CURE Connections Spotlights Patient Experiences and Expert Views on Family History, Genetic Testing, Diagnosis, Treatment Options During Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Plainsboro, NJ (PRWEB) October 05, 2015 -- CURE Connections™ is debuting a video series exploring breast cancer patient treatment experiences in recognition of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The new series includes a deeply personal story from a patient who took action after testing positive for a genetic mutation that put her at a dramatically increased risk for developing breast cancer.

“With about one in every eight women being diagnosed with breast cancer, it’s likely that each of us will be touched or affected by a woman fighting this battle,” said Donna Bonura, supervising producer of CURE Connections, a new video platform designed specifically for patients with cancer. “With the availability of genetic testing and new treatment options, patients have more ammunition than ever before to meet their cancer diagnosis head-on. CURE Connections further empowers patients and their families with important information, allowing them to learn from others who are facing the same challenges, as well as from world experts.”

For a preview of this powerful breast cancer series, click here: http://cureconnections.curetoday.com/videos/breast-cancer-awareness-month.

In the U.S., 231,840 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in 2015, with about 40,290 women expected to die this year from breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. In recent years, research has revealed that a woman’s lifetime risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer is greatly increased if she inherits a harmful mutation in the BRCA1 gene or the BRCA2 gene, prompting some patients and physicians to pursue preventive surgical options. The National Cancer Institute reports that although about 12 percent of women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, that figure jumps to 45 percent of women with a harmful BRCA2 mutation and 65 percent of women who have a harmful BRCA1 mutation.

The latest CURE Connections series includes videos on many aspects of breast cancer, including information and advice for patients from diagnosis through remission, stories from patients and recommendations from leading medical experts. In the segment, “BRCA Testing and Prophylactic Mastectomy for Breast Cancer Prevention,” Judy Nymberg, of Allentown, Pa., talks about how breast cancer killed her mother and how the family history led to her testing positive for a dangerous BRCA2 mutation. In the video, she shares her personal journey, discussing her decision to undergo a double radical mastectomy and how the experience has affected her two daughters and her relationship with her husband.

“CURE Connections takes a 360-degree look at issues facing patients and their families,” said Dr. Philippa J. Cheetham, host of CURE Connections and a highly respected medical correspondent. “Everyone whose life is affected by cancer will relate to a patient discussing her decision to opt for a mastectomy following genetic counseling.”

Dr. Cheetham also interviews Dr. Patrick Borgen, former chief of breast services at Memorial Sloan Kettering, who now leads the Brooklyn Breast Cancer Center at Maimonides Cancer Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Dr. Sara Hurvitz, director of the breast cancer clinical research program at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

The videos, featuring insightful interviews with leading oncologists and personal journeys of patients with cancer, are available for viewing at the patient’s convenience at http://cureconnections.curetoday.com.

A longtime leader in print and digital publications, Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc., in August debuted CURE Connections to provide life-saving information and explore challenging topics such as being diagnosed with cancer, talking to your doctor about the diagnosis and next steps, treatment and symptom management and myths about cancer.

“CURE Connections enables patients to learn from others facing many of the same challenges, deepening our commitment to advancing cancer care through a broad range of educational, research and communications services for the oncology community,” added Mike Hennessy Jr., president of Intellisphere Oncology and Healthcare Specialty Group. “Our goal has been to connect women suffering from breast cancer with others who have had similar experiences, in the comfort and privacy of their own homes. Through CURE Connections, patients and breast cancer experts talk frankly and informatively about the cancer journey while viewers join them virtually. We are very pleased that CURE Connections deepens the MJH commitment to advancing cancer care through a broad range of educational, research and communications services for the oncology community.”

About CURE Media Group

CURE Media Group’s flagship product, CURE® magazine, is the indispensable guide to every stage of the cancer experience. With nearly 1 million readers, CURE is the largest consumer publication in the United States focused entirely on cancer, with broad distribution to cancer patients, cancer centers and advocacy groups. CURE Media Group’s offerings also include its online resource, curetoday.com; live meetings; a resource guide for the newly diagnosed; and the Extraordinary Healer™ national nursing award. CURE Media Group, which combines science and humanity to make cancer understandable, is part of the Plainsboro, N.J.-based Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc. (MJH), family of businesses, which includes the acclaimed OncLive® (http://www.onclive.com) platform of resources for the practicing oncologist. For more information, visit http://www.curetoday.com or http://www.mjhassoc.com.

Media Contact: Becky Taylor, 609-240-6886, becky(at)btaylorpa(dot)com