Be Bold and Be TEAL

It was on a brisk May morning that a record-breaking Team Chasen A Cure took to streets around Cellular Field for the 2014 NOCC Walk to Break the Silence.  Record-breaking it was, with the largest number of team members raising the greatest number of donations and trekking on the longest distance. But coming to the corner of 35^th Street did not mean the end to promoting ovarian cancer awareness. 

2014 Team Chasen A Cure

Awareness opportunities come in as many styles as you can imagine. Craft shows, golf outings, farmers’ markets, lectures, health fairs for kids and seniors – any chance to meet and talk to people – women and men – young and old – is an occasion to spread the word. Be bold and be seen in all your teal. The chance to plant the seed of familiarity to the right person who will remember the symptoms, to give someone the courage to ask the right question, “Could it be my ovaries?”

There is plenty of fear out there and folks who prefer the view of the inside of the beach.

 But the question “Is a Pap smear a test for ovarian cancer?” is enough to turn heads and get people to thinking. You don’t know what you don’t know until you know it. Until your knowledge base is challenged and your assumptions are knocked down. Be in the know.

Yes, it’s mid-September and therefore midway through Ovarian Cancer Awareness month.  Has your world been turned teal yet??? It is uplifting to check out the newsfeeds and watch ovarian cancer awareness spread across the country from ribbons on trees and teal colored waters in the fountain to Teal Toes on the firefighters! There is still plenty of time in the month to run towards the finish line.

The calendar page will turn as well as the leaves to their autumn splendor of orange, red and gold – and oh, yes, pink. But there will not be any slow down in the events. There will be nights to Empower Women and a chance to strike up a one-on-one conversation around the teal ribbon on your coat. For our sisters, their battle is fought every day.  Be bold and be teal, every month of the year.

Seasons of Life

If you can stand to look out of the window, the fresh morning’s walk in May and the teal days of September will seem like a lifetime ago.  The months have been packed with many chances to spread the word of ovarian cancer symptom awareness and Mother Nature has not stopped Team Chasen A Cure.

Health Fairs: The fall began with community sponsored health fairs giving neighbors the opportunity to be proactive and protect their good health through the winter. These fairs are a wonderful chance to introduce NOCC and the topic of ovarian cancer, particularly to older women who, although at the age of greatest risk of diagnosis, have put the importance of their gynecological health behind them. 

Women’s Events: Expos such as the Women’s Empowerment Workshop and Suburban Women’s Total Health and Beauty Event focus on valuable issues from well-being and personal fulfillment to safety. Attendees are relaxed, open to learning about ovarian cancer and eager to share personal stories.

Corporate Events: Companies that promote healthy lifestyles for their employees, including American Airlines, CTA and Midmark have opened their conference rooms, lunchrooms and hallways to NOCC speakers. The chance to speak to both men and women, make them aware of the important of symptom awareness for early diagnosis and provide an opportunity to support NOCC’s mission to care for survivors and their families, gives credence to the value of a healthy culture. Ask for the chance to be heard, and doors will be opened.

Every Day Spaces: With teal toes stuffed in multiple pairs of socks and shoved into boots, wear your teal on your lapel and open up the discussion. Teal ribbons can start a conversation of “Why Teal?” especially following “pink-tober”.  With a supply of NOCC Symptom Awareness cards available to hand out, your circle of influence will increase with each encounter.

Winter passes and one remembers one’s perseverance: The dates on the calendar continue to fill with occasions to reach out and inform. There are upcoming events at schools, churches, craft expos, career fairs and even hockey games.

2013 Team Chasen A Cure

The culmination for spring is the 17^th NOCC Walk/Run on May 3rd. Now is the time to build teams, to show support for the survivors, and join together as one loud teal crowd to Break the Silence. The NOCC Walk/Run has grown every year in participants and sponsorships. Come join Team Chasen A Cure as we persevere to set new records in 2014.

Because We REALLY Care

Thanks to everyone at Midmark Dayton Center who made it possible for Chasen A Cure to host a Ovarian Cancer Awareness Lunch and Learn presentation. The attendees were engaged and their feedback was positive. Your graciousness and hospitality fulfilled the mission to make a positive difference in every life we touch.

To all the Teal Warriors are looking for new ways to reach out, don't be afraid to ask to be the voice for ovarian cancer awareness. Your passion will show through. Never be concerned that your audience is too small. You will be speaking to someone who needs to hear. The NOCC Imagine the Impact video brought the message home that each of us can make a difference. Because we REALLY Care.

Another Great September

We are ready to start another September filled with great events for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. The variety of opportunities and outlets to spread the word are phenomenally large – teal lightings from the Pacific Northwest to Niagara Falls and locations in between - to as tiny as our toes.

Keep the calendar open for these upcoming events:

September 14^th – The Ovarian Cancer Symptom Awareness Walk for the Goose 5K at the Great Western Trail in St. Charles, IL. Friendly dogs are invited to attend and can be sporting the OCSA teal leash as part of OCSA’s Veterinary Outreach Program.

September 20^th –The culminating NOCC Illinois Teal Lights Celebration at VenueOne in Chicago, IL. From ads on buses and subways, to the teal skyline, Chicago will be ready to answer "Why Teal?"

September 22^nd – This year’s FamiliesROC 5K for St. Louis Ovarian Cancer Awareness will be held in downtown St. Louis, MO. In their 7^th year, this event has moved to a larger venue that should bring additional exposure, and has a new goal of $75,000.00. Team Chasen A Cure is strong and ready for the race.

Team Chasen A Cure ready to rock at the 2012 FamiliesROC.

September 30^th – The OCSA Golf Outing for the Veterinary Outreach Program. The event is hosted by OSCA board members Dr. Cindy Charlier DVM and Dr. Kurt Klepitsch DVM, and will be held at the Boulder Ridge Country Club in Lake in the Hills, IL. The day will include golf, dining and a silent auction. The Veterinary Outreach Program promotes ovarian cancer symptom awareness on two levels – to both the veterinary professional and to clients of the veterinary clinic. Every life that we touch can be an opportunity to spread the word. Team Chasen A Cure is very pleased that Midmark Animal Health chose to support the cause by becoming a silent auction donor. 

This is just a small sample of the events that will be held to raise funds and promote awareness for ovarian cancer. We can continue to make a difference -  by opening up the conversation about our fun teal wardrobe,  sharing symptom awareness bookmarks or forwarding a link on social media to a friend. Ovarian cancer awareness day is everyday for survivors. Let’s support our teal team at every opportunity.

Decoding Annie Parker

I was thrilled to be at the Chicago screening of Decoding Annie Parker on July 25th. 

Karen Kramer, Marketing VP of FORCE likened the evening to prom night with all the excitement and anticipation. Photos on the red carpet, a packed theater of an appreciative audience, and standing ovations for the director, Steve Bernstein, and Annie Parker, made it a memorable evening. Here are a few of my take-aways from the screening:

Stand with Your Teal Sisters - This evening called for the full teal wardrobe. Sidling up to two sisters in teal, I was pleased to meet Sandy Cord and Karen Young of NOCC. It was great to hear first-hand of the plans for Teal Lights Celebration on September 20th and exchange ideas about the 2014 Walk to Break the Silence. Thanks Sandy and Karen for letting me share the evening with you.

Hollywood has Heart -  It was wonderful to hear that actresses Helen Hunt and Samantha Morton were so moved by Steven Bernstein's mission behind the film that they chose to take no salary. Steven spoke of the struggles of independent film making and the ups and downs of cash flow. But even in the lean times, the crew remained committed to completing the project.

Steve Bernstein shares at the struggles in independent film making at the post screening panel discussion.

What Annie Didn't Know - Annie Parker was overwhelmed with anxiety over prevalence of breast cancer in her family, as she watched her mother, cousin and sister suffer and die. She became immersed in medical textbooks to the point of obsession.  Sympathetic medical professionals befriended her. But ovarian cancer was not on her radar. Eight years after her first cancer diagnosis, she was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. And the journey begins again. Some of the most heartbreaking scenes of the movie are of Annie's struggle through the pain and wretched side effects of chemo. The battle was not only physical but also emotional, as Annie will refuses to let cancer define her.  Before the BRCA discovery by Mary-Claire King, risk reduction did not exist and the Annie Parker of 1988 did not even consider a choice of a prophylactic oophorectomy.

Families have Resources -  Decoding Annie Parker is not a documentary. The struggles between Annie and her husband are not necessarily factual and could have  been dramatized for the screen. In the post film discussion, Parker reassured that there are resources available for cancer patients and their families. There is help available. Do not to project the hurt and infidelity portrayed on the screen into your own story.

There is More to the Story -  There are more members to Annie's family tree - a son, brother, nieces and  nephews. Each will make a personal, private decision regarding genetic testing. Because of the perseverance of Mary-Claire King and her team, along with GINA, which prevents discrimination on health care coverage due to genetic predisposition, they will make an informed choice.

You've Got to Believe in Something -  Working under a clock that ticked off the diagnosis of breast cancer every twelve minutes, Mary-Claire King believed that this was not random and persevered to find the key.  Annie's belief in her own suspicions, despite what the man in the white coat and stethoscope told her. Despite how cancer ravaged her body, it could not squelch her spirit. She was driven with an obsessive desire to find answers. Not in a selfish, sorrowful "why me" melancholy, but with pluck and determination that there are truths. Truths that allow you to open the door and not live in fear about what is on the other side.

We Are All Connected - Like a String of Pearls - A string of pearls serves as a motif -  Annie wears her mother's strand on special occasions; to celebrate her NED and to meet Dr. King. Dr. King wears a strand at her meeting to discuss research funding. We are strung together -  genetically - mother to aunt to sister. Miles apart, King and Parker were connected - both working towards the same goal. Although Dr. King may have appeared aloof, her praise of Parker demonstrated that she did not lose her connection to every woman diagnosed with cancer.

Part of my strand of pearls - my beautiful Mother

Leverage Social Media - The battle cry of millennial marketing and Steve Bernstein is out to market his movie. With the support of the sold out gala events, the buzz on social media and a high ranking on IMDB, there will be a chance that Decoding Annie Parker will have commercial release in November. Just as Kern spoke of increased exposure since Angelina Jolie's May 14th op-ed in the NY Times, the opportunity for commercial release brings a better opportunity to educate and spread the word. Every opportunity to educate and every new outlet is appreciated.

Samantha Morton's portrayal of cancer warrior Annie Parker was haunting and most worthy of awards. Decoding Annie Parker is a true portrait of strength, survivor-ship and a reminder that each one of us has a role in the battle.

We're Not Chicken

Thanks to everyone at Progeny who participated in the "We're Not Chicken" Raffle that helped put Team Chasen A Cure over goal for the NOCC Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer! Every raffle participant received a NOCC Symptom Awareness bookmark. Thanks also to Real Urban BBQ of Vernon Hills, IL for their donation of gift cards to the yummy Ovarian Cancer Awareness lunch basket.

Every effort counts to spread the word - don't be Chicken Little - know your body, know the symptoms, know where to go for proper care and LIVE!

Darcy Allen, Tony Bavuso, winner of the Chicken BBQ Basket, and Team Chasen A Cure captain, Lydia Nadolski celebrate "We're Not Chicken Day" at Progeny.

Holy Ground - 2013 NOCC Walk to Break the Silence

Thank you Team Chasen A Cure. Thank you for your support and encouragement. Thank you for putting that support into action and walking strong and proud.

We will be back next year to celebrate again.

A Personal Affair

We are within a week of the NOCC Walk to Break the Silence. Stacey Baca of ABC 7 News will once again host the event along with her sister, ten year ovarian cancer survivor, Lynn Baca. Stacey's interview with ovarian cancer survivors, Rachel Hoyt and Liz Cory, reinforces that it is essential to  know your body, reach out for medical attention early, and seek out a gynecological oncologist if needed.

With new sponsors, and live music, the day is billed as a family event.  Cancer can come across to some as a topic to avoided under the cloak of fear and death. The NOCC Walk is a celebratory time of hope and promises for a bright future, as we encourage and honor survivors. We are grateful to every Team Chasen A Cure sponsor, for they are not just making a donation to a organization, but directly supporting us as we spread the symptom awareness message. NOCC symptom awareness reminder cards were available at the It's Everything for Women event in Edwardsville, IL on April 25th. Melanie and Cheryl were able to openly and personally share information and answer questions, helping women comfortably discuss their health. Ovarian cancer does not define Melanie as a person. She passes out Teal Toes cards, hangs posters at local businesses, participates in events, while demonstrating that being a survivor is about being fearless and living every day.

Photo credit: Cheryl Hartson Johnson

There will be teams next week who will be walking in memory of a mom, grandma or sister, carrying a banner with photos of happy times. In the faces of the team, you can recognize the same shape of the face or the crooked smile. Little ones, who will walk or be pushed in strollers, may have no memories of those lost less for the stories and memories shared. There are poignant moments in the ABC 7 video of photos of Lynn and Rachel; surrounded by family and friends, in happy times and supporting them during their struggles.  This is a personal affair for us all. 

Memory Wall at FamiliesROC Copyright Brandi Brown

Achieving Goals

This year NOCC Walk to Break the Silence set a goal of $400,000 in donations. With 13 days to go, we are within less than $1000.00 of the halfway mark. Could your contribution gets us over the halfway mark??
Each small contribution adds up and takes us closer. The road ahead might look steep and long, like the 3 mile walk on May 4th will look to some of the survivors and those currently battling, but each small step is an achievement. Survivors set goals everyday to motivate them in their recovery. Let's get behind them with a small sacrifice of our own and make this goal a reality!

From Near and Far – Teal News

There is plenty of Teal News to share from both near and far.

Close to home and just in time for Women’s History Month, Chasen A Cure will be presenting information on ovarian cancer symptom awareness as part of The Healthy Woman Through the Ages at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library on Thursday, March 21^st at 7:30 pm. Bodily self awareness, symptom tracking and the crucial role they play in early diagnosis and survival will be the focus.  Join us for this educational event.

The donations are coming in for the NOCC Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer on Saturday, May 4^th. This year’s event has expanded from a 3 mile walk to include a 5k run. NOCC Illinois has done a fabulous job securing new sponsors including the MSB Hope Foundation which honors of fellow Res Alumnae Mary Guerrirri Bertolini.

Support Team Chasen A Cure at this year's NOCC Walk!

A bit further from home, in a place known as “down under”, it was Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day and of significant progress towards a blood test for the early detection of ovarian cancer was in the news. The team at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, led by Dr Goli Samimi, has identified specific biological changes that occur in the DNA. Targeted towards high-risk women, this test could be a significant breakthrough towards early diagnosis, which could lead to better survival rates. I was “tickled teal” to see that Dee of Woman of Teal was able to conduct an interview with Dr Samimi. Impressive that Dr. Samimi took the time to respond and personally share her insights.

Exploring down under, I uncovered research by Ovarian Cancer Australia reported that three out of five women incorrectly believe that ovarian cancer is detected by a pap smear and over half believe that the HPV vaccine protects against ovarian cancer. The battle for education is worldwide. The OCA site has a link to a spiffy iPhone app called KISS (Know the Important Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer) and MAKEUP – a symptom diary and makeup tips all in one.

Closer to home, the importance of seeking effective, experienced care as imperative to survival was highlighted in Dr. Robert Bristow’s presentation of his abstract NCCN treatment guidelines for ovarian cancer: A population-based validation study of structural and process quality measures stressing the importance of seeking out physicians and facilities with specific experience in ovarian cancer at the 2013 SGO conference in Los Angeles. This reinforces the importance of the patient and their family as the best advocate for quality care. It all begins with education; so that you can speak confidently to your physicians about your concerns. Never hesitate to ask for fear of offending the doctor. Seek out a quality medical team which is experienced in multidisciplinary cancer treatment methods. Where do you go?? The Foundation for Women’s Cancer’s new website is a great place to start for news, events and a search function for gynecological oncologists.

A review of the abstracts presented at the SGO Conference is fascinating reading and casts hope for the future. Chasen A Cure favorite Cancer Warrior, Dr. David G. Mutch collaborated with Dr. Matthew Powell and the team from Wash U. on several abstracts. There is hope for developments in patient care, diagnosis, and prevention from near and far.

New Year, New Hope

The New Year means a fresh start and new plans for Ovarian Cancer awareness events.

Some of the best news comes from Johns Hopkins University and the publication of test results of a newly developed PapGene test which could detect three gynecological cancers - cervical ovarian and endometrial cancers. By classifying gene mutations, samples were able to identify a fraction 9 of the 22 patients with Ovarian Cancer– a 41% accuracy rating of the ovarian cancer mutations. The PapGene test is the first step, as research will continue to work to making the test more sensitive to Ovarian Cancer gene mutations. Although improvements need to be made before applying this test in a routine clinical manner, it represents a promising step toward a broadly applicable screening methodology for the early detection of gynecologic malignancies.

A definite screening test for ovarian cancer could make a huge difference in early stage detection, earlier, gene-specific treatment protocol and ultimately more survivors. Wonderful news of hope for all in the Teal Tribe.

The calendar is filling with new events for promoting Ovarian Cancer awareness in 2013. March 21st, Chasen A Cure for Ovarian Cancer will be a presenter at a women’s heath event at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library. We are pleased to continue to have the opportunity to spread awareness in the local community, dispel myths and share Ovarian Cancer resources. Details to follow.

Already looking forward to this years NOCC walk in early May, Team Chasen A Cure will be decked out in team sweatshirts. Watch the NOCC Illinois Facebook page for breaking details.

Team Chasen A Cure Patriarch ready for the NOCC Walk to Break the Silence.

There will be more events throughout the year - from the Health Fair to the Families ROC Walk. Every day in the year is a chance to reach out to spread the word and look for new opportunities. We are on a road we did not choose. But we are on it for a reason, and the strength will be given to keep moving forward.