Female Survivors Take Action Against A Cancer Deadlier Than Cervical Cancer By Launching The American Bladder Cancer Society

Bladder cancer survivors and caregivers will be celebrating the 4th of July with a renewed spirit and new purpose this year. They have banded together to raise awareness of this forgotten cancer, and will officially launch the American Bladder Cancer Society (ABLCS). Reminding Americans that bladder cancer now has a group of dedicated champions throughout the country fighting to save lives, finding a cure, and creating awareness.


Leading the efforts of this not-for-profit cancer society are:


-- Cynthia Kinsella, president, a 4 year survivor who resides in Massachusetts;

-- Sylvia Ramsey-Rezner, vice-president, 13 year survivor who resides in Georgia

-- Karen Greene, director, an 8 year survivor who resides in New York


According to President, Cynthia Kinsella, "The organization is actively reaching out across America, and is establishing a virtual community through its web site bladdercancersupport that is dedicated to raising awareness, and providing advocacy and support to those diagnosed with bladder cancer, and their care givers."


The members of this too often forgotten bladder cancer community, are coming together after a long and sometimes painful journey, but one also connected by each survivor's spirit of hope and dedication to making a difference in the lives of others. They are committed to sending up the flares, turning up the volume, and reaching out to provide hope and an active community where no one with the diagnosis of bladder cancer, or their caregivers, will face the isolation they experienced.


About Bladder Cancer


According to the National Cancer Institute, the prevalence of bladder cancer in the United States has surpassed that of lung cancer. This cancer is linked to smoking and occupational exposure to chemicals, yet if detected early, is very treatable and can have almost a 95% survival rate. In women, bladder cancer is about as prevalent as cervical and ovarian cancer.


Women should particularly be aware of the risks and signs of bladder cancer. Women account for 1 out of 4 newly diagnosed bladder malignancies and 1 out of 3 deaths from bladder cancer annually. A greater percentage of women are diagnosed at a later stage of the disease, resulting in a reduced 10 year survival rate compared to men.


Bladder Cancer Facts:


-- Total women diagnosed with cervical cancer yearly 11,070, deaths 3,870


-- Total women diagnosed with bladder cancer yearly 17,580, deaths 4,150


-- Total Men diagnosed with Colon cancer 53,760


-- Total Men diagnosed with urinary bladder cancer 51,230.















-- Bladder cancer is most common in men over 65 years.


-- It is the second most common urologic malignancy.


-- It is the fifth most common cancer in the United States with an estimated 68,810 new cases in 2008; and an estimated 14,100 deaths in 2008.


-- Men have four times a higher incidence of bladder cancer than women, and it is the fourth leading cause of cancer in men.


-- Women have a higher mortality rate because they are generally diagnosed in later stages of the disease.


-- Firefighters are particularly at risk, with a two times greater incidence than the general population.


-- Bladder cancer has the highest rate of recurrence of any cancer, including skin cancer, with a 50-85 percent recurrence within 6-12 months.


The risk factors for bladder cancer:


-- Smoking

-- Exposure to smoke and carcinogens

-- Occupational exposure to chemicals and dyes

-- Family history



An important symptom of bladder cancer is blood in the urine (called hematuria), as well as urinary burning and frequency. These symptoms should not be ignored. Between 20 and 25 percent of bladder cancers are first diagnosed after they have reached the invasive stage, making them much harder to treat successfully.


About the American Bladder Cancer Society


The American Bladder Cancer Society's function is to raise awareness of bladder cancer among the general public and the medical community, to advocate for the advancement of research into a cure, treatment, early diagnosis, and quality of life issues of survivors, to support bladder cancer survivors by providing community as well as by encouraging the concept of informed medical consumerism.


There are over 500,000 bladder cancer survivors each year in the United States, and yet there is little, if any support, there are no celebrities leading campaigns to make the public aware, or to assist with fundraising efforts. That is the reason the American Bladder Cancer Society's logo has the words, "Forget Us Not".


The American Bladder Cancer Society was incorporated in the state of Massachusetts as a non-profit corporation on February 26, 2008. For more information consult its website at bladdercancersupport . According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and the eighth in women, with more than 68,000 new cases per year, and 14,000 deaths annually in the United States. Women have a higher mortality rate because they are generally diagnosed in later stages of the disease. Bladder cancer prevalence in women is similar to cervical cancer.


Bladder cancer has the highest rate of reoccurrence of any cancer, including skin cancer, with a 50 to 85 percent recurrence rate. Among U.S. males, there are almost as many new cases of bladder cancer reported each year as colon cancer in men.

American Bladder Cancer Society