Fran's Blog

News from OCNA: OVA1 - Ovarian Cancer Blood Test - Now Available

Mar 10 2010

Hi All - I just wanted to share with you an alert from the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. OVA1 - Ovarian Cancer Blood Test - Now Available The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance believes it is important to inform the community of the following...

IMPORTANT: Silent Killers of Women

Feb 18 2010

My dear friends, You MUST check out Dr. Mehmet Oz's segment on Good Morning America. He discusses the silent killers of women, two of which are female cancers. As a uterine cancer survivor, I'm the flesh and blood example of the importance of...

Doctor's Message to Women: Take Charge of Your Health

Jan 5 2010

Dolls, With the start of the new year, we must continue (or for some, START!) to kick in our inner medical consumer. Watch the below video from MSNBC and Dr. Paula Johnson, the Chief of Women's Health at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston...

IMPORTANT: YOU can give the gift of life!

Dec 22 2009

Dear friends, Guess what? The Early Detection Fran Vans have officially launched! Cancer Schmancer's partnership with Inner Images Inc., one of the leading sources of cancer screening tests in California, will provide low income, uninsured women...

Thank you!

Dec 15 2009

My dear friends, As you all well know from all my emails and tweets, this past Sunday IHEART Inc. presented a rock and comedy concert to benefit Cancer Schmancer's Fran Vans, a program in LA with our dear friends at Inner Images Inc. that will serve...

Survivor Stories

Christina

Endometrial Cancer Survivor

I had started spotting in between periods since July of 2009. I went to see my gynecologists in July and had a intrauterine ultrasound done....came back that the lining of my uterus was really thick.

Denise

Breast Cancer Survivor

My name is Denise and I am now 46 years old. I had breast cancer just over 8 years ago. I had found a lump on my breast so I went to my doctor and was sent to have a mammogram and a sonogram. After t

Deb

Hodgkin's Disease Survivor

In 1992, I started feeling nauseous during work, then followed GI upset more. I went to the Walk in Clinic and they didn't know what was the matter so they referred me to GI specialist. By then I had

Cheryle

Endometrial Cancer Survivor

I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 2007. I was grieving the loss of my childhood friend who passed in Dec 2006, and I was called in to my doctors office on that weekend. I was informed that

Sarah

Oral Cancer Survivor

I was 32 and 8 months pregnant with my second child when I had trouble eating a banana with breakfast. I had been experiencing sore throat pains for about a month, so in my mind I attributed the pain

Christen

Cervical Cancer Survivor

It has been 3 years and 5 months since I have finished the cancer therapy for cervical cancer. It is funny how the doctors. won't say "you are cured." I know that God healed me. I am

Cheryl

Cervical Cancer Survivor

In 2001, at the age of 35, I was diagnosed with Stage IV Cervical Cancer and underwent a radical hysterectomy. Many people have questioned me since that time as to whether or not I was receiving regu

Andrea

Ovarian Cancer Survivor

I had been telling everyone "I am just not feeling right." (for nearly a year)...I went to my primary doctor and he said, "I will bet it's your gall bladder" and sent me for

Linda

Cervical Cancer Survivor

I had a miscarriage back in May of 1997 and when I went in for a follow-up check-up, my doctor noticed "something". He had me come back in 3 weeks to see if it was gone...it wasn't, so he

Christina

Uterine Carcinoma Survivor

It was January 2007 when I started having very bad periods. I was waking up in puddles of blood and bleeding so bad I would feel dizzy and nauseated. I went to my doctor several times and was told th

Lauren

Ovarian Cancer Survivor

The doctors kept telling me how huge my surgery was going to be. I was stage four Ovarian plus it spread to some of my colon. Hopefully one more chemo. Attitude is everything. I am going to be Ok and

Ingrid

Ovarian Cancer Survivor

I was having such abdominal pain, for years! I would get horrible pain, start throwing up and end up vomiting in the hospital for days. Each time they could not find out what the problem was. But wh

Lani

Ovarian Cancer Survivor

I was diagnosed with Stage 1 low malignant potential Aden carcinoma Ovarian Cancer at age 24. I noticed my abdomen getting harder and bigger, but I didn't pay much attention because I thought it was

Jessica

Melanoma Survivor

I am 26 years old and a mother of three and I noticed a mole on my ankle which was getting bigger, I was getting nervous about it so I went to the dematologist and he said that it definitly looked lik

Julie

Uterine Sarcoma NOS Survivor

My story starts in October of 2006 when I had one day of very heavy bleeding during my period. Thinking little of it, after all, it went away and at 48 having unusual periods is normal. Well, it ha

Casey

Breast Cancer Survivor

I got cancer for Christmas in 2007. I'm an ad for the annual mammogram - took 15 of the suckers (over 15 years, not all at once!) before I finally won the booby prize. Even with that stellar early-d

Kimberly

Stage IV Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Survivor

Like most Lymphoma patients, this Cancer usually has no symptoms until it has spread - I initially went to the ER because my right leg had swollen 3x the size of my left leg. After a PET scan, they r

Vicky

Uterine Cancer Survivor

My story is much like Fran's except that I had been telling my gynocologist ( I had been a patient of for 17 years) that I had abnormal bleeding in between my periods for 6 years. I was 46 at th

Kandice

Melanoma Survivor

I am 22 years old and I have never stepped foot into a tanning bed in my life. I have very fair skin and two months ago I noticed a "freckle" on my neck. Within a month, it started to

Susan

Uterine and Breast Cancer Survivor

In Aug, 2007 I had a bit of spotting and since I had not had a period in 25 yrs. (I was 63) I called my gynocologist who saw me two days later. A transvaginal ultrasound showed a thicken uterine lini

Kimberly

Cervical Cancer Survivor

About a year ago I had a routine exam done and at that time and had joked around with my doctor that I have early symptoms of menopause. I was only 39 and no history in the family. I stopped having

Elizabeth

Ovarian Cancer Survivor

My ovarian cancer saga started around mid-December 2008 when I was seventeen years old. I told my mom that I had missed several periods but I eagerly assured her I had done some research and I felt th

Melanie

Breast Cancer Survivor

I was 35 years old when I got “that phone call.” I'd never given breast cancer a second thought. That was something that happened to other women - not me. Nobody in my family had ever had

Cheryl

Uterine Cancer Survivor

I've always been very active and health conscious. I exercise regularly, never eat red meat, don't smoke and try to do everything right to stay healthy, including getting an annual pap and mammogram.

Kimberly

Cervical Cancer Survivor

About a year ago I had a routine exam done and at that time and had joked around with my doctor that I have early symptoms of menopause. I was only 39 and no history in the family. I stopped having

Deidra

Ovarian Cancer Survivor

May 31, 2000 started out innocent enough. I was undergoing surgery to remove a 17cm endometriosis tumor from my left ovary when my cancer was discovered. Not only found but it had burst open during

Adrienne

Thyroid Cancer Survivor

In December of 2000, I went to see my primary care physician for a routine blood pressure check. As always he did a thorough exam, which included a neck check. After feeling both sides of my neck, my

Carolyn

Cervical Cancer Survivor

I was working on a motivational program for my clients and the focus was geared toward physical health and taking care of things that we all have a tendency to procrastinate with. I realized I couldn

Lisa

Breast Cancer Survivor

I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer on September 12, 2008 and I found the lump myself; I was putting on a bathing suit while I was on vacation. I was adjusting my bathing suit straps and I kept feeling

Heather

Melanoma Cancer Survivor

I was diagnosed with melanoma 6 years ago, when I was 34. I had a mole on my stomach that started to flake and looked red. I assumed that it was from my waist band rubbing and irritating the mole. Whe