On Wednesday October 9th, the Anal Cancer Foundation partnered with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) to hold the first ever forum for survivors on long-term effects of anal cancer treatment.
Many survivors traveled great distances to attend, and it is a true testament to the power and resilience of this community! We felt inspired and empowered by the largest anal cancer gathering in history. For the majority of survivors, it was the first time they had ever met a fellow anal cancer survivor! It was wonderful to meet so many anal cancer patients, and to hear their stories.
The evening started with an opening talk by Dr. Karyn Goodman, Associate Attending in the Radiation Oncology Department at MSKCC, who gave an overview of the long-term effects of anal cancer treatment.
Dr. Goodman was followed by Dr. Jeanne Carter, Head of Female Sexual Medicine and Women’s Health programs at MSKCC, who discussed strategies for managing changes in sexual function after pelvic radiation.
Justine Almada, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Foundation, spoke about the stigma, the courage of the attendees and tools to bring the anal cancer community together.
Three survivor panelists also spoke and gave impassioned accounts of their experiences with the challenges of life after treatment for anal cancer. Sharing very personal experiences in a room full of strangers takes strength and courage. Hearing from these survivors, and from the members of the audience who shared their stories and asked questions during the Question and Answer Session after the formal program, illustrated how much resolve and resilience exists in anal cancer survivors.
We've posted documents and notes from the evening for the benefit of all survivors who could not attend. Dr. Goodman and Dr. Carter were generous enough to share the slides they presented that evening. We also attached notes taken during the event to accompany the doctors' slides.
Dr. Goodman's sslideslides (in pdf)
Dr. Carter's slides (in pdf)
Notes to accompany slides (in pdf)
Please note these are documents to inform the community what occurred at the forum, and are not recommendations by the Foundation or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Always consult your medical team before making any medical decisions.
