PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 30 GlaxoSmithKline-HER2
New online resource helps women and their loved ones continue to live a healthy, active, on-the-move lifestyle despite cancer diagnosis
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Many women with breast cancer know where to go to get the facts about their disease and treatment options. In fact, great strides have been made with treatment options for women with HER2-positive breast cancer. But where can these women get other important information tailored for their unique lives that pertain to travel and vacation ideas, intimacy, healthy eating tips, relaxation techniques or advice for their loved ones about living with someone with this form of breast cancer?
Beginning today, they have HERMove.com (www.hermove.com), the first ever Web-based, lifestyle program specifically for women in all stages of HER2-positive breast cancer, including the newly diagnosed, those living with advanced or metastatic disease, and the long-term survivors. The program is funded and developed by GlaxoSmithKline Oncology.
HERMove.com is the only online resource that brings together a unique offering of health and wellness information to inspire women with HER2-positive breast cancer to live life to the fullest as best they can by staying on-the-move and living a healthy and active lifestyle while living with or recovering from breast cancer. The Web site also creates a community where women can share their personal stories, anecdotes, recipes and photographs among new friends, and learn from the experiences of others. The site is designed to complement support group Web sites like HER2Support.org, a not-for-profit organization.
"When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I found a great support network in the hospital that helped me get smart about my disease and how to treat it. But while I had tools to learn about the technical side of treatment, I was missing information about how to go on with my life," said Mary Jean Lynberg, a HER2-positive breast cancer survivor. "I wanted to learn about how to live the type of lifestyle I had before battling this disease. Just as treatment was important for my physical health, for my mental health it is important to me to be able to do the things that I love -- travel with my sister, spend time with my family and friends, and enjoy a beautiful afternoon out on the golf course. HERMove.com gives women a place to find that information, connect with other women looking for the same things, and feel confident that they can go on living with breast cancer."
According to a survey by HER2 Support funded by GSK Oncology, nearly 50 percent of women with HER2-positive breast cancer have not been able to do a particular activity since their diagnosis -- whether it's exercise, sex, a hobby or traveling.(1) And they really miss doing those things.(1) Now with HERMove.com, which goes beyond addressing the facts about breast cancer, women can get information that may help them start doing some of these things again. For example, HERMove.com provides information about group and individual travel and vacation ideas, special spas that cater to women with breast cancer, understanding sex and breast cancer, healthy foods to eat, exercise and meditation techniques, book recommendations, and other topics that benefit them during their road back to wellness.
"Often times, women with HER2-positive breast cancer are too scared about what tomorrow will bring so they don't look beyond their diagnosis," said Joe Druther of HER2 Support and caregiver to his wife who has HER2-positive breast cancer. "HERMove.com is a great resource for these women and their caregivers because it offers wonderful suggestions about ways to help maintain an active and full life during treatment and beyond."
Women with HER2-positive breast cancer and their loved ones are encouraged to continue living life to the fullest and staying on-the-move by visiting www.hermove.com.
About HER2-Postive Breast Cancer
Approximately 40,000 women (25 to 30 percent of women with breast cancer(2)) are diagnosed each year in the United States with HER2-positive breast cancer.(3)
HER2 is part of a family of genes that play roles in controlling cell growth. In some breast cancers, for reasons no one understands, cancer cells have too much HER2. HER2-positive breast cancer tumors are faster growing and more aggressive.(3)
About the Survey(1)
The survey results are based on 206 online interviews with women who suffer from HER2-positive breast cancer. Respondents were comprised of members of HER2 Support Group who were invited to take part in the survey. Interviews were conducted between April 8 and May 13, 2008 by Ipsos, a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals.
With a sample of 206 people, the overall results are within +/-6.8 percentage points of what they would have been had the entire population of HER2-positive breast cancer patients been interviewed. This survey was funded by GSK Oncology.
About GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline -- one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies -- is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better, and live longer. To access the latest GSK Oncology media materials, visit www.gsk.com/media. For more information about GSK Oncology, visit www.gskoncology.com
References
(1) HER Move Survey. Ipsos. April 8-May13, 2008.
(2) "Glossary." American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/GRY/GRY_0.asp?dictionary=&pagKey=H. Accessed May 27, 2008.
(3) American Society for Cancer Research. AACR Cancer Concepts: HER2. http://www.aacr.org/home/public--media/for-the-media/fact-sheets/cancer-concepts/her2.aspx. Accessed April 23, 2008.
SOURCE GlaxoSmithKline Oncology
