Astros Raise Awareness About Uterine Cancer

By Darcy De Leon

While Irene Hunsicker’s husband, Gerry, leads a very public life as general manager of the Houston Astros, she has made a conscious effort to stay out of the spotlight. That changed in 1999 after she was diagnosed with uterine cancer.

At first, the Hunsicker family did not make the news public. It was too difficult to talk about at the time, and with the Astros in the playoffs, she felt an announcement might be distracting to the team.

But as she began researching the disease, she saw that little information and funding was available for this form of cancer, and that motivated her to speak out. Today, Hunsicker has dedicated herself to educating the public and raising money for uterine (endometrial) cancer research.

Her most recent effort is a cookbook she created with members of the Houston Astros Wives Organization Inc., and Houston Astros staff. “From Home Plate to Your Plate" features more than 50 favorite recipes of Astros players and their families, family photos, player statistics and autographs, along with facts about uterine cancer including data from gynecologic oncologists.

All proceeds from the $20 cookbook, which went on sale April 5 to coincide with the opening day of the Astros season, will benefit M. D. Anderson’s Endometrial Cancer Research Program.

Recipes for awareness

“It has been a fun, rewarding experience,” Hunsicker says. “It is a collector's item that a fan can have, but it also raises awareness.”

Support from the team and players’ wives has been tremendous, she adds. Astros wives Christi Ensberg, Jennifer Everett and Kristen Saarloos have spearheaded the cookbook project, which began two years ago. The group reviewed other baseball cookbooks (the Astros have produced several in decades past) and conducted market surveys in deciding what to include in the book.

They also tasted all the recipes, which began pouring in after Hunsicker made the request to Astros players, management and staff. 

The cookbook’s tasty offerings include:

• Jeff Bagwell's grilled salmon steaks
• Craig Biggio’s Italian tomato sauce
• Bertucci’s rigatoni broccoli and chicken*
• Andy Pettitte’s no-bake chocolate chip cookies
• Roy Oswalt's baked chimichangas
• Richard Hidalgo’s churros

* This recipe comes from Roger Clemens’ favorite Boston restaurant.

Management contributions include:

• Astros owner Drayton McLane’s lemon cream pie
• Manager Jimy Williams’ crab appetizer 
• General Manager Gerry Hunsicker’s meatloaf**

**The recipe was borrowed from his mother.

The main sponsor of the cookbook, Everyone's Internet, donated money to produce 6,000 books and also bought the first 100. Academy Sports & Outdoors bought 1,500 and will sell them at 23 Houston area locations.

The idea came about after Hunsicker worked with actress Fran Drescher, also a uterine cancer survivor, in promoting a signing of Drescher’s book, “Cancer Schmancer.” Support from the Astros wives inspired Hunsicker to raise awareness and funds further by creating a Uterine Cancer Awareness Day at Minute Maid Park, in which uterine cancer information cards were handed out at every level of the stadium.

She and her husband also appeared in public service announcements about the disease and sponsored a symposium at the ballpark for Texas cancer researchers on the early detection of women’s cancers.

Uterine cancer – little-known disease

Uterine cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Still, many do not know the basic facts of the disease. (See "What to Know About Uterine Cancer")

Although most uterine cancer patients are post-menopausal, 25% of women are diagnosed before age 50, says Hunsicker, who was diagnosed at 48.

Approximately 40,320 women in the United States will be diagnosed with uterine cancer this year, the ACS says. If caught early, uterine cancer is highly curable.

Some women mistakenly believe that uterine cancer can be diagnosed through a Pap test, which only screens women for cervical cancer. There is currently no screening test available for uterine cancer. The most common way uterine cancer is diagnosed is after symptoms appear and a uterine biopsy is ordered, says Karen Lu, M.D., assistant professor in M. D. Anderson’s Department of Gynecologic Oncology.

Common symptoms of uterine cancer include:

• Any post-menopausal bleeding
• Bleeding between periods or heavy periods
• Unusual discharge
• Pelvic pain or pressure

Despite reporting heavier than normal menstrual bleeding, it took more than five months before Hunsicker was diagnosed. Hunsicker and her doctor thought she was experiencing signs of menopause. Five months later she was bleeding every day. This prompted the doctor to order ultrasounds, which showed a thickening of the uterine lining but nothing else. She was told that the condition was probably not serious, but should be watched.

A few weeks later she hemorrhaged and was taken to the hospital for treatment. Upon  returning home, she hemorrhaged again. A uterine biopsy was then ordered, and the diagnosis of uterine cancer was made.

Hunsicker says she didn’t insist on a biopsy earlier because she did not have any risk factors, such as family history of colon or endometrial cancer.

“I have a master’s in nursing, and I didn’t pick it up,” Hunsicker says. “Through this I learned that uterine cancer is a twofold problem. Not only do patients not know about the signs and symptoms, but also many doctors do not have the information they need.”

In addition to uterine cancer, better awareness of all gynecological cancers is needed, she says, including ovarian and cervical cancer. Hunsicker’s hope is that the teal ribbon that signifies gynecological cancer awareness will someday be as recognizable as the pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness.

In the meantime, she recommends that women:

• Report any persistent symptoms to their physician
• Report any heavy, irregular or abnormal bleeding 
• Have annual gynecologic exams, such as Pap tests
• Have exams even after hysterectomy or menopause
• Remember that the Pap test only detects cervical cancer
• Know their risk factors

“The important thing to remember is that in order to have a good prognosis, cancer must be found early, so pay attention to any changes in your body and be persistent in finding the cause,” Hunsicker says.

Editor's Note: Since this article was published, the “From Home Plate to Your Plate" cookbook has sold out, raising $134,000.