Publications > Newsletter
Winter 2009
Contents
FORCE Celebrates a Decade of Service
Raychel's Story: I Will Previve
Things I Wish My Mother Would Have Told Me
Linda Pedraza Memorial Scholarship Fund
(to search past issues of our newsletter)
FORCE Celebrates a Decade of Service
by Sue Friedman
New Year’s Day 2009 marks a special milestone for FORCE and for me. Twelve years ago when I went through cancer diagnosis and treatment and learned that my cancer was hereditary, I felt alone and scared. At a time when I should have been enjoying my marriage, a new baby, and a burgeoning career as a veterinarian, I was diagnosed “out of the blue” with breast cancer.
During treatment I learned that my breast cancer at age 33 was anything but out of the blue; instead it was caused by a BRCA2 mutation I inherited. Facing difficult decisions and trying to research my options, I had no trusted resource for all the information and support I needed. And so, on New Year’s Day 1999 I posted my first online message, inviting others who had a hereditary cancer or a BRCA mutation to join me. Within minutes I saw a response to my post on the message boards—that represented the first FORCE program, and with those initial keystrokes the FORCE community was born. In the ten years that followed I have made friends and connected
with a community that can only be described as my extended family.
A decade has gone by so quickly. We have grown into the foremost advocacy and support organization for our community. We have programs and resources that address every aspect of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, and reach community members across the country and around the world. And we have been a FORCE for change. Together with your help we have accomplished the extraordinary: we’ve put hereditary breast and ovarian cancer on the map.
FORCE participated in the advocacy efforts that led to passing of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, federal legislation that becomes effective this year to prohibit discrimination based on a genetic test. We were also staunch advocates for Johanna’s Law, which promotes education and awareness about ovarian cancer risks and symptoms. By introducing and promoting the label previvor, we created a forum for high-risk individuals and established their role as important stakeholders regarding cancer research and resources. By connecting with our community through our website, face-to-face groups, surveys, and annual conference, we are setting a national hereditary cancer research agenda with your input, to help guide our research collaborators.
Over the last decade we have educated hundreds of thousands of people about the latest advancements in cancer prevention, detection, treatment, breast reconstruction, and quality-of-life issues specific to hereditary cancer. Our in-person outreach has expanded to almost 50 groups. We provide the largest conference by and for the community affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.
With your future support and involvement, we will continue to grow and promote awareness, resources, education, research, advocacy, and support until the day we are no longer needed. As we frequently say on the FORCE message boards, we are sorry that members of our community have cause to need us, but we are very happy that you have found us, and that we are here for you.
Happy Anniversary, FORCE!
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