October 2005 Y-ME Illinois e-News
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and as you can see there is much happening at Y-ME Illinois in conjunction with
this important time of year. Please show your support for those facing breast
cancer this month by making a special effort to attend an event or volunteer your
time or by making a donation to Y-ME Illinois.
Be sure to watch for the latest issue of Y-ME Illinois e-News in your inbox the
first weekday of each month!
In This Edition:
Awareness and Support Programming Being Offered Throughout October
As October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), Y-ME Illinois has
a calendar full of programs to both raise awareness and support survivors of breast
cancer. To promote awareness in the South Suburbs of Chicago and Northwest Indiana,
Y-ME Illinois is partnering with Saint Margaret Mercy Hospital to produce Healthy Living: A Breast Cancer Awareness Expo on Saturday, October 22nd. Presentation topics will include screening, genetics,
stress management and an "Ask the Expert" Panel. To register, call 219-933-2100.
Our Aveda Y-ME Wellness Spa will take place on October 25th at the Aveda Institute to provide breast cancer
survivors with an evening of pampering where they can interact with other survivors
in a fun and relaxing atmosphere. Services include hair cuts and styling, facials
and hand and foot spa treatments. Preference is given to women in treatment or
recently diagnosed, but all are welcome to request an appointment by calling (312)
364-9071.
Out west, Living Well: A Female Cancer Survivor Event, will take place October 26th at the McDonald's Hyatt Lodge in Oakbrook. This
event is designed to educate and empower women who have been touched by any cancer
and is sponsored by Loyola University Medical Center Cardinal Bernardin Cancer
Center and is being offered in conjunction with Gilda's Club Chicago, the National
Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Illinois Division, the American Cancer Society and the
Cancer Health Alliance. Participants can register by calling 888-584-7888 or
online at www.luhs.org/register.
Lastly, our programming continues into November with a Young Survivor's Event
to be held at Gilda's Club Chicago. "Rebuilding Your Dreams: Intimacy and Infertility After Breast Cancer" will be held on Saturday, November 12th, please call our office for more information.
25th Anniversary Fashion Show & Luncheon Only Four Weeks Away
On Saturday, October 29th, over 2,000 men, women and children will gather to
honor breast cancer survivors and their friends and families at the silver anniversary
of the Y-ME Illinois Fashion Show & Luncheon. A reception and a photographic
tribute honoring those who have struggled with breast cancer will kick off the
day. The luncheon, along with remarks from Ruth Brody, Executive Director of Y-ME
Illinois, and Patricia Blagojevich, the First Lady of Illinois and honorary event
chair, will follow.
Throughout the Fashion Show & Luncheon, attendees will have the opportunity
to bid in a silent auction and the winners of the general raffle and the car raffle
will be announced. Winners will receive prizes such as two round-trip tickets
to Europe, a Heartland Spa Getaway or a lease for a 2006 Silver Acura TL. Individual
tickets to attend the Y-ME Illinois Fashion Show & Luncheon can be purchased
for a donation of $85 dollars.
Featured Support Group - Partners in Surviving
Y-ME Illinois has over 20 different support groups in Illinois and Northwest
Indiana – every month we will be featuring a different group. Open Door Support
Groups are open to all persons concerned about breast cancer. We invite women
to check out an educational presentation or breast cancer survivors to interact
with other breast cancer survivors at a “rap session” or “open discussion” group.
Partners in Surviving
Y-ME Illinois’ Partners in Surviving has a rich tradition of serving breast cancer
survivors in the South Side of Chicago. Facilitated by three time survivor, Joslyn
McGhee and her partner in crime, Y-ME Hotline Peer Counselor, Judy Houston, the
group is a full and vibrant collection of survivors in all stages of survivorship.
The group typically invites a speaker for the first half of the meeting time and
allows for a rap session in the second half. The October topic is "Living the
Health Life: How to Balance Good Eating, Exercise, Relation and Fun in Your Life"
and will be presented by long time Open Door crowd pleaser, Michelle Dooley.
Partners in Surviving meets the third Saturday of every month, at 10:30 a.m.
in the DCAM Building at the University of Chicago. For more information about
this group or any of our other groups call Abby at the (312) 364-9071 or visit the Y-ME Illinois website.
Y-ME Illinois Partners with Walgreens and Cook County to Provide Mammograms in
October
Each October, Y-ME Illinois partners with Walgreens and the Cook County Mobile
Mammography Unit to bring screening mammography services to women throughout National
Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Last year, over 70 women were able to receive
a free mammogram through this important partnership. This year, thanks to a generous
grant from the VNA Foundation, Y-ME Illinois is also able to offer mammography
van visits year round.
Please visit the Y-ME Illinois website to see upcoming visit dates/locations and qualifying criteria to schedule a
mammogram.
Designer Showcase House to Benefit Y-ME Illinois
Y-ME Illinois is the official charity of the 2005 Design House, showcasing the
latest interior design and decor. Alwan Builders is constructing this 10,000
square food French country manor on nearly 2 1/2 beautifully wooded acres. Visit
the home to see the grand staircase, the 7 bedrooms, 10 baths, and exceptional
designs. Proceeds from the Showcase House Walk will be donated to Y-ME Illinois.
More information available online.
October 16-20th
500 Volks Road, Northbrook
Monday-Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm
Sunday - 1-4 pm
Thursday - 10 am - 4 pm and 6-8 pm
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to work shifts at the showcase house, all times above, all days. If you are
interested in volunteering, please contact Abby Drevs at ADrevs@y-me.org or (312) 364-9071 as soon as possible.
Y-ME Illinois Medical Advisory Committee Member Named as 2005 ‘Genius Grant'
Winner
Dr. Olufunmilayo “Funmi” Olopade, a hematology oncologist and founding director
of the Center for Clinical Cancer Genetics at the University of Chicago, was recently
named as one of the 2005 MacArthur Fellows. The MacArthur Fellows Program awards
unrestricted fellowships to talented individuals who have shown extraordinary
originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for
self-direction. As a MacArthur Fellow or ‘genius grant' winner, Dr. Olopade will
receive $500,000 in support over the next five years.
Dr. Olopade is an active member of the Y-ME Illinois Medical Advisory Committee
who has championed screening for breast cancer -- by advanced scanning technologies
or genetic tests -- for at-risk women as young as in their 20s. She has also found
new prominence for her research on the susceptibility of women of African ancestry
to a virulent form of breast cancer.
The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Illinois Division (NOCC) in cooperation
with Y-ME Illinois invites you to a brief program on Wednesday, October 5th at
5 p.m. to pass the Flame of Hope from Ovarian Cancer Advocates to Breast Cancer
Advocates. This flame symbolizes the connection between these female cancers as
discovered by the brca1 and brca2 gene.
Meet in Millennium Park on the sidewalk south of the Pritzker Pavilion Great
Lawn and north of the Lurie Garden Armature. This event is being done to honor
both National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (September) and National Breast Cancer
Awareness Month (October).
Look for Y-ME Illinois at Sunset Foods in October
Executive Director of Y-ME Illinois and 16-year breast cancer survivor Ruth Brody
will be appearing at Sunset Foods in Highland Park on Sunday, October 9th from
11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. to greet customers, promote breast cancer awareness
month and to invite people to Y-ME Illinois' 25th Annual Fashion Show & Luncheon.
Y-ME Illinois will also be selling raffle tickets to win a 2006 Silver Acura TL
(a two-year lease) courtesy of Joe Rizza Acura. Car raffle tickets cost only
$50.00 each - a maximum of 500 tickets will be sold.
Also on hand at Sunset Foods on October 9th will be Glenview resident, Past President
and founding member of Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization, Bonnie Lindenbaum
and Buffalo Grove resident and former board member of Y-ME National Breast Cancer
Organization Barry Weinberg. Sunset Foods is located at 1812 Green Bay Road (at
Central) in Highland Park, Illinois.
NCI and Y-ME Offer Support for Those in Need After Hurricanes Katrina & Rita
NCI's Web site, www.cancer.gov, now includes a Web portal to provide resources for cancer patients, their families,
and physicians who have been displaced due to the effects of Hurricanes Katrina
& Rita. This Web page includes links to vital information, including:
- Links for health professionals to volunteer through the Department of Health
and Human Services.
- A clinical trials search form to help displaced cancer patients on clinical trials
determine what specific trial they are participating in and to help them find
an alternative site to continue their treatment.
- The Cancer Information Service and its LiveHelp program, which offers online
assistance in English from Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Eastern Time.
- A link to ASCO's list of oncology practices, cancer centers, and hospitals.
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization is standing by to provide breast cancer information and emotional support to
anyone who needs it following the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
The Hotline is free, confidential and staffed entirely by trained and certified
breast cancer survivors. Interpreters are available in 150 languages. You can
dial 800-221-2141 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization is also collecting wigs & prostheses
for those who may have been affected by the recent hurricanes. Read more about Y-ME's efforts.
Opportunities to Participate in Research
Moving Forward: A Weight Loss Program for African-American Breast Cancer Survivors
Are you overweight and unhappy about it? Weight gain is a problem that many
women face during and after breast cancer treatment. Being overweight can negatively
affect your quality of life and recurrence risk. Moving Forward is a program that hopes to help African-American breast cancer survivors with
this problem. Losing weight is not easy. All women face many barriers. Moving Forward was developed based on feedback from African-American breast cancer survivors.
This program addresses eating and exercise patterns, as well as physical and emotional
barriers unique to those affected by breast cancer.
Researchers at UIC are hoping to see if Moving Forward can help women lose weight and feel better. If you are interested please call
Bernada Baker at 312-996-9213. (Please note you must be at least 6-months post-treatment with the exception
of endocrine treatments [i.e., Tamoxifen, Arimedex, etc.], Stage I, II or III
and overweight.)
Nutritional Counseling Study
Dr. Christy Tangney of Rush University Medical Center is recruiting women who
have had a diagnosis of breast cancer and are undergoing chemo or radiation therapy
to participate in a trial where all participants will receive nutritional counseling
and physical therapy to improve their strength and to maintain a healthy weight.
Eligibility: Females with breast cancer diagnosis, Stages 1, 2 or 3, older than 18. Participants
also must have access to computers and e-mail or Internet. Nutrition and physical
activity sessions will be conducted at the Rush University Outpatient Nutrition
clinic in either English or Spanish and/or online. Contact clinical_trials@rush.edu or ctangney@rush.edu or 312-942-5995 or 312-942-4760 if you are interested in participating.
NIH Study on Families and Breast Cancer
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University and the National Human Genome Research
Institute are conducting a study with families in which a woman has had breast
cancer. The goal of the study is to learn more about how women and their adolescent
children cope with breast cancer. You and your child may participate if you have
had breast cancer from three months to five years ago and your children were,
at the time of your treatment, between the ages of 12 and 20. More than one child
may participate. Participation is voluntary. Taking part involves filling out
surveys. It is estimated that surveys will take about 25 minutes to complete.
The surveys can be mailed to you, or may be completed online. The password to the website is "family."
For more information, contact Alissa Bovee toll free at 1-866-294-9078 or abovee@jhsph.edu, or contact Barbara Biesecker at 301-496-3979 or bbiesecker@mail.nih.gov.
Give Breast Cancer a Voice
Schlesinger Associates, a marketing research company, has an upcoming study dealing
with breast cancer. There is a need to develop better medical supplies and advance
chemotherapy drugs, and you developments. By taking part in our focus groups geared
toward breast cancer, you can give us the opinions and feedback we need to make
such critical advancements in the Oncology field. Our office is in the heart of
Magnificent Mile and we pay for parking. Come speak your mind and tell us about
Breast Cancer. Call us today.
Various times throughout the day are available. Cash honorarium ranging from
$75-$200 will be paid to people who qualify and participate. Food and beverages
are served. This is not for sales purposes, it is strictly for research.
If you are interested in participating in these or other studies, contact:
Schlesinger Associates, 625 N. Michigan Ave, Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60611
Y-ME ShareRing Network
A free, monthly one-hour teleconference, offered by Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization,
featuring a breast cancer related presentation by a medical professional followed
by a question and answer session. The call then ends with small discussion groups.
ShareRing Network Teleconference Schedule:
Wednesday, October 19, 2005, 7-8 PM
Topic: New Developments in Treatment for Postmenopausal Women with Early Breast
Cancer
Speaker: Clifford A. Hudis, M.D., Chief, Breast Cancer Medicine Service, Memorial
Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
To register, click here.
To read transcriptions of past ShareRing Network teleconferences, click here.
CancerCare Teleconference:
Friday, October 14, 2005, 1:00 pm CDT
Generosa Grana, MD; Joseph Lane, MD; and Pat Spicer, MSW
"Bone Health for Women Living with Breast Cancer"
Y-ME is a co-sponsor of this event
We also post additional events online:
Sunday, October 9, 2005
The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon
Cheer on the 2005 Pink Streak Team as they run 26.2 miles to ensure that no one
faces breast cancer alone. Good luck Pink Streakers! Visit the Pink Streak Team website.
Friday, October 21, 2005
National Mammography Day
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Healthy Living: A Breast Cancer Awareness Expo
St. Margaret Mercy
South Campus, 24 Joliet St., Dyer, IN
Y-ME Illinois partners with St. Margaret Mercy Hospital to raise breast cancer
awareness in Northwest Indiana.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Semi-Annual Aveda Y-ME Wellness Spa
Aveda Institute Chicago, 2828 N. Clark, Chicago, IL
All breast cancer survivors are welcome to attend this wellness event but preference
will be given to those women currently in treatment. For more information contact
Abby Drevs at (312) 364-9071 or adrevs@y-me.org.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
5 - 9 p.m.
Women and Cancer Survivorship: An Evening Symposium
Presented in conjunction with Loyola's Cardinal Bernadine Cancer Center
Hyatt McDonald's Lodge - Oakbrook, IL
An event dedicated to education and support for women who are cancer survivors.
This program will address issues that are important to all female cancer survivors,
including topics such as self-image after cancer, genetics, cancer treatment related health issues, etc. For more information call Y-ME Illinois at (312) 364-9071.
Saturday, October 29, 2005
10:30 a.m.
25th Annual Y-ME Illinois Fashion Show & Luncheon
Chicago Hilton and Towers, 720 S. Michigan Avenue
The silver anniversary of this signature Y-ME event that honors both survivors
and supporters promises to be the best yet - don't miss it! Learn more about
how you can be a part of the fashion show by visiting the 2005 Fashion Show webpage!
Saturday, November 12, 2005
10 a.m - 12:30 p.m.
A Young Breast Cancer Survivor's Event
Gilda's Club Chicago, 537 N. Wells
Y-ME Illinois partners with Gilda’s Club Chicago and the Young Survival Coalition
to shed light on young breast cancer survivors’ issues. Addressing topics specific
to young women facing breast cancer, this program is a reprise of a program produced
in February of 2004. An opportunity to network with other young women facing breast
cancer, this program will address the unique challenges that a breast cancer diagnosis
can bring when dealing with everyday issues such as intimacy, infertility, being single or just starting a family. For more information call Y-ME Illinois at (312) 364-9071.
December 1-4, 2005
One of a Kind Show and Sale
Merchandise Mart, open to the public
Tickets are $10 each
Friday, December 2 is Y-ME Illinois Day - $1.00 of each ticket sold will be donated
to Y-ME Illinois!
Y-ME Illinois merchandise makes GREAT gifts! Jewelry, hats, clothes, cards,
and teddy bears! Don't miss this opportunity to do your holiday shopping at the
One of a Kind Show. You'll find art and crafts from emerging and established
artists from all over the world. All price ranges represented. Y-ME Illinois
will have a pink booth at the event where Y-ME Illinois merchandise will be for
sale. We will also have an amazing silent auction with art donated by participating
One of a Kind Show artists. You're guaranteed a bargain.
Y-ME Illinois does not necessarily endorse the content listed below. We would
also like to remind our readers about the importance of reading reports regarding
the latest research with a critical eye. Reports are sometimes based on preliminary
results or based on small samples. It's also important to remember that "association"
does not equal "causation." Happy reading!
Epilepsy Drug Eases Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer Patients
Hot flashes, including sweating, palpitations and anxiety, are common side effects
in women receiving chemotherapy or hormone therapy for breast cancer. Now, researchers
say the epilepsy drug gabapentin, sold as Neurontin, can reduce hot flashes by
46 percent in women fighting the disease. Read more.
Study Shows Femara Treatment After Tamoxifen Therapy Cuts Risk of Breast Cancer's
Return
New research backs up earlier reports that the breast cancer drug Femara can
reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence by nearly 50% in women previously
treated with tamoxifen. Read more.
Digital Mammography Trial Results Announced
Women with Dense Breasts, Women Younger than 50, and Those Who are Perimenopausal
May Benefit from Digital Mammograms - Preliminary results from a large, clinical trial of digital vs. film mammography
show no difference in detecting breast cancer for the general population of women
in the trial. However, those women with dense breasts, who are pre- or perimenopausal
or who are younger than age 50 may benefit from having a digital rather than a
film mammogram. Read more.
Can Breast Cancer Surgery Nurture New Tumors?
Can removing a breast cancer cause rapid growth of tumors elsewhere in the body?
Yes, according to indirect evidence from a new analysis of clinical trial data.
The controversial theory comes from Michael Retsky, PhD, of Children's Hospital/Harvard
Medical School in Boston, and colleagues. Read more.
Familial Breast Cancer Doesn't Always Boost Ovarian Cancer Risk
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer but no evidence of breast
cancer gene mutations aren't at any increased risk of ovarian cancer, according
to a new study. Read more.
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Friday, October 21st is National Mammography Day!
Y-ME advises women over the age of 40 to get a screening mammogram every year.
October Way to Give
Treat yourself...to one of our great raffle prizes!
People who say they never win anything in raffles, never bought a ticket for
a Y-ME Illinois Fashion Show & Luncheon raffle! For only $10 a ticket (or
3 for $25), you could win one of a handful of amazing raffle items worth thousands
of dollars. For only $50, you can enter the limited car raffle, and drive home
in a new car. Only 500 tickets will be sold so your odds are great.
Winners need not be present to win.
Don't Miss the H&M Windows!
Stop by H&M at 840 N. Michigan Ave. and 22 N. State St. in Chicago from today
until October 9th to see the inspiring Y-ME Illinois window display! H&M
is proud to sponsor the Pink Streak marathon team, and to highlight the many faces
of breast cancer.
Designer Showcase House Viewing This Month!
October 14 - 28th
500 Volks Road, Northbrook
Monday-Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm
Sunday - 1-4 pm
Thursday - 10 am - 4 pm and 6-8 pm
*All proceeds benefit Y-ME Illinois.
Generous assistance from United Airlines helps to make many Y-ME Illinois Programs
& Events a success. Thank you United Airlines!
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