By JEFF MEYERS
PLATTSBURGH — A state-wide ovarian-cancer hot line is seeking help from North Country women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Self-Help for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancer, a non-profit organization providing peer-led support services for women with breast or ovarian cancer for 32 years, has received a state grant to expand its Ovarian Cancer Hot Line to include the state's rural areas.
"Previous to 2006, the hot line was staffed downstate," said Theresa Conti, ovarian consultant for the program. "The additional funding has allowed us to expand further into smaller areas across the state."
Conti is actively involved in recruiting volunteers across the state to provide local access for women seeking support and advice.
"Callers can connect with survivors, who can use their own experiences to support other women," she said. "It also allows us to provide them with information and resources they need to make informed decisions about their care."
Self-Help for Women can also match callers with hot-line staff members who share similar experiences, she added. For instance, if a woman has been diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer, the hot line can find a volunteer who has had a similar diagnosis.
Women interested in volunteering for the hot line can contact Conti at ovarianconsultant@sharecancersupport.org or call the hot line at (866) 537-4273. Women with ovarian cancer seeking support can also call that number.
E-mail Jeff Meyers at: jmeyers@pressrepublican.com
