May News from the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance

As many of you know, May 8th is World Ovarian Cancer Day (WOCD). What you might not know is that we have been challenged. You see, our goal in World Ovarian Cancer Day is to tell as many women as possible about the symptoms of ovarian cancer. We do that through asking our community to take the World Ovarian Cancer Day pledge.

I was just on a phone call with my WOCD colleagues, when our international friends from the north and across the pond said, "Not to offend you Calaneet, but given the population of the US, we were expecting your pledge numbers to be much higher."

Well, I wasn't offended. I was fired up and ready to take their challenge! You can help us with the challenge by taking a few minutes to sign the WOCD pledge to tell five women in your life about the symptoms of ovarian cancer. Then, share it on social media.

Though we've been challenged, the heart of WOCD lies in raising awareness of symptoms and saving more women's lives. Click here to take the pledge now and learn other ways to get involved with WOCD.

"USA! USA! USA!" 

With warm regards, 
 
Calaneet Balas, CEO 

 

Teal Gala to Honor the Late Diem Brown

Diem would want you to know that she didn’t lose to cancer. She used cancer as motivation to make herself stronger. She never lost HOPE. In her memory, her loved ones want to extend that very hope to others. Diem’s sister, Megan, said it best: “To pay tribute to Diem is to live your life like Diem. To Live Hard. Love Hard. Dance Hard." ---We are honoring Diem Brown with The Light of Hope Award at our Annual Teal Gala in NYC. Her sister Megan will be accepting the award.
 

Ovarian Cancer National Conference

Have you registered for the Ovarian Cancer National Conference yet? This year is one not to miss! We have an exciting line up of topics and speakers and some new exciting additions to our agenda. Visit the website to learn more.
Don't miss out-- register today!

Advocates Head to ASCO

At the end of May, a group of advocates will head to the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. 

The Annual Meeting brings together 30,000 oncology professionals from around the world. Educational sessions feature world-renowned faculty discussing state-of-the-art treatment modalities, new therapies, and ongoing controversies in the field. Science sessions present the latest ground-breaking research in oral and poster format. Keep your eyes peeled for updates from the Annual Meeting.

Race Across America

Four young men are teaming up to participate as a team in the 2015 Race Across America that kicks off on June 20th. They are riding to support the Alliance and have a goal of $100,000. The Race for OCNA team will participate in a grueling 3,000 mile race starting in Oceanside, CA ending in Annapolis, MD. They are aiming to cover 400-500 miles a day in relay without stopping. Team member Lane’s mother, Diane O’Connor (a 13 year survivor of Ovarian Cancer) is the inspiration for this year’s race. To learn more about the team, follow their training progress & updates prior to & during the race visit their RAAM Page & Facebook page.

Partner Member Profile: Susan Poorman Blackie
Ovarian Cancer Foundation

After Susan Poorman Blackie’s diagnosis of ovarian cancer on Valentine’s Day in 2012 left her completely blindsided, she realized that she had to do something to improve the awareness and treatment options for ovarian cancer. Susan’s remarkable journey and commitment to making a difference in the lives of those with ovarian cancer led to the creation of the Susan Poorman Blackie Ovarian Cancer Foundation (SPB4OVC) in late 2013.