SU2C Announces the Formation of a New Translational Research Ovarian Cancer “Dream Team”

Posted on September 5, 2014 by Paul Cacciatore

Ovarian Cancer Community Joins Forces to Fight Deadliest Gynecologic Cancer. The New Stand Up To Cancer Dream Team Will Launch in 2015.

The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, and the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition Team Up to Fund New Translational Research Ovarian Cancer “Dream Team.”

A groundbreaking collaboration is underway among three national ovarian cancer organizations: Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF), Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (OCNA), and National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC). In partnership with Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), this group will fund a new Ovarian Cancer Dream Team dedicated to piloting leading-edge, ovarian cancer research that will help patients and save lives.

This partnership was announced tonight by actor Pierce Brosnan on the Stand Up To Cancer’s biennial telecast, and in recognition of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. The SU2C-OCRF-OCNA-NOCC Translational Research Dream Team grant will provide funding, over a three-year period, for research associated with this insidious disease.

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all the gynecologic cancers. Almost 22,000 American women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2014, and more than 14,000 women will lose their lives to the disease. By collaborating to fund an Ovarian Cancer Dream Team, OCRF, OCNA and NOCC, with SU2C, will further research in the field that can lead to new treatments and improved patient outcomes.

Later this month, SU2C, through its science partner the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), will issue a “Call for Ideas” from researchers and scientists worldwide. The selected Dream Team will be announced next spring, with research beginning in July 2015.

“Ovarian Cancer Research Fund has been the leading nonprofit funder of ovarian cancer research for years, and this new collaboration is a wonderful way to mark our 20th anniversary,” said Audra Moran, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. “We are excited that the Dream Team grant will continue our long tradition of supporting the most innovative research in the field, while providing scientists with a vital new source of financial support.”

Calaneet Balas, CEO of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, said: “I am so thrilled that our three organizations are coming together to fight the disease we all care so much about. I believe the Ovarian Cancer Dream Team will be paradigm-shifting for our community, and I cannot wait to see what comes from this new initiative. We’re proud of the work the Alliance has done to secure federal research funding on behalf of all women, but the Dream Team gives us new opportunities for collaboration and innovation.”

“We are both proud and excited to join in supporting the Ovarian Cancer Dream Team, the first-ever collaboration of such efforts,” said David Barley, CEO of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. “We are looking forward to being instrumental in furthering ovarian cancer research. The impacts on families and communities continue to make ovarian cancer “More Than a Woman’s Disease®.” By working together we hope to make a difference in the lives of everyone we touch.”

About the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund
The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF), founded in 1994, is the oldest and largest charity in the United States funding ovarian cancer research, and ranks third in overall ovarian cancer research funding only after the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). Its mission is to fund scientific research that leads to more effective identification, treatment, and ultimately a cure for ovarian cancer, as well as related educational and support initiatives. OCRF has invested nearly $60 million in ovarian cancer research through 217 grants to scientists at 65 leading medical centers in the United States. OCRF continues to take the lead in funding the best and most promising ovarian cancer research while supporting women and their loved ones affected by this terrible disease in our quest to end it. For more information, please visit www.ocrf.org.

About the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance
The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance is a powerful voice for everyone touched by ovarian cancer. We connect survivors, women at risk, caregivers, and health providers with the information and resources they need. We ensure that ovarian cancer is a priority for lawmakers and agencies in Washington, DC, and throughout the country. We help our community raise their voices on behalf of every life that has been affected by this disease. For more information, please visit: www.ovariancancer.org

About the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
Since its inception in 1995, the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) has been committed to raising awareness, promoting education, and funding research in support of women, families, and communities touched by ovarian cancer. NOCC is well-established as an important national advocate for patients and families struggling with ovarian cancer. NOCC remains steadfast in its mission to save lives by fighting tirelessly to prevent and cure ovarian cancer, and to improve the quality of life for survivors. For more information, please visit: www.ovarian.org.

About Stand Up To Cancer
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. SU2C, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) and a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was established in 2008 by film and media leaders who utilize the industry’s resources to engage the public in supporting a new, collaborative model of cancer research, and to increase awareness about cancer prevention as well as progress being made in the fight against the disease. For more information, please visit: www.standup2cancer.org

World Ovarian Cancer Day: One Voice for Every Woman

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Paul Cacciatore

Each year, nearly a quarter of a million women around the world are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and the disease is responsible for 140,000 deaths annually. Statistics show that just 45% of women with ovarian cancer are likely to survive for five years compared with 89% of women with breast cancer. We ask that you join us on World Ovarian Cancer Day (May 8th) in the fight against the most lethal form of gynecologic cancer.

LEARN: World Ovarian Cancer Day — May 8, 2014

On May 8, join the global movement to raise awareness about ovarian cancer by pledging to spread the word about the most serious gynecological cancer during the second annual World Ovarian Cancer Day (WOCD). The pledge to pass on the awareness message to at least five friends will bring to life this year’s theme One Voice for Every Woman.

“The number one objective of World Ovarian Cancer Day is to increase awareness of this disease and to connect people internationally with the resources available to educate others,” says Elisabeth Baugh, chair of the WOCD international organizing committee and CEO of Ovarian Cancer Canada. “In our inaugural year, 28 cancer organizations from 18 countries participated in getting the word out, largely through social media. In 2014, we are not only inviting cancer organizations, but all interested groups internationally to register and partner with us. With our pledge, we are also involving individuals worldwide, and empowering them with information about ovarian cancer and a quick and easy way to pass on the word about the disease.”

All of those who sign the World Ovarian Cancer Day pledge at www.ovariancancerday.org will receive an e-card on May 8 with ovarian cancer risk and symptom information. This card is to be passed along to at least five friends, who in turn will be encouraged to pass it along to their friends.

Each year, nearly a quarter of a million women around the world are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and the disease is responsible for 140,000 deaths annually. Statistics show that just 45% of women with ovarian cancer are likely to survive for five years compared with 89% of women with breast cancer. Women in developed and developing countries are similarly affected by ovarian cancer. There is no test for the early detection of ovarian cancer, a disease characterized around the world by a lack of awareness of symptoms and late stage diagnosis.

WOCD’s social media campaign includes the WOCD website, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. To help raise awareness and show international involvement in the inaugural year, partner organizations and individuals from many countries wore teal and posed for photos in front of well-known landmarks holding signs featuring the WOCD “world embrace” logo.

These photographs were shared around the world. Other activities included public awareness events at train and subway stations, and information tables and education sessions at hospitals and cancer centers. These activities will continue to grow on May 8, 2014 along with governmental proclamations and “lighting the world in teal” – the color that represents ovarian cancer. Committee members Annwen Jones, Chief Executive of Target Ovarian Cancer, and Alison Amos, CEO, Ovarian Cancer Australia agree this is a wonderful opportunity. “World Ovarian Cancer Day is an important day for ovarian cancer organizations and communities around the world to unite and speak with one voice to raise awareness of ovarian cancer. We’re proud to be involved with this global initiative and will be passing the awareness message out among those we work with. This activity supports our vision to save lives and ensure that no woman with ovarian cancer walks alone.” “For women living with the disease and their families and friends, World Ovarian Cancer Day has tremendous meaning,” says Baugh. “Through this important day, we will continue to build momentum and a sense of solidarity in the fight against ovarian cancer. Every woman is at some risk for ovarian cancer and awareness remains our best defence.”

EDUCATE: Ovarian Cancer Facts:

Libby’s H*O*P*E* is dedicated to my 26-year old cousin, Elizabeth “Libby” Remick, who died from ovarian cancer in July 2008. Our mission is to educate ovarian cancer survivors and their families, as well as the general public, about ovarian cancer under the principle that “information is power.” The key to a significant reduction in deaths from ovarian cancer is early detection. Early detection is best achieved by having women listen to their bodies for the subtle, yet persistent, early warning signs & symptoms of the disease as described below. Together, we can raise money for a reliable early detection test, and ultimately a cure, for ovarian cancer.

Please take time to educate yourself with respect to the important ovarian cancer awareness facts provided below.

–Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system.

–In 2014, the American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that there will be approximately 21,980 new ovarian cancer cases diagnosed in the U.S. ACS estimates that 14,270 U.S. women will die from the disease, or about 40 women per day. The loss of life is equivalent to 28 Boeing 747 jumbo jet crashes with no survivors every year.

–Ovarian cancer is not a “silent” disease; it is a “subtle” disease. Recent studies indicate that some women may experience persistent, nonspecific symptoms, such as (i) bloating, (ii) pelvic or abdominal pain, (iii) difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, or (iv) urinary urgency or frequency. Women who experience such symptoms daily for more than a few weeks should seek prompt medical evaluation.

–Ovarian cancer can afflict adolescent, young adult, and mature women.

–Pregnancy and the long-term use of oral contraceptives reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

–Women who have had breast cancer, or who have a family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer may have increased risk. Inherited mutations in BRCA1/BRCA2 genes increase risk. Women of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry are at higher risk for BRCA gene mutations.

–There is no reliable screening test for the detection of early stage ovarian cancer. Pelvic examination only occasionally detects ovarian cancer, generally when the disease is advanced. A Pap smear is used to detect cervical cancer, not ovarian cancer. However, the combination of a thorough pelvic exam, transvaginal ultrasound, and a blood test for the tumor marker CA125 may be offered to women who are at high risk of ovarian cancer and to women who have persistent, unexplained symptoms like those listed above.

–If diagnosed at the localized stage, the 5-year ovarian cancer survival rate is 92%; however, only about 19% of all cases are detected at this stage, usually fortuitously during another medical procedure.

–The 10-year relative survival rate for all disease stages combined is only 38%.

Please help us spread the word about the early warning signs & symptoms of ovarian cancer and raise money for ovarian cancer research. The life you save may be your own or that of a loved one.

FIGHT: The “Holy Trinity” of Major U.S. Ovarian Cancer Organizations

There are three major U.S. ovarian cancer organizations that are working to increase ovarian cancer awareness, and/or raise money to fight the disease. They are listed below. Please consider making a donation to one of these critically important nonprofit organizations.

Ovarian Cancer Research Fund

The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) is the largest independent organization in the U.S. that is dedicated exclusively to funding ovarian cancer research– and to finding a cure. Through its three research programs, OCRF funds many of the best researchers and the most innovative projects.

Since 1998, OCRF has awarded 63 leading medical centers 195 grants for ovarian cancer research: an investment totaling over $50 million. OCRF researchers are taking on ovarian cancer from many angles:

— Developing innovative strategies for early detection;

— Discovering genetic polymorphisms that increase risk for ovarian cancer;

— Understanding the underlying genetics and molecular biology of ovarian cancer;

— Identifying new, better targets for treatment;

— Determining how to super-charge a woman’s immune response to better fight ovarian cancer; and

— Deciphering how and why ovarian cancer spreads, and how to stop it.

You can click here to make a donation to OCRF through the Libby’s H*O*P*E*’s donation page.

Ovarian Cancer National Alliance

The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (OCNA) is one of the foremost advocates for women with ovarian cancer in the U.S. To advance the interests of women with ovarian cancer, OCNA advocates at a national level for increases in research funding for the development of an early detection test, improved health care practices, and life-saving treatment protocols. OCNA also educates health care professionals and raises public awareness of the risks and symptoms of ovarian cancer.

To make a donation to OCNA, click here.

National Ovarian Cancer Coalition

The mission of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) is to raise awareness and promote education about ovarian cancer. NOCC is committed to improving the survival rate and quality of life for women with ovarian cancer.

Through national programs and local Chapter initiatives, the NOCC’s goal is to make more people aware of the early symptoms of ovarian cancer. In addition, the NOCC provides information to assist the newly diagnosed patient, to provide hope to survivors, and to support caregivers.

To make a donation to NOCC, click here.

INSPIRE: Everyday Heroes in the Fight Against Ovarian Cancer.

Nearly a quarter million women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year around the world, and the disease also affects their families and friends. Please take time to visit the WOCD website and read inspirational stories about survivors, volunteers, and family members who are overcoming ovarian cancer, as well as the endeavors people are taking on to raise awareness about the disease.

At Libby’s H*O*P*E*, we are amazed each and every day by the inspirational ovarian cancer survivors and family members that we hear about, correspond with, or meet. The stories below represent a small sample of incredible individuals who have successfully fought the disease, as well as those who are currently fighting the disease with courage and grace. There are also stories about women who have died from ovarian cancer, but contributed to ovarian cancer awareness in a unique and special way during life. In addition, there are stories about doctors, advocates, and other inspirational individuals who are clearly making a difference in the fight against the disease.

— “Bald is Beautiful,” March 20, 2008.

— “Patty Franchi Flaherty Loses Battle to Ovarian Cancer, But Deserves a Long Standing Ovation,” August 19, 2008.

— “Oscar Winner Kathy Bates Is an Inspirational Ovarian Cancer Survivor,” February 25, 2009.

— “Rare Form of Ovarian Cancer Not Getting Inspirational 13 Yr. Old Down; You Can Help!,” February 26, 2009.

— “Meet Laurey Masterton, 20-Year Ovarian Cancer Survivor Extraordinaire,” March 20, 2009.

— “The Rock Band ‘N.E.D.’: Their Medical Skills Save Many; Their Music Could Save Thousands,” March 29, 2009.

— “A Wish To Build A Dream On,” May 3, 2009.

— “Husband’s Love For Wife Inspires A 9,000 Mile Bike Trek To Raise Money For Ovarian Cancer Awareness & Cancer Prevention,” May 14, 2009.

— “Gloria Johns Was Told ‘Ovarian Cancer Patients Don’t Live Long Enough … To Have Support Groups;’ She Proved Otherwise,” June 5, 2009.

— “Vox Populi:* How Do Your Define “Tragedy?“, January 22, 2010.

— “Smile, Open Your Eyes, Love and Go On,” July 28, 2010.

— “PBS Documentary, ‘The Whisper: The Silent Crisis of Ovarian Cancer,'” September 21, 2010.

— “Determined Teen Loses Ovarian Cancer Battle, But Her Courage Inspires An Entire Community,” December 28, 2010.

— “Mrs. Australia Quest Finalist Veronica Cristovao Is Raising Ovarian Cancer Awareness ‘Down Under'”, February 28, 2011.

— “Whither Thou Goest, I Will Go …”, July 28, 2012.

— “Crowd Funding:” Paying Medical Bills With a Little Help From Your Friends (and Strangers Too!), January 17, 2013.

___________________________

For more information on World Ovarian Cancer Day visit: www.ovariancancerday.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WorldOvarianCancerDay

Twitter: @OvarianCancerDY

Pinterest: @OvarianCancerDY

Each participating country is linked through the dedicated website which has been established for World Ovarian Cancer Day. To find out more about activities in each country, please contact the local organization directly through the website at http://www.ovariancancerday.org/get-involved/

Broadway Star Valisia LeKae Debuts Ovarian Cancer PSA in Times Square

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Paul Cacciatore

“God has given me another role to play and like all my previous roles, I plan to go all in, only this time I plan to Win!” — Broadway star Valisia LeKae

Broadway star Valisia LeKae is a 2013 Tony Award nominee for “Best Actress in a Musical” for her performance as Diana Ross in “Motown: The Musical.”In addition to “Motown: The Musical,” LeKae has appeared on Broadway in “The Book of Mormon,” “Ragtime,” “110 in the Shade.” and “The Threepenny Opera.”

In possibly the most important role of her life, Valisia is a passionate ovarian cancer survivor, who wants to educate women of all ages about the importance of diagnosing and treating the disease in its early stages.

LeKae’s Ovarian Cancer Journey

Valisia’s ovarian cancer journey began in September 2013 when she was diagnosed with a supposedly benign cyst on her right ovary that was associated with endometriosis (called an “endometrioma“). Over a short period of time, LeKae’s cyst grew rapidly, and ultimately, it required surgical removal. Based upon a pathologist’s examination of the cyst that was removed from LeKae during surgery, she was diagnosed with ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) in December 2013.

In its purest form, OCCC is an aggressive form of epithelial ovarian cancer that is often chemoresistant. I learned this fact firsthand after my 26-year cousin, Elizabeth “Libby” Remick, lost her battle to OCCC in July 2008. This website is dedicated to Libby’s memory.

Valisia LeKae shared her ovarian cancer diagnosis publicly through her Facebook page with the stated intent to educate women of all ages about the disease, including those who have no family history of ovarian cancer:

“On, Nov 22, 2013, I had laparoscopic surgery to remove an endometrioma from my right ovary. A sample was taken from that endometrioma and on December 2, 2013, my pathology results reveled that I was positive for Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma, Ovarian Cancer. After receiving a second opinion it was confirmed by my Gynecologic Oncologist on Dec 9, 2013, that the diagnosis had been correct.

Per the advice of my doctor, I will need to have another surgery (unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy) as well as chemotherapy. I am scheduled for Thursday (December 19, 2013 ) and chemotherapy soon thereafter.

‘Ovarian Cancer mainly develops in older women. About half of the women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer are 63 years or older. It is more common in white women that African-American women (Cancer.org).’

As a 34 year old, African American woman, I feel that it is important that I share my story in order to educate and encourage others about this disease and the fight against it.

2013 has been full of blessings, from being nominated for a prestigious Tony Award for my portrayal of “Diana Ross” in Motown The Musical as well as many other accolades. God has given me another role to play and like all my previous roles, I plan to go all in, only this time I plan to Win!”

On April 29, 2014, Valisia announced publicly on Twitter that her ovarian cancer was in complete remission (technically known as “no evidence of disease” or “N.E.D.”) by using the celebratory hashtag “#CANCERFREE.”

A year ago today I was Nom 4 @TheTonyAwards. In Dec I was diagnosed w/ #ovariancancer ! Today I received the news that I am #CANCERFREE !

— Valisia LeKae (@ValisiaLeKae) April 29, 2014

“Know Your Body, Know Your Risk” Ovarian Cancer Awareness Campaign and Public Service Announcement

Today, Ms. LeKae joined her gynecological oncologist David Fishman, M.D., Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science at The Mount Sinai Hospital, and Director and Founder of the Mount Sinai Ovarian Cancer Risk Assessment Program, and executives from Toshiba, for the debut of a 30-second Public Service Announcement (PSA) promoting Ovarian Cancer Awareness. The ovarian cancer PSA premiere was broadcasted this afternoon on the Toshiba Vision Screens located at 46th Street and 7th Avenue in New York City. The iconic Toshiba screens are located in Times Square.

Rising 400 feet above street level in the visually dynamic surroundings of colorful Times Square billboards, striking black and white portraits of the stunning Broadway performer (photographed by Peter Hapak) will be broadcast on the Toshiba Vision screens as part of a two-week Ovarian Cancer Awareness public service campaign, entitled “Know Your Body, Know Your Risk.” The ovarian cancer PSA was produced by Spotco with assistance from the Mount Sinai Health System.

The Mount Sinai Ovarian Cancer Risk Assessment Program PSA will continue to broadcast every six minutes, 24-hours per day through May 15th.

“Dr. Fishman and the Mount Sinai team helped to save my life, so I want to give back by helping to educate and encourage others about this disease and the fight against it,” said Valisia LeKae.

While only the 11th most common cancer among U.S. women, ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among women. Ovarian cancer is the deadliest form of gynecologic cancer. In 2014, approximately 22,000 U.S. women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and 14,000 will die from the disease. To learn more about ovarian cancer, click here.

* * *

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Valisia LeKae for using her celebrity to raise public awareness about the most lethal gynecologic cancer. Valisia’s ovarian cancer advocacy will certainly not garner her a Tony Award, but in the eyes of all ovarian cancer survivors and their family members, it represents not only a job well done, but a life well spent.

Sources:

“Broadway Star Valisia LeKae To Debut Ovarian Cancer PSA,” LooktotheStars.org, May 1, 2014.

“Valisia LeKae Reveals Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis, Withdraws from Broadway’s MOTOWN THE MUSICAL,” Broadwayworld.com, December 17, 2013.

Inaugural World Ovarian Cancer Day: “World Embrace” to Learn, Educate, Fight & Inspire

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Paul Cacciatore

May 8th, 2013, is the first World Ovarian Cancer Day. On this day, 26 ovarian cancer organizations from 17 countries around the world will unite to educate their communities about ovarian cancer and its symptoms. For women living with the disease, and their families and friends, World Ovarian Cancer Day will build a sense of solidarity in the fight against ovarian cancer.

“LEARN:” Inaugural World Ovarian Cancer Day — May 8, 2013

Ovarian cancer has the lowest survival rate of all gynecologic cancers, and is characterized around the world by a lack of awareness of symptoms and late stage diagnosis.

Today, May 8th, 2013, is the first World Ovarian Cancer Day (WOCD). On this day, ovarian cancer organizations from around the world will unite to educate their communities about ovarian cancer and its symptoms. For women living with the disease, and their families and friends, World Ovarian Cancer Day will build a sense of solidarity in the fight against the disease.

In 2009, representatives from patient organizations working in ovarian cancer around the globe came together for the first time in a two day workshop, to discuss the common issues they faced in their work.

Unlike more common cancers, there are significant challenges as the disease has been largely overlooked and underfunded to this point. Symptoms which are similar to those of less serious illnesses, the absence of an early detection test, and the resulting late diagnosis and poor outcomes means there are few survivors of the disease to become advocates. This initial meeting galvanized the community to begin thinking about what could be accomplished on a global level to begin changing this situation.

By coming together since that first meeting, the group has considered the many gaps in understanding and managing the disease, building awareness in the general public about symptoms and the importance of family history, and increasing funding for research .The idea of a Global Awareness Day for Ovarian Cancer was put forward and embraced by all participants as an important joint international action creating a powerful momentum.

A brand for World Ovarian Cancer Day, “World Embrace,” was developed and launched to the international group in March 2013 in preparation for this important day.

“EDUCATE:” Ovarian Cancer Facts:

Please take time to educate yourself with respect to the important ovarian cancer awareness facts provided below.

–Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system.

–In 2012, the American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that there will be approximately 22,280 new ovarian cancer cases diagnosed in the U.S. ACS estimates that 15,550 U.S. women will die from the disease, or about 43 women per day. The loss of life is equivalent to 28 Boeing 747 jumbo jet crashes with no survivors every year.

–Ovarian cancer can afflict adolescent, young adult, and mature women.

–Pregnancy and the long-term use of oral contraceptives reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

–The 10-year relative survival rate for all disease stages combined is only 38%.

Please help us spread the word about the early warning signs & symptoms of ovarian cancer and raise money for ovarian cancer research. The life you save may be your own or that of a loved one.

“FIGHT:” The “Holy Trinity” of Major U.S. Ovarian Cancer Organizations

Ovarian Cancer Research Fund

— Developing innovative strategies for early detection;

— Discovering genetic polymorphisms that increase risk for ovarian cancer;

— Understanding the underlying genetics and molecular biology of ovarian cancer;

— Identifying new, better targets for treatment;

— Determining how to super-charge a woman’s immune response to better fight ovarian cancer; and

— Deciphering how and why ovarian cancer spreads, and how to stop it.

You can click here to make a donation to OCRF through the Libby’s H*O*P*E*’s donation page.

Ovarian Cancer National Alliance

To make a donation to OCNA, click here.

National Ovarian Cancer Coalition

To make a donation to NOCC, click here.

“INSPIRE:” Everyday Heroes in the Fight Against Ovarian Cancer.

— “Bald is Beautiful,” March 20, 2008.

— “Patty Franchi Flaherty Loses Battle to Ovarian Cancer, But Deserves a Long Standing Ovation,” August 19, 2008.

— “Oscar Winner Kathy Bates Is an Inspirational Ovarian Cancer Survivor,” February 25, 2009.

— “Rare Form of Ovarian Cancer Not Getting Inspirational 13 Yr. Old Down; You Can Help!,” February 26, 2009.

— “Meet Laurey Masterton, 20-Year Ovarian Cancer Survivor Extraordinaire,” March 20, 2009.

— “The Rock Band ‘N.E.D.’: Their Medical Skills Save Many; Their Music Could Save Thousands,” March 29, 2009.

— “A Wish To Build A Dream On,” May 3, 2009.

— “Husband’s Love For Wife Inspires A 9,000 Mile Bike Trek To Raise Money For Ovarian Cancer Awareness & Cancer Prevention,” May 14, 2009.

— “Gloria Johns Was Told ‘Ovarian Cancer Patients Don’t Live Long Enough … To Have Support Groups;’ She Proved Otherwise,” June 5, 2009.

— “Vox Populi:* How Do Your Define “Tragedy?“, January 22, 2010.

— “Smile, Open Your Eyes, Love and Go On,” July 28, 2010.

— “PBS Documentary, ‘The Whisper: The Silent Crisis of Ovarian Cancer,'” September 21, 2010.

— “Determined Teen Loses Ovarian Cancer Battle, But Her Courage Inspires An Entire Community,” December 28, 2010.

— “Mrs. Australia Quest Finalist Veronica Cristovao Is Raising Ovarian Cancer Awareness ‘Down Under'”, February 28, 2011.

— “Whither Thou Goest, I Will Go …”, July 28, 2012.

— “Crowd Funding:” Paying Medical Bills With a Little Help From Your Friends (and Strangers Too!), January 17, 2013.

___________________________

For more information on World Ovarian Cancer Day visit: www.ovariancancerday.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WorldOvarianCancerDay

Twitter: @OvarianCancerDY

Pinterest: @OvarianCancerDY

“Crowd Funding:” Paying Medical Bills With a Little Help From Your Friends (and Strangers Too!)

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Paul Cacciatore

An interesting article appearing in USA Today on January 14, written by Cheryl Alkon, describes the use of “crowd funding” to assist individuals who may be experiencing tough financial times — or even bankruptcy — due to, among other things, medical costs, including those incurred to treat cancer.

What is “Crowd Funding?”

The term “crowd funding” describes the collective effort of individuals who network and pool their money, generally through the Internet, to support efforts initiated by other people or organizations. For example, crowd funding can be used to support disaster relief, citizen journalism, political campaigns, startup company funding, movie or software development, and scientific research.

Crowd funding is even taking on national significance through enacted federal legislation. In April 2012, President Obama signed the JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act, which enables entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small businesses to raise funds and gather investors through equity crowd funding.

An interesting article appearing in USA Today on January 14, written by Cheryl Alkon, describes the use of crowd funding to assist individuals who may be experiencing tough financial times — or even bankruptcy — due to, among other things, medical costs, including those incurred to treat cancer. The crowd funding websites listed by Alkon include: the Human Tribe Project (humantribeproject.com), GiveForward (giveforward.com), FundRazr (fundrazr.com), and GoFundMe (gofundme.com).

It is estimated that $2.8 billion was raised by all types of crowdfunding websites in 2012.

In an era when social media and networking reign supreme, most individuals have “friends,” and even “friends of friends.” At this point, you should be thinking about The Beatles song entitled, A Little Help From My Friends, which the group recorded on their Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album in 1967. Or perhaps, you prefer Joe Cocker’s cover version of the song, which he sang at the Woodstock Music Festival in 1969. But, I digress. So, let’s turn to a great example of crowding funding used to support medical costs.

The Genesis of the Human Tribe Project

The Human Tribe Project Leadership Team: (left-to-right) Ryan Foutz, Jaclyn Foutz, Matt Foutz, and Steve Bever.

The concept of crowd funding within the context of cancer treatment is best understood through the genesis of The Human Tribe Project.

In early 2008, Jaclyn Foutz learned that her longtime friend, Kindra McLennan, had been diagnosed with a rare form of cervical cancer. Not knowing how to help Kindra, who lived 1,500 miles away, Jaclyn did what anyone thirty-something would do: she turned to Google®.

Her search turned up various websites listing ways to help support and encourage a friend through cancer, and of those, some even suggested fundraising ideas. Realizing that they could not be there to hold Kindra’s hand through the chemotherapy and radiation, Jaclyn and her friends decided to raise money for Kindra and her husband to relieve the financial burden associated with her cancer treatment. Jaclyn identified websites suggesting fundraising options, but all seemed too local and small in scope to have the kind of impact that she and her friends wanted. At the time, Jaclyn’s husband, Ryan Foutz, his brother, Matt Foutz, and Ryan’s childhood friend, Steve Bever, owned a wholesale jewelry company. They donated turquoise beads, and Jaclyn and her friends sold turquoise necklaces in support of Kindra. They sold the necklaces in-person to friends, relatives and coworkers, and by e-mail to people in Kindra’s support network all across the country.

The project was a huge success; they sold 350 necklaces and raised $10,000. They were inspired by the breadth of Kindra’s network of friends and the willingness of complete strangers to buy the necklaces.

Initially, Kindra refused to take handouts from her friends and family; however, when she knew her friends and family were receiving a necklace in return for their monetary donation, her concerns were alleviated. And, when Kindra saw everyone from her best friend to her chemotherapy nurse wearing the necklaces, she felt an emotional support as great as the financial support that she had received.

After extensive research, Jaclyn and Ryan learned that there were no resources available to do what they did on a larger, commercial scale. They found companies selling products in an effort to raise money for non-profits, foundations, or research institutions, but none raised money directly for individuals during their time of need.

During their research process, they were astonished to learn about the financial burden that individuals suffering from an illness often face. For example, with respect to breast cancer alone, it is estimated that out-of-pocket expenditures and lost-income costs for women with insurance coverage average $1,455.00 per month. The majority of those out-of-pocket costs are related to co-payments, hospitalizations, and specialist visits.

In 2006, twenty-five percent of cancer patients reported that they had to use all or most of their savings to deal with cancer treatment costs. Approximately fifty percent of all personal bankruptcies filed in the U.S. are filed due to medical expenses. Also, researchers have found that there is a strong connection between emotional support and healthcare outcomes. Jaclyn and Ryan found these statistics astounding; there was a better way to aid individuals and enhance the benefits of strong support networks.

Through all of this, Jaclyn, Ryan, Matt, and Steve saw firsthand the power of the humanitarian spirit and how that spirit connects us all. It was from this experience that Human Tribe Project was born.

Ultimately, Kindra McLennan used some of the funds raised on the website to take a trip to Las Vegas for her 30th birthday, four months before she died. “If that’s what you feel you need to use the money for, that’s one of the things you can do when you know the people who are donating to you,” Jaclyn Foutz says. The Human Tribe Project website launched in early 2009, six months after McLennan’s death.

Not only were Kindra’s friends and family able to raise approximately $10,000 on her behalf, but Kindra could see their love and support in every necklace that was worn. The Human Tribe Project website is dedicated to Kindra’s memory.

After helping establish the Human Tribe project, Matt Foutz never anticipated using the service for his own family. Two years ago, Mathew’s daughter Mia was diagnosed with a brain tumor, called a “medulloblastoma,” at the age of five. Mia received surgery, months of chemotherapy, and radiation treatment, the net result of which was permanent memory, mobility and endocrine issues. Through crowd funding, Matthew Foutz has already raised $11,520 for Mia.

Thoughts From Those In the Field

The USA Today article cites several individuals who are actively involved, directly or indirectly, in the field of crowd funding.

Catherine Chapman, a philanthropic consultant with Fullanthropy, a Louisville, Ky., consulting firm that advises non-profits on charitable best practices said:

Crowd funding is doing what has always been done, but taking the technology we have to make it viral. People give on these sites often because they have been asked to do so by a friend or a friend of a friend. The personal element is a lot more compelling than sending a check to a charity. Doing that is anonymous and you can’t relate, but if it’s your friend who has cancer, you want to help.”

Daryl Hatton, the founder and CEO of FundRazr, said:

“People know who they are donating to, but one of the big surprises is that people saw how many complete strangers were donating to them. The message has to really resonate with your friends, or else it won’t go anywhere. If you don’t get that social proof, then people don’t get donations. Our natural skepticism kicks in, and they hold back on hitting that button.”

According to the USA Today article, it appears that scams are rare. “Scammers tend to lack social-media followings, as they don’t want to identify themselves,” said Hatton. “Those with integrity have networks. To give you scale, approximately one in 5,000 medical FundRazrs get shut down.”

In the end, a cancer patient can use a crowdfunding site to tell his or her story about why money is needed, using blogs and updates to keep potential donors informed. Most websites collect donations and forward them directly to the person in need. The websites can take out a small portion of the donation for administrative and other costs, which can range from 5%-20% of funds raised. It is important to note that most crowd funding websites are not tax-exempt, non-profit organizations, and therefore, donations are not considered tax-deductible.

The USA Today article provides a few common sense tips to those who may be interested in crowd funding: (i) perform thorough due diligence on various websites beyond looking for a nice appearance (i.e., evaluate news stories, customer reviews, complaints, etc.); (ii) research online tips for writing a compelling narrative about yourself and the need for money; (iii) give frequent updates (as most blog writers learn quickly); and (iv) know that fundraising is time-consuming, but realize that you are your own best advocate.

There is a saying that “to the world you may only be one person, but to one person you may be the world.” For those of you who may be thinking about helping a cancer survivor through crowd funding, keep in mind that “grand” opportunities to help others seldom arise, but small, yet critical, opportunities surround us everyday.

Sources:

“Crowdfunding” sites pay medical bills, raise hopes, written by Cheryl Alkon, USA Today, January 14, 2013.

“Company Background,” Media Packet, The Human Tribe Project, www.humantribeproject.com.

“Whither Thou Goest, I Will Go …”

Posted on July 28, 2012 by Paul Cacciatore

Today, we celebrate the life of Elizabeth (“Libby”) Remick on the fourth anniversary of her passing — July 28, 2008.

Elizabeth Kay Remick (1982 – 2008)

Today, we celebrate the life of Elizabeth (“Libby”) Remick on the fourth anniversary of her passing — July 28, 2008. Libby was only 26 years old when she died from ovarian clear cell cancer. The Libby’s H*O*P*E* website is dedicated to Elizabeth’s memory.

Some people come into our lives and quickly go.
Some people stay for awhile,
and move our souls to dance.
They awaken us to a new understanding,
leave footprints on our hearts,
and we are never, ever the same.
— Flavia Weedn

As many of you know, we consider Libby the driving force and inspiration behind our ongoing support work for ovarian cancer survivors and their families. Libby’s spirit inspires us on a daily basis. We believe that Libby’s eternal love and support of ovarian cancer survivors and their families are limitless; this is especially true when the situation is labeled “hopeless.” We were reminded of this fact earlier this week after coming across a touching story dating back to 1940, which epitomizes the close and unbreakable bond between the U.S. and Great Britain — quite apropos given the opening of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London yesterday.

Between September 7, 1940 and May 16, 1941, the German Luftwaffe (air force) engaged in a bombing campaign designed to demoralize the British people into surrender while destroying the country’s economic war production. At one point, London (and 16 other British cities) were bombed on 57 consecutive nights during the German air campaign. As a result of the German raids, more than 40,000 civilians (almost half of them in London) were killed, and more than one million London homes were destroyed or damaged. The history books simply refer to this desperate and seemingly hopeless time period in England as “the Blitz” (derived from the German word “blitzkrieg,” meaning “lighting war”).

During this extremely difficult time period, Winston Churchill, England’s Prime Minister, knew that he had to rouse the British people to resist Adolf Hitler’s armed forces. Churchill also understood that England alone could not defeat Germany, and he recognized early on that the assistance of the U.S. would be necessary for ultimate victory. Churchill eagerly sought out U.S. assistance, and ultimately, American participation in support of England’s war effort.

The actions taken by Churchill to encourage U.S. assistance included welcoming the emissaries that were sent by President Franklin D. Roosevelt; foremost among them was Harry L. Hopkins. As Roosevelt’s closest wartime aide, Harry Hopkins played a crucial role in nurturing the Anglo-American partnership. At the direction of President Roosevelt, Harry Hopkins journeyed to England in the midst of the Blitz, and he later convinced the U.S. President that Churchill and the British people would fight on to the end, and therefore, must be supported at any cost. During Hopkins’ visit, he spoke directly to Churchill about America’s strong support of England, regardless of the circumstances.

In January 1941, at the end of his visit with Churchill, Harry Hopkins summarized American support, as part of a dinner toast, by referencing the unbreakable bond of loyalty cited in the Book of Ruth 1:16, which begins with Ruth’s plea to a close family relative during difficult times: ” Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee …” In his toast, and with a deeply emotional tone, Hopkins simply recited the remainder of that biblical verse:

“‘Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God’ — even to the end.”

According to those present at the dinner, Hopkins’ vow of American loyalty reduced the English Prime Minister to tears. Winston Churchill knew exactly what Hopkins meant, and he later stated: “Harry Hopkins’ impromptu sermon seemed like a rope thrown to a drowning man.” In the end, Hitler’s Blitz did not achieve its intended goal of demoralizing the British people into surrender; rather, it caused them to unite among themselves and forge an unbreakable bond with the U.S., which led to ultimate victory.

We know that if Libby were alive today, she would extend the same loyalty, perseverance, hope, and support towards ovarian cancer survivors and their families, similar to that cited in The Book of Ruth 1:16. Libby’s H*O*P*E* represents the physical manifestation of Libby’s spirit, including the steadfast support of all ovarian cancer survivors and their families during difficult times.

Although Libby is no longer physically present among us, a traditional Native American Prayer reminds us that she remains forever present in our lives:

I give you this one thought to keep –
I am with you still – I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the sweet uplifting rush,
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not think of me as gone –
I am with you still in each new dawn.

— Traditional Native American Prayer

Libby, we love you, miss you, and will never forget you. We do not think of you “as gone,” and we know that you are with us “in each new dawn.” Thank you for your life and eternal inspiration.

___________________

Related Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ Postings:

The Mirror: “What is the Meaning of Life?”, by Paul Cacciatore, July 28, 2011.

“Smile, Open Your Eyes, Love and Go On.,” by Paul Cacciatore, July 28, 2010.

Vox Populi*: Libby, We’ll Be Missing You, by Paul Cacciatore, July 28, 2009.

A Requiem Hallelujah, But Don’t Let There Be a Hole in the World Tomorrow, by Paul Cacciatore, July 28, 2008.

An Attitude of Gratitude On Thanksgiving Day

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Paul Cacciatore

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” — Melody Beattie

Today, many of us will celebrate a national day of Thanksgiving with family and friends. You know the drill — eating turkey, mash potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin or apple pie; watching football (your pick of Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins vs. Dallas Cowboys, or San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens); and napping, after which the whole cycle begins anew.

Why Be Grateful?

Within this traditional celebration, it is all too easy for us to lose sight of the real meaning of the holiday; that is, to give thanks for the many blessings bestowed upon us in our daily lives. Yesterday, I overheard two adults speaking about Thanksgiving in a grocery store line. One individual said to the second in a serious tone: “What do I have to be thankful for?” At first blush, it seems like a fair question when you consider the following:

The U.S. is currently engaged in two major armed conflicts. As of November 22, the total number of Americans killed in Afghanistan and Iraq is 4,984, and the number of wounded is over 47,000. The conflict in Afghanistan hit the 10-year mark in October. In contrast, the U.S. forced the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany and the Imperial Empire of Japan in 3 years and 8 months, thereby ending World War II in August 1945.

The U.S. is experiencing the worst economic downturn since “The Great Depression” of the 20th century.

The bipartisan U.S. Congressional “Super Committee” failed to reach agreement on $1.2 trillion of federal budget spending cuts over the next ten years, as part of Congress’ ongoing theater of the absurd in which its utter and total failure is “spun” as success.

The U.S. Congress’ approval rating, based upon a recent New York Times poll, sits at an all-time low of 9 percent. By comparison, former President Richard Nixon’s final approval rating after the Watergate Scandal and upon his resignation was 23%.

The U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) continues to fight for increased federal funding for cancer research in a time when 50% of men and 33% of women woman will experience cancer at some point during their lifetimes.

It is estimated that 15,460 U.S. women will die from ovarian cancer in 2011, which represents the death of one woman every 37 minutes. The annual U.S. ovarian cancer death toll is equal to the number of passenger deaths that would result from 30 Boeing 747 airplane crashes every year.

According to a recently published U.K. report, the median survival of women with ovarian cancer only increased from 8 months to 3 years over the past 40 years.

There is little doubt that the current state of U.S. affairs as described above is indeed daunting. The unsettling situation in the U.S., however, pales in comparison to the average life experience of those living in extreme poverty around the world (including the U.S.).

In 2005, the World Bank reported that 1.4 billion people in the developing world (one in four) were living on less than US$1.25 per day, of which 162 million live on less than $0.50 per day. The latter category of individuals are referred to as the “ultra poor” by the International Food Policy Research Institute.

Number of children in the world: 2.2 billion. Number of children living in poverty: 1 billion.

According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS today, with 2 million AIDS-related deaths anticipated each year. It is estimated that 76% of those deaths will occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

The United Nations estimates that 34,000 children and 16,000 adults die each day from hunger or preventable diseases with poverty-related causes. The annual death total is 18 million per year, which is nearly two times greater than the total number of deaths that occurred throughout “The Holocaust” between 1933 and 1945.

Approximately 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to clean water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation. Approximately 12 percent of the world’s population uses 85 percent of its water, and the individuals represented by the 12 percent do not live in the Third World.

In 1997, it was estimated that less than 1 percent of annual world weapons expenditures was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000.

Nearly one billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.

1.6 billion people live without electricity.

The U.S. has the widest gap between rich and poor of any industrialized nation.

In 2008, 7.6 million people died of cancer or 13% of all deaths worldwide. About 70% of all cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

In light of the above-mentioned global poverty statistics, it should be possible for even the most pessimistic U.S. citizen to be grateful on Thanksgiving Day. For the women and families who are dealing with ovarian cancer in their lives, we also believe that gratitude and hope is not only possible; it is essential.

While cancers (including ovarian) constitute an incredibly diverse and bewilderingly complex set of diseases, we have at hand the methods to identify essentially all of the genetic changes in a cell and to use that knowledge to rework the landscape of cancer research and cancer care, from basic science to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

With this better understanding of cancer and recent technological advances in many fields, such as genomics, molecular biology, biochemistry, and computational sciences, progress has been made on many fronts, and a portrait is beginning to emerge for several cancers including ovarian.

It has been established that there are at least four major subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer which should be treated as separate and distinct diseases.

In The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) study findings recently published with respect to the most common form of epithelial ovarian cancer, the investigators reported that a class of drugs known as “PARP inhibitors” may benefit up to 50% of high-grade, serous ovarian cancer (HGS-OvCa) survivors. In that same study, the investigators identified 22 genomic targets that occur in 10% or more of these cases, along with nearly 100 preclinical, clinical and FDA-approved drugs which are capable of “hitting” those targets.

The TCGA study of HGS-OvCa is arguably the world’s largest genomic study of any form of cancer to date.

Never before in human history has so much healthcare information been so readily available to the general public, thereby allowing cancer survivors and their families to proactively participate with their doctors in decisions relating to cancer diagnoses, treatments, and survivorship.

Given the rapid technological and pharmacological developments described above, it is important to “live to fight another day.”

Studies suggest that gratitude may improve overall health by leading to (i) better diet, (ii) increased amounts of exercise, (iii) reduced stress, and (iv) a stronger immune system. In other words, if you want to promote health, try giving thanks.

Thanksgiving In Times of Adversity & Plenty

“… As we gather in our communities and in our homes, around the table or near the hearth, we give thanks to each other and to God for the many kindnesses and comforts that grace our lives. Let us pause to recount the simple gifts that sustain us, and resolve to pay them forward in the year to come. …” — President Barack Obama

On November 16, 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation for Thanksgiving Day 2011. The proclamation is befitting of the true meaning underlying this traditional holiday. Although the origins of the modern U.S. Thanksgiving holiday can be traced back to the early 17th century, it is worth noting that the first Thanksgiving to be celebrated by all U.S. states on the same day (i.e., the final Thursday of November, which was not enacted into law by Congress until December 1941) was first proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln on October 3, 1863. The year 1863 was arguably one of the darkest time periods in U.S. history because it occurred in the midst of the Civil War; a conflict that pitted brother against brother, and resulted in more American deaths than all subsequent U.S. conflicts combined. Despite that fact, President Lincoln believed strongly that we should give thanks for our daily blessings even in times of great adversity.

The main text of President Obama’s proclamation, which is provided below, echoes the sentiments of Lincoln and reminds all Americans that in good times and bad times, “… we have lifted our hearts by giving humble thanks for the blessings we have received and for those who bring meaning to our lives.”

“One of our Nation’s oldest and most cherished traditions, Thanksgiving Day brings us closer to our loved ones and invites us to reflect on the blessings that enrich our lives. The observance recalls the celebration of an autumn harvest centuries ago, when the Wampanoag tribe joined the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony to share in the fruits of a bountiful season. The feast honored the Wampanoag for generously extending their knowledge of local game and agriculture to the Pilgrims, and today we renew our gratitude to all American Indians and Alaska Natives. We take this time to remember the ways that the First Americans have enriched our Nation’s heritage, from their generosity centuries ago to the everyday contributions they make to all facets of American life. As we come together with friends, family, and neighbors to celebrate, let us set aside our daily concerns and give thanks for the providence bestowed upon us.

Though our traditions have evolved, the spirit of grace and humility at the heart of Thanksgiving has persisted through every chapter of our story. When President George Washington proclaimed our country’s first Thanksgiving, he praised a generous and knowing God for shepherding our young Republic through its uncertain beginnings. Decades later, President Abraham Lincoln looked to the divine to protect those who had known the worst of civil war, and to restore the Nation “to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.”

In times of adversity and times of plenty, we have lifted our hearts by giving humble thanks for the blessings we have received and for those who bring meaning to our lives. Today, let us offer gratitude to our men and women in uniform for their many sacrifices, and keep in our thoughts the families who save an empty seat at the table for a loved one stationed in harm’s way. And as members of our American family make do with less, let us rededicate ourselves to our friends and fellow citizens in need of a helping hand.

As we gather in our communities and in our homes, around the table or near the hearth, we give thanks to each other and to God for the many kindnesses and comforts that grace our lives. Let us pause to recount the simple gifts that sustain us, and resolve to pay them forward in the year to come. …” — Barack Obama’s Presidential Proclamation — Thanksgiving Day, 2011

If All Else Fails — Try Humor

If you are still having trouble cultivating an attitude of gratitude on Thanksgiving Day, it is always helpful to enjoy the humor created by a child’s perspective. Thanksgiving is a time for food, family and fun, and we all know that children and grandchildren are a big part of the fun. Save Mart Supermarkets dared to create a video which captures a child’s perspective on the traditional Thanksgiving experience. We should warn you that a broad smile is a common side effect of watching this video. Enjoy!

What Are We Thankful For?

Our Thanksgiving Day gratitude list includes the following:

Ovarian cancer survivors and their families, who teach us every day about the importance of hope, perseverance, courage, compassion, love, and acceptance.

The compassion of medical clinicians who treat ovarian cancer patients every day.

The intelligence and dedication of U.S. and international medical and scientific researchers, who doggedly pursue methods to control, and ultimately conquer, ovarian cancer.

The generous assistance provided to us by the Women’s Oncology Research & Dialogue (WORD) gynecological cancer awareness organization. Dr. Kelly Manahan (WORD Co-Founder), Dr. John Geisler (WORD Co-Founder), Nate Manahan (WORD Executive Director) and Chad Braham (WORD Director of Media Productions) provide Libby’s H*O*P*E* with invaluable substantive and technical assistance throughout the year, including the newest joint collaboration called “WORD of HOPE Ovarian Cancer Podcast.”

The substantive assistance provided to us by the Ovarian Cancer Research Program of British Columbia, the British Columbia Cancer Agency, and the BC Cancer Foundation.

The ongoing generosity, encouragement and hope provided by Douglas and Diana Gray through the Gray Family Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma Research Resource, a multi-year research project dedicated to understanding, and ultimately defeating, one of the most lethal subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer. The Talmud says: “And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.” Doug and Diana Gray are passionate about pioneering ovarian cancer research aimed at saving women’s lives.

Our families who provide seemingly endless support and understanding, while we advocate on behalf of ovarian cancer survivors and their families.

The inspiration provided by Libby’s eternal spirit.

The ovarian cancer advocacy communities represented on Facebook, Twitter, Inspire.com, etc., who demonstrate on a daily basis that there is patient empowerment, joy, kindness, compassion, and synergy created by a large number of passionate and dedicated survivors and advocates who band together in cyberspace.

The dedicated service of our U.S. military personnel (and their families), who allow us to rise and sleep under the blanket of freedom which they provide each day through blood, sweat, and tears.

The roofs over our heads, the food on our tables, the clean water from our faucets, the freedom of speech and religious practice upon which our country was founded, the ability to vote in fair elections, and the simple acts of kindness that we are able to provide to and receive from others.

From our family to yours, let us take this opportunity to wish you a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday.

The Mirror: “What is the Meaning of Life?”

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Paul Cacciatore

Today marks the third anniversary of Libby’s passing, but we chose to celebrate her life instead.

Today marks the third anniversary of Libby’s passing, but we chose to celebrate her life instead.

As many of you know, the Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ website is dedicated to my 26-year old cousin, Elizabeth Remick, who lost her battle to the disease in 2008. Libby’s death was, in no uncertain terms, devastatingly tragic; however, her life was anything but. Her life and its inspiration were, and still remain, the driving force behind the website.

This morning, in reflecting about Libby’s life, I recalled the inspiration evoked by an essay entitled, “The Mirror.” This essay was written by the best-selling author Robert Fulghum, and published in his book of essays entitled, “It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It.”

I like to think of the website as a “mirror” which is simply reflecting the light of Libby’s life — and now her spirit — to our readers, including the inspirational ovarian cancer survivors and their family members who visit us each day. As many of you know, it was Libby’s idea to share publicly the initial ovarian cancer information that I compiled for her benefit in 2007-2008; this information became the foundation for Libby H*O*P*E*™.

In this way, Libby possessed “ordinary grace,” a term coined by the author Kathleen Brehony in her book bearing the same title. As explained by Brehony in her book, ordinary grace does not live in sacred cathedrals or holy ashrams; rather, it lives in everyday heroes like Libby, who find a place in their life for compassion, generosity, forgiveness, love and simple kindness.

I hope that you enjoy The Mirror (reproduced in full below). More importantly, I hope that the essay inspires you to reflect your light — truth, knowledge and compassion — into the hearts of others who are experiencing difficult times in their lives. Libby is our light. And it is our greatest hope that you find the website an illuminating reflection of her light.

Libby, we love you, miss you, and will never forget you. Thank you for your life and eternal inspiration.

_________________________________

“The Mirror”

An essay written by Robert Fulghum

“Are There Any Questions?” An offer that comes at the end of college lectures and long meetings. Said when an audience is not only overdosed with information, but when there is no time left anyhow. At times like that you sure do have questions. Like “Can we leave now?” and “What the hell was this meeting for?” and “Where can I get a drink?”

The gesture is supposed to indicate openness on the part of the speaker, I suppose, but if in fact you do ask a question, both the speaker and audience will give you drop-dead looks. And some fool — some earnest idiot — always asks. And the speaker always answers. By repeating most of what he has already said.

But if there is a little time left and there is a little silence in response to the invitation, I usually ask the most important question of all: “What is the meaning of life?”

You never know, somebody may have the answer, and I’d really hate to miss it because I was too socially inhibited to ask. But when I ask, it’s usually taken as a kind of absurdist move — people laugh and nod and gather up their stuff and the meeting is dismissed on that ridiculous note.

Once, and only once, I asked that question and got a serious answer. One that is with me still.

First, I must tell you where this happened, because the place has a power of its own. In Greece again.

Near the village of Gonia on a rocky bay of the island of Crete, sits a Greek Orthodox monastery. Alongside it, on land donated by the monastery, is an institute dedicated to human understanding and peace, and especially to rapprochement between Germans and Cretans. An improbable task, given the bitter residue of wartime.

This site is important, because it overlooks the small airstrip at Maleme where Nazi paratroopers invaded Crete and were attacked by peasants wielding kitchen knives and hay scythes. The retribution was terrible. The populations of whole villages were lined up and shot for assaulting Hitler’s finest troops.

High above the institute is a cemetery with a single cross marking the mass grave of Cretan partisans. And across the bay on yet another hill is the regimented burial ground of the Nazi paratroopers. The memorials are so placed that all might see and never forget. Hate was the only weapon the Cretans had at the end, and it was a weapon many vowed never to give up. Never ever.

Against this heavy curtain of history, in this place where the stone of hatred is hard and thick, the existence of an institute devoted to healing the wounds of war is a fragile paradox. How has it come to be here? The answer is a man. Alexander Papaderos.

A doctor of philosophy, teacher, politician, resident of Athens but a son of this soil. At war’s end he came to believe that the Germans and the Cretans had much to give one another — much to learn from one another. That they had an example to set. For if they could forgive each other and construct a creative relationship, then any people could.

To make a lovely story short, Papaderos succeeded. The institute became a reality — a conference ground on the site of horror — and it was in fact a source of producive interaction between the two countries. Books have been written on the dreams that were realized by what people gave to people in this place.

By the time I came to the institute for a summer session, Alexander Papaderos had become a living legend. One look at him and you saw his strength and intensity — energy, physical power, courage, intelligence, passion, and vivacity radiated from this person. And to speak to him, to shake his hand, to be in a room with him when he spoke, was to experience his extraordinary electric humanity. Few men live up to their reputations when you get close. Alexander Papaderos was an exception.

At the last session on the last morning of a two-week seminar on Greek culture, led by intellectuals and experts in their fields who were recruited by Papaderos from across Greece, Papaderos rose from his chair at the back of the room and walked to the front, where he stood in the bright Greek sunlight of an open window and looked out. We followed his gaze across the bay to the iron cross marking the German cemetery.

He turned. And made the ritual gesture: “Are there any questions?”

Quiet quilted the room. These two weeks had generated enough questions for a lifetime, but for now there was only silence.

“No questions?” Papaderos swept the room with his eyes.

So. I asked.

“Dr. Papaderos, what is the meaning of life?”

The usual laughter followed, and people stirred to go.

Papaderos held up his hand and stilled the room and looked at me for a long time, asking with his eyes if I was serious and seeing from my eyes that I was.

“I will answer your question.”

Taking his wallet out of his hip pocket, he fished into a leather billfold and brought out a very small round mirror, about the size of a quarter.

And what he said went like this:

“When I was a small child, during the war, we were very poor and we lived in a remote village. One day, on the road, I found the broken pieces of a mirror. A German motorcycle had been wrecked in that place.

I tried to find all the pieces and put them together, but it was not possible, so I kept only the largest piece. This one. And by scratching it on a stone I made it round. I began to play with it as a toy and became fascinated by the fact that I could reflect light into dark places where the sun would never shine — in deep holes and crevices and dark closets. It became a game for me to get light into the most inaccessible places I could find.

I kept the little mirror, and as I went about my growing up, I would take it out in idle moments and continue the challenge of the game. As I became a man, I grew to understand that this was not just a child’s game but a metaphor for what I might do with my life. I came to understand that I am not the light or the source of light. But light — truth, understanding, knowledge — is there, and it will only shine in many dark places if I reflect it.

I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have I can reflect light into the dark places of this world — into the black places in the hearts of men — and change some things in some people. Perhaps others may see and do likewise. This is what I am about. This is the meaning of my life.”

And then he took his small mirror and, holding it carefully, caught the bright rays of daylight streaming through the window and reflected them onto my face and onto my hands folded on the desk.

Much of what I experienced in the way of information about Greek culture and history that summer is gone from memory. But in the wallet of my mind I carry a small round mirror still.

Are there any questions?

_________________________________

Related Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ Postings:

“Smile, Open Your Eyes, Love and Go On.,” by Paul Cacciatore, July 28, 2010.

Vox Populi*: Libby, We’ll Be Missing You, by Paul Cacciatore, July 28, 2009.

A Requiem Hallelujah, But Don’t Let There Be a Hole in the World Tomorrow, by Paul Cacciatore, July 28, 2008.

“If You Are Lucky Enough To Be Irish, Then You Are Lucky Enough”

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Paul Cacciatore

Based on the Irish saying set forth above, I am certainly lucky enough — at least half of me is, on my mom’s side of the family.

All things Irish in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. (Photo: ShannonPatrick17)

Based on the Irish saying set forth above, I am certainly lucky enough — at least half of me is, on my mom’s side of the family. For those of you who were “lucky enough” to be raised by one or two Irish parents, you know what I’m talking about — faith, family, cultural pride, education (Notre Dame, of course), food and drink (with an emphasis on drink), and good old fashion storytelling.

May the blessings of each day be the blessings you need most. — Irish proverb

My mother and one of my best friends (and former college roommate) provided me with my formal education of all things Irish. In fact, when we were in college, my roommate Sean referred to St. Patrick’s Day as the “holiest of holy days” — needless to say, nothing has changed since college. He considers himself to be “very lucky” because he was raised by two Irish parents. In fact, Sean is so Irish that he founded a highly successful Irish dancing school in 1997 called, The Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance, which is located in the Washington, D.C. area. Sean’s students have performed at many famous venues, including The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Stephen: [looking to the sky] Alright, Father, I’ll ask him. …

Hamish: Is your father a ghost, or do you converse with the Almighty?

Stephen: In order to find his equal, an Irishman is forced to talk to God.

— Dialogue from the movie Braveheart (1995 Academy Award-Winning Best Picture).

If you live in an Irish household, today will likely involve a few traditions such as wearing green (bonus points for wearing a lapel pin with an image of a shamrock, Irish flag, or leprechaun); eating corned beef, cabbage, and soda bread; and drinking Guinness stout. If you know nothing of Ireland, you can “fake it till you make it,” by going to a local Irish pub, or by learning a few fun facts related to St. Patrick’s Day and Irish Americans.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the 5th century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years.

The shamrock, which was also called the “seamroy” by the Celts, was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring. By the 17th century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism.

Music is often associated with St. Patrick’s Day and Irish culture in general. From the ancient days of the Celts, music has always been an important part of Irish life. The Celts had an oral culture, where religion, legend and history were passed from one generation to the next by way of stories and songs.

It has long been recounted that during his mission in Ireland, St. Patrick once stood on a hilltop (which is now called Croagh Patrick) with only a wooden staff by his side, and banished all the snakes from the island. In fact, the island nation was never home to any snakes. The “banishing of the snakes” was really a metaphor for the eradication of pagan ideology from Ireland and the triumph of Christianity. Within 200 years of Patrick’s arrival, Ireland was completely Christianized.

In 1959, Walt Disney released a film called Darby O’Gill & the Little People, which introduced America to a very different sort of leprechaun, as compared to the cantankerous little man of Irish folklore. This cheerful, friendly leprechaun is a purely American invention, but has quickly evolved into an easily recognizable symbol of both St. Patrick’s Day and Ireland in general.

Though cabbage has long been an Irish food, corned beef only began to be associated with St. Patrick’s Day at the turn of the 20th century. Irish immigrants living on New York City’s Lower East Side substituted corned beef for their traditional dish of Irish bacon to save money.

The Irish are not required to be Boston Celtics fans — go with a winner and side with the Los Angeles Lakers. (Sorry, that’s commentary rather than fact!)

When the Great Potato Famine hit Ireland in 1845, close to a million poor and uneducated Irish Catholics began pouring into the U.S. to escape starvation.

There are 36.9 million U.S. residents with Irish roots. This number is more than eight times the population of Ireland itself (4.5 million).

Across the U.S., 12 percent of residents lay claim to Irish ancestry. That number doubles to 24 percent in the state of Massachusetts.

The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in the U.S., not in Ireland. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762.

The New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the world’s oldest civilian parade and the largest in the U.S., with over 150,000 participants.

Chicago is famous for a somewhat peculiar St. Patrick’s Day annual event: dyeing the Chicago River green. The tradition started in 1962, when city pollution-control workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges and realized that the green dye might provide a unique way to celebrate the holiday. That year, they released 100 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river—enough to keep it green for a week! Today, in order to minimize environmental damage, only 40 pounds of dye are used, making the river green for only several hours.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my mom (and her sisters) and the Culkin family all the best on this special day. At Libby’s H*O*P*E*, we also wish you and yours a Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

May you always walk in sunshine. May you never want for more. May Irish angels rest their wings right beside your door.

–Irish Blessing

In the tradition of Irish music on St. Patrick’s Day, we leave you with a song by the Irish-American band Flogging Molly, entitled If I Ever Leave This World Alive. This song is dedicated to those women who have lost their battle to ovarian cancer, but who inspire us to continue the fight for, and support of, ovarian cancer survivors and their families.

If I Ever Leave This World Alive, by Flogging Molly

Mrs. Australia Quest Finalist Veronica Cristovao Is Raising Ovarian Cancer Awareness “Down Under”

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Paul Cacciatore

Mrs. Australian Quest Finalist Veronica Cristovao is raising ovarian cancer awareness “Down Under,” and she hopes to use the pageant as an international platform to further her ovarian cancer advocacy.

Did you know that February is national Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in Australia?

Veronica Cristovao is a finalist in the Mrs. Australia Quest pageant which supports Ovarian Cancer Australia. Veronica hopes to use the pageant as an international platform for ovarian cancer awareness.

According to the Australian National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre, approximately 1,200 Australian women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2010. On average, three Australian women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every day, while two Australian women die from the disease every day or one woman every twelve hours. Ovarian cancer accounts for 55 percent of all Australian gynecological cancer deaths. By way of comparison, 88 out of every 100 Australian women diagnosed with breast cancer will be alive five years after diagnosis, whereas only 40 out of every 100 Australian women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will be alive during that same time period.

These statistics are alarming, and until effective prevention and early detection methods can be identified, awareness of the ovarian cancer early warning signs are critical. Promotion of ovarian cancer awareness and early detection underlie the charitable mission of the Mrs. Australia Quest pageant. The pageant’s mission is artfully expressed through its “beautiful awareness” motto.

Although February has come to an end, we had the pleasure of getting to know Veronica Cristovao, a Mrs. Australia Quest Finalist, earlier this month. Because the Mrs. Australia Quest pageant supports ovarian cancer awareness through Ovarian Cancer Australia, we thought it was important to highlight Veronica’s ovarian cancer advocacy and participation in the pageant. After reading Veronica’s story, you will discover what we already know; win, lose or draw in the final pageant competition, Veronica is already a winner given her amazing talents as an entrepreneur, ovarian cancer advocate, wife, and mother of two young children.

We would like to extend our fullest appreciation to Veronica and her family for allowing us to tell her ovarian cancer advocacy story.

“Character contributes to beauty. It fortifies a woman as her youth fades. A mode of conduct, a standard of courage, discipline, fortitude, and integrity can do a great deal to make a woman beautiful.”

— Jacqueline Bisset, English Actress & Golden Globe and Emmy Award Nominee

Mrs. Australia Quest Pageant

The Mrs. Australia Quest pageant selected Ovarian Cancer Australia as its designated 2011 charity. Ovarian Cancer Australia was founded by individuals directly affected by ovarian cancer, who wanted to raise awareness of the disease and support those who have been affected by it. This founder group includes:

Nicole Livingstone, a retired Australian swimmer and Olympic medal winner, television sports commentator and radio presenter, and recipient of the Order of Australia Metal, and her sister Karen, who lost their mother and aunt to the disease;

Simon Lee, whose wife Sheila was the driving force behind the Australian ovarian cancer awareness movement prior to her death in 2001;

Actress and comedian Lynda Gibson, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2000 and subsequently lost her battle to the disease in 2004; and

Journalist Tracey Curro, whose mother died from ovarian cancer.

Ovarian Cancer Australia is the country’s only national not-for-profit organization which (i) supports women with ovarian cancer, their families, friends and caretakers with compassionate support programs and practical resources; (ii) educates communities and individuals about the disease to increase their awareness of symptoms and the latest treatment, research and clinical trials from across Australia; and (iii) advocates to improve outcomes, treatment and quality of life for women with ovarian cancer. In 2011, Ovarian Cancer Australia will be celebrating its 10th anniversary.

In support of Ovarian Cancer Australia, the Mrs. Australia Quest pageant is promoting awareness of the early signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer in an attempt to educate the women of Australia and beyond. The overarching goal is to save as many women’s lives as possible.

All Mrs. Australia Quest pageant entrants receive the opportunity to promote themselves, voice their opinions, get involved, network, fulfill personal goals, and most of all to have fun. Moreover, the experience at the Mrs. Australia Quest National Final, which will be held in Sydney during June 2011, promises to be very glamorous and entertaining for all of the women who participate. All participants will be judged based upon the following criteria: personal interview & Q&A submission, photographic session, Evening Attire Competition, Swimwear Competition, Active Wear Competition, promotion of ovarian cancer awareness, and internet popularity voting. Undoubtedly, the Mrs. Australia Quest National Final title winner will experience a life changing event that will open new doors of opportunity and create memorable moments.

The Mrs. Australia Quest national winner will go on to compete in the Mrs. International® pageant which will be held in Chicago, Illinois during July 2011. In this pageant, each contestant has the opportunity to select a platform of her choice, which she will spend the next year promoting. Husbands also play a direct role in this event. Each husband will escort his wife in the Evening Gown competition, and the Mrs. International® pageant winner’s husband will crown his wife as the new titleholder.

Veronica Cristovao – Mrs. Australia Quest Finalist

The Mrs. Australia Quest pageant not only raises money for ovarian cancer, it also raises the profile of the disease by creating ambassadors of young wives in Australia. The pageant’s charitable ovarian cancer awareness mission is what motivated Veronica Cristovao to take part in the 2011 competition.

The Cristovao family celebrates Thomas' 3rd birthday. (Above: Duarte & Veronica Cristovao with their two children; Thomas, a 3-year old boy, and Samantha, an 18-month old girl)

Veronica is 33 years old and is married to her husband Duarte, who is property developer. The couple has two children; Thomas, a 3-year old boy, and Samantha, an 18-month old girl.

After experiencing the effects of cancer so close to home, Veronica knows all too well the importance of awareness. Veronica’s family relatives have been affected by cancer of the stomach and the breast, as well as lymphoma.

Veronica completed her formal education with a major in Business/Marketing and Computer Science, although she started her work career in the areas of customer service, management and training. Despite that fact, her life-long passion has always been real estate. In fact, before having children, Veronica worked as a real estate agent. She also engaged in part-time modeling and commercials, and met many interesting people along the way.

While pregnant with her first child (Thomas), Veronica studied interior design and decoration. Given her husband’s real estate development expertise, Veronica believed that a background in interior design and decoration would allow her to work side-by-side with Duarte, thereby allowing the couple to share a common passion. Veronica has already completed four major interior design/decoration projects, while raising her young children at the same time. And, her business and marketing background has proved quite helpful in recruiting new clients for her rapidly growing business, which include her brother who happens to be an architect.

Veronica has always been engaged in charitable activities throughout her life, including blood donation and volunteer activities in support of local charitable organizations and children in need. While working and raising a family, Veronica has also been active in raising ovarian cancer awareness. She dedicates a great deal of time to distributing ovarian cancer awareness posters and informational pamphlets within her local community. By all accounts, Veronica’s ovarian cancer awareness campaign has been extremely well received by her community.

This past month, Veronica utilized an Ovarian Cancer Australia awareness campaign called, “Afternoon Teal™.” Through this campaign, Ovarian Cancer Australia invites all Australians to support women diagnosed with ovarian cancer and their families by hosting an Afternoon Teal™ during the month of February. This gathering allows a host, such as Veronica, to invite workmates, friends, and family members to the event with the goal of (i) raising funds to support programs for women touched by ovarian cancer and their families; and (ii) providing vital information regarding the early warning signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. Veronica hosted several successful Afternoon Teal™ events, thereby raising much needed monies for ovarian cancer awareness.

“Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical.”

— Sophia Loren, Italian Film Actress & 1962 “Best Actress” Academy Award (Oscar) Winner

During a recent interview with a local Australian news reporter, Veronica said: “Cancer is a horrible disease. I feel so fortunate that I am happy and healthy, I want to take this opportunity to give something back.” Veronica believes that learning to “give back” is a critical life lesson for her children, which is best taught by example. “I want my children to understand how important it is to help people in need. I want them to know just how lucky we are.”

In the Mrs. Australia Quest pageant final to be held in June, Veronica will compete with seven other wives for the opportunity to represent Australia at an international level. Veronica believes that winning the national title in June will give her the requisite international platform to raise awareness about the devastating effects of ovarian cancer. Veronica would also like to note that ovarian cancer is preventable through various means, but as with any cancer, recognizing the early warning signs and symptoms is vital. Because there is no reliable blood test to detect early stage ovarian cancer, Veronica looks forward to the day when such a test is readily available at all Australian medical centers.

As noted above, Veronica has already taken it upon herself to campaign hard for ovarian cancer awareness. That hard work has already resulted in her receipt of approximately 7,500 online votes, which represent 10 percent of the final judging score to determine the next Mrs. Australia Quest. We should note that 50% of monies raised through online voting support Ovarian Cancer Australia.

If you would like to vote for Veronica online, please visit http://www.mrsaustraliaquest.com.au/ and click on the “View Finalists” tab, which is located on the left margin of the Mrs. Australia Quest homepage. All individual donors who vote $100 (AUD) or more will be acknowledged on the Mrs. Australia Quest website. Three business voting packages are also available, which provide an even higher level of donor acknowledgment.

We would like to thank the Cristovao family again for helping us in the preparation of this story, and we wish Veronica all the best with respect to the Mrs. Australia Quest pageant final competition in June 2011. In our humble opinion, Veronica is already a winner and an inspirational ovarian cancer advocate.

Sources:

Mrs. Australia Quest Finalist (Veronica Cristovao), by Erin Banales, Inner West Courier, January 17, 2011.

Report to the Nation – Ovarian Cancer 2010, The [Australian] National Breast & Ovarian Cancer Centre, February 2010.

Mrs. Australia Quest website.

Mrs. International® website.

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*“Vox Populi,” a Latin phrase that means “voice of the people,” is a term often used in broadcast journalism to describe an interview of the “man (or woman) on the street.”

In the spirit of Vox Populi, Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ searches online for original writings and visual media created by ovarian cancer survivors, survivors’ family members, cancer advocates, journalists, and health care professionals, which address one or more aspects of ovarian cancer within the context of daily life. The written and visual media features that we discover run the gamut; sometimes poignant, sometimes educational, sometimes touching, sometimes comedic, but always honest. The Vox Populi feature may take the form of an essay, editorial, poem, letter, story, song or video picture montage.

It is our hope that the Vox Populi feature will allow our readers to obtain, in some small way, a better understanding of how ovarian cancer impacts the life of a woman diagnosed with the disease and her family. We invite all readers to submit, or bring to our attention, original writings and visual media suitable for publication as Vox Populi features.

Libby’s HOPE™ Proudly Announces A Strategic Partnership With Women’s Oncology Research & Dialogue

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Paul Cacciatore

It is our privilege and honor to announce a strategic partnership between Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ and Women’s Oncology Research & Dialogue.

It is our privilege and honor to announce a strategic partnership between Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ (LH) and Women’s Oncology Research & Dialogue (WORD). WORD’s overarching mission is to raise gynecologic cancer awareness and fund related scientific research.

The genesis of this partnership began approximately one year ago, when LH was contacted by Nathan Manahan, WORD’s Executive Director. WORD had performed extensive social media due diligence and determined that LH was a premier source of online ovarian cancer information. As the LH Founder, I agreed to meet Nate and Chad Braham (WORD’s Director of Media Productions) in Los Angeles to discuss the possibility of both organizations working together.

I felt an immediate connection with Nate and Chad, especially after we discussed the personal reasons underlying our passion for cancer advocacy. Nate explained that his mother was a breast cancer survivor, who battled the disease successfully due to vigilance, which caught her aggressive cancer at an early stage. It also happens that Nate’s sister is Dr. Kelly J. Manahan, WORD’s Founder and President. Chad discussed how he lost his father to cancer when he was 8 years old, along with the fact that his stepfather is a prostate cancer survivor, and his mother-in-law is a uterine cancer survivor (who was successfully treated by Dr. Manahan).

By the end of that initial meeting, we believed that a strategic partnership between both organizations would be highly synergistic. Although WORD advocates on behalf of women with all gynecologic cancers, it has designated LH as its “go-to” source for detailed ovarian cancer information. In turn, LH obtains a greater audience for its ovarian cancer advocacy by communicating to women interested in learning more about all gynecologic cancers through the new WORD website.

As a kickoff to our partnership, WORD created nine short videos about the genesis of LH, its mission, the credibility & understandability of the LH website, the early warning signs of ovarian cancer, LH assistance to ovarian cancer survivors, survivor success stories, the fast pace of medical research, and a brief discussion of the LH/WORD partnership. The LH/WORD partnership video is provided below. We will post the remaining eight videos over the next two weeks.

In the near future, we anticipate the creation and distribution of an ongoing video podcast series known as WORD of HOPE, which will address important ovarian cancer topics in an easily understandable format.

We are quite excited about the opportunities presented by this partnership, and hope to build upon the LH/WORD alliance for many years to come.

“The challenge of every team is to build a feeling of oneness, of dependence on one another because the question is usually not how well each person performs, but how well they work together.”

— Vince Lombardi (1913 – 1970), former Head Coach of the National Football League (NFL) Green Bay Packers & Winner of 5 NFL Championships, including Super Bowls I & II.

The Genesis of WORD

Drs. Kelly J. Manahan & John P. Geisler, Co-Founders, Women's Oncology Research & Dialogue (WORD)

Several years ago, as a gynecologic oncologist in training, Dr. Manahan learned first-hand that cancer is a formidable foe. This experience compelled her to take greater action. In Fall 2005, Dr. Manahan established WORD, along with her husband Dr. John P. Geisler. Currently, Dr. Manahan is the Interim Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC), while Dr. Geisler is Director of Gynecologic Oncology and Chief of Clinical Service Obstetrics & Gynecology at UTMC. Dr. Geisler is also the Chairman of the WORD medical advisory panel. Drs. Manahan and Geisler are both gynecologic oncologists, and are cited as authors in approximately 85 published medical articles relating to a wide array of gynecologic oncology topics. Such topics include cutting-edge surgical techniques and novel gynecological cancer treatments.

WORD was founded with the mission of spreading global gynecological cancer awareness. WORD exists to educate; to inform, to bring awareness, to teach prevention, and assist women who have been diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer. The passion of the WORD team is to provide women and their families with relevant, detailed, and up-to-date information that can save lives. In sum, WORD was formed to help win the fight against gynecologic cancers.

Past and present WORD research projects and initiatives include:

a study of cisplatin and topotecan to treat cancers of the cervix and/or vulva;

a study of hydralazine and megestrol acetate to treat advanced, chemoresistant cancers of the ovary, peritoneum, uterus, fallopian tube, cervix, and vulva;

the Kolleen Stacey Ovarian Cancer Early Detection Program; and

a tissue bank of clinically annotated tissue specimens from patients with gynecologic cancers.

“We are a husband and wife team who have both been helping women battle gynecologic cancers for over two decades,” said Dr. Manahan. “Our passion is helping women have complete understanding when facing the battle of their cancer. We also want women to be empowered to make lifestyle and health decisions that can work to prevent cancer.”

“Our goal is to assure that all women are more aware of these diseases and to find a way to increase prevention, early detection, and optimal treatment,” said Dr. Geisler. “Awareness will lead to more research dollars. More research will hopefully lead to finding the detailed factors that influence the growth of these diseases. We ultimately want a cure. Wordoncancer.org is the integral foundation to many of these dreams.”

“I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.”

— Mia Hamm, who is widely recognized as the world’s best all-around women’s soccer player (2 Olympic Gold Medals & 2 World Championships).

WORD’s New Website Launch

The average woman in the United States has a 1-in-12 risk factor of developing a gynecologic cancer in her lifetime. On November 9, 2010, WORD launched their new website at http://www.wordoncancer.org. WORD’s new website will inform women about preventions, signs, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of all gynecologic cancers. WORD’s website will inspire women to take actions that can, and will, save their lives, and was designed to expand and grow as new data and relevant information become available.

Today, most people do their research online. Accordingly, WORDoncancer.org was designed to achieve the overarching goals listed below.

Provide the best gynecologic cancer web video content, including survivor stories, expert advice provided by various medical professionals, and stories from families who have lost loved ones.

Guarantee current information about the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of gynecologic cancers, which is created in a simple and user-friendly interface.

Create pathways to dialogue among women and their physicians, so every woman is empowered to make an informed decision about her health care.

Utilize the most effective and relevant multimedia tools to accomplish our organizational mission.

Connect and create partnerships with grassroots groups throughout the United States, empowering them to create local efforts to conquer gynecologic cancers.

A few of the key highlights of the new site are listed below.

Animation – WORD sanctioned the creation of a 4-minute animated short story entitled, WORD on HPV (watch video below).

Formal launch of the Let’s Talk Video Series – Let’s Talk is a personal history campaign aimed at archiving the stories of women who have battled gynecologic cancer. WORD has collected and edited many of these stories and the collection is available on WORD’s YouTube™ channel and throughout the copy on the website.

New Expert WORDS of Wisdom Video Series – WORD will work to create video vignettes to help women better understand gynecologic cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. These videos will provide a complimentary explanation to web content and are also housed on WORD’s YouTube™ channel.

Targeted Campaign for 18-24 year old women regarding cervical cancer/human papillomavirus (HPV) – WORD is utilizing recently conducted research to create a personalized campaign for 18-24 year old young women to get the HPV vaccine and begin proper cancer prevention.

WORD Blog, Facebook & Twitter – For readers “on-the-go,” make sure that you monitor significant WORD news and updates through its blog, Facebook page and Twitter account.

Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. — Henry Ford, Founder of the Ford Motor Company

WORD Initiates a “Dialogue” During Cervical Health Awarenss Month.

“Those of us who work and volunteer with WORD know that the dialogue we create will often be controversial. The conversations we hope to create are critical, personal and sometimes intimidating. We are dealing with topics that have real and severe consequences. Often what we say may not be received well; our goal is not acceptance but dialogue. We want women to rise up and become advocates for their own health care. We want women to ask questions, the hard questions, to make sure they make the best informed decisions about their health. We want women to be respectful – staying true to their own convictions, but standing united through dialogue in one common purpose – ‘We must conquer cancer!'”

— Nathan Manahan, WORD Executive Director

This year, Over 11,000 American women will learn that they have cervical cancer, and nearly 4,000 will die from the disease. Tens of thousands more women will have precancerous cells treated. January is designated as Cervical Health Awareness Month, which is intended to aid in the prevention and early detection of cervical cancer. This month, WORD is committed to raising awareness of this preventable, detectable and treatable disease among all women in the United States.

One of the most controversial and uncomfortable subjects that WORD seeks to start dialogue on is the cause of cervical cancer, namely HPV. HPV is a sexually transmitted infection that causes cervical cancer among other cancers and health problems. In 2010, WORD set out to create an effective HPV and cervical cancer women’s health education campaign. In short, WORD wants to make sure that women of all ages can make informed health decisions about the HPV vaccine, annual gynecological exams, Pap tests and the HPV test. Through a series of excellent partners including Purdue University, David Bossert of Madison Beach Productions, Duck Studios and Publicis Group, WORD was able to create a comprehensive health education program.

In 2011, WORD is working toward an extremely ambitious but necessary goal: distribution of life-saving HPV/cervical information to 30 cities located in 15 states. “This campaign is the first of many campaigns to be created by the WORD team,” said Nate Manahan. “WORD hopes to partner with many individuals and organizations to see these new resources used in communities throughout the United States and ultimately the world.”

WORD encourages individuals and organizations to see how they might utilize the WORD on HPV campaign resources throughout the next year. This campaign includes an original four minute animated short story (view below), posters, brochures, magnets, rack cards, 30 and 60 second radio spots, 15 and 30 second television spots, and informative survivor and expert videos. In addition, WORD is participating in the Cervical Cancer Free America initiative (CCFA), which is is a multi-year, multi-state project aimed at preventing the disease through vaccination against HPV and effective screening for early signs of cervical cancer. WORD is proud to announce that the Cervical Cancer Free Indiana initiative is utilizing many of the WORD on HPV resources in 2011, through a collaboration with the Kristen Forbes EVE Foundation.

“WORD on HPV” Animated Short Story

Regular administration of Pap tests is the best means of detecting cervical cancer at an early stage. The addition of the HPV test further advances our ability to detect cervical cancer early. Furthermore, HPV vaccines have the potential to protect women from the disease, by targeting cancer-causing types of the HPV. “With the advancement of the HPV vaccine in women’s health and in cancer prevention, we may have the first opportunity to literally eradicate cervical cancer,” said Dr. Geisler. “We are all hopeful that between the vaccines, Pap tests and the HPV test, we will see the eradication of cervical cancer around the world in our lifetime.”

In further support of WORD’s overarching vision, Dr. Sharmila Makhija, Division Director of Gynecologic Oncology at Emory University said:

“WORD’s vision to offer resources and education to women of all ages to promote dialogue on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of gynecologic cancers (cervical, uterine and ovarian) is important and something I wholeheartedly support and encourage all individuals and organizations to support.”

About Women’s Oncology Research & Dialogue

WORD is an Indianapolis-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping women conquer gynecologic cancers through coordinating innovative scientific and clinical research, which results in empowering educational resources for women’s organizations and medical personnel regarding proper prevention, diagnosis and treatment. They need your support to help spread awareness and raise money to help conquer gynecologic cancer.

More information can be found online at http://www.wordoncancer.org/media, including WORD’s informative brochures regarding (i) gynecologic cancer, (ii) ovarian cancer, (iii) cervical cancer, and (iv) uterine cancer.

If you are interested in making a donation to WORD, please go to http://wordoncancer.org/cms/word-site/get-involved/donate.

Sources:

New wordoncancer.org Website Launched To Spread Awareness about Gynecologic Cancers by Women’s Oncology Research & Dialogue (WORD), Press Release, Women’s Oncology Research & Dialogue, November 9, 2010.

WORD on Cancer” Recognizes Cervical Health Awareness Month by the Formal Launch of the WORD on HPV Health Education Campaign, Press Release, Women’s Oncology Research & Dialogue, January 13, 2011.

A Recipe For the New Year

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Paul Cacciatore

On behalf of Libby’s H*O*P*E*™, we wish you and yours a happy and healthful New Year.

On behalf of Libby’s H*O*P*E*™, we would like to wish you and yours a happy and healthful New Year.

To the newly diagnosed ovarian cancer survivors, we stand ready to help you. And, we extend our very best to those who corresponded with us over the past year. It was both a privilege and honor to serve you.

To the ovarian cancer survivors in treatment, keep the faith and continue to fight the good fight. When times get tough and the desired results seem elusive, we hope that the following words inspire perseverance:

“When nothing seems to help, I go look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.” — Jacob Riis (American newspaper reporter and photographer, 1849-1914)

To the ovarian cancer survivors who obtained the coveted status of “N.E.D.” (no evidence of disease), it is our greatest hope that you will pay your goodwill forward in support of another survivor and her family.

To the ovarian cancer survivors that we lost this year, you will forever be in our thoughts and prayers, and know that we will continue to fight this disease in your memory.

To start out 2011 in stride, we thought it might be helpful to provide bits of wisdom spoken or written by others. In addition, the beginning of the New Year would not be complete without some humor obtained from holiday seasons present and past.

Words of Wisdom For the New Year

A Recipe For the New Year. “Take twelve fine, full-grown months; see that these are thoroughly free from old memories of bitterness, rancor and hate, cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are freed from all the past—have them fresh and clean as when they first came from the great storehouse of Time. Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many persons spoil the entire lot this way) but prepare one day at a time.

Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad dressing— don’t do it), prayer, meditation, and one well-selected resolution. Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.” — Anonymous

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” — Edith Lovejoy Pierce

“I will seek elegance rather than luxury, refinement rather than fashion. I will seek to be worthy more than respectable, wealthy and not rich. I will study hard, think quietly, talk gently, and act frankly. I will listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with an open heart. I will bear all things cheerfully, do all things bravely, and await occasions and hurry never. In a word I will let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common.” — William Ellery Channing

“Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Vow not to make a promise you don’t think you can keep. Walk tall, and smile more. You’ll look ten years younger. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I love you.’ Say it again. They are the sweetest words in the world.” — Ann Landers

“We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives – not looking for flaws, but for potential.” — Ellen Goodman

“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.” — Bill Vaughn

“New Year’s Resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time.” — James Agate

Humor For the New Year

Did you ever wonder what would happen if the Nativity occurred in the age of social media? If so, check out the video below.

A classic holiday song about Chanukah (Hanukkah) by comedic superstar (and former Saturday Night Live cast member) Adam Sandler

Determined Teen Loses Ovarian Cancer Battle, But Her Courage Inspires An Entire Community

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Paul Cacciatore

On December 24, 2010, fifteen year old Meghan Redenbach lost her ovarian cancer battle. Although her physical presence is no longer, Meghan’s spirit will forever inspire her hometown community, as well as those who have read about and followed her courageous journey since 2008.

On December 24, 2010, fifteen year old Meghan Redenbach lost her ovarian cancer battle. Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ covered Meghan’s inspirational story on February 26, 2009 and March 5, 2009. When Meghan was thirteen years old, she was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer known as “fibrosarcoma.” This form of ovarian cancer is so rare that there are only 30 documented cases in the U.S. Meghan was only the second child to be diagnosed with fibrosarcoma.

Meghan was a gifted and avid volleyball player in middle school and during her freshman year in high school. “She just has incredible courage and determination and the ability to fight through things,” says Bill Holahan, Meghan’s high school volleyball coach. “Anyone who has come into contact with her has fallen in love with her and her courage.”

Meghan Redenbach was a gifted and avid volleyball player. Bill Holahan, Meghan's high school volleyball coach, said: "Anyone who has come into contact with her has fallen in love with her and her courage."

Last year, and after a difficult selection process, Meghan was chosen by Roswell Park Cancer Institute as one of three cancer patients whose stories were told as part of the Institute’s New Era New Hope campaign. As part of the New Era New Hope campaign, each selected patient was requested to design a customized baseball cap that represented the spirit of his or her cancer journey. The front of Meghan’s cap emphasized the word “Survivor,” along with a teal ovarian cancer ribbon. In full defiance of her cancer, Meghan placed the words “Man Up” on the back of her cap.

As part of her story for the New Era New Hope campaign, Meghan wrote:

… I will admit that at times I feel like I don’t have anyone, and just want to give up. In reality, I have so many people behind me that bring out the strength I have. I guess the saying “You never know how strong you are until strength is your only option,” is really true. People have said it is amazing how I can do all this and stay so positive. I strongly believe that I am doing what any other person would be doing if they were in my position.

Being diagnosed has opened my eyes to everything in life. I have never really appreciated my friends and family as much as I do now. If it weren’t for them, I am not sure I would have gotten as far as I have. Everyday I tell myself, “Just another day. No matter what, I will make it to tomorrow. Even if I fight all day. I’ll make it.”

I have always wanted to inspire people, and help people get through things they never imagined they could get through. And to tell you the truth, I am still trying to figure out how. One day it will all come together and all my dreams will come true. I hope this happens for everybody. One of my dreams is to speak for those who are, unfortunately, not able to tell their story. Those who have lost their fight. I plan on winning my fight in honor for those who didn’t get a chance to say, “I’m a survivor. …

Meghan’s words above require no additional explanation and reveal the character of a remarkable teenager, who was wise well beyond her fifteen years of life. Although her physical presence is no longer, Meghan’s spirit will forever inspire her hometown community, as well as those who have read about and followed her courageous journey since 2008.

In tribute, we provide below a five minute video news story about Meghan, which was created in March 2009 by WGRZ’s Matt Pearl. In addition, we provide a second news story video that reported today on Meghan’s life and extraordinary character, as described by those who gathered to celebrate her life.

We would like Meghan’s family and friends to know that our thoughts and prayers are with them during this extremely difficult time.

Meghan Redenbach – WGRZ News Story – March 5, 2009

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Meghan Redenbach – WIVB News Story – December 28, 2010

Sources:

Determined teen loses fight – Passion for volleyball overshadowed cancer, written by Keith McShea, BuffaloNews.com, December 24, 2009.

Community says final goodbye to one tough teen, written by Rich Newberg, WIVB.com, December 28, 2010.

PBS Documentary, “The Whisper: The Silent Crisis of Ovarian Cancer.”

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Paul Cacciatore

To raise ovarian cancer awareness, Long Island’s Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) affiliate WLIW-Channel 21 will present the exclusive New York metro area premiere of a half-hour television documentary entitled, “The Whisper: the silent crisis of ovarian cancer.” The program will debut at 7 P.M. (EDT) on Friday, September 24 in the New York metro area, and will be rolled out to other PBS affiliates across the country over the next 12 months.

More than 13,000 women this year will be struck down by ovarian cancer, which is the most lethal gynecologic cancer. Ovarian cancer statistics are staggering; nearly three out of every four women with this disease will die because of it. Chances of survival can improve if it is detected early and confined to the ovaries. Unfortunately, only about 25 percent of women are diagnosed with early stage disease because there is no reliable early stage screening test available. Victims of ovarian cancer include President Obama’s mother Ann Soetoro, Coretta Scott King and comedienne Gilda Radner.

To raise awareness of this devastating disease, Long Island’s Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) affiliate WLIW-Channel 21 will present the exclusive New York metro area premiere of a half-hour television documentary entitled, The Whisper: The Silent Crisis of Ovarian Cancer. A preview trailer of the documentary is provided below.

The Whisper: the silent crisis of ovarian cancer — PBS Documentary

The program will debut at 7 P.M. (EDT) on Friday, September 24, with encore presentations scheduled for 10:30 P.M. on Monday, September 27, and 11:30 P.M. on Friday, October 1. The program will be rolled out to other PBS affiliates across the country over the next 12 months.

The documentary was made possible by a generous grant from the Sonia L. Totino Foundation and the Rocco Totino family. Mr. Totino, a New York resident, lost his wife Sonia to ovarian cancer several years ago, and wished to honor her with an initiative that seeks to raise awareness among women of the warning signs of ovarian cancer, and by doing so, reduce the number of women lost to this devastating disease.

Sharon Blynn is the founder of Bald is Beautiful & the host of “The Whisper: the silent crisis of ovarian cancer” (a PBS documentary)

The host featured in the documentary is Sharon Blynn, who is an ovarian cancer survivor and the founder of the Bald Is Beautiful campaign. Through this campaign, Sharon wants to send a message to women that they can “flip the script” on the many traumatic aspects of the cancer experience, and embrace every part of their journey with self-love, empowerment, and a deep knowing that their beauty and femininity radiate from within and are not diminished in any way by the effects of having cancer. As an “actorvist,” Sharon communicates the Bald Is Beautiful message through acting, writing, modeling and spokesperson appearances, and she continues to do patient outreach through one-on-one correspondence via her website, hospital visitations, being a chemo buddy and other such activities.

Other Bald Is Beautiful highlights include an international print campaign for the Kenneth Cole “We All Walk in Different Shoes” campaign, an international print and TV campaign for Bristol-Myers Squibb, appearances in “Sex and the City” and a principal role in Seal’s music video “Love’s Divine.” She has been featured in magazine and newspaper articles in Glamour, Vogue, Marie Claire (US & Italia), Organic Style, BUST, the Miami Herald and other publications. Sharon has also performed onstage as part of the “Off the Muff” collective, and she was commissioned to write and perform her one-woman theatrical piece “How Are We Feeling Today?” which saw its world premiere in Los Angeles and was presented in New York City. A QuickTime video compilation of Sharon’s past projects can be viewed here.

Blynn was awarded the prestigious 2010 Lilly Tartikoff/Entertainment Industry Foundation Hope Award at the 2010 National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship “Rays of Hope Gala” held in Washington, D.C. Sharon has also been selected to be part of Lifetime Television Network’s Every Woman Counts “Remarkable Women” campaign, and will appear in a 30-second spot that will run the week of Sept 17–23, 2010.

The nationally-renowned ovarian cancer experts featured in the documentary include:

Barbara A. Goff, M.D., Professor, Gynecologic Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Goff is the principal investigator responsible for critical ovarian cancer research which revealed that ovarian cancer is generally accompanied by four primary warning signs or symptoms — bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, and urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency). Goff’s research became the foundation for the Ovarian Cancer Symptoms Consensus Statement, which was sponsored and co-authored by the American Cancer Society, Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, and Society of Gynecologic Oncologists in July 2007.

Beth Y. Karlan, M.D., Board of Governors Endowed Chair, Director, Women’s Cancer Research Institute and Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine ,University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Dr. Karlan is a world-renowned expert in the field of gynecologic oncology, specifically ovarian cancer surgery, early detection, targeted therapies and inherited cancer susceptibility. She is a past-president of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, the Editor-in-Chief of Gynecologic Oncology, and has held many international leadership positions. She is committed to both scientific advancement and enhancing public awareness about gynecologic cancers.

John Lovecchio, M.D., Chief of Gynecologic Oncology, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System; Leader of the North Shore-LIJ Cancer Institute; Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Lovecchio’s major areas of research are in uterine and ovarian cancers, and he holds administrative and leadership positions in regional and national professional organizations and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals. Lovecchio is widely regarded as a leading physician-surgeon and has received numerous awards in recognition of his academic and professional achievements. In the documentary, Dr. Lovecchio offers his insight on ways to combat this deadly form of cancer. He is also credited as the technical advisor for the documentary.

Maurie Markman, M.D., Vice President of Patient Oncology Services & National Director of Medical Oncology, Cancer Treatment Centers of America. For more than 20 years, Dr. Markman has been engaged in clinical research in the area of gynecologic malignancies, with a particular focus on new drug development and exploring novel management strategies in female pelvic cancers. Dr. Markman’s many accomplishments include serving as Editor-In-Chief for the Current Oncology Reports journal and Oncology (Karger Publishers) journal, and serves as Chairman of the Medical Oncology Committee of the national Gynecologic Oncology Group. In addition, Dr. Markman has served on numerous editorial boards, including the Journal of Clinical Oncology and Gynecologic Oncology. Dr. Markman has been the primary author, or co-author, on more than 1,000 published peer-reviewed manuscripts, reviews, book chapters, editorials or abstracts, and he has edited or co-edited 14 books on various topics in the management of malignant disease, including Atlas of Oncology and the most recent edition of Principles and Practice of Gynecologic Oncology.

“Taking part in this program was a labor of love and concern for my patients,” said Dr. Lovecchio, who is based at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. “I wanted to make sure that women are getting the right information, and are aware of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. They must be alert to their own bodies and recognize that abdominal bloating, abdominal pain, pelvic pain, urinary symptoms, difficulty in eating, and feeling full quickly may not be the norm.”

“I wanted to make sure that women are getting the right information, and are aware of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. They must be alert to their own bodies and recognize that abdominal bloating, abdominal pain, pelvic pain, urinary symptoms, difficulty in eating, and feeling full quickly may not be the norm.”

— John Lovecchio, M.D., Chief of Gynecologic Oncology, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System

“Women should seek the advice of experts trained in this field and not think that they are being alarmists. Other medical experts and patients interviewed in this documentary are all seeking the same outcome — to make every woman aware of her own body and to encourage every woman to seek help if she feels that something is not quite right,” said Dr. Lovecchio, who was interviewed for the documentary along with Drs. Goff, Karlan, and Markman.

Source: PBS Documentary on Ovarian Cancer, News Release, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, September 9, 2010.

“Smile, Open Your Eyes, Love and Go On.”

Posted on July 28, 2010 by Paul Cacciatore

Today marks the 2nd anniversary of Libby’s death from ovarian cancer at the age of 26. Although the family healing process continues, we celebrate Libby’s life formally on this day to honor her memory, and remind ourselves that life is precious and should not be taken for granted.

Today marks the 2nd anniversary of Libby’s death from ovarian cancer at the age of 26. Although the family healing process continues, we celebrate Libby’s life formally on this day to honor her memory, and remind ourselves that life is precious and should not be taken for granted. This day also reminds us that there is a considerable amount of work yet to be done in raising ovarian cancer awareness and finding a reliable screening test, and ultimately a cure, for this unforgiving disease.

As reported by the American Cancer Society earlier this month, the estimated number of newly diagnosed ovarian cancer cases and related deaths in the U.S. during 2010 will be 21,880 and 13,850, respectively. Simply stated, a U.S. woman will die every 38 minutes from ovarian cancer in 2010. Cancer Research U.K. also reported this month that the 10-year ovarian cancer survival rate nearly doubled since the 1970s. Unfortunately, this much heralded statistical “doubling” represents an increase of the long-term ovarian cancer survival rate from 18% to only 35%. Ovarian cancer still remains the most lethal gynecologic cancer in women. I know that if Libby were alive today, she would say, “we must do better.”

Although the vast majority of visitors to this website never knew Libby, it is because of her that Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ was created and shared with the general public. What began as a family website used to exchange ovarian cancer and cancer-related information within the family during Libby’s illness, has rapidly become a global information resource for ovarian cancer survivors and their families after her death. It is my greatest hope that Libby would be proud of the following accomplishments achieved over the past two years, which are dedicated to her memory:

Created Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ mission statement to be carried out by a future nonprofit, tax-exempt organization.

Generated approximately 145,000 website visitors, from 60 countries around the world.

Generated 5% to 10% of daily website visitors from major U.S. and international cancer centers and elite academic institutions actively engaged in cancer research.

Established social media networks through Facebook, Twitter, Vodpod, YouTube, Friendfeed, and SocialVibe, which are used to disseminate important ovarian cancer awareness information, as well as stories of hope.

Established a website library containing over 500 videos relating to ovarian cancer and cancer-related topics.

Responded to approximately 700 ovarian cancer survivor (and family) general informational inquiries, which were answered within 96 hours of website posting or email receipt.

Created Vox Populi website article features which provide the general public with a better understanding of how ovarian cancer impacts the daily life of a woman diagnosed with the disease and her family. These stories have been well-received by our readers as a source of inspiration and hope.

Presented at the 2010 National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) 6th Annual Women’s Health Expo, held on March 20th in the greater Washington, D.C. area. The presentation was entitled, A Patient Advocate’s Perspective on the Importance of Ovarian Cancer Awareness and Helpful Online Resources.

Highlighted in the Eyes on Advocacy section of the 2010 University of Washington Tumor Vaccine Group (UWTVG) quarterly (Winter) newsletter entitled, TVG Focus. The UWTVG is headed by Mary L. (Nora) Disis, M.D., a Professor of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Pathology and Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Washington, and a Member of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Dr. Disis is a world-renowned cancer immunologist.

Established a new working relationship with Women’s Oncology Research & Dialogue (WORD), a non-profit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to raising gynecological cancer awareness. To promote this new relationship, WORD recently shot a video of Paul Cacciatore, the Libby’s H*O*P*E* founder. In the video, Paul addresses the genesis of the website, the Libby’s H*O*P*E* mission statement, and why it is important for all women to educate themselves about the early warning signs of ovarian cancer. WORD will be launching a new website before the end of 2010, and it is anticipated that this video will appear on both the WORD and Libby’s H*O*P*E* websites at that time.

Established a new relationship with elite cancer researchers working on behalf of the British Columbia Cancer Agency.

“Remember Me”

Based upon instructions from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (“Her Majesty”), a poem entitled, She Is Gone, was recited at the Queen Mother’s funeral, which was held in Westminster Abbey on April 9, 2002. The poem recitation sparked a glut of media interest because of its simple, upbeat nature – and mystery author, who was credited in the service program as “Anon” [i.e., Anonymous]. Apparently, Her Majesty found the poem while leafing through old memorial service books and she chose it to be read at her mother’s funeral, where it struck a chord with millions of mourners.

After the conclusion of the Queen Mother’s funeral, the BBC, The Times, and other U.K. media outlets took great effort to identify the author, with attributions going to, among others, Immanuel Kant and Joyce Grenfell. Eventually, it was discovered that the true author was Mr. David Harkins, who wrote the poem in 1981 while working at a bakery. Mr. Harkins, who now works as an artist selling paintings over the Internet, said he “couldn’t believe his eyes” when he saw his poetry published in several newspapers after the funeral.

Quite shocked by all of the media attention, David Harkins sent the original manuscript of the poem to Prince Charles (of Wales), and St. James’s Palace replied thanking Mr. Harkins for explaining its origin. As it turned out, the poem was originally written by David Harkins in homage to an unrequited love. Mr. Harkins recalled: “I was 23 when I first met Anne Lloyd, my inspiration for the poem I called Remember Me.” The reply received by David Harkins from the Prince of Wales’s office stated: “I have no doubt that it [Remember Me] will be reproduced on many occasions over the years to come. The Prince of Wales has asked me to send you his very best wishes.”

I chose to include Remember Me as part of our tribute to Libby for two reasons. First, the poem is instructive as to how Libby would want all of us to continue on with our lives, energized by our loving memories of her. Second, Libby would no doubt find great joy and humor in the fact that a talented baker from a small U.K. town became famous worldwide for his literary prowess rather than his pastries. The full text of Remember Me is provided below.

Remember Me

You can shed tears that she is gone

Or you can smile because she has lived

You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back

Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her

Or you can be full of the love that you shared

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday

Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday

You can remember her and only that she is gone

Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back

Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

— written by David Harkins, Silloth, Cumbria, U.K. (1981)

Did You Ever Hear An Angel Sing?

The inspirational story of Rhema Marvanne provides further proof that it is possible to “smile, open your eyes, love and go on,” after the death of a family member from ovarian cancer. It is difficult to believe that the life lesson highlighted by this touching story is provided to us through the example of a 7-year old child, albeit it a very talented one.

Rhema Marvanne was born on September 15, 2002. Rhema lives with her father Teton Voraritskul, and a family pet dog named, “Mojo.” According to her father, Rhema began singing at the same time she began talking.

Rhema’s mother, Wendi Marvanne Voraritskul, loved Rhema with all of her heart. Wendi was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when Rhema was just 3 years old. Succumbing to the disease three years later, Wendi Marvanne died at the age of 36 on November 8, 2008. According to Teton Voraritskul, most of Rhema’s memories with her mom were pleasant ones, but revolved around surgery, multiple chemotherapy treatments, sickness and struggle. Wendi was a strong believer in God and never complained about or questioned God during her illness. Teton explains that Wendi always encouraged those around her, even in the midst of her cancer battle. During Wendi’s final months, Rhema and Teton took care of her. Rhema spent almost every hour with her mother. When asked what her greatest accomplishment was prior to her death, Wendi simply replied, “Rhema.” A YouTube video featuring Wendi and her original songs is provided below. You can learn more about Wendi Marvanne’s life and music at www.jchouseofmercy.org.

It was less than a year ago that Rhema recorded her first song, Amazing Grace, and quickly became an Internet singing sensation. She obtains great inspiration from her mother, Wendi. It is Rhema’s greatest hope to make her mother proud, both as a singer and as a “servant of God,” which is why she also performs for church congregations, non-profit organizations, charities, hospitals and special events.

Already a supremely talented singer, recording artist, and actor, Rhema counts the following among her recent accomplishments:

Appeared on the Maury Povich show episode entitled, Maury’s Most Talented Kids 2010.

Appeared on International News, via Supreme Master TV – Global Satellite, which first aired on June 16, 2010 in 44 countries (in 60 different languages).

Recorded in Nashville with Gary Chapman and created her 1st music video featuring the song Amazing Grace.

Recorded the song entitled The Prayer with Terry White and musicians from the Nashville Symphony, and is currently working on a Christmas album.

Acted in 1st featured film entitled Machine Gun Preacher, a Lionsgate production set to release in Fall 2011. The movie Machine Gun Preacher is based upon the true story of Sam Childers (portrayed by well-known actor Gerard Butler), a drug-dealing biker who finds religion and dedicates his life to helping Sudanese children escape the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Africa. Childers founded the Angels of East Africa, a children’s village located in southern Sudan, for the children he saves from the LRA.

Appeared on Daystar and Trinity Broadcasting television networks.

During her free time Rhema enjoys playing with her friends and dolls, and loves to watch movies. The best description of Rhema is provided by her father:

…The best way to describe Rhema is that she has a beautiful heart and soul. She is sweet, kind, caring and most importantly pure in heart. Most people who have dealt with or are currently dealing with cancer, disease, challenges, etc…..see hope and inspiration in Rhema. The little girl who should have been scared or harmed by seeing her mother suffer and gone, is strong and perfect. I see Rhema as a cancer survivor. She gives me hope for goodness in mankind. God gave her a beautiful heart and the voice of an angel. Most people that hear her sing can not deny that God does speak through a child. Her voice touches people’s hearts.

Whenever we remember Libby, or any woman who lost her battle to ovarian cancer, we should follow Rhema’s example and heed the call to action set forth in the last line of the poem Remember Me, ” … smile, open your eyes, love and go on.”

Libby, we will always love you and keep your memory alive in our hearts and minds.

How Can You Help?

To support Libby’s H*O*P*E*™, you can make a donation ($10 minimum) through our Facebook Cause page. All donations made to the Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ Facebook cause are designated for the benefit of the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF). OCRF is one of the largest U.S. private, non-profit organizations dedicated to finding an early detection test, and ultimately a cure, for ovarian cancer.

If you are not a Facebook member, you can still make a donation through the Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ Facebook donation page (no membership or registration required).

If you are unable to donate, you can nevertheless support OCRF without any out-of-pocket cost by clicking on our “SocialVibe” widget that appears on the website homepage right sidebar, or by using our designated SocialVibe website. For each reader that clicks on the SocialVibe widget (or goes to our designated SocialVibe website), and watches the video presented and/or answers the question(s) listed, our current SocialVibe sponsor will donate money to OCRF on your behalf for ovarian cancer research. It’s fast & it’s free!

Special Thanks:

We would like to extend special thanks to Teton Voraritskul for allowing us to feature Rhema’s story and music videos, as well as the video of Wendi’s life. To learn more about Rhema Marvanne and her music, go to www.RhemaMarvanne.com. Rhema’s songs are sold on iTunes®, Amazon.com, and RhemaMarvanne.com.

Sources:

Jemal A., Siegel R., Xu J. et. al. Cancer Statistics, 2010. CA Cancer J Clin. 2010 Jul 7. [Epub ahead of print] [PMID: 20610543].

Long-term survival from once-deadly cancers doubles, Press Release, Cancer Research U.K., July 12, 2010.

Remember Me, written by David Harkins, Silloth, Cumbria, U.K., PoeticExpressions.co.uk.

I wrote the Queen Mum’s funeral poem, written by Chris Musson, News & Star.

David Harkins website (http://www.davidharkins.co.uk/).

Rhema Marvanne website (http://www.RhemaMarvanne.com).

_________________________________________

*“Vox Populi,” a Latin phrase that means “voice of the people,” is a term often used in broadcast journalism to describe an interview of the “man on the street.”

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Libby's HOPE

HelpingOvarian Cancer SurvivorsPersevere ThroughEducation

Category Archives: Inspirational

SU2C Announces the Formation of a New Translational Research Ovarian Cancer “Dream Team”

World Ovarian Cancer Day: One Voice for Every Woman

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“Crowd Funding:” Paying Medical Bills With a Little Help From Your Friends (and Strangers Too!)

“Whither Thou Goest, I Will Go …”

An Attitude of Gratitude On Thanksgiving Day

The Mirror: “What is the Meaning of Life?”

“If You Are Lucky Enough To Be Irish, Then You Are Lucky Enough”

Mrs. Australia Quest Finalist Veronica Cristovao Is Raising Ovarian Cancer Awareness “Down Under”

Libby’s HOPE™ Proudly Announces A Strategic Partnership With Women’s Oncology Research & Dialogue

A Recipe For the New Year

Determined Teen Loses Ovarian Cancer Battle, But Her Courage Inspires An Entire Community

PBS Documentary, “The Whisper: The Silent Crisis of Ovarian Cancer.”

“Smile, Open Your Eyes, Love and Go On.”

*Helping*Ovarian Cancer Survivors*Persevere Through*Education

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