OC Awareness Month and Memories

This September seems to be flying by. It is hard to believe that we are already at day 10 of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

In the past, I would post almost every day about symptoms, types of ovarian cancers, genetic mutations in ovarian cancer, treatments, awareness organizations, and fundraisers. This year since I missed 10 days already, I will shoot for 4 - one per week.

This year is different in so many ways due to the COVID -19 pandemic. Educational events are postponed, cancelled or offered online. Fundraising events involving large crowds are not taking place. Instead there are banquets and auctions on Zoom. Walks, runs and rides to raise funds for research are all virtual.  I won't be walking with family and friends on the boardwalk to support research through the Kaleidoscope of Hope Ovarian Cancer Foundation. Instead I will be walking by myself, mask on, around my town on Saturday, September 26th.

While we don't yet have a screening test for ovarian cancer, I am happy to see some progress being made in treatments for women with ovarian cancer using PARP inhibitors. I am excited to see teal ribbons in towns in every state in the nation. (Teal is the awareness color of ovarian cancer.) I love to see photos of buildings and bridges outlined in teal lights. Survivors and their families are doing their best to raise funds and awareness of the disease by painting their nails and toes teal, wearing teal ribbon pins and earrings and teal t-shirts and tying teal ribbons around trees and lightposts.

To be honest with you though as much as this month makes me smile with all the teal and fundraising but it also makes me sad. Over the past fifteen years, friendships with many women who were also ovarian cancer survivors came easy. We met at in-person support groups or on Facebook or Twitter or the old ACOR listserv. We volunteered to serve on Boards of local OC awareness organizations. We sat at the same table at fundraising events and would hang awareness ribbons. Many of my friend's lives were cut short due to ovarian cancer, taken too soon from their families and their communities. Janice Lopez is one of those teal women . 

Sparacio and Lopez Families

Our families would gather together in late August to hang teal ribbons in Edison, NJ. We were both diagnosed in 2005 with similar symptoms. We sported our short haircuts together as we hung ribbons back in 2008. But on September 6th, eleven years ago ovarian cancer took her from her family. To honor her they formed the Janice Lopez Ovarian Cancer Foundation. They continue to raise funds for research  and I continue to support their mission.

This year Elie, (in the stroller in the photo) Janice's granddaughter created a PSA for her family's Foundation. Please take a moment to watch. 

I urge you to support ovarian cancer research this month. You can make a difference and save women's lives.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!

Awareness Campaigns

There are many local and national organizations that are helping to raise awareness this month and every month. Here are some examples.

NOCC

Share this poster as a way to raise awareness. 

Go to the website ( http://ovarian.org/earlierawareness) , print out the poster and share it.

Turn The Towns Teal®

Hanging teal ribbons on trees and post signs in towns across this country. 

Photo from Turn the Towns Teal website.

I love seeing ribbons as I drive around NJ. Check out their website for more information and put it on your calendar as something to do next year! http://www.turnthetownsteal.org/

In support of Turn The Towns Teal® , Folonari wine and Frederick Wildman and Sons will donate $10,000 to Turn The Towns Teal® for the first 10,000 selfies of people wearing teal on social media that are tagged with #turnmyselfieteal  . See http://folonariwines.com/turnmyselfieteal/ for more information. 


Teal Toes

This campaign in which women ( and some men and even pets) paint their toe nails TEAL was founded by Carey Elizabeth Fitzmaurice (1968- 20015).  It is the perfect way to start a conversation about ovarian cancer. I've painted my toes TEAL every September since hearing about it.

Do you know of other unique or fun ways to raise awareness of a gynecologic cancer?
Please let me know and I will add to this page.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

Wear Teal Day !

-->Today is Wear Teal Day.

When I was first diagnosed in 2005, I didn’t know that the color teal was the awareness color of  ovarian cancer. My wardrobe has changed a lot since then.

In addition to the nine t-shirts I got by walking in various ovarian cancer awareness fundraisers, I own

Three pair of  TEAL earrings

One  TEAL ribbon OWL locket necklace

One TEAL stone ring

Seven TEAL pins

Eight TEAL jelly bracelets

Seven TEAL awareness bracelets

Nine TEAL shirts

Three TEAL shawls

Two teal pocketbooks

And let’s not forget my Teal Toes. 

I’m proud wear Teal today and happy to share what I know about ovarian cancer with others. 

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing

Erika's Dream - A GRACEful Hope Walk

I have been busy for much of the month of September and have not been able to take part in many of the local Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month activities. So when Margaret invited me to the GRACEful Hope 1st Annual Walk I jumped at the chance to join her and the Rocha family.

I first met Margaret, Sergio and the rest of GRACEful Hope at their 2nd Annual Benefit in 2012. They invited me to share my story and it was a very emotional experience.( You can read about it here.)  Yesterday, the temperatures were perfect for a walk and it was wonderful to see the walk path lined with teal ribbons and balloons in Warinaco Park, Roselle, NJ.

We had pre-registered so we picked up our gift bags and t-shirts. The bags were filled with info about ovarian cancer and cancer research. After putting on the walk shirt I filled out the" In Suppport of" and "In Memory Signs"and Nick pinned them on my shirt. I walked in Memory of Grace, Erika, Shari, Stella and the ladies of my CINJ support group who died because of a gynecologic cancer. After the welcome speeches by Roselle Mayor Jamal Holley, Assemblywoman Quijano, and a Union County Freeholder Sergio Granados and a moving a capella rendition of the National Anthem, the walk that Erika had dreamed of began.

The path lead you around the park , past the lake, ball fields and playgrounds. I teared-up a few times   during the day, as I finished the walk feeling blessed to still be alive after being in treatment twice for the disease and when they asked for survivors to step forward.  It was wonderful to be able to catch up with other survivors Corinne, Dores, Tina, Jill, Jes and Terry.

GRACEful Hope expected 100-200 people at the event and there were over 500 participants. That is a testament to the wide reach of GRACEful Hope's efforts. Thank you GRACEful Hope for all you do to raise awareness and funds for research. You can find out more about future events by following them on Facebook.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

What will you do for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month?

In one week's time we begin the month of September. September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. Help spread the word about ovarian cancer by participating in some of these activities.

1. Learn the symptoms:

B- bloating

E-eating less

A- abdominal pain

T-trouble urinating

2. Hang a ribbon

contact Turn the Towns Teal- http://www.turnthetownsteal.org/

3. Tie a teal shoelace

contact the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation- http://www.sandyovarian.org/upcomingevents.html

4. Paint your toes teal

Check out the Teal Toes site for some great color suggestions

http://www.tealtoes.org/

5. Drink some Tea

Set 17, High Tea with the Teal Tea Foundation

http://www.tealtea.com/Teal_Teal_Foundation/Events.html

6. Walk or Run

Teal Wings of Hope's 2nd Annual Ovarian Cancer Feat for Hope

Sept 3 Hamilton http://tealwingsofhopefoundation.org/

Kaleidoscope of Hope Foundation Annual Walkathons www.kohnj.org

Sept 11 Morristown, Sept 18 Lyndhurst, Sept 24 Avon-by-the-Sea

7. Your idea goes here.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!