2021 Blogger Challenge - Nancy's Point

As we close in on the unofficial end of summer I am happy to take part in Nancy's blogger challenge. I have been doing it since 2018. 

 2021 Summer Blogging Challenge Questions:

1. Who are you? Tell us your genre, how long you’ve been at it, who or what inspires you or whatever you want us to know.

I wear a number of different hats but for this blog I am a cancer research advocate. I started writing this blog in December of 2007 with the goal of sharing my story as an ovarian cancer survivor. Through the years it has morphed into where I not only share my story but I report on cancer research, clinical trials and share what I learn from oncology conferences I attend.  

 

I am inspired by the researchers who spend years of their lives in search of better treatments and cures for cancer.

2. What’s been your biggest blogging roadblock this year and did you come up with a way to get around it? (If you didn’t, that’s okay too. We’re here to support you.)

Roadblock? Yes, there were quite a few but finding the time is top on the list. I took on the roll of President of my homeowners association so that has taken a big chunk of time every week. I also have commitments on two Boards at my cancer center. Family commitments have started to ramp up again as more folks get vaccinated agains COVID. 

 

In a way with COVID  being center stage for so much of the past year coming up with other topics was a challenge too.

3. What’s something you accomplished with your blog this year that you’re proud of?

I made sure all the links on my resource page were correct. I last did a check in 2019.

4. What are a couple of your best blogging tips?

Be sure to review you post - check links and spelling and grammar. I like to write a post as a draft, leave it for a few hours and come back and reread with fresh eyes. 

 

Keep writing! Even if it is once a month.  You never know who will read what you post. What you share may mean that person has a better day. 

5. How do you handle negative feedback or comments?

How I handle it depends on the type of negative comment. I ignore some. While others I will respond once but only once.

6. Share a link to a favorite post you’ve written RECENTLY (since last year’s challenge perhaps) that you want more people to read.

One hat I wore last year was co-author of a book for women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Read about it here>  http://womenofteal.blogspot.com/2021/07/and-fourth-edition-is-published.html. 

Check below for some of the other blogs that chose to take part in Nancy's challenge:

Dee 

Every Day is a Blessing!

Tips for Tweeting from a Live or Virtual Oncology Conference

Last week, Kim Richardson, fellow cancer advocate, asked me about the template I use when I  report information from cancer meetings and conferences. I realized I had never actually shared the process I use when I Tweet from an ASCO, SGO or OCRA meeting. I concentrate on sharing information on Twitter but feel free to adjust the process a bit if you are disseminating information on other  social media platforms.

Prior to the meeting

Register for the meeting in advance of the meeting, if possible. This will allow you time to download and become familiar with the meeting app, if there is one. Even from year to year you might have to update the app. 

Review the agenda to see which sessions you want to attend. Make yourself a schedule. If the meeting app allows you to create a personal schedule take advantage of that and add sessions to your personal schedule. Or keep a word or excel document listing the date / time / session / presenter name/ trial name . This will make it easier to copy and past the session name, presenter name into a Tweet. Even if sessions conflict,  add them to the app or your list. This way you can listen to those sessions at a later date.

Read abstracts as they become available so you are familiar with the data that will be presented and adjust your schedule as needed.

Set up Tweet Deck or a similar application so that you can follow the meeting #hashtag.  If you don't want to use an app you can use Twitter itself. (Search for the meeting hashtag and look under the "latest" tab.) If the meeting has oncologists live tweeting, such as ASCO Featured Voices, follow them ahead of the meeting. They may list sessions they are important and look forward to attending. Their tweets will show up in your feed or the meeting hashtag's feed too. No need to create original content from all sessions of the meeting.  It is OK to  retweet other reliable researchers tweets. Such as this one from Dr Dizon at #ASCO21

#ASCO21 #gyncsm @omalleygynonc presents mirvetuximab plus bevacizumab (phase 1) in rec on a. I agree: compelling results; sufficient to move forward. While no new safety signals, the tox remains significant: diarrhea (68%) blurred vision (63%) fatigue (58%) severe HTN (13%) pic.twitter.com/GkYVW0kesx

— Don S. Dizon MD 🇬🇺 (@drdonsdizon) June 7, 2021

Day of the meeting

Log into the meeting/app 10 minutes or so before the start of the session. This way if there are updates to the app or the schedule you have time to make adjustments. If you are attending a live meeting try to sit in an area by the presenter or a large screen that will show the presenter's slides.  

Open Twitter and search for the meeting hashtag.  Choose the latest tab. If you are using Tweetdeck or another app make sure the column you created for the meeting app is located in view. ( I follow a few hashtags regularly, so I may have to shuffle the columns around a bit.)

Prepare tweets I copy and past the presenter and session name along with the meeting hashtag and trial name if there is one into a blank tweet. If you are using Twitter, you can add a tweet to the original one so you only have to add the names once and provide more info that what you could fit in 240 characters. If I add tweets, I try to number the tweets 1/4, 2/4 or 1/n.  This is a start of a tweet from this year's ASCO meeting.

Oral Abstract Session

Gynecologic Cancer #ASCO21 #gyncsm 

@rodrocconi Novel GEM vaccine vs placebo

Listen and Compose tweets with pertinent info such such as disease type and trial outcomes or concerns about the trial. I always add #gyncsm to my tweets for gynecologic cancers.

Screen shot interesting slides (if sharing is allowed) to use in Tweets during or after the session has ended. I usually concentrate on trial outcome graphs or conclusion slides.

Oral Abstract Session
Gynecologic Cancer #ASCO21 #gyncsm #OncoAlert@rodrocconi novel GEM vaccine vs placebo every 4 weeks maintenance, 91 patients
Gem well tolerated.
Benefit for Homologous Recombination proficient patients pic.twitter.com/eK4OIdt7wi

— Dee Sparacio (@womenofteal) June 7, 2021

If sessions include discussion of a few presentations,  I will try to take a screen shot of the group of scientists discussing the research and comment on any new information. Such as this one from ASCO on HPV vaccination rates.

Dr Pierce #ASCO21 #gyncsm
"Toxic individualism" leading to low HPV vaccination rates in the US.
Need better education on HPV and highlight the benefits of vaccine in reducing cervical cancer rates.
Excellent discussion after presentations Drs Grover, DAs, Pierce pic.twitter.com/549Q2ugaQv

— Dee Sparacio (@womenofteal) June 4, 2021

After the meeting 

Blog or share your tweets on  other platforms . Simple go to the tweet you want to add to your blog and click on the ... in the top right corner. Click on embed tweet. Go to the html page of your blog and paste the text on to the page. 

Let me know if you give any of my steps a try. Plus, I'd love to hear if you have other tips too.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing

 

Summer Blogger Challenge - Nancy's Point

I have followed Nancy's Point written by Nancy Stordahl for a while now. I  reviewed her book on this blog in 2016. When she posted a blogger challenge I thought - Why not.  So here goes.

How long have you been blogging (or reading blogs)?

I have been blogging since December of 2007. 

How has your blog changed?

This blog originally was more a way to share my experience as a late stage ovarian cancer survivor. As my role as an advocate became more research focused my blog has morphed into more of a place to hear the latest news about ovarian cancer research - from conferences like ASCO, AACR and SGO as well as newly published studies and clinical trial designs. I continued to weave my experience into a few blog posts a year. 

What is your biggest blogging challenge/frustration?

Finding the time to blog. 

What is your favorite post that you’ve written (or read)?

I think it is probably the one I wrote for the 10th Anniversary of writing this blog. http://womenofteal.blogspot.com/2017/12/reaching-milestone-this-blogs-10th.html

What are your goals for your blog? (Why do you read blogs?)

I hope to continue to share information about the latest research and approved drugs for ovarian cancer. 

How many blogs do you read on a regular basis? 

I probably read about a half a dozen - some by individuals I know and some blogs from organizations. 

How do you determine what to share and what not to share; in other words, do you have blog boundaries? (or comment boundaries)

I will only post things of interest to women diagnosed with cancer or relevant to my journey with the disease. I do not share any political commentary although I will share if I have written to Congress about a specific bill of importance to cancer patients. 

When things get hard, what keeps you blogging (or reading blogs)? 

I don't worry about blogging as much as I did initially. Sometimes I place an undue burden on myself such as when I say I will write something new every day during September - Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. I did that twice and it really stressed me out. So I just wait till I get and idea or read something I want to share to blog. 

What is your biggest Cancer Land pet peeve today, right now, this minute?

Biggest peeve - When I read articles online about the latest "cure" and it turns out the treatment has never been tried in humans.  

What one piece of advice would you offer to a new blogger?

Just do it! Start off with a simple layout and write about what is important to you. There is someone else out there who will benefit from what you write. 

Share something most people do not know about you. A secret sort of thing.

I love Disney World and my favorite character is Winnie the Pooh. I can't wait to see the latest movie. 

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I love to paint quilts and dogs with an occasional  landscape. Painting relaxes me and makes me forget my worries.

 Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!