Gyn Cancer Awareness Month - Spotlight Uterine and Endometrial Cancers September 2015 Chat

We celebrated our Second Anniversary as a community and chat this evening. We were happy to see some familiar faces as well as a few new participants.

This month we discussed Gyn Cancer Awareness Month and we also spotlighted Uterine and Endometrial cancers. We were so pleased to have Lynne Braden, uterine cancer survivor and #GynCAN founder tweeting as @GynCAN join us as well as our own Drs. Boulay, Dizon, Markham and Becker-Schutte.

If you missed this lively chat you may read the transcript here. We had 48 participants and 1,494,578 impressions with 614 tweets in the hour. Analytics may be found here.

Our topic questions and a few responses:

T1: Let’s start with Gyn Cancer Awareness Month #GCAM. What do you wish others knew about your gyn cancer? What are some key points?

T1: That far more suffer from it that we realize. Talking about anything GYN in public is still so hard for many people. #gyncsm

— GynCAN - #GynCAN (@GynCAN) September 10, 2015

#gyncsm T1 we try to make women aware of these symptoms pic.twitter.com/JrJcItACoV

— Cervical Screening (@CervicalScreen1) September 10, 2015

T2: Share ways you are raising awareness during #GCAM, everything small to big. Let's replicate great ideas and amplify the message!

T2: Working with @WIOvarianCancer @Aurora_Health to spread the word about ovarian cancer in our community #gyncsm

— Elizabeth Dickson (@edicksonMD) September 10, 2015

T2 wearing apparel and jewelry identifying uterine cancer, sharing my personal experiences via fb and instagram via quotes and such #gyncsm

— Gail Rose (@rose_mzrozee) September 10, 2015

T3: What are the #uterinecancer #endometrialcancer risks and symptoms? Survivors, what symptoms did you experience? How diagnosed?

T3: We need to think of gyn symptoms like we think of a breast lump: Odds are it's nothing, but MAKE SURE IT'S NOT CANCER. #gyncsm

— Robin Martinez (@RobinSmrtPtient) September 10, 2015

T4: What treatments are used for #uterinecancer #endometrialcancer ? Which side effects have the biggest impact?

T4 Almost all uterine and endometrial cancer is treated surgically. WE use minimally invasive approach (robots) to speed recovery #gyncsm

— Rick Boulay,MD (@journeycancer) September 10, 2015

T5: Why do you advocate for yourself and others? How has your life changed because of a gyn cancer diagnosis?

T5 witnessing ovca pt experiences as an oncology RN made me want to do more, not just give chemo. QoL needed!!! #gyncsm

— Alene Nitzky Ph.D RN (@AleneGoneBad) September 10, 2015

T5: Because survivor sisters are now my friends! The need for awareness & increased funding is so great. #gyncsm

— GynCAN - #GynCAN (@GynCAN) September 10, 2015

Be sure to scroll down for our list of resources shared during the chat. 

Remember you may continue this month's discussion on Smart Patients. (https://www.smartpatients.com/gyncsm) 

We hope you can join us on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 9pmET Topic: Open Mic - Bring your questions/ thoughts. We look forward to seeing you then. 

Dee

#gyncsm Co-Founder

Resources 

Ovarian Cancer Screening http://t.co/jzRJuPWQJx

GYN cancer symptoms via @CDCgov http://t.co/0xRGEPjWMj

@FoundationWomen cancer fact sheet on heredity and Gyn Cancers http://t.co/2DMzuDjcSl

PSA created by @drdonsdizon and @mghcancercenter  
https://audioboom.com/boos/3555368-ovarian-cancer-awareness-month

Nobody Has Cancer Blog: http://www.nobodyhasovariancancer.blogspot.com/

Are You at Risk for Uterine or Endometrial Cancer @GYNCancer http://t.co/4boVMlfzIL

Risk Factor Chart http://www.gyncan.com/p/know-your-risk-factors.html

Peach Outreach http://peachoutreach.com/

SGO: Uterine Cancer: Symptoms | SGO https://t.co/IsdqFRzuLW

Medscape Article ( free to join)  In Endometrial Cancer, Lymphadenectomy Down Since 2007
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/850658

@theNCI : uterine overview http://t.co/mJhfJIMHTd  treatment info: http://t.co/uDjQ65QedI

National Race to End Women's Cancer http://www.endwomenscancer.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1131900

#gyncsm TIL: Today I Learned thoughts: http://t.co/eX9UYFlJGK

Our 2nd Anniversary Chat 9/9/15 : GCAM and a Spotlight on Uterine Cancer

Christina and I want to thank our health care moderators, supporters and chat participants for being a part of the #gyncsm community. This month marks our Second Anniversary and we would not be an active vibrant community without your help and support.

This month we will be talking about Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month and will also chat about uterine (endometrial) cancer. We are pleased to be joined by Lynne Braden (see her story here on our blog), uterine (endometrial) cancer survivor and founder of GynCAN (Gynecological Cancer Awareness Network). We are also pleased to be joined by Carrie Oliveira, uterine (endometrial) survivor and founder of The Iris Foundation.

The questions guiding our chat include:

T1: Let’s start with Gyn Cancer Awareness Month #GCAM. What do you wish others knew about your gyn cancer? What are some key points?

T2: Share ways you are raising awareness during #GCAM, everything small to big. Let's replicate great ideas and amplify the message!

T3: What are the #uterinecancer #endometrialcancer risks and symptoms? Survivors, what symptoms did you experience? How diagnosed? 

T4: What treatments are used for #uterinecancer #endometrialcancer? Which side effects have the biggest impact?

T5: Why do you advocate for yourself and others? How has your life changed because of a gyn cancer diagnosis?

For more information about uterine (endometrial) cancer, please view this video by the Foundation for Women's Cancer.

We hope you can join us on September 9, 2015 at 9pm EST.

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Dee
Co-Founder / Co-Moderator #gyncsm

Survivor Story: Lynne, The Impact a Movie Can Make

During Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month (GCAM), we are pleased to share the story of Lynne Braden an endometrial (uterine) cancer survivor who has founded the Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Network (@GynCAN, #GynCAN). We urge you to check the sites mentioned in her story.

Lynne's Story

In early 2015, I was enjoying my second year of early retirement traveling North America as a full-time RVer and travel blogger (http://winnieviews.blogspot.com).  After my mom died of breast and lung cancer in 2013, I had quit my job, rented my house, and sold all my possessions to start living the life of my dreams while still young and healthy enough to enjoy it.

In April, 2015 while in New Mexico, I happened to watch the documentary No Evidence of Disease on PBS one night. An old classmate of mine had died of cervical cancer a few months earlier, and the film's subject matter immediately held my attention.

The film provoked my curiosity afterwards to search online for the early warning signs of Gyn cancers. Suddenly, that annoyingly regular little bit of spotting and discharge I'd been experiencing the past few months took on much greater significance-- it was a common symptom for various Gyn cancers! I called to make an appointment the very next day with a local OB/Gyn.

Within 2 weeks of watching the NED movie, I was diagnosed with Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer, and began a rapid cross-country RV trek back to my hometown of Chicago for treatment by a skillful and fabulous Gynecologic Oncologist at a full-service hospital and cancer center.

Even though I’d spent my career working in hospitals and physician practices as a healthcare software project manager, I’d never had surgery before and had never been a hospital patient.  When my Gyn Onc talked me through what the Da Vinci robotically-assisted Hysterectomy/BSO surgery would entail, the tech geek in me couldn’t wait to run home that night to search out a YouTube video of the surgery! (for me at least, it actually was quite helpful to watch and greatly relieved my pre-surgery fears).

While the surgery went well, and initial pathology confirmed that the tumor was fully contained in the uterus, my Gyn Onc was concerned about the abnormal-looking lymph nodes she removed.  If final pathology would show cancer spreading to the lymphatic system, my road ahead would be far more difficult and unpredictable.

Those couple of days of waiting for the final pathology report gave me a potent reminder to never underestimate the power and impulsiveness of cancer.  I vowed from then on that I would never assume to have the upper hand on cancer or not take it completely seriously, no matter how “win-able” the survival stats may be.  I would also make those necessary, but long-ignored, diet and exercise changes to get my body back to a “healthy fighting weight.”

To my great relief, 2 days later, the pathology on my lymph nodes came back negative.  My cancer would be staged at 1A after all (instead of 3C).  But due to the size of my tumor (4 cm), putting me at slightly higher risk of recurrence, my Gyn Onc recommended 3 quick sessions of internal radiation (vaginal brachytherapy) to lower my risk.  

Within a few more weeks, I had completed treatment and recovered from surgery without any complications or long-term side effects.  All things considered, round 1 of my cancer battle was “easy/breezy” compared to most.

A few weeks after surgery, I learned that the N.E.D. band (the 6 gynecologic oncologists who were the subjects of the No Evidence of Disease movie) would be playing a benefit concert in the IL/IA Quad Cities less than 200 miles from me.  I just had to go meet them and thank them personally for, essentially, saving my life!

It was a transformational evening.  Not only did I meet the band & love the music, but I also met 2 dozen other GYN cancer survivors.  Many of their stories (and their much more difficult cancer struggles) touched me profoundly.

On the drive back to Chicago, I began to think of how I might turn my blogging and social media interests (and desire to improve my physical fitness), into something that might benefit gynecologic cancer awareness and raise funds for further research and education in the process.  

With the help of the social media directors of the N.E.D. band, and the Foundation for Women’s Cancer, in August, 2015, GynCAN (the Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Network) was launched -- an online grassroots community of survivors, family, friends, and medical folks committed to spreading awareness using the power of each of our various social media networks.

During September’s Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, we will post daily to our various blogs and social media sites using the common hashtag of #GynCAN to pool our posts together and make some noise to raise greater awareness.  If you are active online, join us!

Additionally, those who are able will walk/run 100 miles in September (3.3 miles per day) as part of the #GynCAN100 and ask our friends/followers to donate on our behalf to the Foundation for Women’s Cancer.

While the circumstances that bring us together have not been wished by any of us, we will not quietly suffer our “below the belt” cancers without a good LOUD fight, and will pray that our efforts to raise awareness will ultimately help many thousands of women avoid/survive these cancers in the years to come!

Lynne Braden

Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Network 

#GynCAN

Thank you Lynne for sharing your story. Thanks also for being a guest at our 9/9 #GynCSM chat.

We are saddened to report that Lynne passed away in May 2018. We are happy that she shared her story and insights with the #gyncsm community. 

Dee

Co-Founder, Co-Moderator #gyncsm