GCN eBulletin, December 2009

Gynecologic Cancer Foundation E-Bulletin

Where there's knowledge there's hope!

December 2009

Seasons Greeting from
The Gynecologic Cancer Foundation!

Make your year-end donation to GCF.
Your contribution will directly support our awareness, education and research programs.

The Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Movement (GCAM) and
the GCF Race to End Women's Cancer

As this e-Bulletin is being written, GCF's Winter Bulletin has gone to print with a special GCAM Weekend insert filled a wrap-up story and amazing photos of race day. The Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Movement is off to a first-rate beginning.

Plans are underway for GCAM Weekend II, but first GCF wishes to pause to say thank you to all of you who made the weekend and inaugural GCF Race to End Women's Cancer such a success.

GCF especially thanks Dr. Amanda Nickes Fader's patient, Erin Rothfuss, and her husband Brian Watanabe. This family and their friends, including Erin Rothfuss's sister who is an
OB-GYN in Baltimore, raised the most money---over $26,000.

And The Winners Are!

HALF MARATHON
MALE
1. Demesse Tefera, Silver Spring, MD
2. Abiyot Endale, Bronx, NY
3. Joel Mwaura, Waldorf MD

FEMALE
1. Teyba Naser, Albuquerque NM
2. Alemtsehay Misganaw, New York NY
3. Salome Kosgei, Sleepy Hollow NY

*SURVIVOR
*1. Allyson Schindel, Glen Allen VA
*2. Brittany Zale, Washington DC
*3. Connie Murphy, Woodbury NY

SURGEONS TEAM, MALE
1. Robert Giuntoli, Baltimore MD
2. Rob Coleman, Spring TX
3. Scott Richard, Wexford PA

SURGEONS TEAM, FEMALE
1. Rebecca Brooks, St Louis MO
2. Carrie Langstraat, Rochester MN
3. Jennifer Rubatt, Pittsburgh PA

TEACHER, MALE
1. Ariel Laguilles, Washington DC
2. Mosi Smith, Annapolis MD
3. Randall Rieger, West Chester PA

TEACHER, FEMALE
1. Christine Zucker, Westbury NY
2. Sarah Erskine, Kensington, MD
3. Ashley Ray, Arlington VA

STUDENT
1. Nick Allen, Washington DC
2. Chris Sener, Takoma Park MD
3. Daniel Allen, Washington DC

5K
MALE
1. Jakob Lou, Sweden
2. Jared Campbell, Alexandria VA
3. Albert Pham, Aloha OR

FEMALE
1. Ellysa Gyhra, Washington DC
2. Julie Hayden, Ashburn VA
3. Jody Brown, Washington DC

2009 State of the State of Gynecologic Cancers: Seventh Annual Report to the Women of America

The publication of this year's report was timed to coincide with the Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Movement Weekend. In addition to the traditional updates on each of the gynecologic cancers, this year's report emphasizes the connection between a healthy lifestyle, and cancer recovery.

GCF thanks Jenn Sommermann, a tri-athlete who is an ovarian cancer survivor, for her article, "Fitness and Moving Forward," and Dr. Diane Bodurka for her article that describes the value of women and their physicians forming "survivorship teams" to improve health and well-being after gynecologic cancer. Dr. Larry Maxwell, a leader in the Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Movement, provides an inspirational account of the movement and the GCAM weekend.

GCF also thanks the following SGO/GCF members who wrote the sections on each of the cancers: Drs. Levi Downs, Scott McMeekin, Barbara Goff and Stephanie Blank, with a special thanks to Dr. Carol Brown, medical editor.

To view a copy of this year's report, visit GCF's Women's Cancer Network (www.wcn.org).

Endometrial Cancer Advocacy Group Forming

The Gynecologic Cancer Foundation invites all endometrial cancer survivors to join its newly formed Endometrial Cancer Advocacy Group. This initiative marks the first time that there has been a national endometrial cancer group whose purpose is to create awareness about the early warning signs of endometrial cancer and prevention steps as well as to create a dialogue among women diagnosed with endometrial cancer.

For more information or to join the group, please contact Marsha Wilson, GCF's Director of Communications and Advocacy Relations at mwilson@thegcf.org or by calling 301.332.0117.

Cervical Cancer Campaign News

GCF RECEIVES GRANT FOR LATINAS STAY HEALTHY FROM THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUST

GCF has received a grant from The Chicago Community Trust for a Chicago-area cervical cancer education program for Latinas. Latinas Stay Healthy is a workplace education program to motivate Latinas to get regular diagnostic screenings, to vaccinate their daughters and to seek follow-up care as necessary. Key elements of the program include:

Each education session will be conducted in Spanish by a trained bi-lingual health educator.
GCF will partner with Taller de José, a community-based agency to add a compañera function to the project. The compañera serves as a community liaison to assist women in accessing services.
In total, 800 women will be reached, with at least 25% being linked to services.
An evaluation will track the increase in 1) participants' knowledge of the prevention and early detection of cervical cancer, 2) participants' knowledge that regular Pap tests are an important preventive health screening tool for every woman and 3) participants' preventive health seeking practices.

For 94 years, The Chicago Community Trust has connected the generosity of donors with the needs of the community by making grants to organizations working to improve metropolitan Chicago. GCF hopes to use this program as a national model.

CancerCards and GCF Team-Up During January

CancerCards will donate $1 to GCF during January for each card purchased, so send a friend or loved one in cancer treatment a card by visiting www.cancercardsonline.com

Cancer Cards was founded in 2008 to provide cards especially suited to cancer patients. Cancer Cards is a collaborative effort of writers, photographers and artists, many whose lives have been impacted by cancer. CancerCards seeks to positively impact the lives of those living with cancer. It offers a variety of greeting cards for cancer patients including funny cancer cards, spiritual and traditional cards, as well as cancer cards for children.

GCF thanks CancerCards for its support.

Join Mandy Moore and GCF for a 'Reality Check'

GCF and singer-songwriter-actressMandy Moore are joining forces to launch an awareness campaign, "Reality Check: What Young Women Don't Know About Cervical Cancer," during January 2010 to encourage young women to take steps to prevent cervical cancer. A recent survey of more than 1,000 women 19-25 years old revealed that the vast majority of young women don't believe they are at risk for cervical cancer now and don't fully understand the importance of protecting their cervical health. The survey revealed that 1 out of 5 young women had "no clue" what their cervix does, and only half said they could identify their cervix on picture of the reproductive organs. The "Reality Check" campaign contains a survey fact sheet, materials to be used to promote the prevention message and can be accessed at www.cervicalcancercampaign.org/realitycheck.

Take the Pledge' to Prevent Cervical Cancer

GCF has produced a new "Take the Pledge" poster in English and Spanish to reduce the confusion about the new screening guidelines and to encourage women to get an annual exam and talk to their doctor about the right screening schedule for their individual needs. The poster urges women to "Take the Pledge" to prevent cervical cancer by getting an annual well woman exam and regular Pap and HPV tests as recommended and to vaccinate for girls and young women. Women can "Take the Pledge" online at www.cervicalcancercampaign.org/pledge/pledge.html and GCF will send them an annual reminder to schedule their exam.

Education

GCF Offers First Wellness Forum

From Tai Chi to Chai Tea
Steps You can Take to Prevent Women's Cancer

The Gynecologic Cancer Foundation in partnership with the WebMD Health Foundation is pleased to offer its first Wellness Forum. This free event will take place Thursday, January 28, 2010 from 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at Moores UCSD Cancer Center in La Jolla, CA.

This innovative program will feature noted gynecologic oncologists who will discuss ways to prevent gynecologic cancers and early warning signs that can aid in early diagnosis.

Ideas about how to eat to prevent cancer will be offered along with a cooking demonstration. Other healthy living options will be available, including tai chi, yoga and meditation.

There will be reception during the event that will feature light, healthy choice hors d'oeuvres.

For more information, contact Dina Zambon by e-mail at dzambon@thegcf.org or by phone at 312.658-0751.

2010 Education Courses

The Gynecologic Cancer Foundation is pleased to offer these FREE courses for all cancer survivors, friends and family members who are interested in hearing from the leading U.S. experts in ovarian cancer research and patient care. All courses are held on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Ovarian Cancer Survivors Courses

April, 2010 North Carolina
June 12, 2010 Indianapolis, IN
July 17, 2010 Boston, MA
September 11, 2010 Richmond, VA
September 25, 2010 Madison, WI
TBD Los Angeles, CA

Recurrent Ovarian Cancer Telephone Workshop
Friday, September 17, 2010, 12:00 noon-1:00 p.m. CT

GCF will host two additional telephone workshops in 2010 with the dates and times to be determined.

More information and registration are available 60 days prior to the course/telephone workshop at www.wcn.org or by calling 312-578-1439.

GCF hopes to soon confirm courses in Chicago and New York in 2010. As these are confirmed they will be added to the GCF Web site at www.wcn.org.

Individuals interested in partnering with GCF to host a survivors or wellness course should contact Dina Zambon, dzambon@thegcf.org or 312.578-1439.

Research

New Prize Announced by GCF and the Claudia Cohen Research Foundation

In association with the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, the Claudia Cohen Foundation recently announced the "Claudia Cohen Research Foundation Prize for Outstanding Gynecologic Cancer Researcher."

This $50,000 annual prize will be awarded to an individual in recognition of his or her outstanding contributions to research improving the care of women with gynecologic cancer. The awardees will have made important contributions that improve gynecologic cancer patient care, including early detection. The award will be made to the individual rather than his/her institution.

The prize is funded by the Claudia Cohen Research Foundation (CCRF) in honor of Claudia Cohen who lost her battle with uterine leiomyosarcoma in 2007. Ms. Cohen was a highly respected journalist and philanthropist. The Claudia Cohen Research Foundation was founded by Ms. Cohen's daughter Samantha, and her sisters Caleigh and Debra Perelman to foster research aimed at reducing the burden of gynecologic cancer.

Individuals can apply for this prize or nominators can propose potential candidates by filling completing the application on the GCF Web site www.thegcf.org. The deadline for applications is January 8, 2010.

The GCF Award's Committee will determine the winner. The first prize will be announced at the 2010 SGO Annual Meeting on Women's Cancer in San Francisco, California.

For more information about the prize, contact Dina Zambon at dzambon@thegcf.org.

Who's Who at GCF

The GCF staff is always available to answer your questions and respond to ideas about how to help us spread the word about the prevention, early detection and optimal treatment of gynecologic cancers. You can reach us by calling 312.578.1439 or by e-mail.

Karen Carlson, Executive Director
kcarlson@thegcf.org

Marsha Wilson, Director of Communications and Advocacy Relations
mwilson@thegcf.org

Janet Wykoff, Director of Development
jwykoff@thegcf.org

Dina Zambon, Program Manager
dzambon@thegcf.org

Linda Miller, Cervical Cancer Campaign Specialist
linda_miller606@sbcglobal.net

Cherie Estrada, Spanish Language Health Education Trainer
estrada1812@yahoo.com

Lauren Ward, Administrator
lward@thegcf.org

TO CONTACT GCF OR FOR MORE NEWS ABOUT GCF

Log on to GCF's Web site, http://www.thegcf.org, e-mail GCF at info@thegcf.org or call 312.578.1439 with any questions or suggestions. Read the Spring 2009 Bulletin for updates on recent programs www.wcn.org/downloads/bulletin_spr09.pdf.