Provide names of other journalists involved.
Ashley Ross, Editorial Assistant; Sophia Banay Moura, Senior Editor
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
Dec-11
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
In our cancer package, published in the December 2011 issue, we set out to break down a frightening topic into a user-friendly, manageable guide full of information that would inform, not intimidate or overwhelm, readers. The simplest approach, and the one most relevant to them, was to identify the five most common cancers in women ages 20-40–the cancers our demographic would be likeliest to face in the near future. That list included breast cancer, thyroid cancer, melanoma, cervical cancer, and colorectal cancer. We were shocked to learn that over 70 percent of women 20-40 who received cancer diagnoses in 2011 would be afflicted with one of those five diseases. That discovery made this feature seem even more timely and urgent.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
We solicited in-depth research and statistical information from 14 different cancer-oriented non-profits, governmental agencies, and for-profit companies. A few examples of the kinds of data we collected: The National Cancer Institute and its data-gathering arm, Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER), provided pre-existing U.S. clinical cancer incidence records dating back to 1990, sorted by type of cancer, age, race, and gender. SEER also provided reports created specifically for this project reflecting the top five cancers among women ages 20-40 and their frequency and rate of growth over the past several years. The Food and Drug Administration sent detailed research about the latest oncology drugs. The Mayo Clinic Department of Gynecology provided information about the links between the HPV vaccine and cervical cancer. For historical perspective, we included information about ancient cancer treatments and quotes from notable figures and contemporary books about the fight against cancer.
Explain types of human sources used.
We relied on extensive interviews with over 20 expert physicians, ranging from Dr. Eric P. Winer, the chief scientific advisor for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and director of the Breast Oncology Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to Dr. Michael Tuttle, chairman of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Thyroid Cancer Panel, professor of medicine at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, and endocrinologist at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Quotes from these expert physicians about specific patients or young women patients in general, and statistics reflecting the numbers of women affected, were woven throughout the package to make the issue even more real to readers.
Results:
N/A
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
The piece has not necessitated a follow-up correction or clarification, nor has the accuracy of any of the information presented been challenged.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Journalists planning a similar comprehensive health package for a specific demographic should pursue a two-pronged approach: narrow the topic down, and cast as wide a net as possible in searching for expert sources. We knew we wanted to cover cancer in a way that would matter to our readers. To do so, we targeted the five most common cancers affecting women in a pre-determined age range. That helped us rein in what would otherwise have been an unwieldy and overwhelming topic. Then, in looking for experts to interview and sources for statistical and research data, we made exhaustive lists of all possible outlets and contacted all of them. Though we didn’t include every non-profit or doctor in the story, the enormous wealth of information we amassed throughout the research process helped us to feel confident we were doing justice to this important and complicated subject.