News - Project Oprah

At one time or another, I know a lot of us have contacted Oprah by mail or email in attempts to get our stories told on her show. Unfortunately, none of us gets a response and again and again, Cushing’s doesn’t get mentioned. So, we thought that perhaps if we came up with an email or letter that all of us could send at about the same time, perhaps as a group, we would get more attention. The first such email for this project will be going out to you shortly. If you do not receive it, we do not have your correct email. We hope to follow with such emails every so often. If this doesn’t work after a period of time, we will pick another TV program.

Because I feel so strongly about increasing awareness for Cushing’s, I have volunteered to write and send the emails and serve as a contact person to pull our stories together. For that reason, my contact information is listed in the email. Once you receive an email from me, all you need to do is log on to www.Oprah.com, paste in the text, and enter your contact information if you would like, or use mine. At the end of the letter, you could also list your name, the source of your Cushing’s, how long it took for your diagnosis and how many doctors you saw. For example, mine would read:

Sincerely, Christine Greco,
Adrenal tumor,
4 years, 3 doctors to diagnose.

If you don’t have email, you can make a copy of the email below and send it by mail to: The Oprah Winfrey Show, Harpo Inc., 110 N. Carpenter, Chicago, IL 60607. Please let me know if you are willing to share your story on TV and if you have any questions!! You can reach me at cdgreco@verizon.net . Thanks in advance for your help!!!

- Christine Greco

Subject: Weight Gain, Diabetes or Cushing’s?

Dear Oprah,

We desperately need your help! Weight gain and diabetes are increasing in our society, and yet some of those affected, actually have a little known disorder called Cushing’s. Like myself, most with Cushing’s are told to diet and exercise. When we try, nothing happens. The cause of the weight is not our life-style; it is the Cushing’s. All of our stories sound the same – visits to numerous doctors without a correct diagnosis. Thus, we endure years of unstoppable weight gain, diabetes, uncontrollable high blood pressure, purple stretch marks, extreme muscle weakness, anxiety, confusion, memory loss, and severe depression to just name a few. Many are forced to quit work and our faces get so fat that we are unrecognizable not only to ourselves, but to friends & family as well. Can you imagine having a disease that causes such a dramatic life change and not being diagnosed for many years?

This is why we reach out for your help. At a time when we thought we were all alone, we discovered a website at www.CSRF.net. The stories and photos there emphasize what we already know: awareness is desperately needed. We know there are many, many more who are currently undiagnosed and sit helplessly watching your show while trying to find out what is wrong with them. By airing one show on Cushing’s, you could save so many lives from the physical and emotional turmoil that we endured. Cushing’s can be treated but we need to raise awareness so people get diagnosed sooner.

I urge you to contact Christine Greco (cdgreco@verizon.net). She can help you pull together all our stories as well as medical experts who are more than willing to discuss Cushing’s. Please do a show on Cushing’s or an article in O magazine; anything that will help save others the pain and suffering we experienced.

Sincerely,

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