In 2007, more than 67,000 people will be diagnosed with bladder cancer and approximately 13,000 people will die from the disease.

To increase awareness of bladder cancer, The Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) is sponsoring a free awareness forum, "Understanding Bladder Cancer," for patients and their family members and caregivers. The forum will take place at the University of Chicago's Gordon Center for Integrative Science, on Oct. 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Norm Smith, assistant professor of Urology at Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine, will present at the forum.

The forum presents an opportunity for patients to receive information from specialists about bladder cancer, as well as provides a venue to meet others who are suffering from the disease, said Diane Quale, president and co-founder of BCAN. Her husband, co-founder John Quale, was diagnosed with bladder cancer, and is now a 7-year survivor.

"The general public does not know much about bladder cancer and people don't talk about it," Diane Quale said.

The free educational program will include a series of presentations followed by a question and answer session. Accompanying Smith will be three other leading bladder cancer specialists from the University of Chicago, University of Michigan, and Loyola University.

The host of topics will include an overview of bladder cancer, surgical therapy, treatments within the bladder and coping with bladder cancer. Smith said he will be lecturing on intravesical chemotherapy and treatments within the bladder.

BCAN was founded in May 2005 and is the first and only national advocacy organization dedicated to improving public awareness of bladder cancer, according to their Web site. They also create a community where patients can unite.

"My husband's personal struggle with the disease inspired me to create this organization," Quale said. "Previous to this there was nowhere patients could turn to gain support and a sense of community."

Smith also spoke about the importance of interacting with other patients when coping with any disease.

"I think that patients that are able to interact with other patients give them a sense that they're not alone," Smith said.

Bladder cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer among men and the ninth most common form of cancer among women, making it the fifth most common cancer overall. Despite its prevalence, University of Chicago's Dr. Gary Steinberg, who has one of largest bladder cancer practices in the country, said the amount of information available as to the causes and risks of bladder cancer as well as funding for research is inadequate.

"Bladder cancer is at the bottom of the chart in terms of how much funding it receives per the amount of cases diagnosed," Steinberg said. "This is unfortunate because if it is detected early, bladder cancer is highly curable. However, detection is often late."

The general public also often overlooks the causes, risks and severity of bladder cancer, Steinberg said.

"If you surveyed 100 people, I don't think that anybody would know that one of the leading causes of bladder cancer is smoking," he said.

Pre-registration is required for the forum and can be completed online or by calling 1-888-901-BCAN.

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