KATRINKA bc survivors / chemo connection

AlaskaAngel

KEY PORTION OF MESSAGE: At this time, if your cancer care was abruptly interrupted and if you need to find medical care near your new location, please call Dr. Maitland Deland at: 1-800-237-2057. She has been a breast cancer doctor in that area for over twenty years and is already in contact with a large number of doctors and support services.

MESSAGE IN ITS ENTIRETY:

Dear breastcancer.org Community Member:

The world is shocked by the devastation and destruction the people in the Gulf Coast States of the United States are struggling to endure in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The citizens of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are facing unimaginable challenges. We at breastcancer.org are in the process of coordinating an initiative to connect breast cancer patients to high-quality treatment centers in the affected areas.

People affected by breast cancer have been hit particularly hard. A diagnosis of breast cancer alone is hard enough! It turns your life upside-down, creating uncertainty and anxiety that takes away any peace of mind. And then BOOM -- overnight -- life as you knew it is gone. Any person going through chemotherapy or radiation, any one who just had surgery or whose surgery was cancelled without a back-up plan, is likely to feel anxious and helpless.

The lives of doctors, nurses, technologists, therapists, social workers, and other members of the cancer healthcare team from the Gulf Coast States also have been turned upside down. Those healthcare workers who evacuated had to leave patients and clinics behind and can not reach or care for their patients.

Dr. Alan Stolier, a member of the breastcancer.org Professional Advisory Board and five-generation New Orlean who is a leading breast cancer surgeon in the area, was able to reconnect with us last night. He shared his own experience with us and his deep concern for patients who are stranded.

We at breastcancer.org are in the process of working with Dr. Stolier to help patients from the Gulf Coast States re-establish their medical care with high-quality treatment facilities. Dr. Stolier and other doctors are trying to coordinate care at nearby, high-quality centers in all the affected states.

* * *
At this time, if your cancer care was abruptly interrupted and if you need to find medical care near your new location, please call Dr. Maitland Deland at: 1-800-237-2057. She has been a breast cancer doctor in that area for over twenty years and is already in contact with a large number of doctors and support services.
* * *

We realize that many people affected by breast cancer are unable to access the Internet directly at this time. Loved ones, concerned others, and even strangers might be turning to breastcancer.org to help people trying to get the best medical information and their medical care back on track.

Please stay tuned for our next communication in the coming days regarding medical services and solutions during these difficult times, including information regarding wound care, medical emergencies during cancer treatment, and getting access to your medical records.

We wish you and your family the very best under these difficult circumstances.

Sincerely,

Marisa

Marisa Weiss, M.D.
President and Founder
www.breastcancer.org

mssue · Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 8:00 am Post subject: Re : Katrina

Hi Angel,

Alot of people there don't have access to anything-but hopefully the info will get filter to the public-I hope You don't mind but I copied and pasted this article and put it on the ABC News Discussion Board and The Sun Herald Discussion Board(Gulf Coast Newspaper) in hopes the message will be passed on to the ones that would be the most affected.

Haven't seen You post in awhile,what are You doing up there hibernating?? Laughing

'LOL'

just kidding.Glad to know You're still around. Take care and God Bless You!

((hugs))
_________________
Sue
Age-44
DX-8/29/2003
Stage 1 - ER/PR-,HER2-NU+
Infilterating Ductal Carcinoma
Modified Radical Mastectomy/Left-side
4 Rounds of A/C-completed 1/2004

AlaskaAngel · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2005 3:21 pm Post subject: Katrinka bc survivors

Hi Sue. Good to see you too! Thanks for re-posting the notice for the number. There probably will eventually be other organized means for communications for these folks, but for now at least it is a start and who knows how it might help, including just giving the doctors who treat any bc survivors there a clue toward talking with the doctors who treated those patients originally.

I've been waking up feeling anxious every morning and I'm sure it is because of the drastic tragic aspects of the hurricane. I don't know whether anyone I know was there in it, or not. It is hard to imagine having to deal with cancer treatment on top of all else they are coping with.

A.A.
_________________
Dx Dec 2001 at age 50
Lumpectomy Jan 2002, 1.6 cm IDC plus some DCIS
Node neg
ER+, PR+, HER2+++
CAF x 6, 35 rads+boost
NED
Tamoxfen 1 3/4 yrs
In 2 clinical trials
bc for mom and 1 sis and 1 aunt and 1 granny
ovarian cancer for 1 aunt

madubois63

[color=blue][/color]Hi - I saw this article on the Her2 Support board. I copied it and posted it on the AOL BC boards. If everyone does the same, the word will surely get to those that need it. The hurricane was horrible enough, but can you imagine just being told you have BC then being hit with Katrina? God bless all affected.
_________________
Stage IV IBC 1/00
AC/Taxol Tamoxifen
MRM (24nod/5+) w/tram flap reconstruction
Her2+ PR/ER+
Rads 32x
Mets to lung/liver/nodes 10/04
video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) surgery w/pleurodesis
Herceptin Taxatiere Carboplaten Femera Lupron
4/26/05 NED

Muttsmom

We just got our 1st group of people, mostly cancer patients to the major hospital in the city Friday. My onco is head of oncology at the cancer institute I go to and he won't refuse anyone treatment, with or without insurance. He's not only a wonder oncologist, but a wonderful person who really cares. I know these people will be gratefull that on top of everything else they have been through and have been going through with their cancer, they don't have to worry about getting treatment. Their onco have forwarded their charts to the oncos here (there are 8 med. oncos where I go) and will get excellent care. I know they mentioned specifically an 84 year old bone cancer patient. All she had was her little dog and the shelter she's now staying at while she goes through treatments took in her little dog too. They checked her out at the hospital and was seen by the onco that will be taking care of her and was able to leave to stay in a church, one of many that have become shelters. The smile on her face said it all Smile

I thought everyone could use an uplifting story from such a terrible tragedy.
Nancy
_________________
Nancy
2/14/02 ILC 43 - 5.5 cm 9+/16 nodes
Stage IIIA er/pr+ Her2-
2/02 MRM
FECx6 radsx33
Tamoxifen - Arimidex (chemo induced menopause)
4/03 SM w/bilat. recon.
9/03 expanders removed
5/04 repair reconst. disaster
10/04 Actonel for bone/joint pain from Arimidex
NED - 5 years
3/07 Diabetes
In memory of Kim 12/1/04

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