On Monday, September 17, 2012, the Massachusetts State House uveiled a banner for Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. The banner brings awareness to ovarian cancer, the sign and symptoms, as well as the need for additional research. Ovarian cancer effects everyone - women, husbands, daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, family and friends. Alexi Wright, M.D. respresented the Gynecologoc Oncology Program this year as the banner was unveiled.

On Thursday, September 20, 2012, the OvarianCancerAwareness.org coalition held a 60-minute informational webcast on ovarian cancer. The webcast was hosted by NECN news anchor Latoyia Edwards. The production featured OCA coalition member Nancy Farrell (President, The M. Patricia Cronin Foundation to Fight Ovarian Cancer), Ursula Matulonis, MD (Medical Director of Gynecologic Oncology, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center) and Anne Tonachel (an ovarian cancer survivor).

The webcast featured television spots that the coalition has produced throughout its 11 year campaign as well as questions from the viewing audience.

You can view the 60-minute program in its entirety on their website.

http://www.ovariancancerawareness.org/ovarian-cancer-webcast.html

girlygirl P.A.R.T.S. 3rd Annual 5K Run/Walk for Ovarian Cancer

Join Dr. Matulonis & Dr. Berlin at the 5k Run/Walk tomorrow sponsored by girlygirl P.A.R.T.S (Pre-screening Awareness Required to Silence...) The event is being held at 10am in Sandwich MA at the Sandwich Boardwalk. Last year the event drew over 1,200 walkers & runners. For more information on the girlygirl P.A.R.T.S. organization visit their website: http://www.girlygirlparts.net

Pictures of this year's event coming soon!

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Public Service Spot Showing on a TV Near You.

Dr. Matulonis recently filmed a public service announcement to assist in the effort to raise awareness about the symptoms of ovarian cancer. The spot is currently running on telelvision, but in case you haven't seen it you can watch it on youtube now: Ovarian Cancer Awareness PSA

Ribbons to Remember

We would like to share with you a program Diane Riche, the President and Founder of Ribbons to Remember, has started. Diane's story is remarkable. After losing her mother only 5 weeks after her initial diagnosis, Diane dedicated herself to raising ovarian cancer awareness and education. Her commitment and dedication to this goal has been unwavering, and her accomplishments in the past two years have been an inspiration to everyone who has been touched by this disease. Ribbons to Remember has partnered with the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance in an effort to reach out to professional health students and educate them from the point of view of ovarian cancer survivors. We encourage you to to stop by the Ribbons to Remember website and/or contribute your story to the project below.

Are you an ovarian cancer survivor in the New England area?

Would you like to share your story to increase health professional students’ awareness about ovarian cancer symptoms and risk factors?

If so, become part of an innovative program called Survivors Teaching Students: Saving Women’s Lives^®, sponsored by the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.

This program helps health professional students understand firsthand about ovarian cancer symptoms and risk factors so that these future physicians, nurses and physician assistants diagnose and detect the disease sooner. Survivors Teaching Students: Saving Women’s Lives brings ovarian cancer survivors into the classrooms to share their stories and key information on the disease.

As a survivor presenter, you will be trained on how to share your story with the students. 

This is a critical opportunity to teach future medical professionals about the importance of detecting and diagnosing ovarian cancer. You will join hundreds of other women who speak to medical, nursing and physician assistant students throughout the United States. Like them, you may find that sharing your story not only makes an impact on other women’s lives, but is an incredibly rewarding experience for you.

If you are interested in participating in the training or learning more about the Survivors Teaching Students program, please contact Diane Riche at diane@RibbonsToRemember.org or call 508-827-1212.

Weekend Events

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and several events are happening in and around Boston this month. The first two are this Sunday, September 9, 2012

First up is the 14^th annual NOCC (National Ovarian Cancer Coalition) Run/Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer. The location is Carson Beach & Mother's Rest Area in South Boston. Dr. Matulonis will be the keynote speaker prior to the beginning of the event. The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition's (NOCC) mission is to raise awareness and promote education about ovarian cancer. To find out more about their work visit their website at: http://www.ovarian.org/chapter_presidents_message.php

On the afternoon of September 9^th Dr. Matulonis will be walking in the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk.  Over the past 24 years, the Walk has contributed more than $80 million to support cancer research and care at Dana-Farber.  There are several teams donating their time, effort and devotion to the cause of beating Ovarian Cancer including The Ovarian Cancer Brigade and Team Diane . There is still time to support a participant or a team, just log on to http://www.jimmyfundwalk.org/faf/home/ccp.asp?ievent=1000775&ccp=621088