LITTLE ROCK – Survivors of ovarian and other gynecological cancers will be celebrated Sept. 24 during a day-long retreat sponsored by the Arkansas Cancer Research Center (ACRC) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

Scheduled for 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the ACRC on the UAMS campus, “Shout About the Disease that Whispers,” will promote complementary and conventional approaches in the care of women with gynecological cancers. The retreat is hosted by the Just Among Women support group and is open to women with ovarian and other gynecological cancers and their support persons.

Cost to attend is $15 in advance or $20 at the door and is considered a tax deductible donation to the ACRC Patient Support Fund. Advance registration is encouraged by Sept. 15 and is required for the Look Good, Feel Better session. For more information or to register, call the ACRC at (501) 686-8145.

The keynote address is set for 9 a.m. with Juan Roman, M.D., associate professor in the UAMS Division of Gynecologic Oncology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Roman will address issues concerning ovarian cancer, current treatment options and how research is providing insight into the future of the disease.

Breakout sessions will be held throughout the afternoon and include Tai Chi classes, use of the labyrinth as a tool for meditation and healing, visualization and guided imagery training and therapeutic massage. A Look Good, Feel  Better session to teach makeup and skincare techniques will be offered for women undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment. The session also will provide information for women on options related to hair loss, including the use of wigs, scarves and turbans.

It is estimated that approximately 22,220 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year.

UAMS is the state’s only comprehensive academic health center, with five colleges, a graduate school, a medical center, five centers of excellence and a statewide network of regional centers. UAMS has about 2,200 students and 660 residents and is the state’s largest public employer with almost 9,000 employees. UAMS and its affiliates have an economic impact in Arkansas of $4.3 billion a year.

UAMS centers of excellence are the Arkansas Cancer Research Center, Harvey and Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy and Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute.