Dear <<firstname>>

Happy New Year to You All

We hope you have had a restful December and January period.  We have had a break for most of December and January and feel refreshed and ready to continue to actively raise awareness amongst New Zealand women of the signs and symptoms of all gynaecological cancers.

Please keep referring back to our website if you are unsure or forget the signs and symptoms of gynaecological cancers.  Please refer your friends to our website, we need to educate them.

We have several exciting things in the planning stages for 2010.  We will keep you informed closer to these events.

The Latest Research

Ovarian Cancer Biomarkers CA125, HE4 and Mesothelin May Rise 3 Years Before Clinical Diagnosis

A new study reports that serum concentrations of the ovarian cancer biomarkers CA125, human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), and mesothelin began to rise 3 years before clinical diagnosis. However, the markers were substantially elevated only in the last year prior to diagnosis. The stage of the cancer at the time of marker elevation is unknown.

Please click here to read more.  We endeavour to post new research every month.  We invite you to regularly check our website for new research updates.  Our research updates are submitted by Mrs Vicki Mount. 

Cancer Connect NZ Needs Gynaecological Cancer Survivors Now!

Is a service linking people through their experiences with cancer. This service arranges telephone peer support calls for people living with cancer and their care-givers. Each Cancer Connect peer supporter has had cancer or cared for a loved one living with cancer. Cancer Connect is a free support service which provides a listening ear, practical information and the opportunity to talk with someone whose life has been affected by cancer.

If you are two years past your diagnosis and treatment, disease free and would like to support other women going through a similar gynaecological cancer to you, please contact them. They are particularly short of women who have had all the gynaecological cancer types and would like to be able to offer women who have had a variety of treatment regimes. There are criteria around the people they are able to use and for some disease and treatment types.

Cancer Connect are providing training in late March so now is the time to respond if this sounds like something you would like to do. 

Click here to make contact.

Fundraising Ideas

We receive no government funding to provide our services of raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of all gynaecological cancers.  We appreciate all assistance in the raising of funds.  To those who have made website or postal donations, we thank you most sincerely.

Fundraising can be fun!  Why not ask all your friends, family and colleagues to get involved to give you that extra support and make your events an amazing success!

You know what you and your friends like best and what you can do best – what do your skills lend themselves to? A glitzy ball? A cake stall? A choir concert? A sponsored silence? A knitting marathon or coffee morning? A sponsored cycle or walk? Maybe you can do something at your local gym, club or hold a reception at work to let others know about Silver Ribbon Foundation?

You can be as creative as you like.

One of our supporters is currently running auctions on Trademe, benefitting Silver Ribbon.   Click here to visit one of them and perhaps check out her other listings.

Would you find it easier to raise funds for us via the internet?

What a great fundraising website Fundraisonline is! 

Are you competing in an upcoming sporting event perhaps?  

Please click here and start your own fundraising page and then simply email a link to it to your friends, family and colleagues.

Kiwis give $2.5b to charity in past year

The figure is based on the registration of charities seeking an exemption from paying tax on donations.

The Charities Commission says 24,000 organisations have signed up to the system.

Some of those have an income of less than $20,000 a year, while others are pulling in more than $20 million.

The Commission says the registration process means people can now find out more about a charity they are thinking about giving to.

Source: Newstalk ZB, 28 December 2009

Wild Poppies Flower Submissions Invitation

We invite you to nominate someone on a gynaecological cancer journey or perhaps someone who has helped you on your own journey. 

Thank you to all who have submitted submissions following our recent email.  We have received a huge number of submissions as a result and so please be aware the flowers may not be delivered for several months, we arrange for the flowers to be sent in the date order received.

The following is a recent extract from an email of thanks we received: "the flowers arrived on Tuesday, my sister was so thrilled, two huge bunches of flowers in a box, she laughed and said ‘one for each ovarian tumour‘ .  Thank you again for this wonderful gesture."

It costs you nothing and results in happiness for someone else.  Thank you to Wild Poppies for their continued support.

Library Book Review for February

"100 Questions and Answers About Ovarian Cancer" Second Edition by Don S Dizon, MD, FACP and Nadeem R Abu-Rustum, MD

Empower yourself!  Whether you are a newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patient, a survivor, or a friend or relative of either, this book offers help. 

Completely revised and updated, the second edition of 100 Questions and Answers About Ovarian Cancer gives authoritative, practical answers to questions about treatment options, including information on advances in chemotherapy, post-treatment quality of life, sources of support, and much more. 

Written by specialists in the medical and surgical care of gynecological oncology, with actual patient commentary, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone coping with the physical and emotional turmoil of this frightening disease.

Please click here to request this book from our Library. 

We invite you to request any other books from our Library or perhaps suggest a book you would like to see added to our collection.

Did you get our Symptom Pamphlet when you had your latest Smear Test?

Ask your GP/Nurse for the information pamphlet on gynae cancers when you have your smear test - they hopefully have some on hand to distribute and if they do not, ask them to email info@silverribbon.co.nz to request some!

Click here to download the pamphlet.

We Invite Registrations for Woman of the Month

Do you read the stories each month from the Woman of the Month?  When reading the stories do you realise that these are woman just like you?  Have you ever thought you would like to tell your story as well?  We need more Woman of the Month submissions. 

We invite you to register for Woman of the Month.  Tell your story in your own words, help us raise awareness.  Also, every Woman of the Month receives a fabulous bouquet of flowers from Wild Poppies.

Click here to register.

<<firstname>>

We hope you have had a restful January with friends and family.  We are looking forward to sharing our plans for 2010 with you soon.

The Team at Silver Ribbon Foundation