Voices Newsletter                June 2015   


MBCN President Shirley Mertz

One Person CAN Make a Difference! 

Holley Kitchen's viral video tells her metastatic breast cancer story...and is informing people around the world about Stage IV breast cancer. Since being posted on June 5, the video been seen by millions. You can watch it on YouTube here.   

 

And many more people saw Holley and her metastatic breast cancer video on Good Morning America today. You can see the GMA clip here.  

 

"My main goal is to educate people," Holley told PEOPLE.com. The other Thursday night right before dinner, she decided to make a video on her iPhone--she thought maybe 1,000 people would see it. She never dreamed it would be so widely shared.

Holley's video shows what one person can do. Holley did a great job of educating herself about metastatic breast cancer. She is obviously very familiar with " The 13 Facts Everyone Should Know About Metastatic Breast Cancer."  

 

We love Holley's term for someone living with metastatic breast cancer: #lifer. You can find  Holley's group Facebook page here. Thank you,  Holley,  for the shout out to MBCN.org at the very end of the video. But most of all, thank you for taking the time to tell our metastatic story. 

 

Wishing you well every day,

 

Shirley

 
Good to Know. . .
We just learned about a free app that reportedly makes it easy for patients and caregivers to let family and friends know how they can lend a hand. It''s called STANDWITH. Users can list tasks that need to get done, remind people what they have signed up to do and send text, picture and video updates. If you have tried it, let us know what you think. Drop us a line at  mbcn@mbcn.org.

Upcoming Events
 
SHARE Webinar: Chemotherapy, Bone Strengthening Drugs, and Oral Care, How Are They Related?

Monday, June 22, 2015    12:30-1:30 pm

 

Dr. Lauren Levi will discuss the oral manifestations of chemotherapy and anti-resorptive medications often administered to patients with metastatic breast and ovarian cancer to bone.  Dr. Levi delivers comprehensive oral care to cancer patients and understands individual dental needs resulting from these treatments.  Q&A period to follow.

Register HERE. 


  

 

 SHARE Webinar: Report from ASCO: What's Happening in Metastatic Breast Cancer Research and Treatment?  

Wednesday, June 24, 2015  12:30-1:30 pm


Dr. Don S. Dizon will present news from the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).  Topics will include different treatment modalities as well as studies presented at ASCO 2015. This webinar is in collaboration with the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network.   

Register HERE. 

Email rsvp@sharecancersupport.org or call (212) 719-2943

 

October 16-17, 2015 in Boston
MBCN's 9th Annual Conference
2015 Metastatic Breast Cancer Forum
Susan F. Smith Center at Dana Farber Cancer Institute
REGISTRATION OPENING SOON
 
On The Road With MBCN...
Shirley in Chicago
Thanks to our Chicago friends who came by to visit with MBCN's Shirley Mertz and Katherine O'Brien at last weekend's  Silver Lining Foundation Metastatic Event. We heard presentations from Loyola's Dr. Kathy Albain and Northwestern's Dr. William Gradishar. Q&A with the audience followed.

A few days later Shirley joined MBCN's Ginny Knackmuhs in New York for a Metastatic Breast Cancer Meet Up organized by SHARE and Memorial Sloan Kettering. We had great company, great food and some great presenations. You can listen to the audio portion of Dr. Hudis' presentation ("New Developments in the Medical Treatment of Breast Cancer") and see his slides online here.
 
Sandra's Story: Living With Mets for 17 Years
Sandra volunteers at an animal shelter every week

Sandra Spivey 

Southern California 

 

Age at metastatic diagnosis (1998): 45

Current age (2015): 62 

 




I've been living with stage 4 breast cancer since 1998. 

That Thanksgiving was like a Three Stooges movie.  I told my mom about my diagnosis when we were alone, then my middle sister came in and wanted to know what was going on, followed by my eldest sister.  When we opened the door to come out, the entire family just froze.  My niece spilled red wine on my newly installed cream carpet and I totally forgot to make mashed potatoes.

I continued to work the first 10 years after my stage 4 diagnosis and got involved in my local Y-Me chapter along with the 3-Day Breast Cancer walk.  I believe the exercise from training for the 3-Day walk helped me stay strong for the therapies ahead of me and may have even extended my life, as did the support of my parents, my husband and my other family members.  

 

 
MBCN is a national, independent, nonprofit, all volunteer, patient-led advocacy organization dedicated to the unique concerns of the women and men living with metastatic breast cancer. We strive to help those living with metastatic breast cancer be their own best advocate through providing education and information on treatments and coping with the disease.

© 2015 Metastatic Breast Cancer Network. All rights reserved.

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