A Weekend of Butterflies and Lipstick

This past weekend was great one for survivors in NJ.  The weather was great and the feeling of connectedness to other cancer survivors was strong.

Saturday:
 I attended the Wings of Hope event in honor of National Cancer Survivors Day at the Cancer Support Community-  Central New Jersey in Bedminster. I have participated in CSC-CNJ programs since 2006. The day began with a Walk for Hope.  Origami butterflies purchased to honor or in memory of a loved one diagnosed with cancer were displayed on sheer curtains There were tables of crafts for children, a drumming circle, a basket auction and lots of water and Rita's ice. The sun was bright and the temperatures were in the 80's.

I was thrilled that my two good friends and ovarian cancer survivors Carole Fagella and Lynn Franklin received this year's Spirit of Courage Award for their work as advocates raising awareness of ovarian cancer. Congratulations Carole and Lynn!

Spirit of Courage awardees

Sunday:
The Cancer Institute of NJ's National Cancer Survivors Day Celebration took place at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick on Sunday morning.

I was so excited to see so many survivors in the ballroom. And was thrilled that so many oncology nurses and social workers came to celebrate with us.  The event began with a delicious buffet meal and a welcome by the Director of Oncology Nursing Services Janet Gordis-Perez. She introduced the keynote speaker Geralyn Lucas. ( Check out Geralyn's video about getting a mammogram .)

Geralyn Lucas

Geralyn is a seventeen year breast cancer survivor and author of the book Why I Wore Lipstick to my Mastectomy. She told us how she found her "inner cleavage" and described the interaction she had with her cab driver on the way to her mastectomy. She made us laugh and she made us tear up when she invited other breast cancer survivors up to the stage to put on lipstick and share how they celebrate life.

I think this was my forth or fifth time at the CINJ Survivors Day celebration. And the first one where i felt a bit sad at the end.  Last year the ladies from my support group and their caregivers filled a table.This year it was Nick and I and one other ovarian cancer survivor.  I sure do miss Pam, Rita Kay and Ann.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

Panera Bread's - Operation: Lemon-Aid for Kids

I love the soups, breads and salads at Panera Bread. And I especially like that some of the Panera's in NJ are part of an event to raise funds for the Cancer Institute of New Jersey's ( CINJ) Division of Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology.

The Operation: Lemon-Aid for Kids event takes place on July 21st from 10am to 2pm.   Panera Bread will offer their 9oz  delicious ( I love their lemonade) to customers who donates $1 to CINJ. Check out this Panera Bread web page for locations involved in the event.

You might just see me at the North Brunswick store.


Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

Precision Medicine at CINJ

Recently there has been a stress on personalized medicine in the treatment of cancer. We know that cancer although the same type, such as epithelial ovarian cancer ( the most common ovarian cancer), may vary from patient to patient due to the cancer's unique molecular makeup.  Standard treatment that may work for one woman may not work for another and the cancer will progress. What is needed is an understanding of the molecular and genetic makeup of each individual's cancer to best treat the disease.

The Cancer Institute of New Jersey has begun an initiative called Precision Medicine. This initiative which includes the use of bioinformatics will allow researchers to collect both clinical and genetic information to determine diagnosis, prognosis and best course of treatment in a more targeted manner than in the past. This is good news for cancer patients.

What makes me especially happy is that this initiative will be lead by Lorna Rodriguez, MD, PhD  chief of gynecologic oncology at CINJ since 2000, one of my gyn-oncs and lead investigator of the selenium clinical trial I participated in. It is because of her many investigator-initiated trials into cancer metastasis and drug resistance that makes her the perfect person to lead this research.

To read further about this program please click here.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing! I am especially blessed to be treated at a center that is at the forefront of cancer research.

March is National Social Worker Month

When people think of health care providers they see during their cancer journey do they think of social workers? I don't have the results of a scientific study ( would be interesting though) but my impression is that they would not. I certainly would rank them high on my list. In my almost seven years as a cancer survivor I have come to know a number of social workers both at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey(CINJ) and at the Cancer Support Community of Central NJ and they have helped me in countless ways.

So what are some things that cancer social workers do?

• Facilitate support groups
• Work with individuals and families from those newly diagnosed to those trying to find a new normal
• Provide helpful information and resources from transportation to financial resources to disease specific information
• Educate patients in how to reduce stress
• Clarify options and assist in various decisions facing cancer survivors during and after treatment

So thank a social worker this month, National Social Worker Month. They share our joy, help calm our nerves, help us figure out what to do next and have a box of tissues ready for those really tough times.

My thanks go out Julie, Barbara and Rose, at CINJ and to Ellen and Karen at the Cancer Support Community of Central NJ.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing! The blessings of the social workers in my life are countless.