Author Archive

A UCSF breast surgeon and a UT/San Antonio urological oncologist comment on an article about the danger of overdiagnosis in most cancers and the need for better screening and diagnostic methods.  This is an intelligent discussion on why “breast cancer awareness” is actually harmful.  This is from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute: http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/djq119v1 KL

Breast cancer advocates from across the country are questioning the “taste” of Komen’s new partnership campaign with KFC.  This NPR piece is an excellent review of the controversy. Cluck, that is, click on this link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/04/breast_cancer_awareness_in_a_b.html KL

A breast cancer vaccine currently in clinical trials has been haulted due to a serious side effect announced  on Tuesday by Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany, and its U.S. affiliate, EMD Serono, Inc..

“The suspension affects the Phase 3 clinical program for Stimuvax, including the START and INSPIRE trials in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the STRIDE trial in breast cancer. Further recruitment of patients into all trials actively recruiting patients and ongoing treatment with Stimuvax in these trials are suspended.”

Read more: http://www.biospace.com/news_story.aspx?NewsEntityId=174661 KL

On February 21st and 22nd  Dave Graybill and his “Pink Heals” fire truck will join the softball players and Bosom Buddies volunteers at the 5^th Annual Invitational Women’s Softball Tournament on Feb 20 & 21. The event will be at Liberty Field, Kuentz Recreation Center on R.H. Johnson Blvd., Sun City West from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Bosom Buddies Senior Women’s Softball Tournament will raise unds to support all the Bosom Buddies programs.

Ken Skinner, the softball players and Kathy Zeitz interviewed on the Channel 3 promotion.

Dave Graybill and the pink fire truck will be at the tournament.

Join the players and have fun at the tournament!

If anyone needs more information than is available on our site, we highly recommend the following site.

www.knowbreastcancer.org

Urgent Alert!    Urgent Alert!    Urgent Alert!    Urgent Alert!    Urgent Alert!    Urgent Alert!

We need your immediate activism! The DOD BCRP is in serious jeopardy!

As most of you know, statutory language has been included in the House passed FY 2010 Defense Appropriations bill to interfere with the way the program operates. The language would severely limit the ability of the DOD Peer-reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program to include the most qualified members from the scientific, clinician and consumer communities on the Integration Panel.

Our goal is to have Chairman Murtha hear from all of us that this is unacceptable! The language must be deleted and we need you and your networks to contact Defense Appropriations Chairman John Murtha with the following message:

“Chairman Murtha, don’t destroy the DOD Breast Cancer Research Program that
you helped to build. Take out the language!”

CALL (202.225.2065) AND FAX (202.225.5709) TODAY AND TOMORROW. Do both and get at least 10 others to do the same.

It has never been more important for you to make your voices heard loud and clear. Please act immediately to save the DOD BCRP!

Thank you.  Fran Visco

WE Need You!

LEE NATIONAL DENIM DAY Is Friday, October 2, 2009. Bosom Buddies of Arizona will receive scientific training scholarship funds from the National Breast Cancer Coalition for our breast cancer advocates if you follow the steps below!

Please sign up to start your own team. Gather friends, family, and everyone who cares about breast cancer to help raise vital funds for research and advocacy.

TO START YOUR TEAM TODAY:

© GO TO www.DenimDay.com

© SELECT Participate and then Register a New Team

© SELECT your team type, Corporate or Non-Corporate, and follow the onscreen instructions.

PLEASE NOTE: You must select National Breast Cancer Coalition when asked “How did you hear about Lee National Denim Day?”

and

you must write in Bosom Buddies of AZ when asked “Name of NBCC Representative who recruited you.”

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE PLEASE CONTACT THE BOSOM BUDDIES OF AZ OFFICE AT 602.265.2776 OR INFO@BOSOMBUDDIES-AZ.ORG.

Three major breast cancer advocacy groups,  Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the Young Survival Coalition and The Breast Cancer Network of Strength, are supporting legislation(HR 1740, the EARLY Act) pending before Congress.   The legislation proposes teaching breast self-exams to high school students.  After reading an article on The Cancer Letter’s website, the question that must be asked is “why?”

In an accompanying letter by Dr. Leslie Bernstein, she makes a a strong case against the EARLY Act.  She states:

The National Breast Cancer Coalition also makes a very academic appeal to reconsider the EARLY Act. With so many people not having access to care, why would any organization advocate spending nearly $50 million on questionable educational practices that affect only a small segment of women diagnosed with breast cancer. There are many erroneous assumptions in this legislation. Read the article on The Cancer Letter’s website linked below and see if you don’t agree.

It is with a great deal of sadness that we must announce the deaths of two stellar members of the Bosom Buddies of Arizona family.  Both Lillian Freburger and Jackie Pettycrew served BBA for many years.

Lillian Freburger was Bosom Buddies president for the past six years.  She relinquished the role in February 2009, serving as Immediate Past President afterward and was the chief administrator of the clothing drop box program, our major fundraiser.   Bosom Buddies realized much growth under her leadership, bringing her business skills to improve the organization in many ways.  During Lillian’s tenure, outreach and communication, education, fundraising, leadership at the national level, and a major re-branding effort were all improved, updated, and/or accomplished.

Two months before she died, she attended a city council meeting in Goodyear where an initiative was being introduced that would have severely curtailed our income from the clothing drop boxes.  When told she would have to come to the podium in order to speak, the wheelchair bound Lillian having endured years of chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer informed the town council they could hear her “just fine” from where she sat.  In her inimitable way she was able to convince the council how vital these funds are to organizations like Bosom Buddies who serve the needs of people like herself.  The initiative did not pass!

Lillian will be missed for her thoughtful, kind, and efficient manner.  She will continue to serve as an inspiration for all of us to have hope and courage when facing adversity, as she did so well.

Jackie Pettycrew was a long-time member of Bosom Buddies who wore many hats in the early years of Bosom Buddies.   She had a career in advertising and marketing, working for the Arizona Republic and the Phoenix Gazette.  She formed her own promotions and marketing firm and was a brilliant writer and editor.   Jackie lent these skills to many volunteer organizations and BBA was one blessed to receive her talents.

In the 1980’s she joined the fledgling group of professional women who saw a need to reach out to those diagnosed with breast cancer.   Her professional skills helped to promote Bosom Buddies, create and maintain a hotline, and develop group support sites throughout Greater Phoenix.  She did the newsletters and would take on any tasks that needed her skills.   Jackie was a member of the “Survivors” who extended their support beyond their time and talents to include their pocketbooks.

Jackie maintained her membership and support of BBA until her death and will be greatly missed by those lucky enough to have known her.

We mourn the passing of these two great women and express our sincere condolences to their family members and friends.

Written by Karen Lewkowitz