GOOD DAY STREET TALK filming

Michele Fischer , CINJ media relations specialist called me Tuesday morning and asked if I would be interested in being interviewed on Good Day Street Talk a Fox 5 public affairs show. They wanted a survivor and gyn-onc from CINJ. All the doctors were in surgery that day but they still needed a survivor. I was a little nervous about going it alone but agreed that it would be a great way to raise awareness.

Yesterday, I boarded the train into NYC to film the segment for the show. On arriving at the studios on 67th street Isaura, the show's assistant, took me to the green room where all guests were assembled. There were representatives from Prevention magazine and a kidney donor organization. I was told to arrive camera ready but I guess that one and a half hour train and taxi trip necessitated a makeup touched-up by a very friendly Ellen. I said hello to Ronica Harris the show's producer who I had spoken to on the phone. I also meet Dr Carol Brown , gynecological oncologist fromMemorial Sloan Kettering who would be presenting the medical information on the show with me. I had actually met Dr. Brown last year at an Ovarian Cancer survivor's day at NYU. She knows Dr Gibbon and Rodriguez and the research they do at CINJ.

The studio was an interesting place. Only one camera had a camera man. All the rest were run robotically. I was mic'ed up by Mike ( no pun intended) and spoke for a minute to Dr. Sapna Parikh, the shows host, and handed her a KOH teal awareness pin which she wore on my segment of the show! Dr Parikh introduced the show on camera and then I waited quietly while she interviewed Dr Brown about the symptoms of ovarian cancer. Then it was my turn. A chair was placed on stage between the two doctors, they sound checked my mic and filming began. I didn't know which camera of the 6 were filming me because I faced and spoke to Dr. Parikh. I was a bit nervous since this show films as if it were a live show with no chance for retakes. I think I answered the questions about my symptoms and journey to surgery pretty well. I even had a chance to mention Turn the Towns Teal and show the ribbon we used. Once our segment was done we handed in our mics and were able to leave. I walked to the corner of 67th and 3rd with Dr Brown and we agreed to catch up at this year's survivor course in November.

The show will air on Fox 5 on Saturday September 13 at 6 am ( yes- you might want to TiVo or tape it!)

I can't thank Ronica Harris and Dr Parikh enough for taking the initiative to add Ovarian Cancer to the GOOD DAY STREET TALK schedule and for raising awareness of Ovarian Cancer in the tri-state area. Thanks too to Dr Brown for her work with ovarian cancer patients and for calming my nerves right before taping.

Yesterday was in fact a GOOD DAY!
Dee