The article I wrote--thanks Christine, Joe & Lyn

[Val Pfeiffer]

hi everyone--
I finally finished my breast cancer article. I sent it in on Friday morning. If you didn't see my posts a couple weeks ago asking for information, I will explain. I was asked to write a feature story about breast cancer for a monthly "general interest" (meaning non-medical) publication. The only editorial direction I had was to cover issues that are new and different than what everyon else is covering about breast cancer.

I talked to Christine and Joe on the phone, and they had just attended the symposium in Sacramento, and they gave me the contact info for Drs. Hood and Carney. I also "talked" with Lyn online, and others sent me comments as well. I hope I did an adequate job of quoting you all--and thank you for helping make this article successful. It was an important project for me because I want to do everything I can to increase public awareness of breast cancer issues.

I am attaching the story so you can see the finished product--I welcome your comments! I told the editor that I may be tweaking the sidebars, so if you have a website that in your opinion MUST be included , or if I have made a glaring error in the Stages sidebar, please let me know.

After I sent in the story, they liked it so much that they are making it the cover story--I am very excited! I was also allowed to submit the cover art, which I will try to attach so you can see it. I hope you like it; some may consider it a bit risqué, but I think it will be very powerful. This publication likes to tell the stories others don't tell, and I think the cover will make people pick it up and read it.

enjoy the rest of your weekend :-)

Val

P.S. This is my new sign-in name--I was vpfeiffer before.

[Val Pfeiffer]

The cover art file was too large no matter what format I tried. So I created a quick website for it so you can view it. Here it is:

http://www.geocities.com/vpfeiffer@sbcglobal.net/cover.html (http://www.geocities.com/vpfeiffer@sbcglobal.net/cover.html)

happy viewing :-)

Val

[sassy]

Great article Val. Well presented for a 'lay persons' understanding of the advancements and technologies available.


Sassy
________
Nexium Problems (http://www.classactionsettlements.org/lawsuit/nexium/)

[al from Canada]

VERY IMPRESSIVE!!

Val,

You are truly a survivor; and my personal defintion of that survivor is:

"someone who beats the odds fighting and as well, who also mentors others to beat the odds with them". Publishing an article on your personal struggle with breast cancer takes an extraordinary amount of courage! Let us not forget that "Cancer", in the eyes of many is still someone else's problem, the plague, contagious, a disease of the wicked AND, "Last year 1/2 of all Bankruptcies filed, over 800,000, were Medical Bankruptcies" ( http://www.mercola.com/2004/jul/14/medical_debt.htm ), a disease of the desitute!

We have a long way to go and and the public has to recognizes that this disease knows no boundries. Efforts like yours, and Christine and Joe's; go a long way in finding a cure.
Thank you for reaching-out for us all,

Al

[Lyn]

Thaks Val, you did us all proud. The fact that you made front page means that what you had to say took precedent on anything else that mattered. And lets face it, what we are all going through matters more to our families and friends than just ourselves. I told my politician that the only reason I didn't give up years ago, which would have been easy, was that there was no one else that cared for my family as much as I did, and they are the true victims. None of us could truly die in peace knowing that the loved ones that depend on us will have to get by. We had one lady on the site, a young mother, her husband was so distraught that he would have to go on without her, he committed suicide, which would mean leaving the kids orphans. I only wish I could remember who she was, and how she was coping, she was brave to post that message, and I think being able to helped her to evovle, how I don't know, but she did feel comfortable to share with us. If your paper is smart you may have to do follow up articles. Well done.

Love & Hugs Lyn

[Becky]

Val


I just had a moment to read your wonderful article. Well done!

Warm regards,

Becky

[jojo]

Big kudos to you, Val! :-) I wish I could write as creatively as you! Way to go, sista!

[StephN]

Hi Val -
i especially like how you included treatment options in your local community (whereever that is) so that other women will keep this article for future reference. This first step is hard to get off the ground as we feel we just have to go where our GP or clinic sends us. NOT SO! We DO have choices, and this is an important message in your article.
Glad you kept this part of the message coming loud and clear.

[Val Pfeiffer]

It makes me so happy that others are enjoying this story--it is such a great feeling! Steph, I live in Neenah, Wisconsin, which is part of the Green Bay-Oshkosh metro area. Many of you probably have sewer covers on your streets and sidewalks with "Neenah, Wisconsin" stamped on them--quite a claim to fame, isn't it?

So...no one commented on my cover art so far...I'm not sure if that's good or bad?

Have a fun and relaxing week, everyone :-)
Val

[Lisa]

Excellent article, Val! I thought the cover art was terrific. But it seems risque for Wisconsin! LOL What magazine is this? Obviously not one that would sell in Wal-Mart.


Two other thoughts. I was surprised to read that 10% of women with bc have family backgrounds. When I was a speaker for The Komen Foundation 3 years ago, we were told it was around 30%. Has this changed?

Also, you failed to mention the #1 risk factor of breast cancer--being a woman! I think this emphasizes the point that even if you exercise regularly and eat great, you are, unfortunately, still a candidate.

One other web site that helped me tremendously when I was first going through bc was "SusanLoveMD.com." Some consider Dr. Love a radical, but she provided many answers to my never-ending questions.

Val, do you do a lot of freelance writing work?

Love and light,

Lisa

[Val Pfeiffer]

Thank you Lisa! I can't believe I forgot that one! I just added it and sent it to the editor.

At one point, after I sent in an early draft, they gave me three changes, one of which was the inclusion of a breast! I told them there's no way they could have a breast on the cover. But then I found this picture. I thought it was tasteful, it delivers the message, and it will make people want to pick up the publication.

The publication is a well-respected, alternative publication available free at coffee shops, drug stores, and many other retail outlets. If I remember, I will let you all know how well it's received. I showed the cover art to the nurses at my oncology office and they loved it.

I think the statistic you remember is that family history is a risk factor for 30% of women in general, not women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. However, the general statistic is that 10% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history; Love's book says that between 5 and 10 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer have pure hereditary BC.

I don't do a ton of freelancing--my "day job" is VP of marketing & business development for a mid-size credit union. I write and edit quite a bit as part of my job, but unfortunately I don't have a lot of spare time to do side writing. I agreed to do this one because the subject matter is so important to me and I knew that I could write this story better than anyone else could. Someday maybe I will be able to do more writing :-)

Val