We have a new Facebook page! The International Oral Cancer Association would like to thank all of our supporters and invite you all to follow us over to our new Facebook page. Be sure to Like our new page and follow our website (www.fightoralcancer.org) to get instant updates about our latest news and events!

We are very pleased to announce the launch of our new website. There have been a few changes, but we hope that you will enjoy the new look and feel of our website.

We would also like to take this opportunity to remind you that you can find updates from The International Oral Cancer Association on Facebook, Twitter, and our RSS feed.

Thank you for your continued support and we wish you a happy and safe July 4th weekend.

The Dr. OZ show on June 8th 2011 focused on The Rise Of Oral Cancer, who is at Risk from it, and how it is spreading. Check out part 1 of the video below for more information.

On September 18, 2010 at 9:00am, walkers will be raising support for the fight against oral cancer.  For those of you that live in the Lima, OH area, come on out and participate.  Registration information is posted below for walkers, although donations/sponsorship money will be accepted as well (sponsor sheets available upon request).

All proceeds donated to the Fight Oral Cancer Foundation. Please email questions to: dgrossrdh@nktelco.net or call 419-305-7953.

Time:
September 18th at 9am

Location:
Ferguson and Metzger Reservoirs, Lima, OH

Cost (Onsite Registration available):

• Registration and T-Shirt is $15 - Registration deadline for T-Shirts is September 1, 2010 (T-shirts will be distributed before the walk)
• Registration without T-Shirt is $10

Checks made payable to: NWODHA

Fight Oral Cancer Foundation (FOCF) will be holding a free oral cancer screening at Campion Trail, T.W. Richardson Grove Park on September 19th.

Support Groups are an important part of walking through the treatment process for those that have been diagnosed with oral cancer.  SPOHNC (short for Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer) is committed to developing programs to support those that are on that journey.

Last year the Fight Oral Cancer Foundation had the privilege of participating in the SPOHNC fundraiser in Irving. While at the event we conducted free oral cancer screenings. Dr. Fitzgerald screened many attendees and referred 5 attendees to seek further diagnosis from doctors.

FOCF in collaboration with SPOHNC is delighted to be a part of this event again this year on September 19th. We will be conducting free oral cancer screenings.  You are invited to come out to the event and be a part of the great work that SPOHNC is doing to make a difference in the lives of those that have fallen victim to this horrible disease.

Click here for the full sized poster in PDF format.

Date:

September 19, 2010

Location:

Campion Trail, T.W. Richardson Grove Park
333 East Interstate 635
Irving, TX

Time:

Start Time: 7am
Screening: 9-11am

FOCF was pleased to participate in a free oral cancer screening on May 26, 2010 in Plano, TX during the Plano Senior Recreation Center’s health fair. We donated our Identifi (Trimira) machine and informational pamphlets, wrist bands and some other goodies for the cause.

This was the first time the Center conducted Oral Cancer Examinations using the Trimira Identafi, a leading oral cancer screening piece of technology.   Volunteers from three schools of Dental Hygiene at Texas Women’s University, Collin College and Baylor preformed the examinations. They were assisted by volunteers from Contemporary Oral Surgery and Dr. Lesslie Moore.   Approximately 200-250 people were screened.

The event was organized by Deborah Stewart with the help of Community Dental Care,  Dr. Lee Fitzgerald,  and the Fight Oral Cancer Foundation.

May is the National Fight Oral Cancer Month.  The May Cover of The Journal of the American Dental Association magazine (JADA) is about oral cancer.  Below is an excerpt from the article.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that there would be 35,720 new cases of cancer of the oral and pharyngeal region in the United States in 2009, with 7,600 deaths from the disease.1 When focusing specifically on the oral cavity, ACS estimated that in 2009, there would be 23,110 new cases of cancer of the oral cavity (hereafter referred to as “oral cancer”) and 5,370 deaths. Nearly 90 percent of these malignancies are squamous cell carcinomas. More than 97 percent of U.S. cases of these cancers occur among adults 35 years and older. Although the incidence rate (IR) of oral and pharyngeal cancers is decreasing overall, the IR of cancers of the tongue, oropharynx and tonsil is increasing. The 2002–2006 age-adjusted (to the 2000 U.S. population) IR of oral and pharyngeal cancers in the United States was 10.3 per 100,000 per year. The age-adjusted IR was more than twice as high among men (15.9) as among women (6.0), as was the mortality rate (men, 4.0; women, 1.5).

Among the groups described in data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results program, African-American men are at the highest risk of developing oral and pharyngeal cancers of any group in the United States (IR 16.7 per 100,000 per year). The five-year relative survival rate varies widely by stage at the time of diagnosis, from 81.8 percent for patients diagnosed in localized stages and 52.1 percent for patients with regional lymph node involvement to 26.5 percent for patients with distant metastasis. Yet, oral and pharyngeal cancer is diagnosed at a localized stage in only one-third of patients in the United States. The overall five-year relative survival rate for the 1999–2005 period was 61.0 percent and varied significantly by race (62.4 percent for white men and 38.2 percent for black men). Much of the racial disparity in survival rates was due to the greater proportion of tumors diagnosed at late stages among black men than among white men.

Click here for the full PDF of the ADA article on oral cancer.

A FREE Oral Cancer Screening will be held at Baylor between 9am and 12 noon on Saturday, April 17, 2010 at Baylor in Downtown Dallas.  For the full sized brochure click this link: Oral Cancer Screening.

The TinStar Fundraiser is this Friday!  Click on the brochure icon below to view the full-sized flyer.

Proceeds will go to fund The Fight Oral Cancer Foundation.  All you have to do… is eat.

We are preparing for our National Walk for Oral Cancer that will take place in May.  Details on the Dallas location will be sent out shortly. If you have a heart to help in the fight against oral cancer and would like to be a part of this event, please let me know as we are currently building our volunteer team and could use as many hands as possible.

This will be the inaugural walk, thus, we are open to volunteers that wish to take on various projects.  Money that we raise will go toward:

1. Educational pamphlet to be distributed at schools, hospitals, health fairs and public libraries locally and nationwide.
2. Provide dental care and dental hygiene educational programs for children.
3. Hold free oral cancer screenings locally and nationwide.
4. Sponsor speakers to raise awareness and promote screening.
5. Fund oral cancer research.

Hosting Local Walk Nationally or Internationally

We encourage individuals and organizations that are not from Dallas to host a walk in your hometown.  If you are interested in hosting one in your area, please let us know and we’ll work with you to give you the details you’ll need in order to host your own walk.