- Email: [email protected]
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
De libris Where on the web Conference diary
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation http://www.komen.org/
©Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Stories of the personal and physical agony caused by cancer have recently begun to appear in the media. The story of Susan Komen is no less traumatic than many of these. However, from Susan’s suffering and subsequent death has sprung a resource that provides accurate information and practical advice to those affected by breast cancer, as well as offering a source of funding for all aspects of breast cancer research. Komen.org is the website of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation set up in 1982. The Foundation is the result of her sister, Nancy Brinker’s, promise to devote her life to “eradicating breast cancer as a lifethreatening disease by advancing research, education, screening and treatment”. This dedication is likely to have been strengthened by Nancy’s discovery of her own breast cancer in 1984. Over the past 18 years, the
THE LANCET Oncology Vol 1 November 2000
Foundation has grown out of all recognition. It began with, in Nancy’s words, “a few hundred dollars of [my] own and a card box full of friends’ names”. Now the Foundation, funded through corporate sponsorship and donations, is a valuable resource for breast cancer information. It also supports research by providing project grants and postdoctoral fellowships to the order of $250k. The areas of interest are wide, and include molecular, genetic and environmental epidemiology, imaging technology, complementary medicine and breast health education. The site is well-informed, with useful, accurate and incredibly up-todate information. The best section is the one entitled “Breast Health”, which covers epidemiology, treatment options, living with cancer, FAQs and more. Descriptions of populationspecific risks are useful, including separate sections for non-white ethnic groups, pregnant women, lesbians, seniors, younger women and men. Through the ‘Talk Back’ pages, women are offered a forum to
comment on breast cancer issues, including their own stories, experiences and fears. Judging by the dates of each posting, this is a popular resource for patients and their families. The provision of information in Spanish is also refreshing, although this appears not to be quite as comprehensive as the English language pages. Unfortunately, Komen.org is not easy to navigate. I found myself going round in circles, and remain unsure of what the homepage is. Identical information is posted on a number of pages, so logging in to komen.org and to breastcancerinfo.org presents the same information on a differentcoloured background. An obvious omission from such a complex website is the lack of a search facility. In conclusion, this website is likely to be of interest and use to those affected, directly or indirectly, by breast cancer. For the health professional, this could act as a source of reliable information for your computer literate patients, and as a source of funding for your future research. Mona Okasha
195
For personal use only. Not to be reproduced without permission of The Lancet.
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation http://www.komen.org/
©Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Stories of the personal and physical agony caused by cancer have recently begun to appear in the media. The story of Susan Komen is no less traumatic than many of these. However, from Susan’s suffering and subsequent death has sprung a resource that provides accurate information and practical advice to those affected by breast cancer, as well as offering a source of funding for all aspects of breast cancer research. Komen.org is the website of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation set up in 1982. The Foundation is the result of her sister, Nancy Brinker’s, promise to devote her life to “eradicating breast cancer as a lifethreatening disease by advancing research, education, screening and treatment”. This dedication is likely to have been strengthened by Nancy’s discovery of her own breast cancer in 1984. Over the past 18 years, the
THE LANCET Oncology Vol 1 November 2000
Foundation has grown out of all recognition. It began with, in Nancy’s words, “a few hundred dollars of [my] own and a card box full of friends’ names”. Now the Foundation, funded through corporate sponsorship and donations, is a valuable resource for breast cancer information. It also supports research by providing project grants and postdoctoral fellowships to the order of $250k. The areas of interest are wide, and include molecular, genetic and environmental epidemiology, imaging technology, complementary medicine and breast health education. The site is well-informed, with useful, accurate and incredibly up-todate information. The best section is the one entitled “Breast Health”, which covers epidemiology, treatment options, living with cancer, FAQs and more. Descriptions of populationspecific risks are useful, including separate sections for non-white ethnic groups, pregnant women, lesbians, seniors, younger women and men. Through the ‘Talk Back’ pages, women are offered a forum to
comment on breast cancer issues, including their own stories, experiences and fears. Judging by the dates of each posting, this is a popular resource for patients and their families. The provision of information in Spanish is also refreshing, although this appears not to be quite as comprehensive as the English language pages. Unfortunately, Komen.org is not easy to navigate. I found myself going round in circles, and remain unsure of what the homepage is. Identical information is posted on a number of pages, so logging in to komen.org and to breastcancerinfo.org presents the same information on a differentcoloured background. An obvious omission from such a complex website is the lack of a search facility. In conclusion, this website is likely to be of interest and use to those affected, directly or indirectly, by breast cancer. For the health professional, this could act as a source of reliable information for your computer literate patients, and as a source of funding for your future research. Mona Okasha
195
For personal use only. Not to be reproduced without permission of The Lancet.