Download Bloom Issue 19
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Issue 19 February 2014 Reach to Recovery International - RRI Reach to Recovery International is committed to improving the quality of life for women with breast cancer and their families. Message from Cathy Hirsch President of Reach to Recovery International We preface this edition of Bloom the process of building a family may find to increase awareness of the issue and with sad news. It is with deep regret their dreams derailed by infertility, which to develop programs to help defray that we report the passing of the often accompanies cancer treatment. costs and provide emotional support. Honorable Jan Steyn, husband of In this edition of Bloom, we examine Reach to Recovery International’s the issues faced by survivors who hope Ashley Koenings and Jamie Hill, also of immediate past president, Ann Steyn. to have children after breast cancer. LIVESTRONG, address more specifically In this issue, we pay tribute to a truly the work being done by LIVESTRONG remarkable and accomplished man. There are a number of options Fertility and recount one of the available to those affected by infertility, organization’s many success stories. Breast cancer represents a major ranging from traditional adoption to interruption to any patient’s life. First surrogacy to making use of an egg or Up to seven percent of Australian comes the shock of diagnosis and embryo bank. Gwendolyn P. Quinn, women who are diagnosed with early the inevitable anxiety and fear. Once Ph.D., of the Moffitt Cancer Center stage breast cancer are under the age the diagnosis is absorbed, a flurry of provides a comprehensive overview of 40, and Breast Cancer Network activity follows: scheduling medical of the various alternatives and offers Australia is addressing the need to appointments; learning about surgery advice for patients to determine educate and support young patients and treatment options; weighing those which option is best for them. who may be facing fertility issues. BCNA, options and making decisions; notifying in collaboration with the University relatives, friends, and co-workers of LIVESTRONG Foundation works of New South Wales, has developed plans; making logistical arrangements so extensively with young adults who were a booklet to provide young patients our lives and those of our loved ones can diagnosed with cancer during their with clear and current information go on with as little disruption as possible. reproductive years. Emma Marquez, about cancer treatment and fertility. Then come the endurance tests of LBSW, and Anne Marie Norman of surgery and treatment. For most of us, LIVESTRONG report that more and Although uncommon, it is not unheard treatment does eventually end and, if more oncologists raise fertility concerns of for a woman to develop breast cancer we choose to do so, we can pick up our with patients prior to treatment, so that while pregnant. Understandably, such lives where we left off. Others, however, patients have the option of preserving an untimely diagnosis would create in cannot easily resume the lives they had gametes before fertility is affected. They the patient a great deal of confusion expected to lead. Young survivors who explain that LIVESTRONG Fertility and and conflict about treatment choices. have yet to start a family or are still in other leaders in the field work tirelessly continued on p. 3 Contents 04 Jan Steyn Remembrance; 09 2014: Galvanising efforts to Alternative Family Building achieve the World Cancer Options for Cancer Survivors Declaration Targets 05 Blind Faith – The Story of My Two 10 Scars with Blessings – Extending Beautiful Daughters My Dreams with Powerful Love 06 Fertility Preservation: Finding 11 Emerging international directions Hope for Building a Family in psycho-oncological care. 07 Personal story: Luba Osinceva; Supporting women affected by Breast cancer information and breast cancer with pregnancy and support – pregnancy, fertility, fertility issues young women and more 12 LIVESTRONG Fertility Program 08 Making fertility decisions after 13 A performancelife e.V. – empathy breast cancer; “Um Balão, Uma for and solidarity with people Vida” (A Balloon, a Life) suffering from cancer 14 Global Kitchen Email your bloom submissions! Email your bloom submissions! The theme of the next edition will be Returning to work after cancer. Submissions close 18 April 2014. Please send submissions in Microsoft Word format with any photos to [email protected] Reach to Recovery International is a program of the Union for International Cancer Control and is administered by Cancer Council Queensland. Bloom is published by Reach to Recovery We respectfully acknowledge International. Contributions to Bloom are welcome, the Indigenous women of our please email [email protected]. global community, the traditional For more information about RRI, go to custodians of our environment. www.reachtorecoveryinternational.org. 02 Message from Cathy Hirsch continued from p. 2 Breast Cancer UK reports in this (UICC), updates us on the refreshed World edition of Bloom that it has developed Cancer Declaration that was launched web-based text and fact sheets in November 2013 at the World Cancer specifically tailored to these patients. All Leader’s Summit in Capetown, South are free and easily accessible online. Africa. The Declaration sets forth 9 targets that support one overarching goal: “There Two Bloom readers share their personal will be major reductions in premature stories about starting families after breast deaths from cancer, and improvements in cancer treatment. Mrs. Daren Gowen of quality of life and cancer survival rates.” Capetown, South Africa was a young, unmarried teacher when she learned she The International Pyscho-Oncology had breast cancer and would have to Society turns 30 this year and undergo chemotherapy. She worried that Professor Jeff Dunn, Chair of Reach she would never marry and that, in light to Recovery International’s Board of [email protected] of her cancer history, she could not – or Management, reflects on the progress Cathy Hirsch even should not – have children. Years the IPOS has made in integrating later, Mrs. Gowen reflects on her journey quality psycho-social care into routine and reveals a “happily ever after” ending. clinical oncology practice. Professor annual celebration in Portugal. Each Dunn further maps out challenges and year on Portugal’s national day of breast Similarly, Xiuman Wu of Taiwan was opportunities for the way forward. cancer prevention, thousands of pink only 27 when she was diagnosed with balloons – each representing a new stage III breast cancer. Only a year We receive a preview of the 16th World case of breast cancer expected to be after her chemotherapy ended, Xiuman Congress of Psycho-Oncology and diagnosed that year – are released and her husband were surprised by an Psychosocial Academy from the Chair into the air over five cities. The event unplanned pregnancy. The couple’s of the Congress, Luzia Travado. The is called “Um Balao, Uma Vide,” or “A concerns for both Xiuman’s health and Congress will be held in Lisbon, Portugal Balloon, A Life.” This past October 30th, the health of the unborn child proved this year from October 22nd to October 5,000 pink balloons were released. unfounded: nine months later a thriving 24th. The main theme will be “Integrating baby girl was born, and three more Psycho-Oncology into mainstream From our Global Kitchen, Mary Hemrajani children eventually followed. Xiuman cancer care: from research to action.” of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer considers the children to be four of Foundation shares a delicious and healthy many blessings she has received. Siglinde Kallnbach and Marianne recipe for Turkey Bites, which can be Koch of Cologne, Germany report that served as an appetizer or main course. Luba Osinceva shares another Kallnbach’s participatory performance perspective: that of a parent whose art creation, “a performancelife e.V.,” We anticipate making an announcement strength to battle breast cancer was was presented earlier this month at the soon on the 18th Reach to Recovery fueled by her desire to see her daughter carnival/parade in Cologne-Ehrenfeld. International Breast Cancer Support into adulthood. Luba was diagnosed with The evolving performance is designed Conference. We look forward to stage IV breast cancer when her daughter to show empathy for and solidarity sharing the location and dates of the was only 6 years old. That was 15 years with those who are fighting cancer. conference with you on the Reach ago and, today, Luba is still going strong! to Recovery International website. Sofia Abreu, the National Coordinator In other matters, our parent organization, of Movimento Vencer e Viver, fills us the Union for International Cancer Control in on an event that has become an Join Now! Become part of the Reach to Recovery International Network The Reach to Recovery International (RRI) Network seeks to improve Attention existing RRI member the quality of life for women with breast cancer and their families by organisations - please submit nurturing volunteer peer support and promoting other services to meet the new application form to their needs, such as advocacy and consumer involvement in research. keep your membership active!! Please visit www.reachtorecoveryinternational.org for more information and to download the membership application. 03 Jan Steyn Remembrance It is with deep sadness that to accompany him. During the visit, an appointed Jan to chair an independent Bloom reports the passing of the inmate reported to the judges that the trust to assist in the political transition. Honorable Jan Hendrik Steyn, prison commander tolerated regular Jan continued to steer the trust for the husband of our beloved immediate assaults upon the prisoners by guards. next six years, guiding it through the past president, Ann Steyn. The commander attempted to silence ultimate abolishment of apartheid. Once the inmate by threatening him, but the job was completed, Jan was able to the judges insisted that the inmate be return to the bench.