Saving women from an often silent killer is at the heart of new recommendations for ovarian cancer prevention from a top researcher and clinician at the Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma as well as counterparts nationwide.
It’s estimated that almost 22,000 women in this country will learn they have ovarian cancer this year alone, and more than 14,000 women will die of the disease. The disease often is not detected until it is in an advanced stage because there seldom are symptoms until it has already spread. Since early detection through screening and symptom detection has failed to reduce mortality, top cancer researchers and clinicians nationwide now have issued a list of recommendations aimed at stopping the cancer before it starts.
Joan Walker, M.D., gynecologic oncologist with the Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, is lead author on the commentary published in Cancer. Walker also holds the George Lynn Cross Research Professorship in Gynecology and Oncology with the OU College of Medicine.
“These new recommendations are aimed at helping save lives,” Walker said. “ Recent scientific breakthroughs have provided new insights into ovarian cancer? how it forms, how it spreads and who is at greatest risk. With that knowledge, we felt it was important to make a strong recommendation to both the public and health care providers about how to best prevent ovarian cancer.”
The new recommendations include the use of oral contraceptives and instead of tubal sterilization, they recommend the removal of the fallopian tubes. For women at high hereditary or genetic risk of breast and ovarian cancer, risk-reducing removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries is recommended. Finally, they recommend genetic counseling and testing for women with ovarian cancer and other high-risk family members. Women identified with excess risk of ovarian cancer can reduce that risk to almost zero with the removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries, but they experience premature menopause.
“For women with an average risk of developing ovarian cancer, we know that the use of oral contraceptives can cut their lifetime risk for ovarian cancer by 40 to 50 percent. The longer oral contraceptives are used, the greater the benefit and that benefit can last up to 15 years after a woman has stopped using oral contraceptives,” Walker said.
Tubal ligation, a procedure in which a woman’s fallopian tubes are blocked, tied or cut, has been associated with a 34 percent reduction in the risk of ovarian cancer in women at average risk for ovarian cancer. With the new scientific evidence, the authors indicated they prefer the removal of the fallopian tubes as a preventive measure.
“Studies have reported a 70 to 85 percent reduction in ovarian cancer as well as a 37 to 54 percent reduction in breast cancer in women at high hereditary risk with the removal of both the ovaries and fallopian tubes,” Walker said. “Growing evidence shows that most type 2 ovarian cancers develop as a result of cellular changes in cells within the fallopian tubes.”

“This information is especially important for women at increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer. These recommendations are intended to help encourage an open discussion between women and their health care providers,” Walker said.

Paint in Abstract and be Happy

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May 18, 2015

Carol Lorance, retired nurse of 46 years turns passion for nursing into passion for art.

Story and photo by Vickie Jenkins
Meet Carol Lorance, retired nurse of 46 years and presently an artist and owner of Dragonfly Silks. What a fascinating person! Working in the medical field for so long, she retired and traded in her passion for nursing into passion for art.
Lorance was born in Joplin, Missouri. Her first job was at a hospital, working as a CNA. At that time, she was doing pretty much the same things nurses were doing; taking care of the patients, medication and vital signs. Enjoying being a CNA, she decided to further her career and become a nurse. After she became an RN she worked for several hospitals, Home Health, as a private duty nurse and was also a traveling nurse. She enjoyed traveling to Las Vegas, Florida and Hawaii. When she returned to Oklahoma, she worked at several hospitals, including Guthrie, Deaconess and Mercy. She was fond of being in the medical field but now, it was time for her to retire.
“What was your favorite thing about being a nurse?” I ask. “I enjoyed the closeness that I developed to the patients. My favorite moment was when the patient got better and got to go home.” “What is your favorite thing about being an artist?” “It’s the love I feel, like an inner glow. I am my own person and I don’t have to be anywhere else. It’s fun and it keeps me busy.”
‘What is the most important lesson you learned when you were a nurse?” “I learned to be patient with the patients,” she laughed. “Be a reliable worker and show up on time,” she added.
Before retiring, Lorance knew that she wanted to stay busy and do something else in her life. She had always been fond of photography and painting. It was one night when she came home from a late shift at the hospital. Flipping through the channels on TV, she came upon a demonstration of silk painting on an art show. She was instantly captivated by it, wondering if she could do silk painting. She ordered supplies, bought an instruction DVD and joined the silk painting guild in the UK via the internet. “My first two pieces weren’t great but they weren’t too bad either,” she comments.
Lorance has a degree in Graphic Design from Oklahoma City, OK and has shown her paintings at 50 Penn Place, Art Gallery in Oklahoma City, the Frontier Museum and G Gallery and Glass in Guthrie, OK. She is currently at the Red Dirt Gallery when she is not participating in arts festivals and other shows. Asking Lorance where she gets her inspiration for her art work, she replies, “I get different ideas from the environment and try to do things a little different than most people. If you have noticed, most artists paint flowers and garden scenes. Not that those paintings aren’t pretty but I just try to paint things a little different. I look at lots of images on the computer and study them.”
“How would you describe yourself in 3 words?” I ask. “I am a hard worker, very reliable and an artist.” “What is the most important lesson you have learned as an artist?” “Don’t take life too seriously, have fun and loosen up. Paint in abstract and be happy.”
Lorance’s hobbies include traveling, computers, photography and of course, art. “I was in sixth grade when I became interested in photography. I even had a dark room,” she said. When asked if Lorance’s daughter went into the medical field or into art work, she gave me a no. “My granddaughter is getting a degree in business and art,” she replied. “Just about every time my granddaughter came to my house when she was little, I always made sure we would make a craft or paint or do a cute little project. I think she got her artistic abilities from me,” she grinned.
Asking if Lorance stayed in contact with any of the nurses she worked with over the years, she told me there are quite a few that get together once a month for dinner and catch up on the many memories that they share.
Carol Lorance is a wonderful artist and it is apparent that she puts her feelings and passion into her unique work. Her beautiful paintings, gorgeous silk scarves, colorful pillows, decorative coasters and cutting boards can be found at Dragonfly Silks at Red Dirt Gallery, 13100 Colony Pointe Blvd. Piedmont, OK.

Newly Renovated St. Anthony Hospital Chapel Receives Blessing

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May 18, 2015

A special mass and blessing celebrated the newly renovated St. Anthony Hospital Chapel.
Tom and Judy Love made a generous donation to St. Anthony Foundation to renovate the 42 year-old chapel in honor of Archbishop Emeritus Eusebius J. Beltran. The renovation included many updates, including the addition of a stained glass window, almost a century old, of Saint Anthony. The beautiful stained glass window was added to thechapel entry visible from the hospital lobby.
Built in 1973, with over 27,000 visitors a year, the chapel has brought hope and comfort to many over the years. “The chapel is a place of refuge and worship for patients, family members, staff and physicians,” said Karen Green, Director of Pastoral Services. “The very spirit of the chapel brings consolation and strength to people of all faiths,” she added.
“We are truly appreciative of the generous donation made by the Love family. With their kind gift we were able to enhance the St. Anthony chapel resulting in a lovely place of worship, where our patients, guests, and staff can find peace and comfort,” said Tammy Powell, President of St. Anthony Hospital.

Heartland Grove rededicated in tribute to 20th anniversary of the OKC bombing

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May 18, 2015

Heartland Grove in front of ODAFF — The Heartland Memorial Tree Grove, located on the grounds of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry, was planted in 1995 in memory of the USDA employees who were killed in the Oklahoma City bombing. The grove was recently rededicated in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the bombing.

The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) recently held a renewal dedication for its Heartland Memorial Tree Grove, which was originally planted in May 1995 in memory of the seven US Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees who perished in the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, Governor Fallin was on hand to help dedicate the new generation of redbud trees that were planted to replace the original ones.
The grove, located on the ODAFF grounds, is built in the shape of a heart, surrounded by native stones from all 77 Oklahoma counties which symbolize strength through unity. Seven redbud trees represent the USDA employees who perished, a whitebud tree represents lost innocence and a bur oak tree symbolizes the tenacity of the Oklahoma spirit. A granite marker lists the names of everyone who died in the bombing, including the seven USDA employees: Olen Bloomer, Jim Boles, Peggy Clark, Dick Cummins, Adele Higginbottom, Carole Khalil and Rheta Long.
“As the daughter of a USDA employee who lost her life in the bombing, it is very special to me that our Agriculture employees and community have continued to remember the tragic events of April 19, 1995,” said Blayne Arthur, Deputy Commissioner, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry. “The Heartland Grove is truly a living memorial to those that were lost that day.”
Others who spoke at the grove dedication included Jim Reese, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture; Blayne Arthur, Deputy Commissioner, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry; Mark Bays, Urban Forestry Coordinator, Oklahoma Forestry Services; Ray Vaughn, Oklahoma County Commissioner and Susan Winchester, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Oklahoma City Memorial Foundation.
Participants included family members of the USDA employees who lost their lives in the bombing, Arbor Day Kickoff Celebration attendees, member of the Oklahoma Urban & Community Forestry Council and ODAFF employees. The event was officially recognized by the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.