Amgen recently launched At Home with Joan, a cancer information awareness campaign spearheaded by Joan Lunden, a breast cancer survivor and former co-host of "Good Morning America."
"While I've been on thousands of assignments throughout my career, I feel that perhaps my most important one is my current mission to educate and empower others to better understand their cancer and treatment options available so that they can play an active role in their care," Lunden said in an Amgen press release. "With so much information out there and critical decisions to make, it's normal to feel overwhelmed. By sharing our stories, we can learn from each other. It is my hope that these heartfelt conversations with courageous, inspiring survivors will provide candid perspectives and tips on how to advocate for yourself and ask the right questions early on."
The campaign comprises videos, at www.AtHomeWithJoan.com, which feature conversations between Lunden and breast cancer survivors, the release said.
The goal of the campaign to empower cancer patients by helping them to become active participants in their treatment by teaching them about the risks and rewards of various treatment options and helping them navigate through treatment, the release said. Among the risks to be discussed in the campaign are those associated with chemotherapy.
“While strong chemotherapy targets tumor cells that are rapidly dividing, what many patients don't realize is it can also affect other cells, including blood cells," Dr. Edward George, a medical oncologist, said in the release. "As an oncologist, a reduction of white blood cell count is one of my biggest concerns because it can leave patients susceptible to infection and hospitalization. This is a serious topic that patients need to be aware of so they can speak to their doctor about treatment options to help prevent it."
