2008 – 2009 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Click here to view our 2008-2009 Annual Report.

INFORMATION AND SUPPORT FOR THE BLADDER CANCER COMMUNITY

BCAN Website: www.bcan.org – One of the most comprehensive collections of bladder cancer information on the web, BCAN’s website averages 1,000 unique visitors weekly.  Our website includes:

• Newsletter – E-mailed quarterly newsletters and periodic alerts with bladder cancer information to 2,600 people.

• Treatment Option Tool – 1,200 people used this resource to help make informed treatment decisions.

• Clinical Trial Matching Tool – Nearly 200 people registered for this service to obtain specific information about participating in bladder cancer clinical trials.

• Online Community – Now with more than 900 members, survivors and their loved ones have posted thousands of different discussions supporting each other on their bladder cancer journeys.

• Patient Calls and E-mails for Information, Referrals, and Support – Staff provided vital information and support to over 500 survivors and caregivers via telephone and e-mail.

Patient Handbook – Bladder Cancer Basics for the Newly Diagnosed, a comprehensive patient handbook developed with BCAN’s Scientific Advisory Board, was printed in October, 2008.

BCAN has distributed over 20,000 handbooks to survivors, caregivers, urology practices and cancer centers across the United States.  The handbook is also available for download from BCAN’s website.  It has been downloaded over 2,000 times since December, 2008.

Patient Forums in Boston, Dallas, Cleveland, and San Francisco - Over 550 survivors and caregivers heard presentations on bladder cancer from experts in the field.  These presentations are now available on the BCAN website.

Local Bladder Cancer Support Groups - BCAN staff, along with local volunteers, facilitated the development of support groups in Rochester, NY, Indianapolis, IN, and Milwaukee, WI.

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BLADDER CANCER RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY

BCAN Career Development Award for Bladder Cancer Research – Our first annual award will be presented in 2010 to a bladder cancer researcher.

Bladder Cancer Think Tank – BCAN hosted the only bladder cancer specific scientific conference in North America in August 2008 and August 2009.

Advocacy on Capitol Hill and at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) – BCAN partnered with the Cancer Leadership Council and One Voice Against Cancer to advocate on Capitol Hill and at NCI for research funds and health policies that provide improved treatment and services for cancer survivors.

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OUTREACH TO PHYSICIANS ACROSS THE US

Volunteer Network – Members of our growing volunteer network have personally spoken with over 750 urology practices and cancer centers in 32 states to distribute BCAN’s educational information to over 3,000 physicians.

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