Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Research pot

Issue 3 - Spring 2010 Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Research With all the media attention on obesity these days, it would be dicult to claim that you are not aware of the epidemic. Popular TV shows like “The Biggest Loser,” and daily evening news features have certainly made Americans aware that obesity is on the rise in our country. You may have seen movies and television specials addressing the fault of the food industry, or websites promising an aordable at-home tness routine. But with the focus on what we eat and how little we exercise, things that many overweight people nd dicult to overcome, it might be easy to forget why obesity is a problem. Many women think of obesity as primarily a cosmetic and quality of life issue, and while it is true that obesity takes an emotional toll, particularly in adolescents, it needs to be recognized that beyond cosmetic implications, obesity is a serious medical condition. What is Obesity? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dene obesity as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 and above. Body mass index is a measurement system for indicating relative health and is calculated using a person’s height and weight. Many people are not aware of their BMI, and while they may admit they are overweight, they fail to realize that they are considered medically obese. Although the CDC uses BMI as an indicator of health, it may not be the best indicator for all people. For instance a man and woman of the same height and weight may have very dierent percentages of fat on their bodies. A more accurate measurement of body fat percentage can be taken using a bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) monitor, which uses a small electrical charge to determine percentage of fat vs. muscle and water. The average woman should have 25- 31% body fat, or lower for athletes and physically t women. Although measuring body fat directly can give a good estimation of your health, recent research has shown that where your fat is carried can make a large dierence in your risk of weight- related health concerns. According to the NIH, fat carried around the waist is more indicative of health problems than fat carried in the hips and thighs, even if the BMI is within the normal range. In general a waist Spotlight on Obesity: Is it just your weight? In this issue: Spotlight on Obesity: Is it just your weight? Letter from the Director Registry News Preparing Women’s Health Leaders to be Healthy Women Sex and Gender Based Research Clinical Research New Women’s Cancer Center, Northwestern Memorial Hospital Institute Happenings continued, Page 3 Although obesity is a rising problem in the U.S., other eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia remain a problem, particularly for women. See our online blog for more information on disordered eating. Letter from the Director, Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D. Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D. Director, Institute for Women’s Health Research Thomas J. Watkins Professor of OB/GYN Chief, Division of Fertility Preservation Feinberg School of Medicine L ast spring, we celebrated the enactment of the Women’s Health Ofce Act (WHOA) which permanently authorized ofces of women’s health within federal agencies. This is an important step to ensure that women’s health remains a national priority but we must remain vigilant and continue advocating for sex-based medicine. In September, a number of re- sources have become available that will serve as a framework for the next decade of women’s health. The federal Ofce of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) cel- ebrated its 20th Anniversary on September 27 and sponsored a Sci- entic Symposium that included the release of several major re- ports. The rst report, Highlights of NIH Women’s Health and Sex Differences Research, 1990-2010, focuses on what the National Insti- tutes of Health (NIH) identied as their best examples of research in women’s health. Another publica- tion, Moving into the Future with New Dimensions and Strategies: A Vision for 2020 for Women’s Health Research is a compilation of the scientic workshop proceed- ings at ve regional meetings (including one at our own North- western University) held across the country during the past two years. This publication includes scientic updates as well as public testi- monies that were presented at the regional forums. A Strategic Plan based on the ndings summarized in these reports was written and will serve as the guide for the next decade of women’s health research. Theses reports can be accessed at http://orwh.od.nih.gov/. The Institute of Medicine also released a report entitled, Women’s Health Research: Progress, Pit- falls, and Promise http://www.iom. edu/Reports/2010/Womens-Health- Research-Progress-Pitfalls-and- Promise.aspx, that was commis- sioned by the U.S. Congress. The charge to the IOM committee writ- ing this report was to examine what the research on women’s health has revealed, how the results have been communicated to the public, and what are the key gaps. The week after these reports were released, I had the privilege of serving on a distinguished panel of experts who provided testimony before the Congressional Caucus on Women’s Issues on the status of women’s health. I was asked to focus my remarks on new technol- ogies and scientic breakthroughs that may contribute to healthier women and therefore a healthier population. Technologies like computational modeling, bioinformatics, nano- science as well as synthetic and bio-analytical chemistry hold the promise of identifying the caus- ative relationship between cellular function and disease susceptibility in a sex-dependent manner. How do we encourage more studies on sex and gender basis of health and disease especially in classical disciplines such as chemistry, engi- neering and the physical sciences? These areas have been responsible for numerous breakthroughs in bio- medical research and are essential for the next revolution in gender- based research. Research involving several new technologies include a revolutionary microscope that is reaching the kind of resolution that will allow us to dene how ele- ments like zinc and copper control the fate of individual cells. Emerging technologies and in- terventional instrumentation can be developed with an awareness of sex-differences in their applica- 2 Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Spring 2010 Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Spring 2010 3 measurement greater than 35 inches for women (40 inches for men) is an excellent indicator of higher disease risk 1 . Although both men and women are susceptible to the negative health eects of obesity, many women don’t realize that the prevalence of obesity is higher in women: 34% percent of women versus 27.7% of men are obese. Extreme obesity is also more common in women 2 . Black (non-Hispanic) women as a population have the highest prevalence of obesity at 50.8%. Furthermore, 78% of this same population in the United States is overweight. The occurrence of obesity has increased in women from 26% of the population from 1988-1994 to 34% from 1999-2000 3 . In Illinois alone, the occurrence of obesity in all adults has increased from <10% in 1985 to 26.4% in 2008; leaving Illinois the 22nd most obese state in the United States 4 . These statistics are signicant because a BMI that exceeds 30 increases the risk of death related to obesity among U.S. women by 50% 3 . Women need to be aware of their health and make conscious eorts to integrate healthy habits into their daily lives and the lives of their families, particularly as time becomes short, stress becomes high and portion sizes continue to grow in the U.S. Obesity is a preventable medical condition that causes a mixture of life-threatening diseases in women. Health Risks In addition to the stress that excess weight puts on the joints and bones, there are several health conditions that are caused by, or exacerbated by obesity, particularly in women. Among these conditions are arthritis, gall bladder disease, infertility, and birth defects, as well as the complications that accompany these disorders. Perhaps the three most life- threatening illnesses, however, that are associated with obesity in women are cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease 3 . CANCER It may seem surprising that obesity can increase your risk of cancer. However, research has indicated that obese women are at increased risk of developing breast cancer after menopause. In addition, weight gain after menopause may also increase the risk of breast cancer 3 . This surprising correlation may be due to the fact that estrogen is produced from steroids made and stored in the fat (adipose) cells 5 . This higher level of estrogen in obese women may contribute to post-menopausal breast cancer risk. In addition to breast cancer, women with obesity have three to four times the risk of endometrial cancer than women with a lower BMI 3 . The exact mechanisms as to how obesity may cause cancer are not known, but possible mechanisms include alterations in sex hormones (as mentioned above) and in insulin levels in obese people 6 . DIABETES About 90% of type II Diabetes (also called adult onset diabetes) is attributable to excess weight 7 . Many obese individuals have a condition called metabolic syndrome, which describes an individual with any of several health indicators such as insulin resistance, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and/or excess abdominal fat. This condition is considered a high risk factor for both diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Approximately 197 million people worldwide have impaired glucose tolerance, most commonly because of obesity and metabolic syndrome 7 . In type II Diabetes, the body is either insulin resistant (meaning the cells do not respond to insulin) or the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, causing an inability to breakdown glucose eectively. Although type II diabetes may be managed with medication, the complications are severe and widespread including cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, kidney failure, and amputation (usually from nerve damage in the feet). Spotlight on Obesity continued Calculate your BMI Weight (lbs) x 703 BMI = height squared (in 2 ) Underweight 18 or less Normal 19 - 24 Overweight 25 - 29 Obese 30 - 39 Extreme Obesity 40+ Example: Ms Smith is 5’4”(or 64”) and weighs 125 pounds (lbs). 125 x 703 87875 BMI = = = 21.5 64 x 64 4096 continued on page 4 Obesity 4 Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Spring 2010 CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a general term used to describe various diseases and syndromes of the heart and blood vessels. Included in the denition are diseases such as coronary artery disease, heart arrhythmia, heart valve disease, heart failure, and congenital heart defects, among others. Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women worldwide, making it perhaps the worst consequence of obesity and poor health habits. Obesity increases risk of CVD through other risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar 8 . Obese women need to be aware of their increased risk of heart attack, stroke, or death related to cardiovascular disease. Women often exhibit atypical symptoms of CVD, which may make this condition particularly dicult to diagnose. Obesity is an epidemic among women in the United States. As the media has shown us the increase in obesity is likely due to increased stress, social and career pressure, increased portion sizes and poor availability of healthy food options. The body of scientic and medical research on obesity is continuously growing, with more correlations and complications being found each year. For both women and men, it is important to take these issues seriously because obesity is not just about our weight; it is about our health and our lives. References: 1. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Weight and Waist Measurement: Tools for Adults. (November 2008). http:// win.niddk.nih.gov/Publications/ tools.htm#circumf 2. American Obesity Association. AOA Fact Sheets: Obesity in the U.S. (2005). Accessed April 8, 2010. http:// obesity1.tempdomainname.com/ subs/fastfacts/obesity_US.shtml 3. American Obesity Association. AOA Fact Sheets: Women and Obesity. (2005). Accessed April 8, 2010. http:// obesity1.tempdomainname.com/ subs/fastfacts/obesity_women.shtml 4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Obesity Trends. November 2009. http://www.cdc. gov/obesity/data/trends.html#State 5. Trentham-Dietz et al. Body Size and Risk of Breast Cancer. American Journal of Epidemiology. 145(11):1011. (1997). 6. National Cancer Institute. Obesity and Cancer: Questions and Answers. (2004). http://www.cancer.gov/ cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/obesity 7. Hossain et al. Obesity and Diabetes in the Developing World – A Growing Challenge. New England Journal of Medicine. 356:213-215. (2007). 8. Grundy, Scott M. Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Cardiovascular Disease. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 89(6): 2595-2600. (2004). Spotlight on Obesity continued Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Spring 2010 5 As the front page article explains, obesity is an epidemic problem. We as women have the opportunity to turn this around. We can set good examples for our friends and fam- ily by taking care of ourselves and sharing information on how others can change their behavior and outlook on the serious consequences of obesity. Several of our Registry questions surround the topic of obesity. Here is how our women have responded: 1. Women who took version 2 of the survey reported an average height of 5’4” and an average weight of 158.7lbs. Using a standard BMI calculator (see page 3), this means the average BMI of our sample is 27.2, indicating that as a group we are over- weight. Women who have reached menopause (age of 51+) have an average BMI of 27.6. This informa- tion is not surprising considering the national statis- tics. Our challenge is to focus on ways we can imple- ment real healthy lifestyle changes in each of our lives. 2. Sixty-one percent of women are currently trying to lose weight, but only 33% of participants report being over- weight or obese. This suggests that women are either not sure how to classify their weight or some of our women that report being a little overweight (35%), are trying to do something about those pesky 5-10 lbs they need to lose. 3. During an average day women are consuming about 3.4 servings of fruits and vegetables (a serving is equal to ½ cup or a medium piece). The suggest- ed USDA amount of fruits and vegetables com- bined is ~4 cups for women 19 years and older. 4. Women are engaging in ~11 hours of moderate activity and ~3 hours of vigorous activity per week. The good news is that we are moving, but is it enough? New recommen- dations suggest 60 minutes of cardiovascular activity each day and maybe even more important is the num- ber of calories spent engaging in activity during a week. 5. Six percent of our Registry participants report having a form of diabetes (10% if we include gestational diabe- tes), 10% report having high blood pressure, and 22% report having high cholesterol. Many of us lead a very busy lifestyle, therefore it is not of- ten easy to carve out time to plan nutritious meals or exer- cise enough to offset our daily caloric intake. As women we should support one another, our family members and friends in reaching or maintaining a healthy weight to avoid all the health problems that can result from carrying around excess baggage. Take the Challenge! The Institute for Women’s Health Research invites you to take the challenge and recruit at least three of your female friends and relatives in Illinois to join the Registry. You are our best advocate! Our goal is to reach 6000 participants by the end of this summer, but in order to accurately represent women throughout the state, we need women in all counties, all ages and all health conditions. The survey will only take 30 minutes of your time, once a year. Every women counts and will help us to advance women’s health in Illinois together. Don’t forget to renew your own survey each year!!! Illinois Women’s Health Registry News What the Registry data is telling us: 6 Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Spring 2010 I n March, twenty-nine high school girls graduated from the fourth year of the Oncofertility Saturday Academy (OSA). OSA is one of four programs offered through the Women’s Health Science Program for High School Girls and Beyond (whsp.northwestern.edu). Scientists and clinicians navigated these high school girls through a total of seven Saturday modules to authentically experience the translational nature of reproductive sciences, cancer biology, and oncofertility. Through these experiences the high school girls are empowered with scientic knowledge and healthy actions. The girls’ OSA experience begins at the laboratory bench. Working alongside scientists, the students dissect the reproductive anatomy of a female mouse. Observing an ovary under a microscope, they practice isolating follicles and identifying the different stages of follicular development. This is the same procedure being performed in oncofertility research to develop fertility preservation methods. From the laboratory, OSA transitions the girls to the hospital. Walking down the hospital corridor with surgeons, wearing surgical scrubs, the girls experience rsthand how basic science research is translated to clinical patient care. Viewing surgical videos and manipulating the da Vinci surgical robot the girls learn how ovarian tissue is removed from cancer patients to preserve their fertility. These are two of many OSA real-life learning experiences that provide the girls with relevant knowledge to better understand and appreciate how their own reproductive system works. Directors of OSA, Teresa K. Woodruff, PhD, and Megan Faurot, MEd, designed OSA to prepare the girls to be active leaders in the eld of science and medicine, specically women’s health. In addition to being challenged with advance science concepts and skills, the program instills in the girls that to be leaders in women’s health they should strive to be healthy women. Healthy actions embedded into the OSA program consist of nutritious, well-balanced breakfasts and lunches, prepared by Northwestern Memorial Hospital dietitians, and tness classes. Every day of OSA the girls’ interact with many women who are at various stages of their career trajectory. The girls have the opportunity to meet Northwestern University undergraduate students who are majoring in science to meeting Vivian Pinn, MD, Director, Ofce of Research on Women’s Health, National Institute of Health. Interacting and building relationships with these women, the girls begin to actually visualize themselves at the different stages of their own career trajectory. To date 66 high school girls have gone through OSA, the program provides each of girls with ongoing support as they transition to college and beyond to become the next generation of women leaders in science and medicine. Preparing Women’s Health Leaders To Be Healthy Women OSA students and faculty after nishing a morning lab session at Northwestern University’s Chicago campus. OSA students working out with personal trainer Jocelyn Davis (http://www.akemitness.com/). Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Research Spring 2010 7 M egan is the Director of Education Programs for the Institute for Women’s Health Research. Her role in the Institute is to design, deliver and evaluate education programs for girls and women at all academic and professional levels to increase their understanding of women’s health to successfully pursue their career goals. Prior to joining the Institute, she worked at Young Women’s Leadership Charter School of Chicago where she was the biology teacher and department director. While working at the secondary education level she began her efforts to initiate and develop science partnerships with community outreach organizations and academic institutions throughout Chicago. Her experience with building partnerships continues as she directs the Women’s Health Science Program for High School Girls and Beyond. This program is dependent on collaborative efforts with local high schools and multiple departments and institutions within Northwestern University and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Megan directs the Women’s Health Research Monthly Forum offered to the Northwestern community. This educational program features professionals from Northwestern University and institutions across the nation to present authoritative, evidence-based research that focuses on basic science, clinical applications, and social implications related to sexual dimorphisms. Megan is also designing a graduate level women’s health and leadership program for basic scientists, clinicians and educators. Megan earned her bachelor’s degree in biology and secondary education form Kalamazoo College. She completed a Master’s degree and is now working towards her Doctoral degree of Science Education from Illinois Institute of Technology. Candace Tingen, PhD: A Prole Student: Eboni Hunley, Depaul Univ. Freshman Eboni’s OSA Experience: Eboni participated in OSA as a high school student in 2008 and 2009. In 2010, as a college freshman, she returned to the program as an alumni leader to support the 12th grade participants through the “Oncofertility and Surgery” module. Due to her continued commitment and engagement towards the program Eboni was appointed as the student leader of the OSA student network that consists of 66 young women today and will continue to grow each year. Academic Successes and Goals: Eboni graduated from Young Women’s Leadership Charter School in 2009. She received a full-ride scholarship to attend DePaul University in Chicago and is studying mathematical sciences and biology. After earning her undergraduate degree, her goal is to pursue a doctoral degree in bioengineering from Northwestern University. Career Goal: Eboni attributes one of her OSA experiences as the “moment” when she knew with condence that she wanted to become a bioengineer. Her future career trajectory was dened in February 2009 as she worked at the console of the da Vinci surgical robot with Patrick Lowe, MD, a nationally recognized expert in robotic surgery for gynecologic cancer. Eboni wants to design and develop other innovative instruments to improve health care services for patients. Oncofertility Saturday Academy (OSA) Student Prole Paula Stern, Ph.D. CELLULAR BASIS OF SEX-SPECIFIC SKELETAL EFFECTS OF ESTROGEN AND ANDROGEN Maintenance of a strong skeleton in the adult requires a balance between bone resorption and formation. Osteoclast-mediated bone resorption is essential for removing worn and weakened bone. Under normal conditions this is followed by osteoblast-mediated formation of new bone. When there is an imbalance between these processes with excessive osteoclast activity, there is bone loss, which can progress to osteoporosis. Since estrogen and androgen are both critical for maintenance of bone, the purpose of Dr. Stern’s study is to investigate whether there are differences in the responses of male and female human osteoblast and osteoclast precursor cells to these hormones to determine whether they mediate their skeletal effects differently in the two sexes. Ninety-four bone- related genes were examined in human osteoblasts. Preliminary results have indicated that of these, 9 genes were higher in osteoblasts from males and 1 gene was higher in osteoblasts from females, thus 10 genes were expressed differently between the sexes. Five genes were differentially regulated by estrogen or androgen in osteoblasts from the two sexes. Ongoing studies will extend the work to osteoblasts from additional cell lines and to osteoclast precursor cells from males and females. What does this mean? Women have a higher incidence of osteoporosis. Does this have anything to do with the fact that men and women produce different amounts of estrogen and androgen throughout life? The effects of these two hormones on bone have not been compared in a comprehensive manner or compared in bone cells from both sexes. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which these hormones affect bone cells could identify new targets for sex-specic therapies. 8 Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Spring 2010 T here is a lack of funding for sex- and gender- based research, in addition to a lack of awareness that conducting sexually dimorphic studies is critical to advancing knowledge that can lead to breakthrough discoveries effecting changes and improvements in clinical care across every medical discipline. In service of our mission to increase the sex- and gender- based research portfolio at Northwestern, the Institute developed its Pioneer Grants program to provide investigators with seed funding ($25,000). Investigators must either currently study or would like to initiate new research focusing on the sex and gender determinants of health and disease. We strive to provide the catalyst that will encourage the Northwestern community to take the lead in designing and analyzing experiments based on sex. Specically, this program: • Enables early career investigators to conduct pilot studies that will help build their portfolio, thereby enhancing their ability to compete for large federal grants. • Permits a senior investigator to explore a new and innovative research direction. • Provides a mechanism for senior investigators to mentor young scientists who are interested in sex- based research that will support these young investigators to work in their clinic or lab. • Advances our knowledge of women’s health through innovative research and a collaborative spirit that allows researchers to “think outside the box”. Sex and Gender Based Research 2009/2010 Highlighted Pioneer Award Recipient The 2009/2010 Pioneer Award recipients are moving their research projects forward. Drs. Martha Gulati and Franck Mauvais-Jarvis have presented ndings from their research projects at national conferences already this year. We wish all the recipients continued success! Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Spring 2010 9 Nancy, age 63, agreed to share her experience as a Registry member. How did you hear about the Registry? My daught er-in-law. Why did you decide to enroll? I believe that the Registry is a very important resource for learning about women’s health. How long have you been participating? Two years plus. (Nancy has taken all 3 versions of the survey) Do you feel a 30-minute survey is too much to ask women to complete? Absolutely not—I just updated my information. It was painless and didn’t feel like it took very long. Did any of the Registry questions cause you to think about your health in a different way or pos- sibly even follow-up with your doctor about some- thing in particular? Yes—when I have to answer questions about my tness, it always spurs me to get more active. Is there an area/body system you wish we cov- ered in more detail? Yes—some of my health issues “fall through the cracks.” For instance, I have not been diagnosed with a specic autoimmune disease, but I have had positive indications in blood tests over the past 5 to 10 years. There are some places where I could give some details (i.e. one question asked if I have mitral valve prolapse. I was able to “write-in” that I don’t have prolapse, but do have mitral valve regurgitation). You are a Registry participant that has matched an ongoing clinical research study, and have agreed to participate. Could you tell us all about your experience in doing so? What study did you participate in? I am participating in a study to deter- mine the impact on osteoarthritis of the knees based on the strength of hip muscles. Did you feel educated enough about the study? Yes, I did feel pretty well educated after my rst day of testing. Did you feel the connection we provided to the study coordinator was easy and convenient? Yes, I do feel connected to the study coordinators. They have given me their phone numbers and e-mail ad- dresses and have called me periodically throughout the study. What about the process did you like or dislike? My only small dislike was the length of time I spent during the testing. It was a long drive from my home for the second day of testing, but it wasn’t really much of an inconvenience—certainly not enough that it would deter me from participating now or in the future. I am happy to go through a little inconvenience in order to provide information that may be of help to someone in the future. I liked the staff that worked with me very much. They were caring, considerate, professional and informative. I also like the informa- tion available on the Institute’s websites. My only other comment is that it would be nice to know what is determined from the testing that is done during the study. This would enable the participants to use the information learned about themselves to benet her health and well-being. Clinical Research An interview with a Registry Participant Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Study Are you between 18 and 75 years of age with a diagnosis of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy in both legs? Please contact the Registry ofce if you would like information about this study or are interested in being contacted by the study coordinator. Phone: 312-503-1662. Response to Nancy’s comment: This is a great comment and here at the Institute we advocate for study coordinator follow-up. We strongly encourage Registry participants enrolled in studies to contact the coordinators and specically ask how and when they will receive results from the study. For the knee osteoarthritis (OA) study, newsletters will be sent to all participants after baseline evaluations are completed in addition to another newsletter when the study is nished in 2 years. Newsletters will include helpful information about OA and updates on what has been published. Finally, after the study is complete, Dr. Sharma will send letters to each participant letting them know how their knee x-rays, muscle strength, and measures of functioning have changed from baseline to follow-up. For another participant’s perspective on this study please visit, http://blog.womenshealth.northwestern. edu/2010/03/participating-in-a-research-study-can-be- fun/ 10 Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Spring 2010 The Maggie Daley Center for Women’s Cancer Care was unveiled April 19, at a ceremony that marked the debut of a novel center for treating breast and gynecological cancers and honored the First Lady of Chicago. The Center for Women’s Cancer Care, part of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, is located within Northwestern Memorial Prentice Women’s Hospital. Mrs. Daley, who receives treatment for breast cancer at the Lurie Cancer Center, attended the ceremony accompanied by Mayor Richard M. Daley. The new two-oor center offers a unique “one-stop shopping” integrative, holistic approach that addresses and centralizes all of a woman’s needs emotional, aesthetic and physical during treatment. A patient can easily access services to improve her quality of life in the same place she is seeing internationally renowned medical oncologists, gynecologists and surgical oncologists and receiving cutting-edge therapy for breast and gynecological cancers. A radiant and beaming Mrs. Daley, spoke at the ceremonial unveiling, “When people walk into this center for women’s cancer care, which now carries my name a fact that has honored me more than anyone will ever know I feel certain that they Northwestern Memorial Hospital Opens New Women’s Cancer Center will receive the utmost care possible both medically and emotionally, in both big and small ways,” she said. At the new Center for Women’s Cancer Care, women can get acupuncture or Reiki, visit a nutritionist or see a health psychologist to cope with their diagnoses and life during treatment. Adding to the convenience, a woman can receive many of these services while she is being infused with chemotherapy. A new program also offers rehabilitation services for women to maximize their strength and endurance. A new “healing boutique” offers wig and prosthesis ttings, hats and makeup consultations for patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Centralizing these services is important because nding and driving to various locations often feels overwhelming to a patient whose primary focus is cancer treatment. The Center for Women’s Cancer Care offers patients access to novel therapies and drugs and the access to more than 100 clinical trials. A cancer genetics program within the center screens patients at higher- than-average risk for cancer and provides education and guidelines for early detection and possible prevention of the disease. The center includes 11 private chemotherapy rooms, most with lake views, and a group chemotherapy area, providing patients with a choice of environments. The Maggie Daley Center for Women’s Cancer Care is a partnership between Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern Memorial and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. To learn more about the Center or to make an appointment with a cancer specialist, call 866-LURIECC or visit cancer. northwestern.edu Mrs. Maggie Daley (seated), Mayor Richard Daley, Mrs. Ann Lurie, Dr. Steven Rosen at the new Maggie Daley Center for Women’s Cancer Care at Northwestern Memorial Prentice Women’s Hospital. Photo credit: Nathan Mandell [...]... Leadership Awards Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Spring 2010 11 Institute for Women’s Health Research Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine 300 E Superior, Tarry 12-703 Chicago, IL 60611 www.womenshealth.northwestern.edu CHECK OUT OUR BLOG! http://blog.womenshealth.northwestern.edu/ The goals of our blog are to be an educational resource for information regarding women’s health and... as well as their parents The Institute’s Teresa Woodruff and Sarah Bristol-Gould were interviewed in the 4-part series Health Secrets: What Every Woman Should Know The show was televised this spring on WTTW, the Chicago PBS affiliate, and hosted by Paula Zahn Dr Vivian Pinn, Director of the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health speaking to students and parents during the OSA program The Institute... think are the top issues related to women’s health This newsletter is generously supported by: This newsletter is offered to the general public and published by Northwestern University’s Institute for Women’s Health Research Story ideas, suggestions and comments are welcome and should be forwarded to the Editor, Sarah Bristol-Gould, Director of Research Programs, Institute for Women’s Health Research, ... 2009, the Institute hosted a panel, Mentoring in Action, in conjunction with Celebrating America’s Women Physicians Changing the Face of Medicine a traveling exhibit that came to the Northwestern Medical campus On March 6, 2010, Dr.Vivian Pinn, director of the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health spent a day at Northwestern observing our Oncofertility Saturday Academy program, talking to the. .. support the Women’s Health Science Programs for High School Girls & Beyond One from the 2010 Evergreen Invitational Women’s Health Initiative and another from the Alumnae of Northwestern The Institute’s statewide outreach efforts for the Registry included staff visits to Long Grove, DeKalb, and Monmouth, Illinois and to the Illinois Nurses Association Political Action Day in Springfield, IL These visits... providing YWLCS students with the opportunity to study cancer and fertility, cardiology, infectious diseases, and the physical sciences through the Institute for Women’s Health Research Institute Director Teresa K Woodruff has been named the winner of the Tripartite Legacy Prize, presented annually to the Northwestern faculty member who has demonstrated excellence in research that emphasizes translational... Director of Research Programs Michelle Desjardins - Research Study Programs Coordinator Megan Faurot, MEd - Director of Education Programs Barbara Sutcliffe - Manager of Business Operation The information The information provided in the newsletter is obtained from reliable sources, but may also constitute the author’s opinions and ideas Articles reprinted in this newsletter may require permission from the. .. service and the information is to be used only to educate consumers on health care and medical issues that may affect their daily lives It is not intended to be a substitute for medical care or consultation with your health care provider and does not represent an endorsement by Northwestern University If you suspect a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional... Outreach Coordinator submitted a poster for the annual Lewis Landsberg Research Day at Northwestern on April 8 and will be presenting a Registry poster at this year’s OSSD national conference Michelle Desjardins presents her poster at Lewis Landsberg Research Day Dr.Teresa K.Woodruff and Megan Faurot received the first Girl Power Leadership Award, by Young Women’s Leadership Charter School (YWLCS)... contact a qualified health care professional immediately We disclaim any and all responsibility for decisions made or actions taken based on the information contained in this newsletter To be included on our email list, please email us at instwhr@northwestern.edu www.womenshealth.northwestern.edu . an awareness of sex-differences in their applica- 2 Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Spring 2010 Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Spring. (http://www.akemitness.com/). Pushing the Boundaries of Women’s Health Research Spring 2010 7 M egan is the Director of Education Programs for the Institute for Women’s Health Research.