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carly simon ‘filled with sorrow’ over death of her sisters who died of cancer one day apart

joanna simon, 85, acclaimed mezzo-soprano and emmy-winning tv correspondent, died of thyroid cancer on wednesday, while lucy simon, 82, tony-nominated composer, died of metastatic breast cancer on thursday.

carly simon pays tribute to sisters who died of cancer one day apart
“i am filled with sorrow to speak about the passing of joanna and lucy simon,” the grammy and academy award-winning simon said in a statement on sunday. merlin

singer-songwriter carly simon said goodbye to her two talented sisters who died of cancer last week, one day apart, cbs news reports .

“i am filled with sorrow to speak about the passing of joanna and lucy simon,” the grammy and academy award-winning simon said in a statement on sunday. “their loss will be long and haunting. as sad as this day is, it’s impossible to mourn them without celebrating their incredible lives that they lived.”

joanna simon, 85, the eldest of four, was an acclaimed mezzo-soprano and emmy-winning tv correspondent. she died of thyroid cancer on wednesday. lucy simon, 82, a composer, nominated for a tony award for the score of “the secret garden,” died of metastatic breast cancer on thursday, simon’s manager larry ciancia confirmed to cnn .

their brother, photographer peter simon, also had cancer and died at age 71 in 2018, says cbs.
“we were three sisters who not only took turns blazing trails and marking courses for one another, we were each other’s secret shares. the co-keepers of each other’s memories,” simon, the “you’re so vain” and “the anticipation” singer, 77, said in the statement.
“they touched everyone they knew and those of us they’ve left behind will be lucky and honoured to carry their memories forward.”

she had her own fight with breast cancer, undergoing chemotherapy in 1998 when she was 52. at the time, she went public with her diagnosis so the tabloids wouldn’t exaggerate her condition, says the chicago tribune .

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“the idea of people stopping me on the street to say, ‘i’m so sorry,’ is kind of a downer,” she told the new york daily news in 1998. “i’m doing fine. the less explaining i have to do, the more energy i have to take care of myself.”

the simon siblings were born to publisher richard simon, co-founder of simon & schuster, and his wife, andrea. carly and lucy used to perform as the simon sisters, an opening act for other artists in greenwich village folk clubs, says cbs.

lucy simon, 82, diagnosed with breast cancer

odds are high that you know someone who has experienced breast cancer. it’s among the most common cancers for women in canada, second only to non-melanoma skin cancer, according to health canada . while cancer cells start in the mammary gland, the breast tissue itself extends to the collarbone and from the armpit to the breastbone.

the risk is much smaller for men, but can still occur, with roughly one per cent of breast cancers diagnosed in men.

no single cause has been identified, but there are risk factors to be aware of, such as family history of breast cancer and age. (eighty-three per cent of cases occur in women over 50.) obesity and physical inactivity are also risks, especially for women who are post-menopausal, along with alcohol use and taking hormone replacement therapy for more than five years. having dense breasts can also increase the risk of developing cancer cells and make it harder to see a tumour on a mammogram.

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while medications, surgery and targeted immunotherapy drugs have advanced in terms of treatment, experts say prevention is important. advocates at the canadian breast cancer network suggest talking to your doctor about your risk for breast cancer if you are age 40 or older, or if you notice any changes like lumps or discharge. for women at average risk, screening is recommended every two to three years at age 50 or older.

joanna simon, 85, diagnosed with thyroid cancer

while it’s not as widely talked about, thyroid cancer seems to be increasing. experts say the rise could be attributed to the sophistication of the imaging technology that can detect small thyroid cancers on ct and mri scans, according to the mayo clinic . the scans may have been done for other reasons, so these diagnoses are often considered incidental and are typically small cancers that respond to treatments.

the growth of problematic cells begins in the thyroid, which is the butterfly-shaped gland below your adam’s apple. the thyroid is responsible for producing hormones that regulate heart rate, blood pressure, body weight and body temperature.
what’s tricky, is that thyroid cancer often shows no initial symptoms, but later causes trouble with swallowing, swelling in the neck and voice changes.

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there are several types, and while most grow slowly and are treated successfully with surgery, chemo, radiation therapy or hormone therapy, thyroid cancer can be highly aggressive.

women are three times more likely to develop thyroid cancer than men. it’s commonly diagnosed in women aged 40 to 50, while men tend to be older — in their 60s and 70s. children can also develop the disease, notes the cleveland clinic .

get checked if you’re concerned, especially if you have a family history of thyroid issues, an enlarged thyroid (also called a goitre), are living with obesity or have previously had radiation therapy for head and/or neck cancer.
 
karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.

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karen hawthorne
karen hawthorne

karen hawthorne worked for six years as a digital editor for the national post, contributing articles on health, business, culture and travel for affiliated newspapers across canada. she now writes from her home office in toronto as a freelancer, and takes breaks to bounce with her son on the backyard trampoline and walk bingo, her bull terrier.

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