The Army of Women

Today I'm going to one of the Avon Great Start Parties that they throw in preparation for their 3 day walk for Breast Cancer later this spring. I'm going to be volunteering at a table to sign women up for the Army of Women. What's this? It's a national effort by Avon and the Susan Love Foundation to sign up 1 million women who would be willing to participate in studies to learn more about the causes of breast cancer as well as women's health in general. Any women 18 years or older can join. So far 350,000 women nationwide have joined, including me! Many scientific studies are hindered by the inability to get together large enough groups of women to make a study's findings significant. And most importantly, you can choose to join or not join any study that you qualify for. You are in total control. Qualifications range from being in a certain city to being a breast cancer survivor or being a member of a minority population, for example. Some studies are questionnaire-based, others may ask for a biological samples such a blood. I've already been part of one that looks at the issues women face following treatment for breast cancer. These studies are all scientifically reviewed and funded prior to being accepted by the Army of Women. For those of us that have been touched by this disease, I ask you to consider joining this Army. For more information and to sign up, please go to:

www.armyofwomen.org. As a cancer researcher and a breast cancer survivor with a young daughter, I'm asking you to consider joining, for my daughter's generation and every women who will be touched by this disease.