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!

Woman to Woman

I appreciate those who approached me at the Healthy Woman Through the Ages event to thank me for spreading the word. A show of hands at the beginning of my presentation highlighted how many lives Ovarian Cancer had touched. One in 72 looks a lot different when you are looking into the eyes of someone you know and love. In their eyes, I saw the understanding of the horrific of path an ovarian cancer diagnosis. And I saw the hope and strength that their friendship means to the survivors.

Perhaps it comes from our ancestral memories, like our time together in the Red Tent, this natural empathy. As women, we will reach out to help each other even if we are strangers- to comfort a worried brow in a waiting room, to reach out with a struggling mother, to offer a compliment to brighten her day.

Perhaps that is why we tell this story – woman to woman. Because those who spoke to me at the fair knew. I hope there was one woman who heard for the first time that night and will share what she learned. Who will listen to her body with confidence. Because woman to woman, we will break the silence.

Villager Women by Katana Kaido

 katanakaido.deviantart.com

 

Listen for the Whisper - Survivors Teaching Students

We hear the stories much too often - repeated visits to health care professionals before Ovarian Cancer diagnosis. Diagnosis at later stages, when the key to survival is early detection.

Ovarian Cancer National Alliance has an instituted an education program for health professionals - Survivors Teaching Students: Saving Women's Lives® - to bring ovarian cancer survivors into the classrooms and tell their stories of late stage diagnosis. Students - physicians, nurses and nurse practitioners as well as physicians assistants -  will hear the personal experiences of women and their path to diagnosis and survival. Understanding the disease beyond the statistics; by looking at the faces of the women who struggled to have their symptoms understood, will lead to earlier diagnosis,  more compassionate practitioners and better patient care.

This program brings to light the need for increased sensitivity towards symptom awareness in the medical profession. Watch the video and get more information at ovariancancer.org.

Always Remembered, Forever Loved

Thanks to the beautiful photography of Brandi Brown, you can enjoy the wonderful day that was the 2012 FamiliesROC 5K/1 mile race.
 As part as one of the ongoing events to raise funding for research at the Siteman Cancer Center for early detection testing, this event celebrates survivors and honors the memories of victims of Ovarian Cancer. There are so many stories told in the photos of the day  -  in the smiles of the survivors, the team names and signs that honor the memory of moms and nanas, sisters and girlfriends, in the hugs for finishers. Each story has a common theme - for the women we will always remember and forever love, step by step, we will keep striving to do what ever we can to fight this devastating disease.

Melanie - Courageous Survivor Copyright Brandi Brown

Honoring Survivors Copyright Brandi Brown

Dr David Mutch - Cancer Warrior Copyright Brandi Brown

Always Remembered, Forever Loved Copyright Brandi Brown

An All Teal Weekend

Chicago in Teal for the NOCC Teal Lights Celebration. Photo credit: Sarah Jones Design

It was a full weekend for Ovarian Cancer Awareness - much celebrating of life and spreading the word.

NOCC Chapter Coordinator Karen Young, ABC 7 Stacy Baca, Miss Illinois USA, Ashley Hooks, NOCC Chapter Manager, Jennifer Sloan. Photo credit: Sarah Jones Design

Friday, Sept 21st Chicago was bathed in teal lights for the NOCC Teal Lights Celebration and Fundraiser. ABC's Stacy Baca was the emcee for the evening which featured keynote speaker Miss Illinois USA, Ashley Hooks. As a daughter of a recently diagnosed ovarian cancer patient, Miss Hooks has added ovarian cancer awareness to her platform for her reign. “For my mom's sake and for the sake of all women, we all can contribute to the cause by educating ourselves and our loved ones on how to be more proactive with our gynecological health, so that we live longer, fuller and healthier lives.", shared Miss Hooks. As Ashley travels throughout her reign, she will touch many lives and be an effective spokesperson for awareness.

Know Your Body Raffle Prize

Chasen A Cure at the Health in the Heights

Health in the Heights was held Saturday, Sept 22nd at the Arlington Height Memorial Library. The Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce Health & Wellness Committee welcomed  Chasen A Cure for Ovarian Cancer to spread the word on ovarian cancer and to Know Your Body. Exchanging  stories with those who's lives had been touched by ovarian cancer along with sharing facts with those who needed to be In the Know, made it a worthwhile event for Ovarian Cancer month.  Thanks to NOCC, the Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry and Teal Toes for all of the awareness takeaway information as well as sponsor Visual Enterprise Systems, Inc.

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Team Chasen A Cure Photo credit: Cheryl Harston Johnson

Team Chasen A Cure Photo credit: Cheryl Harston Johnson

 
The FamiliesROC Walk was held on a beautiful Sunday, Sept 23 and it was a beautiful showing by Team Chasen A Cure. A fabulous gathering of survivors and families, once again raised research funds for the Siteman Cancer Center.

All of these wonderful events and there is still more time to spread the word. Keep wearing your teal!

The Teal Tribe

It's great to watch the donations roll into for the 2012 NOCC Walk to Break the Silence.
Time to hear more about the Teal Tribe! At the 2011 Walk the joy of the Survivors made the day. In their teal Survivor's shirts; women of all ages celebrated life overcome and renewed. These women have fought and won; and continue to fight their battles. They are truly Wonder Women.
Next are the families proudly remembering mothers, daughters, aunts and sisters. As Yankee's manager Joe Girardi states in a PSA for NOCC "Ovarian cancer is more than a woman's disease. It affect the entire family."
Join our Team Chasen A Cure by making a donation or showing your support. Make a difference for a Survivor.

"Promise me you will always remember..."

Rev Erica's Peeps

Wonder Woman

"We heard it...."

"Forever in our hearts"