CURE Magazine Editor Takes First Place from Association of Health Care Journalists

DALLAS, June 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CURE magazine editor-at-large Kathy LaTour was awarded first place at the annual meeting of the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ) in Philadelphia for her feature article The Cost of Living, which appeared in the Winter 2010 issue of CURE magazine.

The AHCJ awards honored the best health reporting in nine categories including print, broadcast and online media. Now in its seventh year, the contest received more than 300 entries -- an increase over the previous year. AHCJ launched the awards program amid growing concern that too many journalism awards are sponsored by special interest groups that seek to sway media coverage. No healthcare companies or agencies fund the AHCJ awards program.

LaTour's article explored emerging information on the late effects of radiation received by people 10, 20 and 40 or more years ago which, she says, ironically, do not show up unless the cancer survivor lives long after the cancer diagnosis. "Radiation is a valuable tool in the fight against cancer," said LaTour, "and the story was aimed at our readers who received radiation before today's more targeted approach took effect. It was in a time when the philosophy that 'more is better' often resulted in more radiation than the patient needed."

These patients, LaTour says, for the most part are no longer being followed by oncologists, and their primary care physicians have not been trained to identify the late effects of cancer treatment. As the article points out, radiation damages the cells in a way that can cause arteries to become clogged and second cancers to develop over time. For instance, women who received radiation in the chest area for Hodgkin lymphoma tend to have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.

According to the judges, the "briskly told story manages to tackle a little-known topic – 'late effects' of radiation – with thorough, detailed reporting and compelling storytelling. The piece also includes valuable information on what doctors and patients should be doing to minimize late effects; it doesn't just lay out the problem, but also solutions."

"Journalists are tackling difficult and important medical and health policy issues, despite working in an era of increasingly limited resources," said contest chair Julie Appleby, senior correspondent for the nonprofit Kaiser Health News. "The high quality of these winning entries show they are doing so in a way that not only captivates and informs, but in many cases also results in needed changes."

LaTour, a two time breast cancer survivor, has been with CURE Media Group since its inception in 2001. "Kathy brings a unique blend of journalistic talent and personal experience to her role at CURE," said Susan McClure, CURE's publisher. "Her voice resonates with readers because it's credible and authentic. She has a way of reminding us all that even though a story's focus may be about the latest scientific research—ultimately it's about the people affected by cancer."  

AHCJ is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public understanding of healthcare issues. With more than 1,000 members across the United States and around the globe, its mission is to improve the quality, accuracy and visibility of healthcare reporting, writing and editing. The association and its Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism provide training, resources and a professional home for journalists. Its offices are based at the Missouri School of Journalism.

About CURE Magazine

CURE magazine is a free, award-winning publication from Dallas-based CURE Media Group—the national source for cancer patient education and a member of the McKesson Specialty Care Solutions | US Oncology family.  By combining science and humanity, CURE helps patients, survivors and caregivers navigate the cancer journey and understand their diagnosis and treatment, while providing tools to cope during and after cancer—ultimately helping them to live the life they aspire to live.  McKesson Specialty Care Solutions | US Oncology, a division of McKesson Corporation, empowers the community patient care delivery system to advance the science, technology and quality of care. Through the magazine, an annual resource guide for the newly diagnosed, books, and a new and interactive website, CURE provides a wealth of resources for everyone on the cancer journey. For more information, visit www.curetoday.com.

SOURCE CURE Media Group