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Overrun Ovarian Cancer Foundation: Let’s Make Some Noise!

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According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, accounting for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. A woman’s risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 78. Compounding the problem is that only about 20 percent of ovarian cancers are found at an early stage, primarily because the symptoms are often difficult to recognize. When ovarian cancer is found early, nearly 94 percent of patients live longer than five years after diagnosis.

Believing that ovarian cancer needed a stronger voice and hoping to improve the early detection statistics, the OVERRUN Ovarian Cancer Foundation, or OOCF, was created with the mission to fund ovarian cancer research that focused on early detection and alternative treatment options. The foundation’s flagship fundraising event, the OVERRUN Ovarian Cancer 5K & 1 Mile Run/Walk, first took place in November 2012 and has taken place every fall since then, raising nearly $500,000 to benefit research at The University of Kansas Cancer Center. The event is a day of hope and healing for ovarian cancer survivors and their loved ones, operating under the mantra Believe in a Cure. The event is run by a committed group of board members, volunteers and a team of OVERRUN Ambassadors who work throughout the year to spread the word about ovarian cancer and the OOCF mission.

Over the last several years, OOCF has also added patient advocacy to its cause, providing comfort bags for newly diagnosed patients at some of the local KC-metro hospitals. Additionally, a series of Zoom videos, Living Well Wednesdays, was created to help patients and caregivers navigate their physical and mental health during treatment and beyond. These videos were funded through a grant provided by the OOCF.

Dr. Andrew K. Godwin, deputy director at the University of Kansas Cancer Center, said, “The OVERRUN Ovarian Cancer Foundation continues to support creative researchers at the University of Kansas Medical School and the KU Cancer Center. These researchers are developing cutting-edge clinical assays to detect cancer at its earliest stages, which is an essential step to reducing the number of women who lose their lives to this devastating disease.”

The 11th Annual OVERRUN Ovarian Cancer is scheduled for Sunday, October 2, 2022, at the Southcreek Office Park in Overland Park, Kansas. Join us as we make some noise in the fight again ovarian cancer! For more information or to sign up to run, walk or volunteer, please visit overrunovariancancer.com.

Know the Symptoms!
Ovarian Cancer Whispers

The four main symptoms of ovarian cancer are:
Bloating
Pelvic or abdominal pain
Trouble eating or feeling full quickly
Feeling the need to urinate urgently or often

Other symptoms may include:
Excessive fatigue
Upset stomach
Back pain
Painful intercourse
Constipation
Menstrual changes