On Sunday May 24, Dr. Woodruff travels to New York to address the 3rd Annual OMG! Cancer Summit.  The Summit, held in partnership between the I’m Too Young For This Foundation and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, is a major international oncology conference and social networking event for young adults affected by all cancers, as well as their caregivers.  This year’s event features guest speakers from all over the world.

Dr. Woodruff will be speaking about oncofertility and the fertility needs of young patients facing a cancer diagnosis.

In an effort to continue its goal of helping communities foster an environment that encourages children to pursue careers in the sciences, the Oncofertility Consortium and Woodruff Lab celebrated National Lab Day today by opening its doors to students from all over Chicago.  Students were given a tour of the facility, had the opportunity to talk with members of the Woodruff group, and took turns looking at follicles under microscopes.

The Consortium is dedicated to helping encourage the next generation of scientific investigators.  For more on the Consoritum’s educational activities, click here.

For more information on National lab Day, visit their website: http://www.nationallabday.org/.

Tampa, FL (Oct. 9, 2009) —  Moffitt Cancer Center will celebrate the honor of being named a center of excellence by Fertile Hope from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 26 in the Ted & Marty Couch Auditorium at the Vincent A. Stabile Research Building, 12902 Magnolia Drive.

Fertile Hope is a national nonprofit fertility organization providing resources and support for cancer patients. The Fertile Hope Center of Excellence Program is the first of its kind to address fertility preservation and parenthood options. It is designed to ensure that all age-appropriate cancer patients are informed of their fertility risks before treatment.

Moffitt is being honored for the information received by all patients on the issues of reproductive risks and fertility preservation options.

The celebratory event will feature expert speakers including CEO and Center Director William S. Dalton, Ph.D., M.D., and associate faculty member Gwendolyn P. Quinn, Ph.D.

Quinn will speak on behalf of Moffitt and the newly developed LIVESTRONG Fertility Advisory Committee. The Lance Armstrong Foundation and Fertile Hope united to develop the committee. Quinn has been appointed for a two-year term and will help guide the foundation on how to best meet the reproductive needs of those affected by cancer.

Quinn will discuss fertility and options for cancer patients. Other experts from Moffitt, Fertile Hope, the Lance Armstrong Foundation and USF IVF & Reproductive Endocrinology will share the latest information on cancer and fertility.

Patients, families, friends and medical staff are invited to celebrate the acceptance of the award and to hear the latest information on cancer and fertility.

Please R.S.V.P. by Oct. 20 at 1-888-MOFFITT.

To qualify as a Fertile Hope Center of Excellence, cancer centers must demonstrate that:

• All individuals of reproductive age who are treated for cancer are given complete information, both verbally and in writing, about their reproductive risks and options for preserving fertility before cancer therapy, radiation, chemotherapy and surgery are initiated.
• Educational resources are available for health care professionals, patients and survivors.
• Referrals are provided to appropriate specialists for fertility preservation and parenthood after cancer.

About Fertile Hope
Fertile Hope is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing reproductive information, support and hope to cancer patients whose medical treatments present the risk of infertility. In addition to robust programs in areas of awareness, education and support, Fertile Hope operates the only fertility preservation financial assistance program for cancer patients, including a program for men to help reduce the cost of sperm banking. For more information, to apply for financial assistance or to make a donation, please visit www.fertilehope.org or call (888) 994-HOPE.

About the Lance Armstrong Foundation
At the Lance Armstrong Foundation, we fight for the 28 million people around the world living with cancer today. There can be – and should be – life after cancer for more people. That’s why we kick in at the moment of diagnosis, giving people the resources and support they need to fight cancer head-on. We find innovative ways to raise awareness, fund research and end the stigma about cancer that many survivors face. We connect people and communities to drive social change, and we call for state, national and world leaders to help fight this disease. Anyone anywhere can join our fight against cancer. Join us at www.livestrong.org.

About H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute
Located in Tampa, Florida, Moffitt Cancer Center is an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center — a designation that recognizes Moffitt’s excellence in research and contributions to clinical trials, prevention and cancer control. Moffitt currently has 15 affiliates in Florida, one in Georgia and two in Puerto Rico. Additionally, Moffitt is a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a prestigious alliance of the country’s leading cancer centers, and is listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” for cancer. Moffitt’s sole mission is to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer.
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For the full story, and more on the Moffitt Cancer Center, visit this site.

Congratulations to Ariella Shikanov on receiving the IBNAM-Baxter Early Career Award.  She will investigate a combination of natural and synthetic hydrogels and drug delivery technology to maximize ovarian tissue transplantation.

The full story can be found here!

The following articles in HemOnc Today and the UAB Reporter are good examples of the public awareness beginning to take shape around fertility preservation.  Take a moment to read the articles, and let us know what you think!

UAB Reporter Online: Fertility Hopes Don’t Have to End for Cancer Patients

HemOnc Today: Discussing oncofertility-The Oncologist’s Responsibility

Hello all.  I wanted to take a moment on the blog to introduce myself, even though I’m mainly involved on the administrative side of the Oncofertility Consortium (so you won’t be seeing too many research-centered blogs from me).  I’m a graduate of Northwestern University‘s School of Communication, with a minor in business and marketing.  After working for Dr. Olke Uhlenbeck on the Evanston Campus of Northwestern, I came down to Chicago to be Dr. Woodruff’s assistant in the Consortium.

I’ll be keeping the blog up to date on all the important happenings here at the Oncofertility Consortium, including new press, new papers, and new events.  I’m looking forward to reading your comments and engaging in the conversation about oncofertility.

Recently, WBEZ Chicago’s Eight Forty-Eight came to the Oncofertility Consortium to interview Dr. Woodruff about fertility preservation for cancer patients.  While the interview mainly discussed new techniques that will provide hope for cancer patients facing potential infertility, the interview also discussed the Illinois Women’s Health Registry and the Oncofertility Saturday Academy.

From the WBEZ website:

Last year, Dr. Teresa Woodruff won a $21 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to create the Oncofertility Consortium. There she hopes to develop new fertility treatments for people who have undergone treatment for cancer. While many people can survive a cancer diagnosis, the treatments can destroy fertility. Dr. Woodruff runs The Woodruff Lab at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and also runs the Oncofertility Saturday Academy. It brings young women from a small high school on Chicago’s South Side into the lab to learn basic biology and clinical medicine.

The audio of the interview is included!

Eight Forty-Eight Interview