Publications > Newsletter
Fall 2006
Contents
Break the Silence
BRCA Testing: When Negative Results May Still Mean High Risk
Coping with Risk and Family Dynamics
Diet & Other Lifestyle Factors
New Book for Women Considering Ovarian Cancer Risk-Reducing Surgery
(to search past issues of our newsletter)
Break the Silence
by Jane Langridge
In May of this year we launched the new face of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) to expand our reach and capture the attention of today’s women. We’ve designed a new logo, website, and educational materials with a contemporary look and feel to better educate and inform women and their families.
We also launched the Coalition’s first national media campaign called Break the Silence. Based on market research that revealed widespread misconceptions about prevention and diagnosis, our overall goals are to jumpstart public dialogue and increase general knowledge of early signs and symptoms in hopes of improving survival rates. To set the stage and motivate the media to champion our cause, it was essential to provide reporters with hard facts establishing what we all know is true— that knowledge and discussion of ovarian cancer symptoms among women is virtually nonexistent.
As a result of a Break the Silence media tour, campaign messages have reached more than 3.5 million television viewers and interviews from a teleconference have resulted in extensive media coverage. Throughout the summer and fall, popular women’s magazines such as Glamour, Family Circle and Healthy Living will run articles on ovarian cancer.
Ovarian Cancer Awareness month will see the next phase of the Break the Silence campaign with the launch of a national PSA starring NOCC’s first celebrity spokesperson, Eva La Rue, whose grandmother and great-grandmother died of ovarian cancer. Currently, Eva is lead actress on CBS’ hit show CSI: Miami and is a frequent correspondent on the entertainment show Extra. She is best known for her two-time Emmy winning role as Dr. Maria Santos on ABC’s All My Children.
We hope these activities, along with all our other programs, and the activities of our 80 divisions and friends at FORCE, really will help Break the Silence on this deadly disease. For more information on the Break the Silence campaign and to download a “Conversation Starter” visit www.ovarian.org.
After serving on the NOCC Board of Directors since 1999, Jane Langridge became Chief Executive Officer in 2005. She has over 20 years of oncology experience from working both in the health care sector and the pharmaceutical arena.
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