West Virginia
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Initiative Partners With Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program
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Program Example
The "Reaching Out...Raising Ovarian Cancer Awareness" initiative (Reaching Out) in West Virginia is achieving its goals and objectives through successful partnership efforts made possible by the supplemental funding that the state has received for ovarian cancer from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reaching Out is conducting community-based educational programs developed to raise awareness among women, especially those aged 45 years or older, about the importance
of getting annual gynecologic examinations
and recognizing the symptoms associated with ovarian cancer. During the course of this initiative,
more than 1,500 women have attended
25 community events led by a gynecologic oncologist at Marshall University School of Medicine, and by the Reaching Out Program Manager.
Reaching Out has regularly partnered with the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program (WVBCCSP) to improve the health of West Virginia women. WVBCCSP cancer information specialists (CISs) are an integral
part of the planning team for each Reaching
Out event. CISs are on the agenda for each event and use the opportunity to describe WVBCCSP and its services to participants. CISs are also given exhibit space at the events so that they can distribute program materials and meet one-on-one with interested women.
Reaching Out has also helped to promote WVBCCSP events that offer free or low-cost gynecologic examinations and Papanicolaou tests. Earlier this year, Reaching Out was so successful in promoting several such screening opportunities that, unfortunately, some women had to be turned away because there were not enough physicians to perform all of the examinations
sought by participants.
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Implication and Impact
Reaching Out continues to hold local events across the state, and continues to encourage women to see their physician on a regular basis for gynecologic examinations and to pay particular
attention to the possible warning signs of ovarian cancer. The program also continues to explore ways to evaluate its effectiveness. In April 2005, Reaching Out began including a postpaid postcard in participant materials distributed at its events. The postcard, which women can return anonymously, confirms that since attending the ovarian event in her community
the sender has scheduled an annual gynecologic examination with her doctor. During the first 6 months after starting this evaluation procedure, Reaching Out received postcards from 53 women.
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Contact Information
West Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Control Program*
350 Capitol Street, Room 319
Charleston,
WV 25301-3715
(304) 558-0644
Fax: (304) 558-1553
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programs by CDC or the federal government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible
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