I wrote to Greta of Fox News

[SimplyStar]

I just spent 2 hours writing an email to Greta Van Sustran,   Fox News, I asked her to visit this forum and read the stories told by you ladies. Asked her to identify herself so we would know. I asked her to do an educational program on diagnosing OVCA. Explained how the primary doctors are missing it and not catching it till it is past level 1. Thinking about doing a bunch of emails to teaching hospitals asking them to reinforce the info given to new doctors in recognizing OVCA symptoms. I might send one to Oprah also. Any one else have an idea?  I am retired and have the time to devote myself to helping advocate in any way I can, to spread news and gather info.

[layla965]

I wrote to the Today Show, only got a generic e-mail back that they rec'd it and would review it when they go the chance just like everyone else I've written too. Maybe one day they'll read them.

[ohmandy]

I have written several times to Oprah about this too. Because of my pain for the past 5 years and brush that occurs with my pain and this forum and others, I have sent off to get my transcripts from my University and I am considering going to med school for gyn. I am 28, so I am not too old but there is more than a great need for understanding and educated gyns.

[layla965]

I've written to Oprah a few times on the issue. No response. Has anyone tried the Tyra Banks show. I know it's in syndication and all, but maybe someone can jump on this. All you ever hear about is weight loss and men's prostates and colon cancer. I watched something on the Discovery Channel the other day that just made me ill. It said that women's health issues are decades behind men's. All these talk show hosts claim to want to help women be better and healthier, this is definitely an issue they need to take up. I bet if we were writing for them to give us more diet tips or how to make our hips look smaller in next season's clothes they'd be right on it.. Sorry a little bitter tonight.,Had post op last week was a little painful still a little crampy.  I swear the Dr had hands like catcher's mitts. Started spotting in between periods and am hormonal as hell. Apparently my ovaries are still "out of synch"  Sorry, just had to vent no one at home seems to understand.

[stephers]

looks like we are all on the same page, I wrote oprah, tyra, Barbara Walters, dateline, 20/20, and several other canadian programs. Maybe if they see there is a massive problem they will start airing these stories.

[buggnonu]

I sent a letter to Oprah too :-)

[buggnonu]

Glad to hear you got a response!!!! let me know if you need anything. I was watching montel today he was doing a piece on rare disorders. I think he has M.S. So he spends alot of time on Important health issues to. Agian yesterday as I was talking to my daughter to find she is experiencing the same things alot of the woman here are. She has had 2 periods in the coarse of a year!! Her doctor told her it was normal!!! I was amazed....is womans Health that difficult to understand when your body is screeming loud and clear. From what I have learned in here guess what I did lol....I called that doctor and raised holy u know what with her...my baby is scheduled to have an Ultra sound very soon:-)...thanks girls!! anyway just wanted to say kudos and please please let me know if I can help with anything!!.....bug

[s13]

Way to go Simply Star!  Thank God somebody is reaching out to all of us.  I can't wait to help out.  Just let me know what I can do to help.  Check out my post to you & Lilly64.  Peace.

[SimplyStar]

Got an email from Greta, she forwarded my email to her producer and told me that she can't  guarantee  it will be done, but that it is an important issue and she would like to do a show on OVCA. Cross your fingers girls, hope I get positive answers from some of the others.

[PPhelps]

You know I have seen OC commercials on TV, but its always been late at night. @ 1:30 AM central time. It always pisses me off that they don't air those commercials earlier during prime watching hours, and they don't mention symptoms, just to talk to your doctor about it. Like that does any good when they don't know much about it either.

Paula

[lilly64]

I totally feel the same way that this is NOT a silent disease as they call it.  It is speaking loud and clear. Albeit the benign condition present the same sypmptoms as the malignant condition, as one of you stated (NYC Lady, I believe), a women's health awareness something would be a good place to start.  I am totally on board for all of this.  I don't particularly like Oprah, so I won't email her, but I'm gonna pull up all the news stations, health channels, etc. and get a listing and start from there.  As I'm very busy until mid-week this week with work, I will begin my quest then.  I also have not been diagnosed with anything but cysts, fibroids, and adeno.  But I have all the markers for the disease - I am in sooooooo much pain and the bloating of my abdomen makes me look 4-6 months pregnant; just waiting to find the right doctor to take me seriously and I'm afraid I may not make it until then.... SimplyStar - God Bless you for taking this on and you will not be alone in this quest.  I am ready to start slamming the medical field out of the water for this!  Please let me know if there is anything else in particular you would like from me - I have all the resources (computer, fax, color laserjet, scanner, etc.) at home so I can do just about anything.  Please let me know.  If for some reason you need to email me it's:  lilly . murphy @ comcast . net.  No spaces in that; just did it so the forum doesn't x it out.  Best, Best.......Lilly

[RAS50]

Angelina Jolie just lost her mom today to OC.  If we could get messages directly to her, I bet she would be a very vocal advocate.

[SimplyStar]

found a great site for OVCA  www.Healthwise.org  this is on the health site for MSN  If we could get them to run it on the "front page" of the daily news it could be a start.  it is a very comprehensive explaination of this beast. Since this is the page most of us see when we go online, what better place?  You really have to dig deep sometimes to find the right spot.  Unable to get to a lot of the celebs on TV shows. May I suggest that when you go to your doctors about treatment, you ask them what kind of help they can give to help spread the news. Is there an organization for OVCA awareness?  If so maybe we should get active with them and tell the story there. I am stressing that this is a world wide problem, so I hope the ladies from other countries will pitch in and help too. going to contact Dr. Manny on Fox News also, he gives about 5 minutes on health on the shows weekly.

[buggnonu]

I think its a great Idea!! Maybe try katie curic. I know that her husband died of colon cancer but she seems to be a strong advocate of cancer awareness in genral. I myself havent been diagnosed with cancer to this date but I have a few large masses in my lower pelvic area being tracked and tested right now(keep your fingers crossed girls) only after going thru a few doctors that thought i was a hypocondriac and just had GAS!!. You know I have never even been given a CA125 test....that I wouldnt have even been aware of if it hadnt been for this forum. If I hadnt got genral information from here I would be totally unaware of things to ask or people to see or test to take. From my experience thus far with doctors very obvious signs and symtoms are simply overlooked or written of to be IBS or an over reaction on our part.How many woman out there know that they can get they own records upon request and take them to another doctor??? or that its OK to speak out on your own behalf? who knows your own body better than you do.....all it takes on the doctors behalf is to be a good listener and be diligent in womans care.Doctors should be the first ones to say NO no questions are silly and no pain is to small to mention...Tell me everything!!! I agree doctors should be better educated in womans health because the more I read in here I see that OVCA is definatly not a silent killer. it speaks loud and clear and we need the medical world to listen an educate woman who dont have this forum and others like it to tell them. we spend billions of dollars on birth control ads and make up ads and for new drugs on the market. I watch alot of TV in my "downtime" and the only education things on womans health I have seen are BC pills and the risks of heartattack in woman and the new one for cervical cancer advertising the new preventive shot.....dont we have more "parts" than that to educate on???and really in my opinion the only reason that commercial is on is because of the pharmisutical company pushing its new drug....we never had advertisement on that human papiloma virus before....ahhhhh it makes me so mad ...I could ramble on forever on this but you guys get my drift....good luck and let me know if there is anyway I can help....I have alot of time on my hands lately ....:-)  .........bug/AKA Heather

[nyc lady]

Barbara Walters....she lost her sister to OvCa in 1988.  I have been emailing daily and have gotten no response....PLEASE....email her as well.  I know that in the past there also has been no response from Oprah...unfortunately, OvCa doesn't get the press time it deserves!  I would be happy with a show designated to complete gynocological health and diseases...can't seem to get them to even do that much...but, there plenty of shows about bras that fit and don't ... sorry, I just don't see any of those shows saving not even one life.