September is OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

I am not sure where the month of August went and here we are starting September. If you have followed me for any period of time you are probably already aware that September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Teal is the awareness color for ovarian cancer. 

Teal Awareness Ribbon for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month 

 Let me start with these important facts:

There is no screening test for ovarian cancer. 

Approximately 20,890 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the US in 2025. *

Approximately 12,730 women will die in the US in 2025 due to  ovarian cancer.* 

 

I have been an advocate for ovarian cancer research for 15+ years.  While we have made strides in treatments( VEGF inhibitors, Anti-body drug conjugates,  immunotherapies) there is no cure.  That is why raising funds for research is so important. 

This year due to NIH funding cuts raising awareness of ovarian cancer and more importantly funds for research take on a greater urgency. I will be posting symptom and risk information as well as other resources throughout the month in my small effort to raise awareness.  

I will be raising funds for research this year by walking on Sept 28, 2025 at the Kaleidoscope of Hope Ovarian Cancer Foundation walk at Loantaka Brook Park in Morristown. Join me, my family and friends as we walk as Team Determined. We are walking to honor the memory of a dear friend, Mary Lu, who passed away in July due to ovarian cancer. Donate to Team Determined at https://www.classy.org/team/766060. 

If you live in other areas of the country, check to see if there will be walks or other fundraising events being run by ovarian cancer organizations by you. Or donate to support research through OCRA or Foundation for Women's Cancer .

Thank you in advance. 

 Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!  

* https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/ovarian-cancer/key-statistics.html

 

 

Catching Up On All Things Advocacy

Well, were did the time go? It is over a month since my last blog post. I'm OK and plugging along.

It appears that being home most of the time - trying to reduce my risk of COVID -19 has not meant  less advocacy work. In fact,  I think that I am busier than normal. I had to turn down two projects for November and December so I don't fall behind in projects I have already committed to. 

I had a pretty good September which is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. I formed a team to walk for the Kaleidoscope Of Hope Ovarian Cancer Foundation and raise funds for ovarian cancer research, virtually of course. My daughter and niece, joined me as members of team Quarantine Fifteen. I chose that name because I celebrated 15 years as an ovarian cancer survivor this year and 2020 is the year of the COVID-19 quarantine. We raised over $500. I walked my 5K with two other survivors at a park in Allentown, NJ. How I wish we could have been on the boardwalk in Bradley Beach looking out at the ocean.Hoping next year will have us back at the Jersey Shore.

For the first time ever, I was able to attend the OCRA Ovarian Cancer Conference (Sept 29-Oct 2). It was virtual this year due to COVID-19 but I still had a great time and learned new information.  I was so excited to spend some time with my survivor friends. A group of us - many who had been ACOR listserve users - all met one morning of the conference in the virtual lobby to catch up and present the Big Girl Panty award.  

Here are three examples of the excellent presentations from the Conference.

Learning about rare ovarian cancer from Dr  Gershenson

Learning about PARP inhibitors from Dr . Matulonis

Racial Disparities in Ovarian Cancer with Dr Khabele

On October 16th I took part in the online celebration of the Cure Ovarian Cancer Heroes Award. I was so excited to celebrate with two advocates I have know for a number of years and a researcher I had met at the ASCO Annual Meeting.

Andrea is an amazing advocate and survivor helping women through the @SHAREing hot line. This OC survivor is thankful for all she does. Thank you @Herzbuk for mentioning the gyn oncs who mean so much to you. @cure_magazine OC Heros. #gyncsm pic.twitter.com/qOd31Z6hjA

— Dee Sparacio (@womenofteal) October 16, 2020

Congrats Dr Deborah Zajchowski @ClearityFnd honoree at @cure_magazine 's OC Heroes Celebration.I remember the time she took to answer my questions during a poster session at an ASCO meeting a few years ago.Thx Dr Deb for helping women find their best treatment options #gyncsm pic.twitter.com/vPgjV5Qxng

— Dee Sparacio (@womenofteal) October 16, 2020

“No matter when you engage with @RobinSCohen, you quickly discover she is 100% present in the moment with you,” – Susan Leighton of @ocrahope #OvarianCancerHeroes pic.twitter.com/w8uPHT0NjN

— CURE Magazine (@cure_magazine) October 16, 2020

 Congratulations, Andrea, Robin and Dr Deb.

 I rounded out October with two Scientific Review Board meetings, an ASCO Clinical Practice Guideline Committee meeting, a Cancer Community Advocacy Board , a planning meeting for a great November 11th #gyncsm chat on PARP inhibitors and an invitation ( which I accepted) to be on the advisory board of an NCI trial on understanding and reducing racial  disparities in ovarian cancer treatment and survival.  

Over the past few months I have become pretty adept at taking part in discussions on WebX platforms as well as Zoom but I really would love to be able to give some in-person hugs.

Stay well and enjoy the color of the world around you.

Dee

Every Day is a blessing!

Raising Awareness with an Ocean View

Due to personal commitments and a knee injury it took me until the end of September before I could take part in an in-person event for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. I have been taking part in Kaleidoscope of Hope Ovarian Cancer Foundation walks for almost 10 years now. Why do I choose these walks in particular? ( There are three KOH walks a year in NJ.) As a cancer research advocate I strongly support KOH foundation because it focuses on raising funds to find an early detection test and better treatments of ovarian cancer research.

This third KOH walk took place on the Boardwalk in Avon-by-the-Sea and continued into neighboring Belmar. It was a beautiful day for a walk. Although I didn't walk based on the advice of my physical therapist my husband registered and walked 5 miles.

It was wonderful meeting up with the ovarian cancer survivors I have gotten to know but at the same time it was bitter sweet as  I remembered Erika, Grace, Carole, Gail M., Lois, Shari, and Pam.

Enjoy these photos.

The beautiful Atlantic Ocean.

President Lynn welcoming the walkers

Symptom signs were found on the beach.

A bagpipe group leads the returning walkers

One of many signs.

Passing of the torch from Ovarian to Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Dee 

Every Day is a Blessing!