AUGUSTA, GA (May 9 2006) – “The prevalence of bladder cancer in the United States is higher than lung cancer; and its prevalence in women is similar to the number of women with cervical and ovarian cancers. More than a half million people have had or are living with bladder cancer today,” said Sylvia Ramsey, Georgia Military Community College (GMC) professor, poet, and national bladder cancer patient advocate. “Unfortunately, without a celebrity spokesperson championing public health messages, bladder cancer has become the forgotten cancer.”

Concurring with Professor Ramsey, noted urologist, clinical investigator and author Mark Soloway M.D., Chairman, Department of Urology at the University of Miami School of Medicine said, “Bladder cancer is the second most common urologic malignancy in the U.S. after prostate cancer. We have made dramatic changes with the use of PSA, an early detection program, and tremendous public awareness. Unfortunately, we have not done the same with bladder cancer.”

“There is a lot of work to be done to continue to keep bladder cancer research funding and physician and patient awareness in the forefront,” said Ramsey. Since her book of poetry, Pulse Points of a Woman’s World, was released in 2004, Ramsey has been a crusading for bladder cancer awareness. She created the BC Sisterhood, a web-based group for bladder cancer support and even has apparel and other wearable items to help raise awareness. Most recently she has mentored students at GMC as they have joined the cause.

Ten years ago, Ramsey experienced a life-changing bladder infection. The blood that was noticed in her urine didn’t go away. The antibiotics didn’t solve the problem. Eventually she saw an urologist and underwent medical tests that showed she had bladder cancer, an invasive type that penetrated the muscle wall of her bladder. A surgery to remove her bladder included a radical hysterectomy and was followed by reconstruction to rebuild a bladder using a section of her colon and is referred to as an Indiana pouch. A section of her small intestine was used to connect to the umbilical site. It makes for an excellent cosmetic result and is easier to catheterize.

“I have been very lucky, I haven’t experienced follow-up infections, but I have been thrown into early menopause and body image concerns,” says Ramsey. “Writing this book forced me to look as what is really important – Living life, not necessarily the weighty things that distract us.”
As a ten-year bladder cancer survivor Ramsey is sharing a message of hope with the many people she meets at book signings, community events and through the BC Sisterhood.
“Life is as frail as thread and as strong as rope,” says Ramsey. It’s Ramsey’s belief that life is about-facing o­nes fears, considering alternatives and choosing to persevere in spite of the risk.

“I thought I had a urinary tract infection,” recalls Ramsey. “That’s what I was initially treated for,” but upon further evaluation, Sylvia’s cancer was already invasive and engulfed the entire left side of her bladder.

Once she was diagnosed, she began researching this cancer and treatments. Back then, she found very little information that was positive or oriented to women. Traditionally, bladder cancer is associated with older men, especially smokers. Sylvia’s positive attitude amidst glooming outcomes spurred her to communicate with her urologist to understand the next steps. He told her it would involve a radical hysterectomy, removal of the bladder and depending o­n if the cancer had spread anywhere else, they would decide what to do at that point.

She researched the web and found information o­n an Indiana Pouch that she presented to her urologist, and they discussed the possibilities. He said that if the cancer had not spread to other parts of the body we could take that route. Because of her attitude and her determination to get o­n with her life, he came up with an idea for the "stoma" that was not in the usual location. Sylvia’s positive attitude and active lifestyle made her a good candidate for the Indiana Pouch. Using a short section of her small intestine with two sphincter valves and ran it up to the natural opening in her navel. That is where she uses the catheter.

While Sylvia waited for surgery and after, she listened o­nly to music that was uplifting, watched o­nly positive things o­n television and wrote poetry. Her surgery was a success. In the eight years since the surgery she has never had an infection.

“Since I was diagnosed with bladder cancer, I have interacted with many women and men who also had the same thing,” says Ramsey. “The more I interact with people in all walks of life, the more I realize how little people know about this type of cancer.”

Ramsey has become an avid speaker about importance of knowing the symptoms and risk factors for bladder cancer. Blood in the urine and urine frequency are symptoms that should not be ignored. Urologists have tests to pinpoint the cause of the symptoms.

Bladder cancer has the highest recurrence rate of all cancers. Ramsey also says that individuals with a history smoking or exposure to chemical dyes are all at risk for bladder cancer. Medical studies have shown that firefighters, hairstylists working with permanent dyes, leather and textiles workers are among the occupations linked to bladder cancer.

As part of her follow-up care, Ramsey gets tested to monitor for any recurrence of the disease. Part of follow-up care includes the NMP22® BladderChek® Test, -- a simple urine test done in the physician’s office to help diagnose and monitor the recurrence of bladder cancer. The test detects elevated levels of the NMP22 protein marker in a single urine sample. Most healthy individuals have very small amounts of the NMP22 protein marker in their urine, but bladder cancer patients commonly have elevated NMP22 protein marker levels, even at early stages of the disease.

She feels her recovery was due to her doctor's care and his wisdom to make sure her "new equipment" was healed before it had to take over its new job.

Note: Since Sylvia Ramsey’s book of poems was published in 2004; she has taken to the road to speak about bladder cancer. She’s now an advocate for bladder cancer survivors and is working to generate national and local awareness of bladder cancer and women’s health issues. Sylvia is also designated a National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) bladder cancer patient advocate representative to the NCI Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE). Most recently she has be associated with the University of Texas M.D. Anderson cancer Center’s Bladder Cancer SPORE program.

For more information contact Sylvia Ramsey at sylvialramsey@sylvialramsey.com  or call 706-951-7893.