Germany
As an opener for Team Sarcoma 2008 we organised an evening with information about sarcomas. Different sarcoma specialists answered questions for the patients and care givers. This kind of “patient education” will take place at the University Cllinic of Essen on a regular basis.
The third German Team Sarcoma event then took place on Saturday the 26.07.2008. Around 2 PM all participants arrived at the Essener Grugahalle. Among the participants were patients, care-givers, representatives of the patient organsiation Das Lebenshaus, surgeons, oncologists, radiologists and more. Exactly at 2 PM a thunder storm arrived also. Therefore we had to wait until the tour could start.
After 30 Minutes of waiting we started the tour in a light drizzle, which some minutes later turned again into a real hard rain. At the beginning we all rode on through the rain. But as the thunder became stronger, we voted for a break in a nearby cafe.
During the break we heavily discussed if we should continue the tour or if we return to our starting point. Because the rain and especially the thunder storm would not stop we decided after an hour long break to stop the tour and return. All participants then returned to the Campus of the Univerrsity of Essen to have a barbeque. Before the start of the barbeque the staff of the clinic helped us with dry clothes. For the barbeque we had dry weather.
Although there was no mountain stage and no real “winners” because of the stopped tour, there was an award ceremony after we finished the food.
All participants agreed in the end that this tour should be repeated next year to raise the public awareness for “sarcoma knows no borders.”
The tour and the barbeque were organised by: Dr. Sebastian Bauer and Dr. Georg Täger (both University of Essen), Karin Pelzing and Kai Pilgermann (both of Das Lebenshaus).
Special thanks and greetings go to: Bruce, Lee Ann and Marina (to name only those who we personally know) from the USA for their work in the different sarcoma initiatives.
This report is also available in PDF format with additional photos.
China
The department of musculoskeletal oncology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat Sen University held “Free medical treatment for sarcoma” on the morning of July 12th. This event was coordinated with the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative and was a part of International Sarcoma Awareness Week. The week enhances people’s awareness of sarcoma, promotes its early detection, diagnosis, and treatment, and aims to improve the prognosis of patients with sarcoma and collect funds for experimental research and clinical studies of sarcoma.
Sarcoma is a kind of tumor which originates from connective tissue such as nerve, muscle, cartilage, joint, bone and blood vessel. The incidence is about 20% in children tumors and 1％ in adult tumors. Since its localization is extremely concealed, the tumors are often overlooked or misdiagnosed. However, sarcoma is dangerous, and more attention should be paid to it.
There were more than 30 medical personnel taking part in this activity. They provided medical treatment, health care, rehabilitation, psychological treatment and medication for sarcoma for free in the clinic service hall of the hospital. During the event, all the volunteers happily answered the patients’ questions and help them to resolve their problems. They also provided attentive alternative health service and humanistic care to patients.
A parent from Jiang Xi province saw our notice about free medical treatment, brought her child to the event, and saw the head of the bone tumor department, Professor Sheen Jing Nan. After obtaining a through medical history, providing a physical examination and obtaining x-rays, Professor Sheen considered the child probably suffered from femoral sarcoma and immediately admitted the child to the hospital for further medical treatment.
In order to increase public awareness, volunteers distributed over 1,000 brochures about sarcoma, which were published by the bone tumor department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat Sen University. Volunteers provided medical services to more than 200 people during the activity. People were profoundly moved by the ethics of the medical personnel and gave the “thumbs up” to the free medical treatment.
Four local newspapers came to join this activity and reported this event in the newspapers the next day, further increasing awareness.
New York
At this event, people were invited to “spin” for an hour at the Evolution Health Club in Mahopac to help raise awareness of sarcoma. During International Sarcoma Awareness Week, five people wore “Sarcoma Knows No Borders” bracelets and logged 400 miles in the name of Sarcoma Research. The photo was taken at Club Evolution in Mahopac, NY, showing the team organizer and a teammate by his side.
Maryland
What: HIKE AND WALK FOR A CURE
When: July 12, 2008
Where: Rockville, Maryland
Report: Team Sarcoma Lake Needwood had great weather for an exhilarating walk along the shores of Lake Needwood in Rockville, MD. Twenty-two people participated in the event, many in honor of 6-year-old Avi Spector, an osteosarcoma survivor. Avi showed off his agility on his prosthesis to one of his oncologists, Jeffrey A. Toretsky, M.D. Dr. Toretsky is a pediatric oncology physician and researcher at Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Australia
Team Sarcoma / St. Vincent’s Health
Team Sarcoma / Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
What: Sarcoma Week in Melbourne
When: July 14-18, 2008
Where: Melbourne, Australia
Report: Team St Vincent’s/Peter MacCallum launched International Sarcoma week this year with a grand Round Presentation in the Michael Chamberlin theatre on the St Vincent’s campus. Prof Peter Choong highlighted the latest in innovative limb sparing surgery followed by Para Olympian and former patient Emily Jansen, who gave her own personal story. The week was then officially opened by the State Minister for Health, the Hon Daniel Andrews. Importantly, this provided the minister with a rare opportunity to gain insight into the life of a person affected by this disease, and personalised what would otherwise be just another statistic. The Minister was so moved by this story that he has pledged his support and consequently shown his interest by taking the time to meet with other members of the Sarcoma Team. The lecture was well attended by 150 people.
The week closed with time out to relax on Thursday evening to attend Best Foreign Film for the year “Mongol”. Champagne was enjoyed by app 60 people in the ambient surroundings of the Kino theatre and offered the opportunity for families to mix with members of the medical team. The hospital staff joined in by purchasing raffle tickets and purchasing ” Sarcoma Knows No Borders” wrist bands.
Update: 56 people participated in this event!
