollution, contaminated water and the environment seem fairly new, insignificant, and sometimes unimportant in the Black community overall, but it’s making more of an impact on this community than any other.

Recent studies and statistics from the Center for American Progress conclude that many physical ailments in the African-American community, like asthma, diabetes and lung cancer, are due to air and trash pollution and power plants, and the rates of those illnesses are very disproportionate compared to other communities.

The Center for American Progress reported that for many people of color, including Hispanic Americans, air pollution is an “unavoidable feature of daily life because they are more likely to live and work in the nation’s most polluted cities.” In a study conducted nationally, only 56 percent of the white population lives within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant, plants which lead to related illnesses like asthma and lung disease. This was compared to a dramatic 68 percent of African-Americans.

In addition, Hispanics and African-Americans are more likely to reside near facilities that contain wastes that are harmful and full of pollutants: “Arsenic (used commercially as a rat poison) and lead are among the toxic chemicals that may be concentrated at these sites.”

Accessibility to medical care and health insurance also plays a role in this disparity. According to the research:

“Existing health disparities and high uninsured rates among communities of color compound these health consequences. Racial and ethnic minorities make up a majority of the 50 million Americans who are uninsured, despite constituting only about one-third of the U.S. population. These high uninsured rates mean that the very same populations imperiled by environmental toxins may be unable to obtain necessary medical care.”

Although these statistics look grim, small changes in the community are all we need to start taking care of this issue head on. Although new EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) rules will help these communities breathe easier, making your home more green and environmentally-friendly could make the real difference in your family’s overall health. They might not get rid of all the pollution and dangers outside, but caring more about the environment, starting within your own home, could do wonders for your health, save you money and a lot more. Start with these three simple steps that could have a major positive impact, if you haven’t already started:

Recycle: Recycling old cardboard, glass, cans, paper and plastic are very easy and safer for your community than just throwing everything away in the same trash. Use recyclable bins or plastic bags to gather up these materials. You could even make this task into a chore that is family friendly, labeling bins for each material to keep them separate.

Use Energy Wisely: Power plants thrive off the amount of energy we use, so turn off (and unplug) energy-draining appliances like your phone charger when it’s not in use. You’d be surprised how many appliances are always plugged into outlets and aren’t connected to a product, but still are sucking up electricity. This is making your bill higher and wasting currency.

Be H2O Friendly: Encourage your family to turn off water when not in-use during forgettable moments like taking a shower, brushing your teeth or washing the dishes. If you are not directly using it, turn it off for the moment.

Enthusiasm over going green should not be labeled to one group of people because it impacts us all, most of all, people of color. We must change the way we see our ways of living, which are embedded within our culture, and allow those rituals to change with the times, for our health’s sake. Caring for our environment and community of color is one big step towards ensuring our health and longevity.

How do you care for the environment?

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By Khadija Allen

A decision to eradicate the influx of lung cancer among patients is igniting a firestorm into the reasons black patients are more likely to die from on-set lung cancer than whites. In a study conducted by scientists from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, suggest that the altitude of death occurs with black patients who suffer from lung cancer versus white patients.

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