Author Archives: bbzinger

Remembering Barbara

Barbara was eulogized by Rabbi Margaret Holub, of the Mendocino Coast Jewish Community, and five speakers at her funeral on May 13, 2013. Their eulogies are published on the Afterwords page of this blog. A number of obituaries were published … Continue reading

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Funeral arrangements and after

Funeral services for Barbara will be held on Monday, May 13, at 10:00 AM (sharp!) at Sinai Memorial Chapel, 1501 Divisadero, San Francisco, CA 94115. Burial will be on Tuesday, May 14, at 1 PM at Ocean View Cemetery, Fort … Continue reading

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Barbara Brenner 1951-2013

Barbara Brenner passed away peacefully at home on Friday evening. Funeral services will be held in San Francisco, with burial in Fort Bragg. Arrangements are pending and will be posted Sunday on Barbara’s blog, Healthy Barbs (barbarabrenner.net), our Caring Bridge … Continue reading

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Thanks and Blessings

As my life comes to an end, I want to thank readers of this blog (and our Caring Bridge site for reading all that I have written while I deal with ALS. I’m sure some of what I wrote was … Continue reading

Posted in Illness | Tagged | 83 Comments

The Legislature and Breast Cancer: Not a Good Match

The Legislature and Breast Cancer: Not a Good Match According to California law, starting on April 1, 2013 (I note that that was April Fool’s Day), women whose mammograms revealed dense breast tissue will get the following notice: Your mammogram … Continue reading

Posted in Breast Cancer, Health Policy, Medical Science | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Telling the FDA What I Think About ALS Drug Trials

As readers of this  blog know, I have taken issue with a number of things related to how ALS drug trials are run. Some people at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) read my blog and the comments to them. … Continue reading

Posted in ALS, ALS Treatment, Health Policy | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Has NBCC Lost Its Way?

Has NBCC Lost Its Way? I’m currently reading letters sent to me by community college students in Utah who watched Pink Ribbons, Inc. and have questions about become activists. Many of these students wonder how they might become activists if … Continue reading

Posted in Breast Cancer | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Steve Gleason: A Rare Celebrity Doing Good by Talking About His Illness

Steve Gleason: A Rare Celebrity Doing Good by Talking About His Illness People who know me know that I am no fan of either football or celebrity spokespeople for illnesses they have had. In that light, this blog is bound … Continue reading

Posted in ALS, Breast Cancer | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

Approaching Gun Violence as a Public Health Problem: Who Gets to Have a Say?

Disclosures I’m a public health activist. I am also a member of the ACLU, and committed to the 1st Amendment (and all the other Constitutional Amendments, including the 2nd). This blog argues that some organizations should be excluded from participating … Continue reading

Posted in Health Policy | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Adventures with a Feeding Tube Replacement: A Not So Funny Story, a Cautionary Tale, and A Call To Action

I have had a feeding tube since January 2012 because, thanks to ALS, I can not swallow food or liquids.  I have been nourishing myself since I got the tube. The tube is called a PEG tube. I have a … Continue reading

Posted in ALS, Disability | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments