Ann was diagnosed with (breast) cancer in January 1993. She explored alternative therapies and started a study group in New York City. From summaries of the 60 or so meetings this group held, Ann posted a website in June 1999 under the name The Annie Appleseed Project. It is now a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation serving 90,000 people monthly via the Internet.
Ann has attended several hundred scientific, medical, research and advocacy meetings since 1995. She and other volunteers gather information and it is disseminated via the website and talks that Ann gives around the country.
Ann’s been featured in magazines, interviewed on the radio and TV, and is the author of one published paper “Patient Perspectives: Barriers to Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies Create Problems for Patients and Survivors”, Integrative Cancer Therapies 6(3); 2007 pp.297-300, as well as numerous articles. She’s presented at many meetings around the US and abroad, including Canada, India (2006) and Brazil (2007) and Japan (2010), Greece (2011), (Spain and Portugal 2011). She speaks out, speaks up and speaks about the issues people with any type of cancer really care about. As an independent advocate (63% of Annie Appleseed Project funds come directly from donations of $100 or less), Ann has the ability to say things most people can or will not say. She’s raised questions about the environment, drug approvals, LGBT issues, research methodologies and much more.
She served on many panels and is Florida Field Coordinator for the National Breast Cancer, a member of the Society for Integrative Oncology, was on Susan G. Komen for the Cure LGBT National Advisory Council, etc. Ann is a 2004 graduate of Food as Medicine and CancerGuides. She is the Consumer advocate on the Adverse Effects Methods Group, Cochrane Collaboration, and a member of CUE – Consumers United for Evidence-based Healthcare, reviewing monthly. Ann served with a panel examining Comparative Effectiveness Research for Complementary/Integrative Medicine, and was invited to the Patient Advocate Forum in October 2010 to discuss clinical trial issues. Ann recently reviewed for PCORI – Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.
Ann speaks to various cancer groups including ovarian, prostate, mesothelioma, lung, breast and others. She finds valuable natural strategies for everyone at every stage of disease.
The Annie Appleseed Project will host it 8th Annual Evidence-based Complementary & Alternative Cancer educational conference in March 2014 in West Palm Beach, FL. The group also cosponsors one-day educational seminars around the country.
