Health & Fitness
St. Louis Ovarian Cancer Awareness Announces Events, Activities Planned For Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month – September 2013
St. Louis Ovarian Cancer Awareness (SLOCA) is inviting St. Louisans to support events and activities it has planned to observe National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in September:
– Friday, August 9th – St. Louis Ovarian Cancer Awareness Night at the Ballpark
Join SLOCA for a fun-filled evening as the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Chicago Cubs at 7:15 pm.
SLOCA will be recognized at the game, and the organization will have representatives on the field during batting practice. Teal-clad members will release balloons in memory of women who have lost their battle with ovarian cancer. And Holly Cook –- the winner of the honor at the Living Out Loud Gala & Auction – will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. Holly is a 24-year survivor of ovarian cancer.
Tickets are selling quickly, but are still available for purchase through the SLOCA website – www.sloca.org/baseball.
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– Rise & Shine for a Cure: 108 Sun Salutations
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For the fifth consecutive year, area yoga instructors will produce this yoga fundraiser to benefit SLOCA. The event will be held at the World's Fair Pavilion in Forest Park from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon.
Yoga instructors will guide participants through 108 series of yoga postures that make up the sun salutation. Bradford Smith, Patti Pellerito and Friends will accompany with drums and chanting. Participants can do as many or as few of the sun salutation sequences as desired. Chair yoga will be available for those who want to participate on a more gentle level.
The cost to pre-register is $35 per person, or $40 the day of the event. Register online at www.sloca.org/yoga.
– Tuesday, September 3rd – Cookie Baking for Survivors
An annual day where SLOCA volunteers bake cookies at a Dierbergs Cooking School kitchen for distribution to ovarian cancer patients and their oncology nurses at area gynecological chemotherapy infusion centers. Call the SLOCA office for details at 314-966-7562.
– Friday, September 6th – National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day
SLOCA encourages the public to wear teal in support of ovarian cancer awareness.
– Saturday, September 14th – Third Annual Trivia Night to Benefit SLOCA
Nurses and technicians at Mercy Hospital-St Louis will host their third annual Trivia Night benefiting St Louis Ovarian Cancer Awareness.
The Trivia Night event will be held at the hospital's Von Gontard Conference Center, 621 South New Ballas Road in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Doors open at 6:00 pm, with the games starting at 7:00 pm.
The cost is $120 for a table of eight. Soda, water and snacks will be provided, and participants are welcome to bring their own food and beverages (including alcohol).
Reservations for the “Third Annual Trivia Night to Benefit SLOCA” may be made online at www.sloca.org/trivia.– Monday, September 16th – Turn It Teal
At 10:00 am on Monday September 16th, SLOCA will dye the water in the Kiener Plaza fountain teal for a week. Teal is the color that signifies ovarian cancer.During that week, SLOCA members and supporters will be present around Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis during the weekday lunch hours. The SLOCA volunteers will pass out bookmarks and speak with people about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer.
– Sunday, September 22nd – Families Run for Ovarian Cancer Annual ROC STAR 5K
The 2013 Families Run for Ovarian Cancer annual ROC STAR 5K and 1 mile run/walk will take place in downtown St. Louis on Sunday, September 22. The race starts at 9:00 am at Soldiers Memorial, 1315 Chestnut Street. SLOCA supports FamiliesROC, and will have a booth at the event.
The FamiliesROC 5K was conceived by the family of the late Brenda Jorgensen as she fought her own battle with ovarian cancer. The money raised is given to the Siteman Cancer Center to fund ovarian cancer research.
Register for the race on the FamiliesROC website, at www.familiesroc.com.
The St. Louis Ovarian Cancer Awareness mission statement reflects a commitment to impact ovarian cancer survivorship by promoting awareness of early warning signs and standard of care, funding ovarian cancer research, and supporting survivors.
Commenting on the “Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month” events and activities, SLOCA President Beth Hudson notes, “We need to spread the word about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. It is the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers, mainly because there is no diagnostic test for it.”
She continues, “Approximately 22,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with the disease each year, and about 15,000 women die from it annually. Most often, ovarian cancer is in its advanced stages when diagnosed, usually at Stage 3 or 4. We want women and their doctors to begin recognizing the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer earlier.”
Hudson adds, “It is crucial that we get the word out to save the lives of women throughout the St. Louis community. That is why the events and activities surrounding Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month are so important for the women in our area."
SLOCA is accepting corporate sponsorships for events and programs throughout the year. Please call SLOCA President Beth Hudson at (314) 966-7562 for sponsorship details.
Additional information about the upcoming Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month events and activities, and the St. Louis Ovarian Cancer Awareness organization, is available online at www.sloca.org.