Women's Integrative Sexual Health (WISH) Program

The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center is recognized throughout the Midwest and the nation as one of the leading innovators in cancer research, quality patient care and active community involvement.

To help women and their partners address the sensitive, and often misunderstood issues surrounding cancer and sexuality, the Gynecologic Oncology department has created the Women’s Integrative Sexual Health, or WISH, program.

Approximately 64 percent of women's cancers involve a sexual organ. As few as 10 years ago, when a woman was diagnosed with cancer, the sole focus was survival. Today, with dramatic improvement in survival rates, patients can focus on quality of life after treatment, remission or recovery. 

Women sometimes approach the subject themselves; sometimes they wait to be asked. Always they are relieved. The majority of questions are based on fear: of pain, of causing pain for their partner, of triggering a cancer recurrence, of infertility, of failing to fully participate in one of life's most fundamental experiences.

The WISH program provides resources, emotional support and most important, reassurance that no woman is alone. Women of any age, with any cancer diagnosis, can attend a free 90-minute educational session to learn about female health and cancer. Interested patients should call the program to arrange for a session.