One of the best ways I know of to give back is to participate in research studies. The information we share today is of real value to the medical community and, more importantly, to us, our loved ones, and the patients and survivors who follow in our footsteps.I know you might not be a breast cancer survivor, but you don’t have to be to be part of the HOW (Health of Women) Study, a program of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation. I’ve written many times before about Dr. Love’s Army of Women and am proud to be part of the groundbreaking research done by this organization.
From the HOW website:
What is the Health of Women (HOW) Study?
The majority of women who get breast cancer have none of the known clinical risk factors. This means we don’t know what causes breast cancer or how to prevent it. The HOW Study is a first-of-its-kind international online study for women and men with and without a history of breast cancer. We will collect information about your health, your job, your diet, and your family history, among other topics that can help us get a better understanding of breast cancer and its potential causes. Periodically, we will send you questionnaires about anything and everything. All you have to do is fill them out online. It’s that simple. This is a partnership and we need you for the long haul. The more questionnaires you fill out, the more information we will have that can help us have a better understanding of why women get breast cancer.
Who is HOW?
HOW is all about you and what you can do to end breast cancer. HOW is also about the researchers who can use this data to have a better understanding of ways we can prevent breast cancer. HOW is all of us, working together, to bring an end to this disease. The HOW Study is being conducted at the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, in collaboration with City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Get Involved
All you have to do to be a part of this amazing research initiative is to register. It’s fast and easy and you only participate in a study if you want to.
I just answered a survey for researchers at Duke University Medical Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology. The survey is specifically for women diagnosed with DCIS. I answered the anonymous, eight-question survey in under ten minutes and encourage you to check it out if you’ve been diagnosed with DCIS. The survey is intended to help researchers fill in the gaps in their understanding as to how to best take care of women with DCIS. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?
If you’re a breast cancer patient/survivor, make sure to check out the Army of Women, the HOW study and the DCIS survey (if you qualify.) Filling out a survey or answering a questionnaire is a small thing that makes a big difference. And giving back always, always makes you feel good too!
Now, I’d like to hear from you. Have you participated in medical research studies? What was your experience like and how did it make you feel to contribute and give back?
Survival > Existence,
Where We Go Now 