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IlliNOISY Committee Meeting:

DATE CHANGE to 9/24

 

The fall is upon us and the 2007-2008 Y-ME Illinois Advocacy Committee is ready go! Due to Y-ME Illinois conflicts, the meeting date or time will have to be changed!  The new date is September 24th at 5:30.  E-mails will be sent out to the committee to discuss this change further.  For meetings,  committee members can either come into the office or call in.  If you are interested in being on the Y-ME Illinois Advocacy Committee, e-mail Rachel Runnals at rrunnals@y-me.org.

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August Advocacy Alerts: Thank You!

 

Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond to last month’s Advocacy Alerts!  There is strength in numbers, so keep up the good work by making phone calls, sending emails and letting your family and friends know how to get involved.  Please let us know when you DO respond to an alert by sending a quick email to illinoisadvocacy@y-me.org and be sure to include whether or not you get a response back!  It is important that we know how active the Network is and how to best put everyone’s interests to work.  If you have questions on advocacy alerts, or have suggestions on alert topics, email Rachel Runnals at rrunnals@y-me.org.

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 The Big Night Out-Indulgence For a Cause

Tickets for The Big Night Out-Indulgence For a Cause can now be purchased online by clicking here!  The event will be held on October 19^th in the Great Hall of Chicago’s Union Station and will feature blues by Shemekia Copeland and jazz by Tim Green.  The raffle prize for the evening is a 2007 green Mini- Cooper!  All proceeds from The Big Night Out will help Y-ME Illinois continue to provide programs and resources to those touched by breast cancer.  If you would like to volunteer at the event or are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact Y-ME Illinois at (312) 364-9071.

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Project LEAD in San Diego

 

In August, Y-ME Illinois Executive Director Jude Andrews and Advocacy Coordinator Rachel Runnals, traveled to San Diego to attend NBCCF's Project LEAD.  The intensive 6-day course covered genetics, basic science and epidemiology.  The goal of LEAD is to educate advocates on how become more involved on the science end of advocacy.  There were over 60 participants from around the country, and the world, who inspired us here at Y-ME Illinois to continue dedicating ourselves to the cause.  We would also like to congratulate the following Project LEAD grads: Christina Schwallie, Shayne Bell, Gabriella Pehanich and Stephanie Tymoszenko.

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Policy Updates

 

Governor Blagojevich Allows For Stem Cell Research

 

On August 28^th, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich signed SB4-the bill that will allow for several types of stem cell research, including controversial embryonic stem cells.  The bill also permits couples to donate unused embryos from in-vitro fertilization to be used for research, yet there are ethical provisions in the bill that ban human cloning.  The bill also calls for the further development of the Regenerative Medical Institute under the Illinois Department of Public Health, where a group of appointed committee members will help oversee the institutes grant funding.

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What’s Going on in Washington

 

Congress has returned from recess and is backing session.  The Senate has yet to pass the Department of Defense Appropriations, so the fate of the Breast Cancer Research Program is still unknown but expected to pass with the same amount for FY 08 as FY 07.  The Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act is still pushing its way though Congress, although struggling to get onto the Senate floor.  Stay tuned for Advocacy Alerts letting you know when you need to take action to help out these and other important pieces of legislation!  Click here to read an article from Fran Visco about the status of the BCERA.

 

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Conferences, Symposiums and More!

 

Quality Care Project LEAD®

 

Want to hear the latest in breast cancer research, or participate in continuing education opportunities?  Modeled after NBCCF's regular Project LEAD®, Quality Care Project LEAD® covers topics in science, policy and advocacy. Participants learn about clinical standards of care, practice guidelines for breast cancer, what evidence-based health care is, how to critically evaluate health care information, and how the health care system is structured and financed. The course includes a series of lectures and interactive learning sessions.  The course is November 14^th -18^th and will be held in Washington, DC.  There are a limited number of scholarships available for applicants with a demonstrated need.  The application deadline is September 21^st, 2007. For more information or an application, click here.

 

If you are accepted to Project LEAD, please let us here at Y-ME Illinois know about it!  E-mail Rachel Runnals at rrunnals@y-me.org so that we can share the exciting news with the Network.

 

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2008 Annual Advocacy Training Conference

 

Early Bird registration is now open for the 2008 National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund’s Annual Advocacy Training Conference!  Join us in 2008 as part of the IlliNOISY delegation as we spend three days of advocacy training in Washington, DC before we climb the steps of Capitol Hill to lobby for breast cancer legislation.  Stay tuned for more information regarding Y-ME Illinois financial assistance and team leader training.  Click here to download an application to register for the 2008 conference.

 

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San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

 

While the scholarship deadline has passed, you can still sign up to attend the 30^th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium December 13^th to the 16^th.  The conference features researches, health care professionals and advocates from around the world to discuss the latest in breast cancer research.  The objective of the SABCS is “to provide state-of-the-art information on the experimental biology, etiology, prevention, diagnosis, and therapy of breast cancer and pre-malignant breast disease, to an international audience of academic and private physicians and researchers” (sabcs.org).  To learn more, click here. 

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Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium

 

The Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium will be held September 27^th through the 30^th at the Fairmont Chicago.  The Symposium will feature discussions and panels on laboratory and clinical research from the breast cancer scientific community.  The topics will range from pathology to genetics and attendees will get a chance to interact with the top innovators in the field.  To register for the event and to get a look at the programming for the event, click here.

 

Y-ME Illinois will be staffing an informational table to talk about our programs and services on Sunday, September 30^th at the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Town Hall at The Fairmont Chicago.  This FREE event will feature an interactive panel discussion of breakthroughs in breast cancer with doctors from Northwestern; you are all encouraged to attend: RSVP requested at (312) 695-1304.

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In the News:

 

 

Research:

 

Access or Biology: While white women are more likely to get breast cancer, black women have a high mortality rate.  Potential reasons are limited access to screening, quality care or biology.  A new report out of the University of Michigan researched the rates that black and white women are diagnosed with ER- tumors; a type that is known to be more aggressive and offers less treatment options that ER+ tumors.  They found that black women were more likely to be diagnosed with ER- tumors at all stages, thus strengthen the hypothesis that increased mortality rates in black women with breast cancer is due to biology.  Read more.

 

 

How Cancer Spreads By Aggregating Platelets [August 31, 2007]

 

Breast Cancer Risk: Breast Density Gene Located [September 5, 2007]

 

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Policy:

 

Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas Consider Health Care Proposals  [Aug 27, 2007]

 

Medicare Increases Coverage of Preventive Services, Promotes Screenings Among Beneficiaries [Aug 28, 2007]

 

Illinois Gov. Blagojevich Signs Measure Allowing Embryonic Stem Cell Research [Aug 30, 2007]

 

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Access:

 

Number of Uninsured U.S. Residents Increases by 2.2M to 47M in 2006 [Aug 29, 2007]

 

More Hospitals, Health Clinics Use Picture Boards To Reduce Language Barriers [Sep 04, 2007]

 

Largest Asian Cancer Hospital to Evaluate New CT Laser Breast Imaging System [September 5, 2007]