Special K

Today is a special day because it is the birthday of my high school friend, Jennifer K.  Jen has been courageously battling ovarian cancer since being diagnosed at age 33.  She turns 35 today.  Happy Birthday, Jen! I recently visited her in Chicago and saw first-hand how amazing she is and how her spirits have carried her through this far.  Her treatments have not been benign. She's endured the most aggressive treatments, had several major surgeries, and endured painful radiation.  Through it all she has done so with grace and courage.  Supported by her equally amazing husband, and love of her close friends and family, Jen continues her battle with the disease.  


Please help in donating to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fun. Donate Online


In her honor, friends and family organized a 5K charity walk/run in St. Louis to benefit Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.  Together, they raised over $5,500!  

Special "K" Run in honor of Jen Koop

A little about ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancers in the United States and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women. The American Cancer Society estimates that 21,880 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the U.S. in 2010 and about 13,850 women will die from the disease. It is an insidious disease that can strike without warning or cause.

The symptoms of ovarian cancer are often vague and subtle, making it difficult to diagnose. There is currently no effective screening test for ovarian cancer but there are tests which can detect ovarian cancer when patients are at high risk or have early symptoms. In spite of this, patients are usually diagnosed in advanced stages and only 45% survive longer than five years. Only 19% of cases are caught before the cancer has spread beyond the ovary to the pelvic region. However, when ovarian cancer is detected and treated early on, the five-year survival rate is greater than 92%.

Until we have better early detection tools, all women should be educated about the disease so they can achieve early diagnosis and successful treatment. A woman’s lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is 1 in 67. Listen to your body. Do not ignore symptoms.