Seventy percent of ovarian cancers are detected only in the advanced stages – when the survival rate is 20 percent. Only a small segment of women survive for more than five years with ovarian cancer. The Maine grassroots movement Miles For Women is raising awareness and funds to improve diagnostic testing for ovarian cancer. Organizer Mona Letourneau argues, “That this disease is still so life threateningÑin the year 2001Ñis more a question of social and scientific priorities, less a matter of biology.” Miles For Women is sponsoring The Maine Century Ride bikathon, to take place on July 21st in Portland. The project’s goals include:
- funding a post doctoral position for gynecological diagnostic research ;
- sponsoring an award in conjunction with the Society for Gynecological Oncology;
- and underwriting the costs of diagnostic testing.
The Maine Century Ride aims to sign up 400 bikers; 350 have volunteered thus far. For more information, contact Miles For Women at miles@ctel.net, www.MilesforWomen.org, or phone 207-784-2479.
The Feminist Majority Foundation has been urging expansion of trials on mifepristone as a possible treatment of some types of ovarian cancers. A preliminary trial recently showed that 26.5% of ovarian cancer patients for whom other treatments had failed responded to mifepristone treatment. Take Action: Urge Bush and Thompson to Stop Playing Politics with RU 486 (Mifepristone)
