Dear <<firstname>>
Ovacome Campaign Launch
Today Ovacome launches a campaign that asks every woman to BEAT Ovarian Cancer by listening to her body and noting the alarm signals of the disease.
For the first time, under the BEAT Ovarian Cancer campaign, launched today, charities across the English-speaking world are coming together to shout down the myth that this is a “silent killer”.
The partner charities involved in the BEAT International Coalition group are: Ovarian Cancer Australia; Silver Ribbon Foundation, New Zealand; Ovarian Cancer Canada and Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (US).
We, and our partner charities internationally, think there is not enough being done to tell women about the early signs of the fifth most common female cancer – ovarian cancer.
Ovacome, and our partner charities internationally, will use the BEAT acronym to help spread the word about the main symptoms of ovarian cancer. Click here to read the press release.
BEAT OVARIAN CANCER
B is for Bloating (it is persistent and doesn‘t come and go)
E is for Eating (difficulty eating & feeling full more quickly)
A is for Abdominal (and pelvic pain you feel most days)
T is for Talking (tell your GP)
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 make contact. Cancer Connect are particularly short of women who have had all the gynaecological cancer types (especially vulval, vaginal and cervical cancers) 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.
Please click here to make contact.
Wild Poppies
 Wild Poppies sends a fabulous bunch of flowers to a person connected with gynaecological cancer, every week. Their generosity gives so many, so much joy. We wish to thank Wild Poppies for their continued support. Click here to place your nomination for a friend who has helped you or is on a gynaecological cancer journey.
"I want to say a Huge Thank You to the Silver Ribbon Foundation and Wild Poppies for the wonderful flowers sent to my Dad recently. Lovely Lilies for a lovely man."
"Thanks so much for sending the Wild Poppies flowers to my wife Liz, it really made her day to get them. Its such a great way to brighten up someones day when they have had cancer."
Please do not forget to order your flowers through Wild Poppies the next time you wish to send someone flowers, they even have pet packs!
2010/11 Entertainment Books are Coming!
Entertainment™ Books contain hundreds of 25-50% off and 2-for-1 offers from popular restaurants, cinemas, hotels, the arts, sporting events and family activities and are only available through fund-raising groups and organisations such as Silver Ribbon Foundation.
As a special bonus, and for a limited time, if you pre-order and pay for your 2010/11 Book before 19th March you‘ll receive a bonus sheet of vouchers from 6 businesses new to the Entertainment Book. Auckland books are distributed in early April.
Click here to see what the bonus sheet offers.
 To order your copy of the 2010/11 Entertainment™ Book please click here.
We are a small organisation and need to raise funds in order to keep operating. Please buy your Entertainment Book from us this year. Some other organisations sell over a thousand books. We struggled last year to sell our 20 allocated books. Your support would be very much appreciated and helps us in our mission to educate our community to raise awareness about all gynaecological cancers and support those affected.
Research
Triapine Shows Promising Results for Treatment of Advanced Cervical Cancer
 A phase one Irish study reports that that a new chemotherapy agent, Triapine, was well tolerated in combination with cisplatin chemotherapy and radiation treatment in women with cervical cancer. This regimen provided both significant reduction in cancer disease and cancer control. Triapine works by suppressing tumour growth.
A phase two follow-up study is ongoing at the Ireland Cancer Center. Unfortunately this new pharmaceutical product will still be some time away as these trials are still in early stages
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/178773.php
Click here to visit our Latest Research section, on our website. Thank you to Mrs V Mount for these research articles.
Website of the Month:
Talking to children about your cancer
Why should children be told?
 A child has a right to know about anything that affects the family, as cancer does.- Children know something is wrong. If you protect them by saying nothing, they may have fears which are worse than the real situation.
- Not talking about cancer may suggest it is a subject too terrible to be discussed. There is a hopeful side. You would not wish your children to have an abnormal fear of cancer or illness.
- Children may find out the truth from someone else, or get misleading information from TV or other sources.
Please click here to read more. You can also discuss this with your health care professional.
This excerpt is taken from a Cancer Society of NZ brochure.
Library Book of the Month
A Guide to Survivorship for Women with Ovarian Cancer, by F.J. Monta and Robert E Bristow with assistance from Paula Anastasia
 This comprehensive guide offers a wealth of information to ease the physical, emotional, and psychic suffering of women with ovarian cancer. The authors - two John Hopkins gynecologic oncologists and a gynecologic-oncology clinical nurse - put particular emphasis on the concept of "survivorship" or living life well in the face of daunting uncertainties. They stress the importance of self-determination: the right of each patient to be informed, involved and in control of her care.
In addition to covering the latest developments in diagnosis and treatment - including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, pain management, and alternative therapies - the authors draw on their immense clinical experience to address the emotional distress and worry that accompany the disease. Stressing quality of life, self-determination, and living life to the fullest, this remarkable book offers compassion and hope to women who are dealing with ovarian cancer.
Click here to request to borrow this library book. We have many books available from our library, please feel free to browse.
ANZGOG Consumer and Community Committee
Who are ANZGOG:
 ANZGOG was established to foster and support collaborative research throughout Australia and New Zealand and to improve outcomes for women with gynaecological malignancies through randomized clinical trials. The group was formed in late 2000 and shortly after was accepted to join the US GOG, the pre-eminent US based collaborative trials group and at the same time joined the Gynecological Cancer Intergroup (GCIG).
ANZGOG has opened a number of clinical trials within Australia and New Zealand and is participating in a growing number of pivotal international trials. The important links that have been forged with international groups, recognized for their contribution to our current clinical practice in gynaecological malignancies, are essential as gynaecological cancers are a global problem and require collaborative efforts to improve outcomes. More than 500 women have joined these trials since inception.
Please click here to read more.
September Share and Care Events
We have some exciting plans that are being put in place to raise awareness of all gynaecological cancers and their symptoms, and September is our biggest month of the year as it is International Gynaecological Awareness Month.
Due to the fantastic efforts of our volunteers last September, the Share and Care events hosted by supporters were a huge success, and will again be run throughout the country this September.
Further information on hosting your own Share and Care event will be available in the upcoming weeks.
 Leading up to, and during September we will need many volunteers to assist with bringing our plans to fruition – this assistance could be as much or as little as you are able.
In the meantime please register your interest to volunteer by clicking here
Please watch our website for more detailed information as it comes to hand over the next weeks and months.
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