This blog will cover topics of interest that affect our community. Unless otherwise stated, the blog articles will be written by Sue Friedman, Executive Director of FORCE.
Anniversaries are a time to celebrate, reflect, remember years past and to be hopeful for the future. New Year’s is always a nostalgic time for FORCE, as it is for many people, but the upcoming holiday is especially auspicious, because FORCE and our hereditary cancer community will turn 20! After two decades of raising awareness, … + read more
I agonized for years over whether to have a double mastectomy after I found out I have a BRCA2 mutation. I couldn’t get past the idea that I would be removing my breasts to reduce my risk of a disease I didn’t have — and may never get. My book, Probably Someday Cancer: Genetic Risk … + read more
by Sue Friedman Happy 20th anniversary to FORCE and our community! I founded FORCE on New Year’s Eve, 1998, just a few strokes before midnight. It had been a year of great personal challenge and change for me. I was 35, had just completed treatment for recurrent breast cancer, learned I had a BRCA2 mutation, … + read more
by Sue Friedman Many people mistakenly believe that genetic testing for inherited mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, Lynch Syndrome, and other genes is only appropriate for people with many cases of cancer in their family. National guidelines—based on the latest research—state otherwise. There are situations where a single case of cancer in a family is enough … + read more
by Lisa Schlager This issue of “Where’s FORCE” features an overview of the many places FORCE staff and volunteers have been in the recent months. July and August NRG Oncology is a nonprofit research organization formed to conduct oncologic clinical research and to broadly disseminate study results for informing clinical decision making and healthcare policy. … + read more
By Marcy Rubic, VP of Leadership Gifts What are you thankful for this season? At FORCE, we are thankful for our generous supporters. Because of YOUR dedication and support, FORCE helps tens of thousands of families affected by hereditary cancer each year and makes lifesaving resources available to so many more. Every person who is … + read more
by Lisa Schlager “Where’s FORCE” features an overview of the many places our staff and volunteers have been and the many ways we have spoken out for the community in the past couple of months. May “Financial Toxicity” is a term used to describe the impact of health care costs on patients and their families. … + read more
by Sue Friedman Half of all people with an inherited BRCA, ATM, CHEK2, PALB2 or other mutation associated with HBOC are men. Nevertheless, the majority of awareness, research, and resources have focused on genetic testing in women. A recent article in JAMA highlights this disparity in BRCA testing between men and women. Emerging information on … + read more
by Lisa Schlager “Where’s FORCE” highlights the ongoing efforts of FORCE staff and volunteers on behalf of the community. March As a member of the Bayer Oncology Patient Advocacy Advisory Council (PAAC), FORCE Vice President of Public Policy Lisa Schlager joined representatives from other advocacy groups and Bayer to review project proposals submitted by nonprofit … + read more
By Karen Kramer, Senior Vice President of Marketing We have some exciting news to share! Non-profit evaluator Charity Navigator has awarded FORCE our first 4-star rating. This is their highest possible rating and indicates that we exceed industry standards in a financially responsible way. Charity Navigator bases its ratings on non-profits’ financial health and commitment … + read more
by Karen Kramer, FORCE Senior VP of Marketing “It’s a beautiful day to save lives.” That phrase was often said by Patrick Dempsey’s character—Dr. Derek Shepherd (aka “McDreamy”)—on Grey’s Anatomy. It is a statement that resonates with me and has been a guiding principle for FORCE since the organization’s founding in 1999 by Sue Friedman, … + read more
by Kristín Hannesdóttir and Anna Margrét Bjarnadóttir On March 10th, BRCA Iceland hosted its first international conference. Sue Friedman, Executive Director, Founder of FORCE, was the keynote speaker. In June 2017, we attended the FORCE conference in Orlando. We barely knew each other at the time, but we are both BRCA2 carriers, have lost several … + read more
by Lisa Schlager Throughout the year, FORCE staff and volunteers participate in a variety of conferences, workshops, steering committee meetings, and more on behalf of the hereditary cancer community. This “Where’s FORCE” feature covers the early part of 2018. January January marked the start of the New Year, and renewed focus on issues that impact … + read more
by Jennifer Hintz Note: Jennifer’s story was submitted in response to our recent XRAY review published July 2017: Can Breast Cancer Come Back? If you have would like to submit a blog post related to one of our XRAYS articles, please contact medhas@facingourrisk.org. I was thrilled to finally hear the words from my oncologist: “You’ve done … + read more
Our helpline offers peer support for people concerned about hereditary cancer. All calls are confidential. Call any time.
FORCE has outreach groups throughout the United States and in Essex, United Kingdom that meet periodically to offer peer support, and share resources.
