SHARE Expands its New York State Ovarian Cancer Hotline

SHARE Expands its New York State Ovarian Cancer Hotline

October 16, 2007 - 9:25AM

SHARE EXPANDS ITS New York STATE OVARIAN CANCER HOTLINE 1-866-53SHARE (1-866-537-4273) SHARE: Self-help for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancer will extend the reach of its New York State Ovarian Cancer Hotline this year with funds from the New York State budget. These monies will enable SHARE to continue its work in identifying and training ovarian cancer survivors throughout New York State to staff the Hotline and to provide peer support, information and resources to callers, most of whom are women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer or who have suspicious symptoms. Hotline volunteers will also provide callers with a list of ovarian cancer symptoms so women can follow up with their own physician in order to rule out a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. The most common symptoms include persistent bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly and urinary urgency or frequency. The Hotline provides services in English and Spanish and maintains a pool of volunteer translators who can assist callers in 10 different languages. The dedicated, toll-free NY State Ovarian Cancer Hotline was established last year in conjunction with the American Cancer Society with funding from a court approved settlement of antitrust claims brought by the New York State Attorney General.

Over the course of Year One, 35 volunteers from communities in Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Hudson Valley, Rochester and Syracuse received training, and 24 are currently serving on the Hotline. The new funds will be used to provide continued support and training to Upstate volunteers as well as to expand the program into Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Rockland Counties with the goal of identifying and training more volunteers to serve on the Hotline. Most Hotline volunteers are ovarian cancer survivors; others are family members such as daughters, mothers or partners of ovarian cancer survivors who offer much needed support to family members and friends of survivors.

Those women or family members interested in volunteering for the Hotline can contact Teri Conti at ovarianconsultant@sharecancersupport.org or leave a message on the Hotline stating their interest. Women who wish to speak with an ovarian cancer survivor can call the toll free Ovarian Cancer Hotline at 1-866-53SHARE (1-866-537-4273).