Dr Rodriguez to Present Clinical Study Results at ASCO

Dr. Lorna Rodriguez, Chief of Gynecological Oncology at CINJ will be presenting the results of my Selenium clinical trial at the 44th Annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology(ASCO) in Chicago. The clinical trial looked at selenium in combination with carboplatinum and taxol to treat Ovarian Cancer. Please click here to read the press release.

LivingStrong
Dee

Supplemental Appropriations Bill

Congress is currently considering a Fiscal Year 2008
Supplemental Appropriations bill for
the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA). These additional funds, $400
million for NIH and $275 million for FDA,will help both
institutions maintain support for important medical research
and drug safety.Send an e-mail to your congressmen to support
this additional funding by going to the advocacy page
at the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.

LiveStrong
Dee

LiveStrong Day 2008

Remember to wear your Yellow bracelet or a yellow shirt or tie on Tuesday to show your support of LiveStrong Day 2008! I'll be wearing my Unite shirt and handing out Livestrong bracelets at my support group.

Dee

A Fabulous Graduation Weekend

I spent Thursday, Friday, Saturday and part of today in Virginia celebrating graduation 2008!

Friday night was Matthew's University Graduation from Virginia Tech. I am proud to say he graduated cum laude with a major in history . We attended the reception for honors students and then walked in the somewhat cool but at least not rainy air over to Lane Stadium. It was great being in Lane stadium with the family and friends of the over 3700 undergrad and 1200 grad students who completed their studies. ( I figure I won't be there for a football game since they sell out every game in the 67,000+ stadium.)It took 20 minutes for all the graduates to march into the stadium. Since Matt graduated with honors he walked into the stadium first with all the other honors students. The keynote speaker was Hoda Kotb a 1986 tech grad who is co-anchor of NBC's "Today " Show and a "Dateline NBC" correspondent and a breast cancer survivor. She gave a fantastic speech which had everyone laughing, applauding and the students jumping up and down to the music she played from her I-pod. She said that after you survive a tragedy you get four words "You can't scare me". That applies to what VT has been through as well as a cancer diagnosis. She certainly gave a memorable speech.If you would like to listen to the mp3 of the 12 minute speech click here.

The History Department Graduation Ceremony was Saturday afternoon in the War Memorial Gym. We ended up sitting next to the parents of another student who studied in Riva with Matt last spring. This ceremony included12 master degree awards and about 130 undergrads. It was awesome hearing his name announced! This ceremony and the reception after gave us a chance to meet a number of his friends and professors. I am so happy that he will be staying at Tech to get his masters degree.

After the ceremony we went back to the car and Theresa put on her master's gown. ( The photo is of Matt and Theresa in front of Burruss Hall on the Tech campus.) She missed her graduate school ceremony at the University of South Carolina ( 4 hours from Blacksburg in Columbia , SC). She was awarded a masters in applied mathematics. I am just so proud of my children- what a great gift on Mother's Day weekend for me!

It was certainly a beautiful weekend and I thank God for the opportunity to share it with my family and all the Hokies.

LiveStrong
Dee

NJ- LiveStrong Day Project May 13th

Kevin, my niece's husband and a testicular cancer survivor has planned an event for LiveStrong Day on May 13,2008. LiveStrong Day is a one-day initiative to raise awareness and funds for the cancer fight.The Long Hill Valley Pathmark gave Kevin permission to set up at table outside the store's entrance from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Stop by and learn more about the Lance Armstrong Foundation and cancer survivorship and make a donation to the LAF. I'll be stopping by.

LiveStrong!

Dee

Turn the Town Teal - KOH

The Kaleidoscope of Hope Foundation (KOH) has a campaign called Turn the Town Teal (TTTT). In September , volunteers tie teal ribbons around trees on the main streets of towns throughout northern and central NJ to raise awareness of Ovarian cancer. The towns where the ribbons are hung will also proclaim September as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Last year, with the help of my husband and the Lopez family, we was able to hang ribbons in Edison. We placed them on trees around the municipal building and on Amboy Avenue. Mayor Choi held a press conference to present Lois Myers , founder of KOH with the proclamation. I also helped hang ribbons in Woodbridge and at the Cancer Institute of NJ.

This year KOH is kicking off the TTTT campaign on May 12,2008 at a cocktail party at the Carol G Simon Cancer Center at Morristown Memorial Hospital . The festivities will take place at the Rooke Family Plaza from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen ,a supporter of the mission of KOH will speak at 6pm.

For more info contact 973-644-0500 or e-mail - info@kohnj.org
KOH- raising funds for Ovarian Cancer Research

LiveStrong!
Dee

Awesome News

As most of you know I am a regular participant in the Central NJ -Wellness Community . I feel so comfortable when I enter that white building in Bedminster - it feels like home. I walk in the kitchen and make myself some tea, read the bulletin board for news and sit in the "living room" and chat with other survivors. I've attended the Gynecological Networking Group for 2 years now and I am a regular at the Book Club discussions. I have spoken to Ellen Levine, the Program Director, about the needs of cancer survivors and she has given me invaluable advice 0n how to put my LAF personal action plan into place. For the past two years, I attended the celebrations they had for National Cancer Survivors Day. That was where I learned how to drum.

Eunice Jadlocki, Executive Director and Ellen asked to speak to me and they told me that this year at National Cancer Survivors Day on June 1st (12:30 pm - 3:30 pm) they are presenting an award called the "Spirit of Courage Award". The awesome part is that they would like to present it to me! I am honored and thrilled to even be considered for this award since I have walked this road with so many other incredibly courageous survivors. I am still getting used to this totally unexpected honor. "WOW" about sums it up for me.

Thank you Wellness Community for touching the lives of so many cancer survivors.

LiveStrong !

Dee