Thursday, July 22, 2010

Asking for Your Help with Advocacy of Hereditary Cancers

I am appealing to everyone's good nature to help in a way that is at no cost at all and can help so many people across the country. By taking just a few moments of your day, you can help get the necessary cosponsors to help pass HR#1522. So far, we still need 80 of the 100 needed. The last week in September will be designated Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week with that Wednesday being Previvor Day.

To help out with the text of your email, here is what I sent based on the suggested email on the FORCE page:

Sample eMail to your Representative:

Dear Representative Schwartz:

I am writing to urge you to sign on as a co-sponsor of the legislation to establish Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week, HR#1522, introduced by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL).

The legislation calls for designating the last week of September as “National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week” and Wednesday of that week as “National Previvor Day.”

HBOC Week and Previvor Day will raise awareness of hereditary cancer, leading to more education, research and resources. Knowledge of a genetic predisposition to cancer, available risk management and treatment options can save lives!

I carry the BRCA1 mutation. I lost my Grandmother, Father and Cousin to this disease before we knew anything about BRCA and it’s effects. The knowledge I gained about this disease allowed me to take steps that have significantly reduced my risk. I want to make sure ALL women (and men) have that knowledge.

If you are willing to co-sponsor this bill, please contact Coby Dolan (Coby.Dolan@mail.house.gov) or Danielle Gilbert (Danielle.Gilbert@mail.house.gov) at Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz's office.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Beth Cohen


Feel free to adjust it as you see fit. This bill, when passed, will enable so much more research, education and funding to be made available and will help SAVE lives!

Once again, I am thanking all of you in advance for your help. I am grateful to FORCE and its members for being there for me every step of the way to help me deal with the BRCA2 gene mutation that has affected me and my family.

Here is what you need to do:
Follow the link at the bottom of the page to go to the FORCE Advocacy page to read about the bill and its details. While there, FORCE also provides a link to find the email contact for your Representative.

FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered -- Hereditary, Genetic Breast or Ovarian Cancer and BRCA Issues

Love and Hugs,

Beth

Friday, July 16, 2010

Beauty and the Breast: empowering portraits of women who have had mastectomies

I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to know that I carry the BRCA2 genetic mutation. I am very lucky that with today's medical advances I could have the prophylactic surgeries to help prevent breast and ovarian cancers so that I can live a long and full life with my family and friends. Moreover, I am so happy to be able to call these brave and wonderful women who volunteered for this project, my friends and fellow BRCA Sisters through FORCCE, Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (www.facingourrisk.org). Last and by no means least, I am grateful and truly one of the luckiest women on Earth to have my husband, Larry, who still sees me as a sexy and lovely woman and makes me feel as loved as I love him!


Beauty and the Breast: empowering portraits of women who have had mastectomies

If you feel as I do about this project, please help FORCE and donate what you can so they can continue to help women and men around the world deal with hereditary cancers.

Love and hugs,
Beth

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

'Conference Recap, Hilton Head Week, Upcoming Webinar and More'

'Conference Recap, Hilton Head Week, Upcoming Webinar and More'

Glad you all have a chance to review the highlights of the 5th Annual Joining FORCES Conference. I was not able to be there this year but looking forward to attending in 2011!

Love and hugs,
Beth