New faces‚ new names‚ and events you won’t want to miss

December 2001 marked the 30th anniversary of the signing of the National Cancer Act‚ the declaration of war on cancer. It also marked the first time a cancer survivor was named head of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Andrew von Eschenbach‚ MD‚ an oncology surgeon and survivor of both skin and prostate cancer‚ called the appointment “the greatest honor and responsibility of my life.”

Dr. von Eschenbach said his goal of discovery‚ development‚ and delivery of state-of-the-art cancer care and control will be reached through collaboration with federal and state agencies‚ public and private institutions‚ cancer organizations‚ and cancer survivors.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported the results of a study that showed that prenatal exposure to polluted air and water in Toms River‚ New Jersey‚ is linked with high levels of leukemia in girls. The five-year study‚ which did not say that contaminants caused the cancer‚ researched 199 area families‚ 40 of whom had children with cancer. A lawyer for the families affected in Toms River‚ called the report “an earthquake” that will impact public health and environmental policy for a long time.

Pancreatic cancer will get increased support from NCI as a result of recommendations from the Pancreatic Cancer Progress Review Group. The increases will come in the form of more funding for research in a number of areas and three Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE).

Smoking continues its downward trend among teens‚ according to new statistics from the Department of Health and Human Services. What began as increases in the early- to mid-1990s began to decrease in 1996. The current decline‚ observed among eighth and 10th-graders‚ continues in addition to new decreases among seniors.

Johns Hopkins University received the largest single gift ever given to the university‚ $150 million from Sidney Kimmel‚ the founder and chairman of Jones Apparel Group. The funds will be used for research and for a residence for cancer patients and their families. The Hopkins Cancer Center will be renamed The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins.
The late Virginia state senator Emily Couric‚ who died of pancreatic cancer in October 2001‚ has been awarded the first Emily Couric Legislative Leadership Award from the Mid-Atlantic division of the American Cancer Society. Couric‚ sister of NBC Today Show co-host Katie Couric‚ was instrumental in passing legislation that made Virginia the first state in the nation to mandate insurance coverage for colon cancer screening.

Cancer survival rates are climbing according to Cancer Facts and Figures 2002‚ which reports that five-year survival rate for all types of cancers has climbed by 2%‚ to 62%. Other statistics from CA: A Cancer Journal of Clinicians‚ indicate that of the 550‚000 who will die from cancer in 2002‚ more than half will be due to one of the following four cancers: lung‚ prostate‚ colorectal‚ or breast.

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS)‚ the only patient-led advocacy organization working on behalf of the countryœs 8.9 million survivors‚ has a number of publications available. Teamwork: The Cancer Patient’s Guide to Talking With Your Doctor addresses commu- nication issues and provides questions to ask. First copy is free. Call 877-622-7937 or go to the website www.cansearch.org/store.html. Other books available at minimal cost include You Have the Right to Be Hopeful; Working it Out: Your Employment Rights as a Cancer Survivor; and What Cancer Survivors Need to Know About Health Insurance.

NCCS has partnered with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to develop an educational program for cancer patients and caregivers. Go to www.cancereducation.com for the webcast modules on Teamwork: Skills for Communicating with Health Care Providers and Cancer is a Four-Letter Word. This website requires a RealOne Player and will give you instructions on how to download the free player.

Sing for the Cure‚ an original musical work written for the combined voices of The Turtle Creek Chorale and The Women's Chorus of Dallas‚ premiered in Dallas on June 11‚ 2000‚ with Dr. Maya Angelou narrating. The piece‚ which brings to life the stories of those affected by breast cancer‚ is now being performed across the country. On May 26‚ the Dallas choruses will perform Sing for the Cure at Carnegie Hall in New York City. For more information go to the website of the Turtle Creek Chorale (www.turtlecreek.org; 800-746-4412). To purchase tickets‚ call the Carnegie Hall box office at 212-247-7800.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation will hold its Ride for the Roses April 12-14 in Austin‚ Texas. The weekend event now includes not only a bike ride in the neighboring Hill Country but also a gala‚ a 5K run‚ a health and sports expo‚ a Kids C.A.R.E. (Cancer Awareness and Rider Education) ride‚ and Rock for the Roses‚ an outdoor concert featuring national and local bands. For more information‚ got to www.laf.org or call 512-236-8820.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) State-of-the-Science Conference on Symptom Management in Cancer: Pain‚ Depression‚ and Fatigue will be held July 15 -17 at the Natcher Conference Center‚ NIH in Bethesda‚ Maryland. Free to the public‚ the conference will examine the current state of knowledge regarding the management of pain‚ depression‚ and fatigue in individuals with cancer and identify directions for future research. For more information‚ call 301-592-3320 or go to consensus.nih.gov or e-mail: cancersymptoms@prospectassoc.com

The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) will hold its Run/Walk for the Whisper on April 13 at the Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek‚ Florida. For more information go to www.ovarian.org or call 888-OVARIAN.
More than 3‚000 cancer survivors will take part in the first American Cancer Society Relay for Life “Celebration on the Hill” in Washington‚ D.C.‚ on September 18-19. Representatives from each Congressional district will travel to Capitol Hill to assist with ACS advocacy efforts to establish ACS and the survivors it represents as a strong political force.

National Cancer Survivors Day‚ whose annual theme remains “A Celebration of Life‚” will take place across the country on June 2. To get involved in a local celebration or to start one in your area‚ email the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation at ncsd@aol.com. The foundation will provide a planning kit for the event‚ which pays tribute to the 8.9 million Americans living with a history of cancer.

Polyp man‚ the villain in a new series of public service announcements that encourage colon cancer screening‚ dresses in red tights and a bulbous red suit as he runs from doctors and police in scenes reminiscent of the television series NYPD Blue. The voice-over in the ads‚ which were created in conjunction with ACS by the Ad Council‚ says‚ “Colon cancer almost always starts with a polyp. Get the polyp early and stop colon cancer before it even starts.”

New Online

www.canceradvocacy.org contains information about policy issues that impact survivors and quality of life and current legislative issues that affect cancer patients and survivors.