Two Different Surveys by ThyCa Medical Advisors
Thyroid Cancer Survivors Are Invited To Take Part in All 3 Surveys
ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., has been invited to help teams, led by 3 of our Medical Advisors, collect information on different aspects of thyroid cancer management and patients’ experiences.
Click on the links below to take part.
Each survey takes just a few minutes to complete. This is a chance for all of us to impact our care going forward.
- Voice Following Thyroid Cancer Surgery
This survey is for everyone who has had thyroid cancer surgery. The goal is to receive information from patients whose voices stayed the same, as well as those who experienced a voice disorder following their thyroid cancer surgery. Please complete this survey, whether your voice stayed the same or whether it changed after thyroid cancer surgery. The survey team is led by David Myssiorek, M.D., Otolaryngologist - Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use
Please complete the following survey regarding Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use. The survey team is led by Stephanie L. Lee, M.D., Ph.D., Endocrinologist.
Thank you for your participation.
IN THIS ISSUE
- September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month
- The 12th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference
- More than 25 Medical Professionals Confirmed To Speak at ThyCa Conference
- Early-Bird Conference Registrations Come from 23 States, Puerto Rico, and Canada
- Dinner/Auction To Support Thyroid Cancer Research
- ThyCa Participates at World Thyroid Congress
- Sherryl Pascal and ThyCa Puppies Raise Funds for Research
- Our Free Guestbook
- Now in French — Low-Iodine Recipes Free From ThyCa, Also Free in English and Spanish
- Support Group Meetings – Welcome and Invitation
- Free Patient Information Packets
- What’s New on the Web Site?
- Surgery Survey Coming Soon to our website
- From the E-Mail Box
- Are You a ThyCa Member? You’re Invited To Become a One-Year, Two-Year, or Lifetime Member
- Low-Iodine Recipe of the Month
- Help Support the 2009 Rally for Research
- Want To Volunteer?
- Thank You From ThyCa
- You’re Invited to these Upcoming Thyroid Cancer Events
- Every Day…
- Ask ThyCa
- Tell ThyCa
- About ThyCa NEWS NOTES
TWO THINGS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS!!!
September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month
Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month is sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., along with year-round awareness activities and campaigns.
Help spread the word about thyroid cancer, neck checks for early detection, and the free support and education available through ThyCa.
Ways you can help:
- Share your story—in person, by e-mail, on your Facebook page, in your blog …
- Maybe you would like to hand out awareness brochures or other materials – do so!
Flyers are free and downloadable from our Awareness page. Or e-mail thyca@thyca.org or call 1-877-588-7904 to request free materials. - Perhaps you have a ThyCa wristband, bracelet or shirt – wear it!
- ThyCa could use more volunteers – try it, you’ll like it – there are so many ways to help.
Let’s stand together and tell the world about thyroid cancer. You may not hear about Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month or thyroid cancer in the news. More people ought to know about thyroid cancer because its numbers are increasing. More people would get early treatment, when thyroid cancer is easiest to treat, if everyone knew what to look for and request a “neck check” when they see their doctors.
Let’s help more people by “spreading the word.”
The 12th International Thyroid Cancer Conference
This event is something you really don’t want to miss! You’ll have a great time and gain so much information about thyroid cancer from the specialists that you will be amazed.
The speakers are very approachable and understanding. The ThyCa volunteers will assist you and make you feel very comfortable. You may even make some new friends.
When you actually meet those involved with ThyCa you will never feel “alone” with thyroid cancer again. You will feel you have an extended family that will take care of you and help you through “it.”
Visit www.thyca.org often for conference details and updates.
Hope to see you there!
More than 25 Medical Professionals Confirmed To Speak at ThyCa Conference
On October 16-18, 2009, you are cordially invited to attend the 12th Annual International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference at the Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel near Boston, Massachusetts, at 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, Massachusetts.
We are honored to announce that more than 25 distinguished medical professionals will be participating, sharing their expertise and the latest advances in treatment and research on all types of thyroid cancer and situations ranging from newly diagnosed to those with complex circumstances and seeking or in clinical trials.
We are excited to announce that as of late August, we have already confirmed more than 25 medical specialists from leading medical centers.
- Erik Alexander, M.D., Endocrinologist, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital
- Dorothy Beazley, D.O., Gynecology, Obstetrics, from Tufts Medical Center
- Marcia S. Brose, M.D., Ph.D., Oncologist, from University of Pennsylvania
- Glenn Bunting, M.S., CCC-SLP, Speech Pathologist, from Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary
- Naifa Busaidy, M.D., Endocrinolgist, from University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
- Gilbert H. Daniels, M.D., Endocrinologist, from Massachusetts General Hospita
- Alan P. Farwell, M.D., Endocrinologist, from Boston Medical Center
- Aime T. Franco, Research Scholar, from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
- Robert F. Gagel, M.D., Endocrinologist, from University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
- Yariv Houvras, M.D., Oncologist, from Massachusetts General Hospital
- Stephen Huang, M.D., Endocrinologist, from Children’s Hospital Boston
- Paul R. Krakovitz, M.D., Otolaryngologist, from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
- P. Reed Larsen, M.D., Endocrinologist, from Harvard Medical School
- Stephanie Lee, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.E., Endocrinologist, from Boston Medical Center
- Carl D. Malchoff, M.D., Ph.D., Otolaryngologist, from University of Connecticut Health Center
- Donald Margouleff, M.D., Nuclear Medicine, from North Shore University Hospital
- Ernest L. Mazzaferri, M.D., M.A.C.P., Endocrinologist, from University of Florida
- Bryan McIver, M.B., Ph.D., F.R.C.P., Endocrinologist, from Mayo Clinic
- David Myssiorek, M.D., F.A.C.S., Otolaryngologist, from New York University Clinical Cancer Center
- Sareh Parangi, M.D., F.A.C.S., General and Endocrine Surgery, from Massachusetts General Hospital
- Gregory W. Randolph, M.D., Otolaryngologist, from Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary
- Julie A. Rosenberg, M.D., Director, Oncology Global Clinical Research, from Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Charles Saxe, Ph.D., Scientific Director, from American Cancer Society
- Joseph Scharpf, M.D., Surgeon, from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
- Manisha H. Shah, M.D., Hematology & Oncology, from The Ohio State University College of Medicine
- Robert C. Smallridge, M.D., Endocrinologist, from Mayo Clinic
- Julie Ann Sosa, M.D., M.A., Surgeon, from Yale University School of Medicine
- R. Michael Tuttle, M.D., Endocrinologist, from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
- Douglas Van Nostrand, M.D., Nuclear Medicine, from Washington Hospital Center
- Lori J. Wirth, M.D., Medical Oncologist, from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
The conference will offer more than 100 session choices, with 6 different sessions in different rooms at each time slot during the day.
In addition to the physician speakers, we plan also to have more than 30 additional speakers and roundtable leaders who will include other health care professionals, specialists in coping skills and complementary approaches to well-being such as Reiki and recreation therapy, survivors of each type of thyroid cancer, as well as caregivers.
The conference is open to the public, and registration begins at 8 a.m. each day with walk-ins welcome. Cost for the complete conference is $50, with discounts available to ThyCa members and scholarships available upon request.
You may register either in advance or onsite at the conference. Advance registration saves your time and the time of our volunteers. Walk-in attendees are always welcome.
Please check www.thyca.org in the conferences section for details and updates. Tell your nurse friends to come to learn more about thyroid cancer, and also get continuing education credits!
We’re excited about the tremendous program being planned, and hope to see you at the conference.
Early-Bird Conference Registrations Come from 22 States, Puerto Rico, and Canada
Conference Registration and Hotel Room Reservations Now Open
We’re excited to report that as of mid-August, people have registered from 23 states, Puerto Rico, and 3 provinces in Canada.
Registration for the 12th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference is open on our web site.
You may register either by mail or on-line. Cost of registration is $50 full fee ($45 if early-bird registered in advance by September 16); $35 Annual ThyCa Member; $30 Lifetime ThyCa Member; $25 Guest (family member or caregiver); $25 for One-Day Attendance. Early-bird Discount will be given to those who register on line by September 16th or by mail that is postmarked by September 16, 2009. After September 16th the cost goes up by $5 for each registration category. Scholarships are available for anyone who can’t afford the registration fee.
Visit our website for the registration form options.
This year’s conference will be held at the Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel in Danvers, Massachusetts which is located about 20 miles north of Boston. We’re proud to have arranged special room rates of $99 plus tax for single, double, triple, or quad rooms at this wonderful hotel, which is in a great location with free parking, and features numerous amenities. You’ll find the hotel details and room reservation information on www.thyca.org or by calling 877-588-7904.
Hope to see you at the conference in October!
Dinner/Auction To Support Thyroid Cancer Research
On Saturday, October 17, 2009, at the Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel in Danvers, Massachusetts, we will hold the 8th Annual Saturday Evening Dinner/Auction to raise much needed funds for thyroid cancer research.
You can purchase tickets on line or by mail. The cost is $50 per ticket.
This event raises funds for Thyroid Cancer Research and is also a lot of fun. Help ThyCa raise funds so we all can continue funding thyroid cancer research—now 7 straight years, and totaling more than $550,000. The web site has the reservation form.
ThyCa Participates at World Thyroid Congress
We are pleased to report that ThyCa representative Gary Bloom participated at the World Thyroid Congress in August in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
This meeting brought thyroid cancer experts together from around the globe to share the latest information about thyroid cancer treatment and research.
Gary Bloom of ThyCa was a speaker on a panel focusing on the benefits of patient support organizations, as well as a discussion session with thyroid organization representatives from around the world. We greatly appreciated the opportunities to spread the word among the professional medical community, about ThyCa’s numerous free services and resources, available worldwide.
Sherryl Pascal and ThyCa Puppies Raise Funds for Research
Our special thanks to Sherryl Pascal, Mrs. New Jersey Globe 2009. Sherryl has been very active outreach as well as in fundraising for thyroid cancer research. We’d like to share her latest creative fundraising effort with you.
This spring Sherryl’s dog gave birth to 3 puppies. She calls the young pups her ThyCa puppies since she has already sold them as a fundraiser. All the collected proceeds will go to Thyroid Cancer Research.
Last year Sherryl announced that she’d raised $10,000.00 for Thyroid Cancer Research. She did this through a series of different fundraisers, a number of which had to do with her celebrity status, while others were simply about her creativity and initiative.
She was a very memorable presence at last fall’s Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference in St. Louis, and we’re pleased that she will be joining us again at this year’s conference. .
It’s quick and easy to sign up to receive our free online newsletter, plus announcements of ThyCa events and activities. It’s a great way to stay connected to the thyroid cancer community, and to stay up to date on changes in treatments and testing methods, especially if you’re a long-term survivor.
Just fill out our Guestbook form.
To protect each person’s privacy, the mailing list is for the sole use of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., and its affiliates. ThyCa does not ever sell, share, or give away any contact information.
Now in French — Low-Iodine Recipes Free From ThyCa, Also Free in English and Spanish
We’re proud to announce that 90 Low-Iodine recipes are now available in French, together with tips and suggestions for the low-iodine diet. You can download them free of charge.
Also free for downloading are our Low-Iodine Cookbook, with more than 250 delicious recipes, in English, and our collection of Low-Iodine Recipes in Spanish.
Plus: One-Page Summary- Low-Iodine Diet Guidelines in English and Spanish.:
Support Group Meetings – Welcome and Invitation
Every month, more than 60 thyroid cancer support groups hold meetings. Support group meetings are open to everyone whose lives have been touched by thyroid cancer.
The meetings offer wonderful opportunities to meet others in person and share experiences, strength, and hope while learning from others with varied situations with their thyroid cancer. Advance registration not required.
We have welcomed many new Support Groups this year, and thank all the wonderful volunteers who have stepped forward to form them. We also congratulate our many ongoing support groups for their ability to positively impact the lives of so many people affected by a thyroid cancer diagnosis.
Welcome to the newest support groups, located in Wichita, Kansas, and Cleveland, Ohio.
Go to our Support Groups page for a complete list of groups, contact information, and meeting schedules. Or, if you don’t have internet access, call (toll-free): 877-588-7904
If you’re interested in starting a group in your area, contact support_coor@thyca.org or 877-588-7904.
Free Patient Information Packets
Would you, or someone you know, like our free Patient Information Packet? Just send an e-mail with your name and complete mailing address to us at thyca@thyca.org, with “patient packet” in the subject, or call us at 1-877-588-7904 and we’ll be happy to mail the packet.
Our web site has more than 650 pages of content. More than 50 distinguished physicians plus numerous other specialists provide ongoing input and review. We greatly appreciate the wonderful support of these medical specialists.
We update and expand the web site every week. Thank you to our Web team, Betty Solbjor and Joel Amromin; our Publications Committee members; and our Medical Reviewers.
Visit www.thyca.org often for the latest information updates, the schedules of local support group meetings, and news about special events, or to get involved.
And let us know if you have ideas for additional web site content, as well as additional questions to be answered by physicians. E-mail your ideas to thyca@thyca.org. This is our web site, and it benefits from everyone’s contribution. It’s also a great way to start being involved!
Surgery Survey Coming Soon to our website
The online survey instrument will give you the opportunity to share some details about your thyroid surgery. We’ll soon post details and the survey instrument on www.thyca.org.
A few of our recent e-mails…
From Illinois:
I work for a home health and hospice organization. I am also a thyroid cancer survivor. I would like to give out your awareness brochures during September. Can you please send me brochures? Thank you.
From California:
I manage a Thyroid Clinic in Nuclear Medicine. I was wondering if you could be so kind as to send me one of your information packets for reference for my patients. Thank you for your support.
From Florida:
My daughter was recently diagnosed with Papillary Thyroid cancer and will start the low-iodine diet next week. Thank you for the cookbook on your website!
From New Hampshire:
I am interested in setting up a thyroid cancer awareness info table at my work one day in September and was wondering if I could get some print materials sent to me. We have about 80 employees at my work.
From Texas:
Can you send me 100 packages English and 100 Spanish (for a nuclear medicine department).
From Virginia:
I will be serving as a hostess of a meeting of the Northern District of Virginia of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. I would be interested in giving one of your brochures to each of the 150 women in attendance to educate them on Thyroid Cancer.
From North Carolina:
I am a nurse and have many newly diagnosed thyroid cancer pts. Several months ago I requested, and you sent me, packets of info for my pts. I have found this info to be very useful. I always explain to pts where the info comes from and always recommend they read it and visit your website. Would it be possible for you to send me 20 or 30 of these packets?
From California:
Thank you for a great website.
Are You a Member? You’re Invited To Become a One-Year, Two-Year, or Lifetime Member
Help us sustain, strengthen, and extend our services. We invite you to join ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Your membership dues will support ThyCa’s efforts to reach and serve other survivors and their families around the world.
You may join as a one-year member ($25), two-year member ($45), or lifetime member ($225).
Low-Iodine Recipe Tips of the Month
Contributed by Joanne M.
Chicken with Apricot Sauce
2 chicken breast filets
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup apricot preserves
Dash of ginger or to taste
Brown filets in olive oil until thoroughly cooked. Remove from pan, leaving oil and drippings in pan. Add onions and cook till limp. Add preserves and ginger and pour warm sauce over chicken. Serve accompanied with Basmati rice.
Thank you, Joanne! We’ll let people know about these recipe tips in the next edition of the FREE Downloadable Low-Iodine Cookbook.
Download the 6th edition of the Low-Iodine Cookbook for free, with more than 250 favorite recipes from more than 100 generous volunteers. The Cookbook is also available in Spanish and in French. Please remember, while you’re welcome to download and print the entire free low-iodine cookbook, you can also print just the pages you need.
This free cookbook is a wonderful help when you’re preparing to receive radioactive iodine for treatment or testing. All the recipes are the favorites of some of our ThyCa volunteers, who are sharing them with everyone, to make the low-iodine diet easy and tasty. The recipes are also great for family meals and for potlucks, any time.
If you’d like to contribute your favorite recipe or tip to the cookbook’s next edition, send it torecipes@thyca.org.
One-Page Summary- Low-Iodine Diet Guidelines
- in English
- in Spanish
Help Support the 2009 Rally for Research
Thanks to generous contributions and special fundraising events, ThyCa has awarded new thyroid cancer research grants in support of our goal of cures for all thyroid cancer and a future free of thyroid cancer, for the 7th year in a row.
You can help support the Rally for Research. For details about the Rally for Research, donation opportunities, special events, ThyCa’s past and future Research Grants, visit the Rally for Research page.
We welcome new volunteers at any time. Volunteering for ThyCa is one way to help and support others touched by thyroid cancer, and you feel much better yourself because you know you have helped someone else through something you’ve been through. Try it; you might like it!
To learn about volunteer opportunities, visit our Volunteer page. You can sign-up to volunteer online using our guestbook.
We believe that no one should have to be alone when facing thyroid cancer.
Our free support services are offered with this as our main goal.
We thank everyone for giving your time and talents to making possible our free services, publications, and events.
We’re grateful to you for reaching out to others worldwide, to help connect them with ThyCa’s many free support services and educational resources.
You’re Invited To These Upcoming Thyroid Cancer Events!
- Thyroid Cancer Support Group Meetings in Your Community
- September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month, sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. Get free awareness materials year-round from ThyCa.
- September 11 and 12, 2009. Colorado Thyroid Cancer Symposium for Physicians and Patients, with physician speakers, sponsored by the University of Colorado Denver with cooperation and participation of ThyCa. This event is free. For details about the seminar time and location, contact the ThyCa Denver Support Group at denver-co@thyca.org
- September 26, 2009. Thyroid Disease Public Health Forum with physician speakers about all thyroid diseases, being held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Thyroid Association. Sponsored by the ATA Alliance for Patient Education, including ThyCa. This free event is from 1 – 3 p.m. at The Breakers Hotel, One South County Road, Palm Beach, Florida. Walk-in attendees welcome. To let us know you’re attending, e-mail thyca@thyca.org and let us know the thyroid condition in which you’re most interested.
- The 12th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference
October 16-18, 2009 starting at 8 a.m. each day with session choices all day.
Boston, Massachusetts
Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel in Danvers
Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Distinguished physician speakers. Details, registration, and hotel room reservations now available on ThyCa’s web site. - The 8th Annual Dinner-Auction To Support Thyroid Cancer Research.
October 17, 2009 from 6 – 9 p.m.
Boston, Massachusetts
Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel in Danvers
Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. - November 14, 2009. Pittsburgh Thyroid Cancer Seminar with physician speakers. Free. Further details about the seminar time and location will be posted on the website.
Visit the website for details. Download the conference flyer and help spread the word.
Every day, thousands of people with thyroid cancer, and their families, receive support, education, and hope from ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Your generous support is what makes it possible to sustain, strengthen, and expand our services and outreach.
If you have questions about thyroid cancer, please send them to thyca@thyca.org and we’ll answer your question in an upcoming newsletter as well as adding to our web site content.
If you have a story or anecdote about your thyroid cancer journey that you would like to share, please send it to thyca@thyca.org and we’ll do our best to include it in an upcoming newsletter as well as adding to our web site content.
About ThyCa NEWS NOTES
Copyright (c) 2009 ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Thank you to our writing, editing, and proofreading team for this issue of the newsletter: Leah Guljord, Joanne M. Pat Paillard , Barbara Statas, Cherry Wunderlich, and Gary Bloom.
Your suggestions for articles are welcome. The deadline for articles and news items is the first day of each month.
Please share News Notes with your family and friends. For permission to reprint in another electronic or print publication, please contact us at outreach@thyca.org.
ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization (tax ID #52-2169434) of thyroid cancer survivors, family members, and health care professionals.
We are dedicated to support, education, and communication for thyroid cancer survivors, their families and friends, as well as to public awareness for early detection, treatment, and lifetime health monitoring, and to thyroid cancer research fundraising and research grants.
Contact us for free awareness materials and information about our free services and special events. E-mailthyca@thyca.org, call 1-877-588-7904, fax 1-630-604-6078, write PO Box 1102, Olney, MD 20830-1102, or visit our website..
ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., is proud to announce two new 2009 ThyCa Research Grants plus two continuation grants. The grant recipients were selected by an independent expert panel of the American Thyroid Association (ATA).
In addition, ThyCa has awarded two continuation grants to recipients of ThyCa’s 2008 grant awards.
First awarded in 2003, and continuing every year since, ThyCa’s grants are the first-ever thyroid cancer research grants to be funded entirely by thyroid cancer patients, caregivers, and friends. The ThyCa grants are open to researchers and institutions worldwide. They have been awarded to researchers in six states in the United States, as well as in France, Germany, and Switzerland. ThyCa has awarded more than $550,000 for thyroid cancer research.
The 2009 new ThyCa grant recipients are:
- Dingxie Liu, M.D., Ph.D. of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, for his project “Dually Targeting the MAP Kinase and PI3K Pathways in Thyroid Cancer – Testing of a Novel Therapeutic Approach.”
- Martin Walter, M.D. of University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland, for his project “Somatostatin-coupled Nanoparticles for Imaging and Therapy of Medullary Thyroid Cancer.”
ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association has also awarded a second year of funding to its two 2008 grant recipients, also selected by ATA’s independent panel:
- Mike S. Fenton, Ph.D., Assistant Researcher, Endocrinology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)/Veterans Affairs West Los Angeles Health Care System, Los Angeles, California.
- Libero Santarpia, M.D., Ph.D., Instructor, Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
ThyCa’s grants, now in their seventh year, are made possible through the contributions from thousands of thyroid cancer survivors, family members, and friends who want to support increased research to find cures for all thyroid cancer, one of the few cancers increasing in incidence.
“ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association is proud to raise much-needed funds for thyroid cancer research, and grateful to our many donors,” said ThyCa Executive Director Gary Bloom. “We greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with the ATA. We’re especially pleased to support the best thyroid cancer research projects proposed by young investigators, with applications open to researchers and research centers worldwide.”
Grant recipients from 2003 through 2009 include researchers at these institutions:
- Cochin Institut, Paris, France
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, and Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
- Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
- University of California Los Angeles/Veterans Affairs West Los Angeles Health Care System, Los Angeles, California
- University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- University Hospital Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
- University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
ThyCa thanks all our generous donors and volunteers for making these grants possible. Together, we are able to accomplish what most of us cannot do individually—fund independently reviewed research toward cures for all thyroid cancers.
ThyCa has two Research Funds. One fund supports research on follicular-cell-derived thyroid cancer, including papillary, follicular, anaplastic, and variants. The other fund supports research on medullary thyroid cancer.
Both funds welcome contributions of any size. ThyCa is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
ThyCa invites everyone to join us in our quest to find a cure for all thyroid cancer, one of the few cancers increasing in incidence in recent years.
To find out more about our Research Funds, Rally for Research, and opportunities to contribute through the Combined Federal Campaign and other programs, visit our Research Funds page.
Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association
Thyroid Cancer Survivors Urge Neck Checks for Early Detection
Free Downloadable Tools and Tips Available at www.thyca.org
Although many cancers have decreased in incidence, thyroid cancer is one of the few cancers continuing to increase, setting new records of around 37,000 people newly diagnosed each year in 2008 and 2009.
When detected early, most thyroid cancers are treatable; however, some are aggressive and difficult to treat. These are some of the many reasons why ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. sponsors Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month each September.
This month will highlight the year-round activities of ThyCa volunteers to:
- increase thyroid cancer education;
- raise awareness of the importance of early detection, treatment, and lifelong monitoring;
- inform the public about ThyCa’s free information, resources and support; and
- raise awareness of the need for more thyroid cancer research.
The message for Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month is “Find It Early.” When detected early, most thyroid cancers are treatable. Early detection is the key to improving outcomes. Patient and caregiver education is also important, because thyroid cancer requires lifelong monitoring as recurrences can occur even decades after the diagnosis and initial treatment.
ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. (www.thyca.org) encourages people to ask for a neck check each time they visit their doctor. Signs to discuss with the physician include a lump or fullness in the neck, lymph node swelling, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or voice changes.
“Health care professionals are essential to the detection of thyroid cancer,” says ThyCa Executive Director Gary Bloom of Olney, Maryland, himself a thyroid cancer survivor. “Done properly, a neck check can be as simple as touching the neck and watching the patient swallow. This can be done very quickly and won’t cause any delays for the medical office, but that minute could make all the difference in the world when it comes to diagnosing thyroid cancer. Most thyroid cancer is treatable if found early, but some types are very aggressive and difficult to treat.”
ThyCa invites everyone interested to help with thyroid cancer awareness efforts in their communities. A few of the activities that volunteers have organized organized:
- Numerous ThyCa volunteers organize thyroid cancer awareness exhibit for their workplace.
- Volunteers distribute awareness flyers to others in their community service organizations and at general cancer events.
- A nursing instructor and nursing students are distributing awareness materials to health corners and bulletin boards in apartment complexes.
- Thyroid cancer survivor give presentations on thyroid cancer awareness and distribute awareness materials to the attendees in school and community groups.
- Throughout the United States, volunteers in ThyCa-affiliated thyroid cancer support groups are reaching out to local media to spread the message of early detection and lifetime monitoring,
- Around the world, around the year, people are requesting free materials from ThyCa to raise awareness in their countries.
ThyCa’s web site <www.thyca.org> has several hundred pages of information about all types of thyroid cancer, diagnosis, treatment, research, clinical trials, questions to ask your doctor, local support groups, e-mail support groups, a calendar of coming events, the Rally for Research, and the annual International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference. Web site visitors can also download ThyCa’s free publications, including awareness flyers, a Low Iodine Cookbook, fact sheets, and online newsletters.
In addition, ThyCa’s web site has a section titled Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month with downloadable flyers entitled, “Find It Early” and “Know the Signs,” a fact sheet titled “About Thyroid Cancer” and more materials. Free awareness brochures featuring actress and thyroid cancer survivor, Catherine Bell, co-star of two hit TV series, “Army Wives” and “J.A.G.,” are also available.
For information and free materials about thyroid cancer, ThyCa’s free support services, and the annual conference, e-mail to thyca@thyca.org, call toll free 1-877-588-7904, fax to 1-630-604-6078, write to PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, or visit the web site.
Educational Event Features 100 Sessions Designed for Those Affected by Thyroid Cancer
ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. has announced its 12th Annual International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference to be held October 16-18, 2009, at the Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel near Boston, Massachusetts, at 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, Massachusetts. This unique educational and supportive event will feature more than 100 informative sessions designed for those whose lives have been touched by thyroid cancer.
Thyroid cancer, one of the few cancers increasing in incidence, is expected to reach a total of 37,200 people newly diagnosed in the United States in 2009. This conference is designed to offer information and support for those impacted by thyroid cancer, including presentations and sessions on a variety of topics such as:
Up-to-date medical advances in thyroid cancer treatment and follow-up
- Clinical trials and updated research
- Unique Ask-a-Doctor sessions
- Survivor-caregiver roundtables
- Coping skills and strategies to improve well-being
“The Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference is the key international event focused specifically on support and education for those affected by thyroid cancer,” said Gary Bloom, ThyCa Executive Director, Conference Co-Coordinator, and 13-year survivor of thyroid cancer. “We are honored to bring together such an impressive group of people to share knowledge and experiences, learn from experts, and build camaraderie with those impacted by this terrible disease.”
Numerous distinguished institutions around the United States will be represented including Boston University Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, The Cleveland Clinic, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Yale University School of Medicine, and many more. More than 20 medical professionals have already been confirmed.
The conference is open to the public, and registration begins at 8 a.m. each day with walk-ins welcome. Cost for the complete conference is $50, with discounts available to ThyCa members and scholarships available upon request. Attendees may register either in advance or onsite at the conference.
About ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization (tax ID #52-2169434) of thyroid cancer survivors, family members, and healthcare professionals. The organization is dedicated to support, education and communication for thyroid cancer survivors, their families and friends. ThyCa also sponsors Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month, year-round awareness activities, and thyroid cancer research fundraising and research grants. For additional information, please visit www.thyca.org, call 1-877-588-7904, or e-mail thyca@thyca.org.
In This Issue:
- ThyCa Awards New 2009 Research Grants
- Numerous Distinguished Physicians Confirmed for ThyCa Conference in October
- Conference Registration and Hotel Room Reservations Now Open
- Our Free Guestbook
- ThyCa Supports Awareness, Early Detection, and Neck Checks
- ThyCa Participates at Academy of General Dentistry Annual Meeting
- Support Group Meetings – Welcome and Invitation
- Free Patient Information Packets
- What’s New on the Web Site?
- Surgery Survey Coming Soon to www.thyca.org
- From the E-Mail Box
- Are You a ThyCa Member? You’re Invited To Become a One-Year, Two-Year, or Lifetime Member
- Low-Iodine Recipe Tips of the Month
- Help Support the 2009 Rally for Research
- Want To Volunteer?
- Thank You From ThyCa
- You’re Invited to these Upcoming Thyroid Cancer Events
- Every Day…
- Ask ThyCa
- Tell ThyCa
- About ThyCa NEWS NOTES
ThyCa Awards New 2009 Research Grants
July 24, 2009—ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., is proud to announce two new 2009 ThyCa Research Grants plus two continuation grants. The grant recipients were selected by an independent expert panel of the American Thyroid Association (ATA).
In addition, ThyCa has awarded two continuation grants to recipients of ThyCa’s 2008 grant awards.
First awarded in 2003, and continuing every year since, ThyCa’s grants are the first-ever thyroid cancer research grants to be funded entirely by thyroid cancer patients, caregivers, and friends. The ThyCa grants are open to researchers and institutions worldwide. They have been awarded to researchers in the United States, as well as in France, Germany, and Switzerland. ThyCa has awarded more than $550,000 for thyroid cancer research.
The 2009 new ThyCa grant recipients are:
- Dingxie Liu, M.D., Ph.D. of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, for his project “Dually Targeting the MAP Kinase and PI3K Pathways in Thyroid Cancer – Testing of a Novel Therapeutic Approach.”
- Martin Walter, M.D. of University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland, for his project “Somatostatin-coupled Nanoparticles for Imaging and Therapy of Medullary Thyroid Cancer.”
ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association has also awarded a second year of funding to its two 2008 grant recipients, also selected by ATA’s independent panel:
- Mike S. Fenton, Ph.D., Assistant Researcher, Endocrinology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)/Veterans Affairs West Los Angeles Health Care System, Los Angeles, California.
- Libero Santarpia, M.D., Ph.D., Instructor, Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
ThyCa’s grants, now in their seventh year, are made possible through the contributions from thousands of thyroid cancer survivors, family members, and friends who want to support increased research to find cures for all thyroid cancer, one of the few cancers increasing in incidence.
ThyCa receives donations in support of this effort ranging from $5.00 up to $10,000.00. We invite everyone’s participation. Together we are able to support research even though most of us couldn’t on our own—fund independently reviewed research toward cures for all thyroid cancers.
“ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association is proud to raise much-needed funds for thyroid cancer research, and grateful to our many donors,” said ThyCa Executive Director Gary Bloom. “We greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with the ATA. We’re especially pleased to support the best thyroid cancer research projects proposed by young investigators, with applications open to researchers and research centers worldwide.”
Grant recipients from 2003 through 2009 include researchers at these institutions:
- Cochin Institut, Paris, France
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, and Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
- Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
- University of California Los Angeles/Veterans Affairs West Los Angeles Health Care System, Los Angeles, California
- University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- University Hospital Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
- University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
ThyCa has two Research Funds. One fund supports research on follicular-cell-derived thyroid cancer, including papillary, follicular, anaplastic, and variants. The other fund supports research on medullary thyroid cancer.
Both funds welcome contributions of any size. ThyCa is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please check with your tax advisor if you have any questions.
ThyCa invites everyone to join us in our quest to find a cure for all thyroid cancer, one of the few cancers increasing in incidence in recent years.
Numerous Distinguished Physicians Confirmed for ThyCa Conference in October
Plan To Attend!
Educational and Supportive Event Features 100 Sessions Designed for Those Affected by Thyroid Cancer
On October 16-18, 2009, you are cordially invited to attend the 12th Annual International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference at the Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel near Boston, Massachusetts, at 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, Massachusetts.
This unique educational and supportive event will feature more than 100 informative sessions designed for those whose lives have been touched by thyroid cancer.
Thyroid cancer, one of the few cancers increasing in incidence, is expected to reach a total of 37,200 people newly diagnosed in the United States in 2009. This conference is designed to offer the latest information from experts, plus peer support from hundreds of others who understand what you’re going through, for those impacted by every type of thyroid cancer.
The program features expert presentations and sessions on a variety of topics such as:
- The latest medical advances in thyroid cancer treatment and follow-up
- Clinical trials and updated research
- Unique Ask-a-Doctor sessions
- Survivor-caregiver roundtables
- Coping skills and strategies to improve well-being
“The Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference is the key international event focused specifically on support and education for those affected by thyroid cancer,” said Gary Bloom, ThyCa Executive Director, Conference Co-Coordinator, and 13-year survivor of thyroid cancer. “We are honored to bring together such an impressive group of people to share knowledge and experiences, learn from experts, and build camaraderie with those impacted by this terrible disease.”
Numerous distinguished institutions around the United States will be represented including:
- Boston University Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Children’s Hospital of Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio
- Harvard Institutes of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida
- Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
- University of Connecticut Medical Center, Storrs, Connecticut
- University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
- University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC
More than 20 medical professionals have already been confirmed.
In addition to the physician speakers, we plan also to have more than 30 additional speakers and roundtable leaders who will include other health care professionals, specialists in coping skills and complementary approaches to well-being such as Reiki, survivors of each type of thyroid cancer, as well as caregivers.
For the third year in a row, the conference expects also to offer continuing education credits to nurses.
The conference is open to the public, and registration begins at 8 a.m. each day with walk-ins welcome. Cost for the complete conference is $50, with discounts available to ThyCa members and scholarships available upon request.
Please check our website in the conferences section for details and updates.
We’re excited about the tremendous program being planned, and hope to see you at the conference.
Conference Registration and Hotel Room Reservations Now Open
We’re pleased to announce that registration for The 12th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference is now open.
You may register by mail or on-line. Cost of registration is $45 full fee; $35 Annual ThyCa Member; $30 Lifetime ThyCa Member; $25 Guest (family member or caregiver); $25 for One-Day Attendance. Early-bird Discount will be given to those who register on line by September 16th or by mail that is postmarked by September 16, 2009. After September 16th the cost goes up by $5 for each registration category. Scholarships are available for anyone who can’t afford the registration fee.
Visit our website for the registration form options.
This year’s conference will be held at the Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel in Danvers, Massachusetts which is located about 20 miles north of Boston. We’re proud to have arranged special room rates of $99 plus tax for single, double, triple, or quad rooms at this wonderful hotel, which is in a wonderful location with free parking, and features numerous amenities. You’ll find the hotel details and room reservation information on our website or by calling 877-588-7904.
Tickets for the Saturday Evening Dinner/Auction to raise much needed funds for thyroid cancer research (held on October 17) can be purchased on line or by mail and cost $50 per ticket. This event raises funds for Thyroid Cancer Research and is also a lot of fun. Help ThyCa raise funds so we all can continue funding thyroid cancer research (now 7 straight years, and more than $550,000). The web site has the reservation form.
Hope to see you at the conference in October!
It’s quick and easy to sign up to receive our free online newsletter, plus announcements of ThyCa events and activities. It’s a great way to stay connected to the thyroid cancer community, and to stay up to date on changes in treatments and testing methods, especially if you’re a long-term survivor.
To protect each person’s privacy, the mailing list is for the sole use of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., and its affiliates. ThyCa does not ever sell, share, or give away any contact information.
ThyCa Supports Awareness, Early Detection, and Neck Checks
In July, an article in the New York Times focused on cancer screening and questioned its usefulness, including neck checks for early detection of thyroid cancer. ThyCa disagrees with the author, and has written to the New York Times saying so. Participants in ThyCa e-mail support groups also disagreed with the author, and encouraged each other to write as well.
Raising awareness is something each of us can do every day. Awareness, early detection, and neck checks not only can save lives but also can greatly simplify and reduce the costs of treating thyroid cancer. Our dream is that all thyroid cancer will be detected at Stage 1 when it is simplest and easiest to treat, often with just surgery alone.
ThyCa has numerous free materials to help you raise awareness of thyroid cancer. You can download flyers at no charge from our web site. Or e-mail or call ThyCa for our awareness brochures and plastic wallet cards for you to give to friends, family, community groups, and medical professionals.
Every day can offer an opportunity for raising awareness. You’re invited to get involved. Thank you!
ThyCa Participates at Academy of General Dentistry Annual Meeting
We are pleased to report that ThyCa representative Gary Bloom participated at the Annual Meeting of The American Academy of General Dentistry in July in Washington, DC. This meeting offered a wonderful opportunity to network with dentists, many of whom do neck checks to aid early detection of thyroid cancer as well as other head and neck cancers, regarding the importance of early detection of thyroid cancer, which is the most common endocrine cancer.
Support Group Meetings – Welcome and Invitation
Every month, more than 60 thyroid cancer support groups hold meetings. Support group meetings are open to everyone whose lives have been touched by thyroid cancer.
The meetings offer wonderful opportunities to meet others in person and share experiences, strength, and hope while learning from others with varied situations with their thyroid cancer. Advance registration not required.
We have welcomed many new Support Groups this year, and thank all the wonderful volunteers who have stepped forward to form them. We also congratulate our many ongoing support groups for their ability to positively impact the lives of so many people affected by a thyroid cancer diagnosis.
Welcome to the newest support groups, located in Wichita, Kansas, and Cleveland, Ohio.
Go to our Support Groups page for a complete list of groups, contact information, and meeting schedules. Or, if you don’t have internet access, call (toll-free): 877-588-7904
If you’re interested in starting a group in your area, contact support_coord@thyca.org or 877-588-7904.
Free Patient Information Packets
Would you, or someone you know, like our free Patient Information Packet? Just send an e-mail with your name and complete mailing address to us at thyca@thyca.org, with “patient packet” in the subject, or call us at 1-877-588-7904 and we’ll be happy to mail the packet.
Our web site has more than 650 pages of content. More than 50 distinguished physicians plus numerous other specialists provide ongoing input and review. We greatly appreciate the wonderful support of these medical specialists.
We update and expand the web site every week. Thank you to our Web team, Betty Solbjor and Joel Amromin; our Publications Committee members; and our Medical Reviewers.
Visit www.thyca.org often for the latest information updates, the schedules of local support group meetings, and news about special events, or to get involved.
And let us know if you have ideas for additional web site content, as well as additional questions to be answered by physicians. E-mail your ideas to thyca@thyca.org. This is our web site, and it benefits from everyone’s contribution. It’s also a great way to start being involved!
Surgery Survey Coming Soon to www.thyca.org
The online survey instrument will give you the opportunity to share some details about your thyroid surgery. We’ll soon post details and the survey instrument on our website.
A few of our recent e-mails…
I want to say I appreciate your free service and support.
From West Virginia
I love your website!From California
I just sent in my membership, and would like to see if I can get some of the wallet-size cards like the one you enclosed in my application. I would like to give them to my doctor to give out to patients like me. Your organization makes such a difference to me,From Ontario, Canada
Thanks ever so much for the quick reply to my e-mail. Much appreciated! Thanks for the other information links as well.From Washington
How do we — Nuclear Medicine, Endocrinology Department – obtain the pamphlets with Catherine Bell’s picture on it?From Florida
I have recently been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and have had my thyroid removed. I have been given your website as a resource and would like any helpful information and assistance you can provide.From Texas
If possible, may I request 100 brochures describing your organization? I work in a cancer hospital and these items go quickly.From California
And I’d like to thank you for making this website available. It’s been fantastic to have this information and support so quickly at hand.
Are You a Member? You’re Invited To Become a One-Year, Two-Year, or Lifetime Member
Help us sustain, strengthen, and extend our services. We invite you to join ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Your membership dues will support ThyCa’s efforts to reach and serve other survivors and their families around the world.
You may join as a one-year member ($25), two-year member ($45), or lifetime member ($225).
For our secure online Membership form and our mailed Membership form, go to our Membership page.
Low-Iodine Recipe Tips of the Month
Contributed by Jo Walker of Arizona
Don’t feel deprived while eating your low iodine diet (LID):
Upgrade your meals with avocado instead of butter, sour cream and cheese:
- Mashed avacado instead of sour cream or butter on your baked potato
- Sliced or mashed avocado on sandwiches instead of cheese and mayonnaise
- Mashed avocado on toast or bagels instead of cream cheese or butter
- Chopped avacado in a salad or omelet instead of cheese
- Add another step and make guacamole by adding chopped onion, chili pepper, cilantro, and tomato.
Avocados are great on so many things, and really dress up meals.
Enjoy your enhanced meal!
Thank you, Jo! We’ll let people know about these recipe tips in the next edition of the FREE Downloadable Low-Iodine Cookbook.
Download the 6th edition of the Low-Iodine Cookbook for free, with more than 250 favorite recipes from more than 100 generous volunteers. The Cookbook is also available in Spanish. Please remember, while you’re welcome to download and print the entire free low-iodine cookbook, you can also print just the pages you need.
This free cookbook is a wonderful help when you’re preparing to receive radioactive iodine for treatment or testing. All the recipes are the favorites of some of our ThyCa volunteers, who are sharing them with everyone, to make the low-iodine diet easy and tasty. The recipes are also great for family meals and for potlucks, any time.
If you’d like to contribute your favorite recipe or tip to the cookbook’s next edition, send it to recipes@thyca.org.
One-Page Summary- Low-Iodine Diet Guidelines:
- in English
- in Spanish
Help Support the 2009 Rally for Research
Thanks to generous contributions and special fundraising events, ThyCa has awarded new thyroid cancer research grants in support of our goal of cures for all thyroid cancer and a future free of thyroid cancer, for the 7th year in a row.
We welcome new volunteers at any time. Volunteering for ThyCa is one way to help and support others touched by thyroid cancer, and you feel much better yourself because you know you have helped someone else through something you’ve been through. Try it; you might like it!
To learn about volunteer opportunities, visit our Volunteer page. You can sign-up to volunteer online using our guestbook
We believe that no one should have to be alone when facing thyroid cancer.
Our free support services are offered with this as our main goal.
We thank everyone for giving your time and talents to making possible our free services, publications, and events.
We’re grateful to you for reaching out to others worldwide, to help connect them with ThyCa’s many free support services and educational resources.
You’re Invited To These Upcoming Thyroid Cancer Events!
- Thyroid Cancer Support Group Meetings in Your Community
- September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month, sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. Get free awareness materials year-round from ThyCa.
- September 11 and 12, 2009. Colorado Thyroid Cancer Symposium for Physicians and Patients, with physician speakers, sponsored by the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center with cooperation and participation of ThyCa. This event is free. For details about the seminar time and location, contact the ThyCa Denver Support Group at denver-co@thyca.org.
- September 26, 2009. Thyroid Disease Public Health Forum with physician speakers about all thyroid diseases, being held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Thyroid Association. Sponsored by the ATA Alliance for Patient Education, including ThyCa. This free event is from 1 – 3 p.m. at The Breakers Hotel, One South County Road, Palm Beach, Florida. Walk-in attendees welcome. To let us know you’re attending, e-mail thyca@thyca.org and let us know the thyroid condition in which you’re most interested.
- The 12th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference
October 16-18, 2009 starting at 8 a.m. each day with session choices all day.
Boston, Massachusetts
Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel in Danvers
Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Distinguished physician speakers. Details, registration, and hotel room reservations now available on ThyCa’s web site. - The 8th Annual Dinner-Auction To Support Thyroid Cancer Research.
October 17, 2009 from 6 – 9 p.m.
Boston, Massachusetts
Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel in Danvers
Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. - November 14, 2009. Pittsburgh Thyroid Cancer Seminar with physician speakers. Free. Further details about the seminar time and location will be posted on our website.
Visit www.thyca.org for details. Download the conference flyer and
help spread the word.
Every day, thousands of people with thyroid cancer, and their families, receive support, education, and hope from ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Your generous support is what makes it possible to sustain, strengthen, and expand our services and outreach.
It only takes a minute to make a secure donation online in support of ThyCa’s work (or you are welcome to donate by mail), so click here to give.
If you have questions about thyroid cancer, please send them to thyca@thyca.org and we’ll answer your question in an upcoming newsletter as well as adding to our web site content.
If you have a story or anecdote about your thyroid cancer journey that you would like to share, please send it to thyca@thyca.org and we’ll do our best to include it in an upcoming newsletter as well as adding to our web site content.
About ThyCa NEWS NOTES
Copyright (c) 2009 ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Thank you to our writing, editing, and proofreading team for this issue of the newsletter: Leah Guljord, Pat Paillard, Jo Walker, Cherry Wunderlich, and Gary Bloom.
Your suggestions for articles are welcome. The deadline for articles and news items is the first day of each month.
Please share News Notes with your family and friends. For permission to reprint in another electronic or print publication, please contact us at outreach@thyca.org.
ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization (tax ID #52-2169434) of thyroid cancer survivors, family members, and health care professionals.
We are dedicated to support, education, and communication for thyroid cancer survivors, their families and friends, as well as to public awareness for early detection, treatment, and lifetime health monitoring, and to thyroid cancer research fundraising and research grants.
Contact us for free awareness materials and information about our free services and special events. E-mail thyca@thyca.org, call 1-877-588-7904, fax 1-630-604-6078, write PO Box 1102, Olney, MD 20830-1102, or visit our website.
ThyCa Urges Early Detection Through Neck Checks
- Thyroid cancer, one of the few cancers that has increased in incidence over the past several years, is expected to be newly diagnosed in 37,200 people in the United States in 2009, reports ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association.
- Thyroid cancer is now the 6th most common cancer in women. About three times as many women as men get thyroid cancer.
- Thyroid cancer has several types and variants,. It affects people in all age groups, from young children through senior citizens.
- Thyroid cancer is usually treatable when found early.
- A total of 27,200 women and 10,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with thyroid cancer this year. The number of deaths is expected to increase by about 2.5% over last year, to 1,630 in 2009.
- The number of new diagnoses predicted is about the same as last year’s record total, and about double the number from 10 years ago, according to information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Cancer Society. The number of new cases in men is expected to increase more than 11% in 2009 over 2008.
- ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. (www.thyca.org) urges everyone to learn about thyroid cancer and to ask for a neck check at each doctor’s appointment.
- Help raise awareness for early detection. E-mail us at thyca@thyca.org to receive free materials, or call 877-588-7904, or download free awareness flyers from our Raise Awareness page.
- ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization of thyroid cancer survivors, family members, and health care professionals, dedicated to education, communication, support, awareness for early detection, and thyroid cancer research fundraising and research grants.
- For free awareness materials and more information about thyroid cancer and ThyCa’s free year-round support services, education, and publications, e-mail to thyca@thyca.org, call toll-free 1-877-588-7904, write to PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, or visit our website.
On Saturday, July 25, 2009, everyone interested in thyroid cancer is invited to the San Francisco/Northern California Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Workshop. ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., will offer this FREE half-day workshop for thyroid cancer survivors, their families, caregivers, and friends.
This educational and supportive event will take place from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Stanford Cancer Center, 875 Blake Wilbur, Stanford, California in Rooms 2103/2104 on the 2nd Floor of the Cancer Center.
This event is free. You may attend part, or all, of the workshop. You may register online at www.thyca.org (form is available on the web site) or onsite at the workshop.
Physicians will speak and answer questions about thyroid cancer treatment, long-term monitoring, and research advances. Featured speakers include Haruko Akatsu, M.D., M.S., Endocrinologist, Clinical Associate Professor, Stanford University Hospital; Wen T. Shen, M.D., Endocrine Surgeon, University of California at San Francisco; and Mike Yao, M.D., Associate Professor Otolaryngology (Head & Neck Surgery), Stanford University Hospital.
For more information about the workshop, e-mail to SiliconValley@thyca.org or thyca@thyca.org or call 1-877-588-7904.
Visit ThyCa’s web site at www.thyca.org for further details about the speakers, program, and directions.
The workshop is sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. (www.thyca.org). ThyCa is a national nonprofit 501(C) (3) organization providing person-to-person support, support groups, the free downloadable Low-Iodine Cookbook, free online newsletters, awareness materials, free one-day workshops, and other resources to thyroid cancer survivors, their families, and the public at no charge.
ThyCa also funds thyroid cancer research grants, sponsors Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month in September, and will hold the 12th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 16-18, 2009.
More information can be obtained by visiting our website, writing to PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, calling toll-free to 877-588-7904, faxing 630-604-6078, or e-mailing to thyca@thyca.org.
In This Issue:
- Thyroid Cancer 2009 Statistics Show That It’s the 6th Most Common Cancer in Women, Increasing in Men
- San Francisco/Northern California Free Workshop – You’re Invited
- Support Group Meetings – Welcome and Invitation
- Conference Registration Now Open\
- Our Free Guestbook
- ThyCa Participates at Endocrine Society Annual Meeting
- Birthday Party Raises more than $9,000 for Thyroid Cancer Research
- Thank You, Chris Prestano
- Free Patient Information Packets
- What’s New on the Web Site?
- From the E-Mail Box
- Are You a ThyCa Member? Please Join Us!
- Low-Iodine Recipe of the Month
- Help Support the 2009 Rally for Research
- Want To Volunteer?
- Thank You From ThyCa
- You’re Invited to these Upcoming Thyroid Cancer Events
- Every Day…
- Ask ThyCa
- Tell ThyCa
- About ThyCa NEWS NOTES
Thyroid Cancer 2009 Statistics Show That It’s the 6th Most Common Cancer in Women, Increasing in Men
ThyCa Urges Early Detection Through Neck Checks
- Thyroid cancer, one of the few cancers that has increased in incidence over the past decade. Approximately 37,200 people will be newly diagnosed in the United States in 2009, reports ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association.
- Thyroid cancer is now the 6th most common cancer in women. About three times as many women as men are diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
- Thyroid cancer has several types and variants. It affects people in all age groups, from young children through senior citizens.
- Thyroid cancer is usually treatable when found early.
- A total of 27,200 women and 10,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with thyroid cancer this year. The number of deaths is expected to increase by about 2.5% over last year, to 1,630 in 2009.
- The number of new diagnoses predicted is about the same as last year’s record total, and about double the number from 10 years ago, according to information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Cancer Society. The number of new cases in men is expected to increase more than 11% in 2009 over 2008.
- ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. urges everyone to learn about thyroid cancer and to ask for a neck check at each doctor’s appointment.
- Help raise awareness for early detection. E-mail us at thyca@thyca.org to receive free materials, or call 877-588-7904, or download free awareness flyers from our Raise Awareness page.
San Francisco/Northern California Free Workshop – You’re Invited
ThyCa is proud to announce another free regional workshop, to be held in Stanford California on July 25th. You’ll find the flyer on www.thyca.org in the Conferences/Workshops section.
ThyCa’s free workshops offer terrific opportunities to learn from experts and meet and share experiences, and support with other thyroid cancer survivors and caregivers. Most regional workshops are hosted by support groups. Please contact support_coord@thyca.org if you’d like information about developing a workshop in your area.
- You may come for part or all of the workshop.
- Free. Register either online or onsite at the workshop.
- For more information, e-mail to thyca@thyca.org or call 1-877-588-7904.
- Visit ThyCa’s web site <www.thyca.org> for further details about the speakers, programs, and directions.
San Francisco/Northern California Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Workshop
Saturday, July 25, 2009
12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Stanford, California
Featured Speakers:
- Haruko Akatsu, M.D., M.S., Endocrinologist, Stanford University Hospital, CA
- Wen T. Shen, M.D., Endocrine Surgeon, University of California at San Francisco, CA
- Mike Yao, M.D. ENT, Stanford University Hospital, CA
Location: Stanford Cancer Center, 875 Blake Wilbur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305.
Support Group Meetings – Welcome and Invitation.
Every month, more than 60 thyroid cancer support groups hold meetings. Support group meetings are open to everyone whose lives have been touched by thyroid cancer.
The meetings offer wonderful opportunities to meet others in person and share experiences, strength, and hope while learning from others with varied situations with their thyroid cancer. Advance registration not required.
We would like to welcome these new Support Groups:
ThyCa Dixie, in the Phenix City area of Alabama. This returning group meets on the third Saturday of every month and started in June.
Climax Springs, MO, (Central Missouri) which meets the second Friday of every month and will be starting in July.
Cleveland, Ohio, which meets on the first Wednesday of every month and will start in August.
A new Group will be starting soon in Miami, Florida, and will offer both English and Spanish speaking facilitators. Check future Newsletters for more details about this group.
Go to www.thyca.org/sg/ for a complete list of groups, contact information, and meeting schedules. Or, if you don’t have internet access, call (toll-free): 877-588-7904
If you’re interested in starting a group in your area, contact support_coor@thyca.org or 877-588-7904.
Conference Registration Now Open
We’re pleased to announce that registration for The 12th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference is now open.
You may register by mail or on line. Cost of registration is $45 full fee; $35 Annual ThyCa Member; $30 Lifetime ThyCa Member; $25 Guest (family member or caregiver); $25 for One-Day Attendance.. Early-bird Discount will be given to those who register on line by September 16th or by mail that is postmarked by September 16, 2009. After September 16th the cost goes up by $5.
Visit our Conferences page for the registration form.
This year’s conference will be held at the Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel in Danvers, Massachusetts which is located about 20 miles north of Boston. You’ll find the hotel details and room reservation information on our website or by calling 877-588-7904.
Tickets for the Saturday Evening Dinner/Auction to raise much needed funds for thyroid cancer research (held on October 17) can be purchased on line or by mail and cost $50 per ticket. This event raises funds for Thyroid Cancer Research and is a lot of fun. Help ThyCa raise funds so we all can continue funding thyroid cancer research (now 7 straight years). The web site has the reservation form.
Hope to see you at the conference in October!
It’s quick and easy to sign up to receive our free online newsletter, plus announcements of ThyCa events and activities. It’s a great way to stay connected to the thyroid cancer community, and to stay up to date on changes in treatments and testing methods, especially if you’re a long-term survivor.
Just fill out our Guestbook form.
To protect each person’s privacy, the mailing list is for the sole use of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., and its affiliates. ThyCa does not ever sell, share, or give away any contact information.
ThyCa Participates at Endocrine Society Annual Meeting
We are pleased to report that ThyCa representatives Gary Bloom, Jan Halzel, Pharm.D., and Cal Pierce participated at the Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society in June in Washington, DC. This meeting offered a wonderful opportunity to learn the latest advances in all aspects of endocrinology, including thyroid cancer, which is the most common endocrine cancer.
Birthday Party Raises More Than $9,000 for Thyroid Cancer Research
Volunteer Ken Pelt of Wisconsin organized a creative and unique fundraiser for ThyCa, a birthday party and a celebration of his surviving his thyroid cancer diagnosis. This event was highly successful, resulting in donations of more than $9,000 to ThyCa. Happy Birthday, Ken,, and congratulations on surviving your thyroid cancer diagnosis. Thank you very much, Ken, for your wonderful support.
We would like to extend our special appreciation to Chris Prestano of New Jersey for your special fundraising efforts this spring, which have resulted in numerous donations in support of ThyCa. We are deeply grateful for your wonderful efforts.
Free Patient Information Packets
Would you, or someone you know, like our free Patient Information Packet? Just send an e-mail with your name and complete mailing address to us at thyca@thyca.org, with “patient packet” in the subject, or call us at 1-877-588-7904 and we’ll be happy to mail the packet.
Our web site has more than 650 pages of content. More than 50 distinguished physicians plus numerous other specialists provide ongoing input and review. We greatly appreciate the wonderful support of these medical specialists.
We update and expand the web site every week. Thank you to our Web team, Betty Solbjor and Joel Amromin; our Publications Committee members; and our Medical Reviewers.
Visit www.thyca.org often for the latest information updates, the schedules of local support group meetings, and news about special events, or to get involved.
And let us know if you have ideas for additional web site content, as well as additional questions to be answered by physicians. E-mail your ideas to thyca@thyca.org. This is our web site, and it benefits from everyone’s contribution. It’s also a great way to start being involved!
A few of our recent e-mails…
From Minnesota:
Please send packet for new patients as I have been newly diagnosed and will be having surgery in a few days. Need all the information and support I can get at t his time thank you.
From New Mexico:
Thank you very much. My wonderful sister in law just received her diagnosis today and I want her to have your info, and I would like to receive it too. Maybe I can help her.
From New York:
I am a head & neck surgeon with many thyroid cancer patients. Would you kindly send me some of your free patient materials/pamphlets? Thank you.
From Kentucky:
My daughter, age 13 was diagnosed with Papillary Thyroid cancer in May. She is scheduled to have a total thyroidectomy and bilateral neck dissection on Saturday morning. I have used your website extensively to educate myself about this disease and I wanted to thank you for it! I also wanted to see if you were still doing the Backpack Project. (Editor’s Note: yes, ThyCa still provides a backpack with thyroid cancer information in it to any pediatric thyroid cancer survivor whose family requests one).
From California:
Please send free packets for our thyroid patients. Our radiation oncologist sees new 4-6 thyroid patients/ month. These patients have radioactive I-131 ablation treatment.
From Virginia:
My Endocrinologist gave me the www.thyca.org web site today at the hospital. Could you please send me your free Patient Information Packet?
From Florida:
What a wonderful e-mail and what a wonderful service you offer.
Are You a Member? Please Join ThyCa!
Help us sustain, strengthen, and extend our services. We invite you to join ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Your membership dues will support ThyCa’s efforts to reach and serve other survivors and their families around the world.
You may join as a one-year member ($25), two-year member ($45), or lifetime member ($225).
For our secure online Membership form and our mailed Membership form, go to our Membership page.
Low-Iodine Recipe of the Month
Contributed by Linda Reardon of Stoughton, Massachusetts
Very Easy American Chop Suey
1 1/2 cans of Unsalted Stewed Tomatoes
11/2 cans of Unsalted Tomato Sauce
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon dried basil
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 Box of Elbow macaroni
1/2 lb. chopped meat 99% fat free
Add unsalted stewed tomatoes and unsalted tomato sauce, garlic, basil, and oregano to a sauce pan (use a potato masher to mash up stewed tomatoes in the pan). Let simmer.
Brown the chopped meat and strain any fat, before adding to sauce mixture. Continue simmering while you boil the macaroni for approximately 10-12 minutes or according to directions.
Strain the macaroni and add to the sauce and meat mixture.
Stir to combine and serve.
You can also freeze this sauce for before you go Hypo.
Linda writes: “Happy Dieting”
Thank you, Linda! We’ll let people know about this recipe in the next edition of the FREE Downloadable Low-Iodine Cookbook. We hope to see you at the conference in October!
Download the 6th edition of the Low-Iodine Cookbook for free, with more than 250 favorite recipes from more than 100 generous volunteers, here. The Cookbook is also available in Spanish.
This free cookbook is a wonderful help when you’re preparing to receive radioactive iodine for treatment or testing. All the recipes are the favorites of some of our ThyCa volunteers, who are sharing them with everyone, to make the low-iodine diet easy and tasty. The recipes are also great for family meals and for potlucks, any time.
If you’d like to contribute your favorite recipe or tip to the cookbook’s next edition, send it torecipes@thyca.org.
One-Page Summary- Low-Iodine Diet Guidelines:
- in English
- in Spanish
Help Support the 2009 Rally for Research
Thanks to generous contributions and special fundraising events, ThyCa will award new thyroid cancer research grants in support of our goal of cures for all thyroid cancer and a future free of thyroid cancer, for the 7th year in a row.
We welcome new volunteers at any time. Volunteering for ThyCa is one way to help and support others touched by thyroid cancer, and you feel much better yourself because you know you have helped someone else through something you’ve been through. Try it; you might like it!
To learn about volunteer opportunities, visit our Volunteer page. You can sign-up to volunteer online using our guestbook.
We believe that no one should have to be alone when facing thyroid cancer.
Our free support services are offered with this as our main goal.
We thank everyone for giving your time and talents to making possible our free services, publications, and events.
We’re grateful to you for reaching out to others worldwide, to help connect them with ThyCa’s many free support services and educational resources.
You’re Invited To These Upcoming Thyroid Cancer Events!
- Thyroid Cancer Support Group Meetings in Your Community
- Free One-Day Regional Workshops.
- Stanford, California on Saturday, July 25, 2009
- in addition to workshops already held this spring
- September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month, sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. Get free awareness materials year-round from ThyCa.
- The 12th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference
October 16-18, 2009
Boston, Massachusetts
Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel in Danvers
Sponsored by ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Visit our website for details. Download the conference flyer and help spread the word.
Every day, thousands of people with thyroid cancer, and their families, receive support, education, and hope from ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Your generous support is what makes it possible to sustain, strengthen, and expand our services and outreach.
It only takes a minute to make a secure donation online in support of ThyCa’s work (or you are welcome to donate by mail), so click here to give.
If you have questions about thyroid cancer, please send them to thyca@thyca.org and we’ll answer your question in an upcoming newsletter as well as adding to our web site content.
If you have a story or anecdote about your thyroid cancer journey that you would like to share, please send it to thyca@thyca.org and we’ll do our best to include it in an upcoming newsletter as well as adding to our web site content.
About ThyCa NEWS NOTES
Copyright (c) 2009 ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc.
Thank you to our writing, editing, and proofreading team for this issue of the newsletter: Leah Guljord, Pat Paillard, Linda Reardon, Cherry Wunderlich, and Gary Bloom.
Your suggestions for articles are welcome. The deadline for articles and news items is the first day of each month.
Please share News Notes with your family and friends. For permission to reprint in another electronic or print publication, please contact us at outreach@thyca.org.
ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization (tax ID #52-2169434) of thyroid cancer survivors, family members, and health care professionals.
We are dedicated to support, education, and communication for thyroid cancer survivors, their families and friends, as well as to public awareness for early detection, treatment, and lifetime health monitoring, and to thyroid cancer research fundraising and research grants.
Contact us for free awareness materials and information about our free services and special events. E-mail thyca@thyca.org, call 1-877-588-7904, fax 1-630-604-6078, write PO Box 1102, Olney, MD 20830-1102, or visit our website.
On Saturday, May 16, 2009, everyone interested in thyroid cancer is invited to the Mid-Atlantic Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Workshop. ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc., will offer this FREE one-day workshop for thyroid cancer survivors, their families, caregivers, and friends.
This educational and supportive event will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Professional Building at Washington Adventist Hospital, 7600 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park, Maryland 20912, near Washington, DC, and Interstate 495.
This event is free. You may attend part, or all, of the workshop. You may register online at www.thyca.org (form is available on the web site) or onsite at the workshop.
Physicians and a dentist will speak and answer questions about thyroid cancer treatment, long-term monitoring, and research advances. Featured include Kenneth D. Burman, M.D., Endocrinologist, Washington Hospital Center, DC, who also is President of the American Thyroid Association; Nancy Carroll, M.D., Endocrine Surgeon, Washington Hospital Center, DC; Matthew I. Kim, M.D., Endocrinologist, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Gigi Meinecke, D.M.D., F.A.G.D., Dentist, University of Maryland School of Dentistry; and Douglas Van Nostrand, M.D., Nuclear Medicine Physician, Washington Hospital Center, DC.
Topics include If You’re New to Papillary or Follicular Thyroid Cancer: After Surgery and During the First Year, Understanding Risk Levels; Controversies in Using I-131, Using I-131 more than once, Selecting I-131 Therapy Doses and the Use of Lemon Candies; Thyroid Surgery Basics, Lymph Node Invasion, Neck Dissection, Surgical Treatment of Neck Spread, Preventing and Solving Voice Issues; A. Dentist’s Perspective: Overview and Introduction to Salivary Issues and Dysfunction; Thyroid Cancer Management, Especially After the First Year: Management for Different Situations, for Persistent or Recurrent Disease;TSH Levels, Bones, Heart, Other Issues.; and Future Trends in Management of Thyroid Cancer for Low-Risk Patients, for High-Risk Patients.
For more information about the workshop, e-mail to thyca@thyca.org or call 301-493-8810 or 1-877-588-7904.
Visit ThyCa’s web site for further details about the speakers, program, and directions.
The workshop is co-sponsored by the University of California San Diego Medical Center and ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. (www.thyca.org). ThyCa is a national nonprofit 501(C) (3) organization providing person-to-person support, support groups, the free downloadable Low-Iodine Cookbook, free online newsletters, awareness materials, free one-day workshops, and other resources to thyroid cancer survivors, their families, and the public at no charge. ThyCa also funds thyroid cancer research grants, sponsors Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month in September, and will hold the 12th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 16-18, 2009.
More information can be obtained by visiting the web site, writing to PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, calling toll-free to 877-588-7904, faxing 630-604-6078, or e-mailing to thyca@thyca.org.