PATIENT ADVOCATE MEETS WITH CONGRESSWOMAN SUSAN DAVIS PRIOR TO SEPTEMBER “OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH”
Rep. Susan Davis and Peg Ford
Peg Ford, three and a half year ovarian cancer survivor and patient advocate, met recently with Congresswoman Susan Davis to discuss women’s health issues and her involvement as volunteer facilitator in San Diego of the “Survivors Teaching Students: Saving Women’s Lives” Program of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. Peg attended the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance’s annual Advocacy Day, where she lobbied Members of Congress in support of increased funding for ovarian cancer research and awareness program. Unfortunately Congresswoman Davis was in San Diego but did not hesitate to arrange to meet with Peg in her San Diego office even with having to dash back to Washington DC for an important vote.
“Survivors Teaching Students” Program (STS) Peg successfully launched at UCSD School of Medicine for third year medical students in December of 2008. She takes ovarian cancer survivors right into the classroom to share their stories to give ovarian cancer a human face and voice with the goal to increase their awareness of symptoms and risk factors for the early detection of ovarian cancer. Further, she has teamed up with the esteemed Gynecologic Oncologist, Dr. Afshin Bahador, to present as part of his Grand Rounds to practicing physicians at various Scripps Healthcare and Sharp Healthcare Hospitals in the San Diego area.
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic cancer and one of the five leading causes of cancer deaths among women in the United States. Currently, there is no screening test for the early detection of ovarian cancer and unfortunately the majority of ovarian cancer cases are caught at Stage III and Stage IV after the cancer has spread. In addition the overall five year survival rate is poor, only 45%. However, the good news is when the cancer is caught early survival rates greatly improve to over 90% for early stage disease. Until there is a screening test for ovarian cancer, we have to rely on the awareness of medical doctors in all fields.
Congresswoman Davis knows the importance of the scientific funding for ovarian cancer research and has shown her strong support by signing the letter in support of $30 million in FY11 for this vital effort to maintain current research and expand innovative investigations into early detection and screening tools. Peg felt privileged and honored to participate for a second year as a Consumer Reviewer of the Department of Defense Congressionally-Directed Medical Review Panel (CDMRP) for ovarian cancer funding FY09 and FY10.
Congresswoman Davis is also a cosponsor of the Johanna’s Law Reauthorization: The Gynecologic Cancer Education and Awareness Act (HR 2941). This ensures more women and health professionals learn to identify the signs and symptoms of gynecological cancers and understand the importance of regular pelvic exams. She did cosponsor Johanna’s Law in the 109th Congress in 2007. In addition, they discussed clinical trials and reminisced about their participation in Breast Cancer Walks. Representative Davis participated when it was the Avon Walk and Peg walked 60 miles in San Diego for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Three Day in 2003.
Besides facilitating the STS Program, Peg is a member of the Core Planning Group (CPG) of the California Ovarian Cancer Network Program (COCNP), sponsor of the Teal Impact 2010 Ovarian Cancer Symposium in Sacramento recently. She also feels very fortunate to have been selected as a 2010 Scholar in Research Advocacy Network’s (RAN) “Focus on Research Class” Course. The purpose of “Focus on Research” is to prepare advocates to better understand research findings and to disseminate those findings to a patient community that will influence patient care. Additionally, she is the Patient Advocate Member of the Editorial Board of The Oncology Nurse and Journal of Multidisciplinary Cancer Care Magazines and a Consumer Reviewer for The Cochrane Collaboration.
