I mentioned last month that I wanted to do more for cancer research, in addition to the “Clear Skies” campaign for the Lung Cancer Alliance and other fundraising/awareness work for the Canadian Cancer Society. Today I did a tiny bit more.
I’m a big supporter of research in general, research also being a large component of my work history and academic experience.
Last week I completed an online survey for the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Psychology — “Feeling and Meaning-Making in Grief”. Academic surveys are designed to be more in-depth, and in the process of answering the questions I had to re-examine my emotions in a different way, an uncomfortable exercise at times but ultimately beneficial.
Last week I also volunteered myself for two research studies, one as part of a control group for a bipolar study and the other for breast cancer research. I was eventually disqualified from the bipolar control group because I wasn’t from a Northern European ethnic group (“north of Rome” is the criterion), but I told the mental health researchers to keep me in mind for future studies. I was screened out of one breast cancer study (related to vitamin D and hormones) because of my age, but I qualified for the one I saw advertised at Toronto Western Hospital.
The study is titled “Optical transillumination spectroscopy: A potential indicator of breast tissue risk” and is sponsored by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
The ultimate goal of this study is to develop a safe and non-invasive technique that can be used more frequently and at a younger age to assess women’s risk for developing breast cancer. In this study, we are comparing older (aged 31-40) and younger (aged 18-21) women who have never been pregnant and also women aged 31-40 who have had children with women of the same age who have never been pregnant.
After reading and signing the consent form, I inquired if the details of the study were confidential — i.e., if I was allowed to talk to others or write about it, because it wasn’t stated explicitly in the form. I was told it was not confidential, so I’m writing about it here to encourage others in the Toronto area who might qualify to participate.
The study is in the second of its three-year timeframe; the sample size is 200 women. The data collection takes place between Mount Sinai Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital and lasts about one hour. There is a $20 honorarium. Please contact the study coordinator, Jody Wong at (416) 586-4800 x8119 if you would like to take part. She mentioned the 31-40 age group is greatly in need of participants, and two particular screening questions are making it problematic to find qualified participants: 1) never been pregnant, or 2) pregnant before age 30. If you work downtown, this could probably be done over lunch hour.
The one visit of one hour consists of:
- a brief questionnaire
- body measurements
- breast tissue density measurements using a white light source
- blood sample
That’s it. The only part that took a little longer for me was the blood sample, because apparently I have narrow veins and the sampling was done at the blood lab at Mount Sinai instead of by the research assistant. I had to look away while the blood was drawn, because I have strong memories of taking David every morning for his bloodwork and him wincing from getting needles in his veins multiple times a day. My 30cc of blood this afternoon is a drop in the bucket compared to what he endured for months.
David is why I went today, and why I’ll keep signing myself up for every cancer research study I qualify for and am able to take part in.
On a related note, Rannie gave up smoking last weekend and is making a commitment to donate up to $500 — what he would’ve spent on cigarettes between July and August — to the Canadian Cancer Society, by challenging others to match that $500 to bring the grand total up to $1,000.
Go Rannie!
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I wouldn’t mind doing it either, but I don’t think I qualify, unless I misunderstood the requirements. Is it that you must have had children before 30 or not having been pregnant at all?
Yes, you’ve got it right. The two groups of women aged 31-40 must fall into one of the two categories:
1) had children before the age of 30
2) never been pregnant
There were telephone screening questions as well, but I can’t remember what they all are. Best to contact the coordinator. I told her I’d spread the word to get more candidates!
Alrighty then. I may qualify after all. I’ll give them a call.
Good for you, Riri.
You know, it was a little odd to be considered part of the “older” age group. Odd in the same way it was to be called “ma’am” for the first time.
What a wonderful way to honor your husband. Every single study makes a huge difference to someone, somewhere. That’s the frustrating part of living in Smalltown, Canada–the chance to participate in studies such as these is next to nonexistent. I have been encouraging my daughter to do so, however. Long term cancer survivors who are aged fourteen are rare and, even with our location, they tend to make accommodations to include her.
what a wonderful thing to participate in! I qualify for having had all my children under age 30 – but am nowhere near the area.
I participated in the light test for breast cancer with Jody as well. So important! I never really thought the risk young women faced given that their breasts can’t be screened with mammograms due to the radiation.
It was a very painless experience. I really hope that this technology does prove to be an alternative to mammograms.
[...] In the past year I’ve spent altogether far too much time in hospitals, so I don’t feel particularly neutral about them. Despite their differences and different locations and varying circumstances for being there, hospitals have a very recognisable atmosphere. The general sentiment is that most people generally dislike them, but they’re necessary. By the umpteenth wing of the first hospital I’d had enough, but I wanted to finish what I’d started weeks ago and that was to get maximum exposure for the event in all four hospitals, plus their extensions, such as the Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Building behind the Mount Sinai Hospital where I’d participated in the breast cancer research study last month. [...]
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[...] Last week I was sent an email to ask if I would complete the six-month follow-up of the research study I participated in last June for the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Psychology titled “Feeling and Meaning-Making in Grief”. I didn’t keep track of my first set of responses, but I found the questions more difficult to answer this time around. There are times when it takes a supreme effort to make it through a day. The earth has rotated on its axis hundreds of times and yet it feels like time has stood still for me and there are no words in my lexicon to explain what I’m going through. So I take photographs, and hope they talk for me. [...]
[...] had a nap earlier except I booked a telephone interview last week as a follow-up to a breast cancer research study I participated in last year. (They are still looking for qualifying participants, by the way, for [...]