Ovarian Cancer Expert Discusses Importance of Symptom Awareness!

The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) along with the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation and other national organizations recently announced the first national agreement on ovarian cancer symptoms. Ovarian cancer was often referred to as the silent killer, due to the common belief that there were no warning signs or symptoms. Now, for the first time, cancer experts are advising women of certain symptoms that might alert them to ovarian cancer. Since there is no screening tool, it is even more important that women are aware of the symptoms and discuss them with their physician to improve the low rate of early diagnosis. More than 22,000 women will be told they have ovarian cancer this year and more than 15,000 will die of the disease, which is the most deadly reproductive cancer and ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women. Currently, about 80% are not diagnosed in the early stages, leading to a reduced chance of survival. For more information, please visit http://www.ovarian.org www.ovarian.org or call 1-888-OVARIAN. More about April Donahue: April B. Donahue is a member of the board of directors of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC). A founding member of the NOCCs Philadelphia division in 1998, Donahue served as president from 1999 to 2003, helping the division grow to more than 800 stakeholders. The group sponsors many outreach events, including the annual Walk for the Whisper. Donahues personal connection to ovarian cancer drives her commitment to raising awareness. In 1991, she was diagnosed with stage 1A ovarian cancer at the age of 24. She attributes her early diagnosis to listening to her body and the subtle symptoms of ovarian cancer such as abdominal bloating, discomfort and fatigue. She was in remission until 2001 and gave birth to a daughter between her two occurrences. As a member of the Consumer Advocates in Research and Related Activities program, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Donahue advocates on behalf of the patient during research and communication reviews. She also participates on the SPORE external advisory board of Robert F. Ozols, MD, PhD, an internationally recognized expert on ovarian cancer at Fox Chase Cancer Center. The SPORE, or Specialized Program of Research Excellence, focuses on ovarian cancer research with NCI funding. Donahuehas worked in the banking industry for 19 years. She has a business management/banking degree from Bucks County Community College.