2009 – 2010 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Click here to view our 2009-2010 Annual Report.

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 2,000 visitors weekly.  Our website includes:

• Newsletter – E-mailed quarterly newsletters and periodic alerts with bladder cancer information to 4,800 people.

• Treatment Option Tool – 1,600 people used this resource to help make informed treatment decisions.

• Clinical Trial Matching Tool – Nearly 250 people registered for this service to obtain specific information about participating in bladder cancer clinical trials.

• Online Community – Now with more than 2,000 members from all 50 states, 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 700 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 40,000 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 1,000 times since December, 2008.

Patient Forums in Boston, Dallas, Cleveland, San Francisco, North Carolina, and New York City - Over 750 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 in 2009, and Washington, DC, Milwaukee, WI, Indianapolis, IN, and Rochester, NY in 2010.

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RAISING AWARENESS OF BLADDER CANCER

Bladder Cancer Awareness Day - Bladder Cancer Awareness Day events on our first annual Awareness Day brought together more than 800 survivors and caregivers in 18 states to build community, provide support, and raise awareness of bladder cancer.  Events were organized by local volunteers, and included documentary screenings, luncheons, meet and greets, dinners, awareness booths, and expert medical presentations.

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BLADDER CANCER RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY

BCAN Career Development Award for Bladder Cancer Research – Our first $25,000 annual award was 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, 2009 and 2010.  Leading clinicians and researchers from 25 states and Canada have participated in these meetings.  Eight John Quale Travel Fellowship Awards have been presented to young investigators to enable their participating in the annual meeting and to encourage them to pursue a specialty in bladder cancer.

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

Medical Outreach – Members of our growing volunteer network have personally spoken with over 1,200 urology practices and cancer centers in 43 states to distribute BCAN’s educational information to over 5,500 physicians.

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