Turn the Towns Teal for Ovarian Cancer

Guest blog post by Ginger Ruff

September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. For the past 9 years, a group of volunteers has partnered with the nonprofit organization, Turn the Towns Teal, to tie teal ribbons in Brighton and Pittsford, NY. Teal ribbons are the symbol of Ovarian Cancer, and the ribbons contain important information about the organization and where people can learn more about the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer. The hope is to educate the public about this often not talked about cancer, so that women can get earlier diagnoses, when they have the best chance of fighting the disease.

I am honored to serve as the lead local volunteer for Turn the Towns Teal. My mother, Linda, was diagnosed with this terrible disease in November of 2010. Unfortunately she was already in the third stage of the cancer’s progression. Ovarian Cancer is known as a “silent” cancer, because the symptoms are so hard to detect. With annual gynecological checks and knowing what to look for, the disease can be identified and treated more effectively in its earliest stages. After a brave 3-year battle with the disease, my mother passed away in October of 2013. Linda’s friends back home in Connecticut wanted to do something to help spread awareness of this type of cancer so they teamed up with the nonprofit Turn the Towns Teal. I am so proud to be able to do the same in Brighton and Pittsford for the last eight years! And I love now being able to bring my two young girls with me, in their grandmother’s honor. The campaign is 100% about educating women, so they can notice the symptoms in themselves, loved ones, or friends.

The most common symptoms of Ovarian Cancer are listed as bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, gas/nausea/indigestion, feeling full quickly, urinary changes, bowel changes, unexplained weight gain/loss, painful intercourse, unusual fatigue, menstrual changes, and/or back pain. Women are encouraged to know their bodies and speak to their doctors if they notice anything unusual, lasting more than 10 days. Many of these symptoms can be explained away otherwise, so it is important to highlight that they might be associated with Ovarian Cancer– increasing the chance that a woman asks to be checked. There are currently no diagnostic screening tests for Ovarian Cancer, so doctors rely on pelvic exams, ultrasound, or biopsies to confirm a diagnosis.

There are some women who are at an increased risk of Ovarian Cancer, so it is important to know your family’s health history. BRACA1/2 gene mutations have been associated with both breast and ovarian cancers. Increasing age, infertility, and hormone replacement therapy have also been linked. The biggest indicator seems to be a family history of breast, ovarian, or colon cancer. Make sure your doctor is aware if there is a family history of any of these cancers, so they can continue to monitor you prudently.

We hope that the beauty of the teal ribbons will spark an interest in what they are all about, a conversation about Ovarian Cancer, and lead to someone speaking to their doctor about symptoms that they are experiencing, before it is too late. Until more research is done to eradicate this and other cancers, we will continue spreading the word, in Linda’s, and many others’, memory!

Ginger Ruff is a mother and volunteer leader residing in Brighton, NY.