ECPC's member of the month November 2009 is:

CATHIE LOCKENWITZ - DANISH BREAST CANCER ORGANISATION (DBO)

My Organisation

The Danish Breast Cancer Organisation (DBO) was founded in 1999. It is an independent, national organisation with over 2,000 active members, all of whom have or have had breast cancer.
Our goals are

• to improve breast cancer treatment in Denmark

• to increase breast cancer awareness.

In order to achieve these goals, we place special emphasis on

• mammography screening of all women between the ages of 50 and 69

• centralisation of breast cancer treatment in centres that live up to international standards

• physical therapy as an integral part of breast cancer treatment.

More than 4,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Denmark every year. Young women face special challenges, and for the past six years we have held one-day seminars for young women with breast cancer. In 2007 a special seminar for couples was held, and in 2008 for the first time a seminar was held for women whose cancer has recurred.

We publish a magazine, DBO-bladet, 3 times each year. Articles focus on current advances in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, psychological factors, nutrition, and other issues of interest to patients and their families. The magazine is circulated to our members, health care personnel, politicians and journalists. In 2009 a monthly electronic newsletter, DBO-nyt was added as a supplement to the magazine to keep members better informed of current events.

DBO Board members are all volunteers, and we work closely together with volunteer counsellors throughout the country, and with the Danish Cancer Society.

My story

I was born in Australia. In 1968 I met a Dane in Hong Kong where we were both working. We married a year later and now live in Denmark. We have 2 sons and this year our first grandchild was born, a little girl.

Twelve years ago, my left breast was removed because of breast cancer; follow-up treatment consisted of radiation therapy and anti-hormone pills to be taken every day for the next 5 years. Other Danish women who had lived through a breast cancer operation before me had done what women do best – they formed a group based on their own experiences, to counsel, support and encourage other breast cancer patients. The group became known as DBO – the Danish Breast Cancer Organisation.

I joined them as soon as I could, first as a volunteer counsellor and from 2007 as a member of the DBO board.

How to contact me

email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

http://www.brystkraeft.dk

See also our previous ECPC Members of the Month.