Photo: Huge Galdones (http://huge-photos.com/)

The Chicago Tribune has written up a piece about the most recent Oncofertility Saturday Academy class’s graduation. The article highlights some of the quotes from the inspirational and moving speeches that the girls gave and interviews some of the girls about what they’ve learned and how the OSA experience has changed them. We’re all so proud of the girls, and happy to see them getting some well-deserved recognition for all their hard work. You can read the Tribune’s article here.

As recently reported in BBC News and Human Reproduction, a mother in Denmark has become the first in the world to give birth to a second child after an ovary transplant operation. Stinne Holm Bergholodt was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma at age 27 in March 2004. She made the decision to freeze her ovarian tissue before cancer treatment to allow her the option to pursue biological motherhood in the case of infertility. A year and a half later, Mrs. Bergholdt’s ovarian tissue was transplanted back into her own body with the hope that this procedure would restore her reproductive capacity. Following mild ovarian stimulation, Mrs. Bergholdt gave birth to normal healthy girl, Aviaja, in February 2007. Assuming she would need ovarian stimulation for a subsequent pregnancy, Mrs. Bergholdt returned to her fertility clinic in January 2008, expressing her wish for another child. To her surprise, a pregnancy test turned out positive, indicating that she had already conceived naturally, without any treatment. Her second daughter, Lucca, was born in 2008.

Mrs. Bergholdt and her two children, both born from a single ovarian tissue transplant

This is the first documented report of a woman who has given birth to two healthy children (in two separate pregnancies) as a result of one ovarian tissue transplantation. This study demonstrates that transplantation of just six pieces (around 15-20% of one entire ovary) of ovarian cortex tissue can result in the production of fully mature oocytes for a period exceeding 4 years.  Taken together, these results extend the number of children born as a result of ovarian tissue transplant to nine globally and encourage a continued effort to develop this technique as a valid method of fertility preservation.

To learn more about fertility preservation options at Northwestern (including ovarian tissue transplant), click here

The BBC article chronicling this story can be found here

The article in Human Reproduction can be found here

Dr. Carol A. Rosenberg was recently highlighted in a Medill Report for her work with cancer survivorship. Dr. Rosenberg’s life – from clinical experience to research experience to    personal experience as the mother of a childhood cancer survivor- all seem to have perfectly prepared her to create and direct the ground-breaking Living in the Future (LIFE) Cancer Survivorship program. The innovative program has two main components: a one-time, one-on-one meeting with an oncology nurse to develop customized health plans, and a series of educational workshops and seminars to educate survivors, family members and health care providers on the obstacles survivors face, including potential infertility. The program is based at suburban Highland Park Hospital but serves all the hospitals in the NorthShore University HealthSystem.

For more information about the Living in the Future (LIFE) Survivorship Program, including an informational video, survivor testimonials, and a brochure, visit: http://www.northshore.org/clinicalservices/cancer/survivorship/

To read the Medill article, please visit: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=157315

A recent announcement on the website of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) describes the collaboration between European reproductive health researchers and members of the multi-site Oncofertility Consortium. ESHRE is the largest European Society fostering advances in the field of assisted reproduction and its partnership with the US-based Oncofertility Consortium was solidified at ESHRE’s Reflection Day in Brussles this past year. This burgeoning network of global researchers and healthcare providers is dedicated to advancing fertility preservation at a broad level, but is also keenly aware of the impact that cancer treatment may have on an individual’s fertility. The Oncofertility Consortium is proud to announce this partnership with its European colleagues and has great hopes for this international collaboration.

To read the article, please visit: http://www.eshre.eu/ESHRE/English/Specialty-Groups/Task-forces/Task-Force-Basic-Reproductive-Science/The-Oncofertility-Consortium/page.aspx/812

The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) has recently launched a new publication series entitled, “Horizons in Bioscience,” which has chosen to highlight Oncofertility in its inaugural edition! The “Horizons in Bioscience” series is part of FASEB’s larger series, “Breakthroughs in Bioscience,” and aims to provide shorter articles highlighting cutting edge research that is on the brink of clinical application, and then to give some history of the research.

To read more about the launching of “Horizons in Bioscience”, click here.

To read the first edition of “Horizons in Bioscience” featuring oncofertility, click here.

As recently mentioned, adolescent and young adult cancer patients form a unique subset of cancer patients who cross traditional divides and require collaboration across diverse disciplines. Oncofertility Consortium team members have joined forces with a team of clinical psychologists, physicians, and social workers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital to address the concerns of our local adolescent and young adult cancer patients. The Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology (AYAO) working group met for the first time this past fall, and continues to meet monthly. The AYAO working group is a spin-off of the LIVESTRONG™ Young Adult Alliance, which strives to coordinate initiatives to improve survival rates and quality of life for young adults living with cancer. The AYAO working group is dedicated to advancing the LIVESTRONG™ mission at Northwestern. Sub-committees have been created to address specific areas of interest, including Awareness, Standards of Care, and Science, and team members are currently working on a number of advocacy efforts.

Our AYAO meeting this past week featured Dr. David Victorson, Executive Director of True North Treks, a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors during their transition or re-entry from a cancer diagnosis and treatment to survivorship. True North Treks facilitates short term experiences in nature focused on contemplative and outdoor leadership activities. This organization aims to enrich the lives of adolescent and young adult cancer survivors by equipping them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to continually re-direct and improve upon themselves, others and the world in which they inhabit. For more information about True North Treks, please visit: http://www.truenorthtreks.org/

Also of interest to the AYAO are the new promotional materials available through the I’m Too Young For This! Cancer Foundation (i[2]y), an organization dedicated to ensuring that every young adult affected by cancer is given access to the best age-appropriate support they are entitled to in order to get busy living at every stage of their survivorship. i[2]y offers online and offline social networking events, adventure retreats, chat rooms, forums and blogs, camping excursions, fertility advocacy, peer counseling, scholarships, financial aide, happy hours, and more. The organization, famous for its “stupid cancer” apparel, has been extremely successful its marketing, selling over 25,000 “stupid cancer” wristbands in 15 countries. A family friendly version of “Kemo,” the stupid cancer birdie mascot, has recently been announced, and new apparel is now available featuring this friendly feathered creature. For new Kemo t-shirts and gear, please visit: http://www.cafepress.com/i2yi2yi2yi2y/6801681

“Kemo,” the stupid cancer birdie mascot

On February 2 at 4pm, Dr. Teresa Woodruff will give a talk entitled, “Oncofertility: The Preservation of Fertility Options for Young People with Cancer” as part of the Dean’s Grand Challenges Lecture Series in Medicine and Engineering. The talk will be held in the ITW classroom in the Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center.

More information on the Dean’s Grand Challenges Lecture Series, which seeks to foster interdisciplinary collaboration together by bringing together engineering and medical faculty members, can be found here.

The very cleverly named article, “Adolescence of Young Adult Oncology” published in the October 2009 issue of Seminars in Oncology is a very interesting update on the new developments and shifts in thinking within young adult oncology. The authors attempt to really define the population of patients that crosses traditional divides, as well as set up guidelines of competencies for clinical practitioners. The article also suggests that a collaboration between oncofertility, developmental psychology, and transitional care will be key for the field to mature.

The full article is available free with registration here.

The local magazine Today’s Chicago Woman’s most recent issue has an article called, “What’s New in Fertility Treatments: Your Guide to the Latest Fertility Advancements in Chicagoland,” which features information about oncofertility and an interview with Dr. Teresa Woodruff. The article recaps some of the personal patient stories that led to the creation of the Oncofertility Consortium, as well as a little information for the public about ovarian cryopreservation. In addition to our own work, the article touches on other advances around Chicago, including those in the areas of preimplantation genetic diagnosis and IVF.

The article is only available in hard copy, but the magazine is free, so run out and grab one today (check here for distribution locations)!

In 2010, WTTW Channel 11 and Northwestern Memorial Hospital will broadcast a special series, “Health Secrets: What Every Woman Should Know,” featuring broadcast journalist Paula Zahn.

The Illinois Women’s Health Registry and Oncofertility Consortium will be featured in the series.

Each one hour program is aimed at addressing women’s health needs at all stages in life. The shows will cover a variety of topics: obesity, body image, menopause, disease prevention and more. The schedule includes:

Coming of Age (Jan 21, at 8:00 PM CST) : This show looks at some of the complex issues facing young women – Body image, obesity and sexual health, and the HPV vaccine debate.

Turning Point (Jan 28 at 8:00 PM CST): This show takes a look a the turning point years when women are making major life and reproductive decisions – practicing safe sex and deciding whether or not to have children.  We’ll talk to experts about what happens if you have trouble getting pregnant.  And for all of us…how to cope with stress and handle the day-to-day-juggle.

Feeling Great in Midlife: (Feb 4 at 8:00 PM CST): This show looks at what it takes to feel great during the change of life.  Menopause and alternative choices for staying healthy are covered, along with discussion about integrative medicine and age-appropriate screenings.

Taking Control After a Diagnosis (Feb 11 at 8:00 PM CST): This concluding episode covers disease prevention and the options available after a diagnosis of heart attack, stroke or cancer.