News Story

[Guest guest]

Diane,

Thank-you so much for keeping us

up to date on media coverage for

uterine fibroids in Tampa Bay.

I hope I get to meet you at a

Tampa Bay Meet-up in the next

few months! I'll be happy to give

a run down about PR in the Tampa

Bay Area on uterine fibroids.

I'm enclosing a letter about

WTSP Channel 10's news story " Teacher

who thought she had incurable cancer

Misdiagnosed " to news reporter,

Mike Deeson. There are at least 10

women reporters in that station.

I hope women in Tampa Bay will also

drop a line to Mike at

10news@... about the

importance of that story and more

coverage about uterine fibroids:

Dear Mr. Deeson,

Thanks so much for your coverage of Buffie Larson's story.

I've watched you for the last decade and saw the story

on your website when another viewer posted the link:

Tampa Bay's 10 - 10 News WTSP on uterinefibroids@

yahoogroups.com, a 2,500 member support group for women diagnosed

with uterine fibroids.

Did Ms. Larson have a hysterectomy?

If so, she lost her fertility. If the ovaries also were

removed, she experienced castration and surgical menopause

putting her at long term risk for osteoporosis and

cardiac problems, among others. A second opinion describing

alternative

surgery as a myomectomy, removal of the fibroids only

would have preserved her fertility.

It is surprising she was misdiagnosed. She may

have experienced bloating or pelvic pressure but

ultrasound/MRI in most cases distinguish rare

ovarian cancer from very common uterine fibroids.

I too experienced uterine fibroids while residing in Largo for

4 years and after multiple consults all recommending hysterectomy,

had to leave Tampa Bay to find alternative procedures.

Fortunately, a newspaper article in the SPTimes 1/99,

on Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) by local Interventional

radiologist,

Gerald A. Niedzwiecki enabled me to treat the fibroids while

preserving my uterus.

On behalf of the dedicated teachers, like Ms. Larson,

I hope WTSP will do a news story about

uterine fibroids and alternative treatment options. Too many

of WTSP's viewers are at risk for fibroids and their devastating

impact on fertility, lifestyles, and careers. Or in the case

of Buffie Larson, unjustified fears and not enough information.

For more information about uterine fibroids, I would recommend

the National Uterine Fibroid Foundation (NUFF.org) with the

following contact:

Carla Dionne, Executive Director

The National Uterine Fibroids Foundation

PO Box 9688

Colorado Springs, CO 80932

carla@...

1.877.553.NUFF

1.

http://www.NUFF.org

author: " Sex, Lies & the Truth About Uterine Fibroids "

NUFF Board of Directors Physicians/Authors:

, MD " A Gynecologist's Second Opinion "

C. Goodwin, MD and Broder, MD " What Your

Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibroids "

Again, thanks for the reporting on behalf of your

women viewers, Mike.

Sincerely,

Marsha V. Weaver

former address:

11380 Harmony Court, Largo, FL

new address:

840 Scogin Road

Tallahassee, FL 32303

emailto: silvrfaux@...

---------------------------------

> This story came on my local news program

> (tampa,fl.)last night and I thought it would be of

> interest to us all. It's a short interview with a

> woman who was misdiagnosed with stage 3 ovarian

> cancer.

>

> http://www.wtsp.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=7455

>

> Diane P.

[Guest guest]

Diane and Marsh,

Diane, thank you for the link to that story. I missed the news the other night

and did not see it air.

Marsh, thanks for your letter. I am on the way out the door, but will follow

with one of my own later this weekend.

TxGenes

St. Pete.

[Guest guest]

Dear Group,

Thank you to those of you who have responded thus far on my request

for women to interview for upcoming news stories -- your information

has been forwarded onward to a journalist who may contact you soon.

I am currently looking for women of any age, ethnicity, or location in

the U.S. who have undergone hysterectomy or UFE who would be willing

to be interviewed.

Also, women of color who have undergone treatment (hyst, myo, or UFE)

who did NOT desire future fertility are needed for interviews.

Please help if you can by contacting me ASAP!

Carla Dionne

cdionne @ earthlink.net