BY SUE MacDONALD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
It was a fighting spirit among breast cancer survivors that first drew Elyce Turba of Amberley Village to the Breast Cancer Alliance of Greater Cincinnati.
It's four years later, and she's still organizing fax chains among women to alert them to laws and research money that affect breast cancer awareness, treatment and research.
The cancer nurse and full-time volunteer meets regularly with other breast-cervical cancer advocacy groups throughout Ohio. Her goal: to create a common and powerful voice among women who want more attention and money for breast cancer programs.
"Generally, breast cancer survivors are fighters," Ms. Turba, one of the 1994 founding members of the alliance. "They want to take it to another level and go out and help others who are potentially at risk for the disease or are currently struggling with the disease."
About 43,900 American women will die of breast cancer this year (second to 67,000 women who will die of lung cancer), although breast cancer death rates since the 1980s have declined slightly, especially among young women. Experts say it is because of better treatment and better diagnosis of early cancers.
The alliance, now 250 members strong, marks its fourth anniversary with a half-day educational seminar and breast cancer Survivors' Luncheon Oct. 10 at the Omni Netherland Hotel.
Seminar speakers include:
Dr. Andrew Seidman, New York cancer specialist, on new treatments for breast cancer.
Dr. Peter Shile, St. Louis radiologist, on new techniques to screen for breast cancer.
Dr. Steven Narod,, Toronto researcher, on the role hormones, genes and environment play in breast cancer.
Jami Bernard, New York Daily News film critic, on a survivor's perspective.
The educational aspect of the seminar meshes with the alliance's additional goal of making breast cancer survivors heard in local, state and national debates about policy, funding, research and treatments for cancer, Ms. Turba says.
"We found that there was a real gap in the area of legislative advocacy in this part of the state," says Ms. Turba, who was a cancer nurse at Christ Hospital, the former St. Francis-St. George and University Hospital's Breast Consultation Center until 1986. She remains a certified nurse who's active full-time with the alliance. "A lot of cities the size of Cincinnati had advocacy organizations, and we felt a need for one here, so when the alliance took off, we decided to do both advocacy and education."
To that end, Ms. Turba:
Is a member of and Ohio's representative to the National Breast Cancer Coalition.
Has attended lobbyist training programs in Washington.
Keeps 50-60 local women plugged into the fax chain to build grass-roots support for legislative efforts.
Hopes to offer local training soon so that other women feel comfortable about contacting and lobbying their elected representatives about cancer-related issues.
Women who join the alliance often belong to other cancer groups support groups, education organizations.
"They know when they join this that yes, we have camaraderie, but our focus is external -- working with the community and the legislative bodies, local, state and national, just to get the word out about breast cancer," she says.
At the luncheon, honors will go to Allison Harris-Gordon, Cincinnatian and creator of the Race for the Cure awareness flag, and Dr. Myron Moskowitz, University of Cincinnati radiologist and mammography expert.
IF YOU GO
What: "Looking Toward the Future," Fourth Annual Survivors Luncheon and Seminar.
When: Begins 9 a.m. Oct. 12; 12:15 p.m. speech by Dr. D. Lawrence Wickerham, lead researcher for the recent tamoxifen drug study.
Where: Omni Netherland Hotel, downtown.
Cost: $15 by Thursday ($25 friend, $50 patron, $75-plus hope level).
Information: 232-2511 or 421-4824.
