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President’s Message

A Survivor’s Story:

Salt of the Earth:

In 2021, we will celebrate the Esophageal Cancer Education Foundation (ECEF) 18th anniversary and my 21th year from my esophageal cancer surgery. We thank God for giving us this time, and allowing us to reach out and touch patients and caregivers as they journey through this dreaded disease.

We have taken steps to bring ECEF to the next level and we will continue to advance our message and patient support in 2021. We have expanded our Medical Advisory Committee to bring more Doctors and Medical Professionals into the working subcommittees we have developed. As of the beginning of 2021 we have 60 Doctors participating in various sub committees.

These subcommittees consist of an International, Public Relations, Research Projects, Patient and Caregiver Services and Social Network subcommittees. You can check this out if you click on https://fightec.org/ecef-structure/medical-advisory-committee/

SUPPORT GROUPS

In addition, because our Conference call Support Group participation has grown we now have two ZOOM monthly support groups for patients who have gone through an esophagectomy and their caregivers . We have  two Thoracic Surgeons attending our post surgery meetings.

In 2021 we have established a ZOOM monthly meeting for Esophageal and Stomach Cancer Stage IV and recurrence patients and their caregivers. We have two Medical Oncologists attending each of these meetings. 

Our goal for 2021 is to  put a ZOOM support group meeting for those who have lost a loved one to either esophageal or stomach cancer. We ae in search of a Social Worker who so willing wot work with people across the US.

Any information that is discussed at these meetings must be cleared with the patients doctors before they take any action using what they have heard. 

YOU TUBE CHANNEL

IN 2021 we will continue to develop our You Tube Channel and have placed 19 videos on it: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDkh7_H9BOnNASdmG4pdF0g

Our plan for 2021 is to add additional videos to this channel. We will approach various doctors to give us their responses to the most frequently asked questions dealing with issues that are a result of the esophagectomy surgery. In addition, we will be asking patients and caregivers to give us a brief account of their stories so we can post those videos on our You Tube Channel as well. Google has indicated if we are able to get 1,000 subscribers to this You Tube Channel they will produce all of our videos at no cost to ECEF. If you can please subscribe to this channel and help us reach this 1,000 subscription goal. We are currently at around 400 subscribers.

HOT LINE

Our phone Hot Line to address questions about esophageal cancer is 732-385-7461.  We are working with the General Thoracic Surgical Club members in providing ECEF with their contact information so any call we receive from within the U.S. will have a potential referral of a surgeon in that callers area. We have made numerous referral in 2020 and we will continue this service in 2021.

BOOK

ECEF has authored a book called Esophagectomy Post Surgical Guide Q&A Second Edition that addresses the most frequently asked questions and answers about the post surgical experience. This book can be obtained from your local book store or by going to our Home Page on this web site. Various Hospitals have purchased quantities of this book to give to patient as they leave the hospital post surgery. 

Ginny and I hope, with God’s help, we can make a difference in a patient’s life by the various items we have spoken about in this message.

Respectfully Submitted

Bart Frazzitta

President

Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only, It is not to diagnose or treat your disease. If you do use the information contained on this web site without the approval of a health professional, you are prescribing for yourself, which is your constitutional right, but the author(s) and webmaster assume no responsibility

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