Our media reports from last year's Annual Meeting reached more than 2l million people through national and local coverage. Coverage included reports on Good Morning America and CNN-Headline News, as well as articles published in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, and the Chicago Sunday Sun-Times. We were especially pleased with this outcome, since we were competing with concurrent news releases from the American Cancer Society's Annual Meeting.
Annual Meeting Presentation "Goes Global"
Wendy R. Brewster, MD, a Fellow at the University of California-Irvine, was surprised to hear that her presentation on estrogen replacement therapy was published in the Sunday Nation, one of Kenya's largest newspapers, on April 27, l997. Now, that's coverage!
Blockbuster Returns for Our PSA
Last October, we launched our Public Service Announcement (PSA) nationwide. Actress and singer Cher kindly donated her time to promote the GCF informational hotline and the message of women taking charge of their health. In the first ten weeks of airing, this announcement was broadcast more than three times the expected average for a PSA. Better still, over half of these televised airings were in the top 20 television markets, such as Los Angeles, New York and Boston. Due to the success of this PSA, there is great value in re-releasing it and possibly developing similar pieces. Our thanks to Cher and to all those who donated their time to bring this message into the homes of thousands of American women.
Ad Council
The Cher PSA was also advertised in the November/December 1997 and January/February 1998 editions of the Ad Council's Bulletin. The Ad Council is a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting awareness of policy issues through public service announcements. The Ad Council's endorsement of a PSA helps emphasize the importance of our message and lends additional credibility to our cause. Given the intense competition for obtaining the Ad Council endorsement, we are especially proud our PSA was chosen.
GCF Bulletin
Three GCF Bulletins were distributed last year, and there are plans to continue publishing it in 1998. Under the editorial direction of Ronald Alvarez, MD, the Bulletin allows us to keep in touch with you year-round and communicate GCF activities. We hope you continue to find the information in it to be valuable. Please contact us with any suggestions or ideas.
Media "Know-How"
In the January edition of the GCF Bulletin, we developed a quick check-list for you to use when preparing for media interviews. We hope you found it useful!
Increasing Gynecologic Oncology's Audience
A concerted effort to enhance the Journal Release Program got underway in 1997 with the distinct strategy of targeting two types of media: the trade press (which is always interested in the newest developments in the field), and the consumer media (which writes stories for general audiences). In deciding which stories to be offered more widely, we ranked the journal manuscripts using four variables: the newness of the science; the research's relevance to current events; the clinical impact on patients; and the effect on women's lifestyles. During the first two months of the program this initiative resulted in six interviews between reporters and SGO members.
Media Launch of the Women's Cancer Network (WCN) Website
To create national media exposure for the new Women's Cancer Network (WCN) website, we developed a video news release which is also on display at the Informatics booth. The video will be coupled with a mini-press conference on Tuesday, February 9th, at l2:00 noon. We are also releasing a 60-second radio interview to news stations across the country to augment the television coverage of this important new tool in the fight against women's cancers. The tireless efforts of Mitchell Morris and Ivor Benjamin, along with Ronald Alvarez,Andrew Berchuck, Jonathan Berek, Beth Karlan, Charles Levenback, John Lewis and Carolyn Runowicz, have brought this project to fruition. Watch the next edition of the GCF Bulletin for a full report on the launch and visit the WCN website at www.wcn.org. Also pick up a copy of the write-up - suitable for framing, at the GCF booth. Thanks to SmithKline Beecham for sponsoring the Women's Cancer Network project.
40,000 Women Have Received Our Brochure!
More than 40,000 copies of the informational brochure, Maintain Your Gynecologic Health, have been disseminated since its development in early 1997.
Our 1-800 Number Usage Is On The Rise
Since its inception in November l994, GCF's 1-800 information hotline has received more than 40,000 calls. When calling this number an individual can obtain, by phone, fax or mail, a list of gynecologic oncologists; a similar list of other specialists (radiation therapists, medical oncologists, pathologists) in their telephone area code; GCF's brochure Maintain Your Gynecologic Health with Education and Early Detection; a nationwide directory of practitioners, and other information related to GCF.
We Have A New Brochure For You
That's right! Our new brochure, highlighting GCF and its mission, is now available at the GCF booth. Developed for your patient waiting rooms, it describes who we are and contains a donation pledge card for interested recipients. You can obtain additional copies of the brochure just by calling GCF headquarters.
Community Seminar
Building on the success of our first community seminar held in Phoenix last year, we are pleased to announce that we are continuing the program in Orlando. Mark your calendar and plan to join us on Sunday, February 8, at 2:00 pm in the Northern Hemisphere Room at Salon E1. GCF gratefully acknowledges Centocor, Inc., for its support of this community-based seminar.
GCF Booth Goes on the Road
GCF exhibited at the 1997 American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) meeting in Denver, our first step toward enhancing our visibility among other physician groups. Look for us at additional meetings in the future.
Larry King: Proud Recipient of the GCF Public Service Award
The 1997 recipient of the GCF Public Service Award was presented to CNN talk-show host Larry King. Mr. King devoted an entire program during his nationally syndicated one-hour show to gynecologic health. He has also highlighted our 1-800 number, which has resulted in our receiving thousands of calls.
The First Time Ever: GCF/SGO and the
Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (OCNA)
GCF has been instrumental in bringing together a first-ever meeting between our Board and the Board of the OCNA. This is a first of its kind meeting bringing together survivors and lay supporters from around the country with physicians and experts in the field. We will discuss how to organize our collective efforts to bring ovarian cancer issues to the forefront for research and funding. We are proud to be a part of this undertaking and hope it will be the first of many such meetings with similar organizations. Watch the GCF Bulletin for updates on this and other important initiatives.
GCF Communications Committee 1997 Achievements
- Record coverage of the 1997 meeting (with coverage extending to Africa!)
- Blockbuster returns from our Public Service Announcement (PSA)
- Ad Council endorsement for our PSA
- Nationwide, satellite-release of the Women's Cancer Network website
- Presentation of our Public Service Award to CNN's Larry King
- Advertising on the "Sci-Wire" website
- Continued surge in the number of calls to our 1-800 phone line
- News releases and media coverage for manuscripts published in Gynecologic Oncology
- A new brochure for physician offices
- Maintain Your Gynecologic Health brochure distributed to over 40,000 people
- Continued publication of our GCF Bulletin, which provides members, donors and others with updates and information about our activities.
