Resources for Ovarian Cancer Patients and Survivors

Your Community Gynecological Cancer Support Group

Your Community Gynecological Cancer Support Group welcomes all gyn cancer survivors to our monthly support group meetings! You will meet survivors who know what you are going through! You will be surrounded with support, understanding and love!

Please join us by calling or emailing:

National Cancer Institute

The National Cancer Institute has recently released its booklet, “Facing Forward for Life After Cancer“, which has practical tips about:

• Questions to ask your oncology team about follow-up care and screenings.
• Requesting your Treatment Summary and Survivorship Care Plan to share with your primary care physician and other providers.
• Managing physical changes and ongoing side effects of treatment
• Changes within families and relationships
• Addressing workplace, legal and financial matter

Click here to view the Booklet.

The following are organizations that provide resources for both cancer patients and survivors.

• American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
  The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer through research, education, communication, and collaboration. Through its programs and services, the AACR fosters research in cancer and related biomedical science; accelerates the dissemination of new research findings among scientists and others dedicated to the conquest of cancer; promotes science education and training; and advances the understanding of cancer etiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment throughout the world.
• American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
  ASCO promotes and provides for lifelong learning for oncology professionals; cancer research; an improved environment for oncology practice; access to quality cancer care; a global network of oncology expertise; and educated and informed patients with cancer. ASCO is supported by its affiliate organization, the Conquer Cancer Foundation, which funds ground-breaking research and programs that make a tangible difference in the lives of people with cancer. ASCO is a professional oncology society committed to conquering cancer through research, education, prevention and delivery of high-quality patient care.
• Consumers United for Evidence-based Healthcare (CUE) United States Cochrane Center
  A center of the Cochrane Collaboration Consumers United for Evidence-based Healthcare (CUE) is a national coalition of health and consumer advocacy organizations committed to empowering consumers to make the best use of evidence-based healthcare (EBHC). CUE, organized in 2003 when the United States Cochrane Center (USCC) invited advocacy groups to join a consumer advocate-scientist partnership, is a pioneering effort to improve consumers’ ability to engage in and demand high quality healthcare.
• EBRNetwork – www.ebrnetwork.org
  The aim of the EBRNetwork is to reduce waste in research by promoting; • no new studies without prior systematic review of existing evidence, • efficient production, updating and dissemination of systematic reviews. A number of studies show that researchers, research funders, regulators, sponsors and publishers of research fail to use earlier research when preparing to start, fund, regulate, sponsor or publish the results of new studies. To embark on a research without systematically reviewing the evidence of what is already known, particularly when the research involves people or animals, is unethical, unscientific, and wasteful.
• Foundation for Women’s Cancer – www.foundationforwomenscancer.org
  The Foundation offers many awareness, educational, and fundraising programs as well as comprehensive information about gynecologic cancer risk prevention, early detection, and optimal treatments provided by gynecologic oncologists and other healthcare experts.
• Guidelines International Network (G-I-N) – www.g-i-n.net
  G-I-N offers partnership opportunities for guideline organizations, assists in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare guideline development, and promotes best practices through opportunities for learning and the establishment of standards. G-I-N/North America provides a community for North American guideline users, developers, and other stakeholders to form partnerships and discuss regional guideline issues.
• Doris A. Howell Foundation for Women’s Health Research – http://www.howellfoundation.org/ 
  The Doris A. Howell Foundation for Women’s Health Research funds undergraduate scientists in their relevant research and educates women to be catalysts for better family health. A core belief of The Howell Foundation is that women are usually the nucleus for their families’ health and by “Keeping the Women We Love Healthy” we can make a measurable difference in so many lives.
  The Foundation hosts educational events on key topics affecting women and strives to promote the importance of women being their own healthcare advocates.
• National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) – www.breastcancerdeadline2020.org
  Breast cancer continues to take lives, and decades of screening have not changed that fact significantly. This year, more than 522,000 (GloboCan 2012) women worldwide will die of breast cancer. In the United States alone, 39,620 women and 410 men will die of breast cancer (ACS 2013-2014). To renew the sense of urgency to its mission and refocus global efforts on ending breast cancer and saving lives, the National Breast Cancer Coalition set a deadline. Breast Cancer Deadline 2020®: We will know how to end breast cancer by January 1, 2020.
• National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) – www.ovarian.org
  The Coalition is committed to improving the survival rate and quality of life for women with ovarian cancer. Through national programs and local chapter initiatives, NOCC’s goal is to make more people aware of the early symptoms of the disease. In addition, NOCC provides information to assist the newly diagnosed patient as well as hope and support to survivors and caregivers.
• OCRA (Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance) – ocrahope.org
  (CASD is a partner member)To promote, advocate for and support scientific research as it relates to the causes, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure for ovarian cancer; to provide education about ovarian cancer; to promote, advocate for and provide supportive services to persons affected by ovarian cancer; and to foster alliances to further those purposes.
• Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) – www.patientadvocate.org
  PAF advocates and mediates on behalf of patients to provide access to evolving therapies, therapeutic agents, and devices. Professional patient assistance is offered by telephone, email, or live web chat. PAF’s free My Resource Search app is an easy-to-use tool for healthcare, financial, and insurance help that allows both insured and uninsured patients to identify the community and national programs that can assist in their healthcare needs.
• Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) – www.pcori.org
  The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) helps people make informed healthcare decisions, and improves healthcare delivery and outcomes, by producing and promoting high integrity, evidence-based information that comes from research guided by patients, caregivers and the broader healthcare community.
• Sense about Science USA – www.senseaboutscienceusa.org
  Sense about Science is an independent campaigning charity that challenges the misrepresentation of science and evidence in public life. We advocate openness and honesty about research findings, and work to ensure the public interest in sound science and evidence is recognised in public discussion and policymaking.
• Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) – www.sgo.org
  With more than 1700 domestic and international members, SGO is the premier medical specialty society for healthcare professionals trained in the comprehensive management of gynecologic cancers. SGO contributes to the advancement of women’s cancer care by promoting research, providing education, raising standards of practice, advocating for patients and members, and collaborating with other national and global organizations.