In 2005, Denise Lobodinski’s sister Renee was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 47. That same year, their father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. But her father’s doctor told Denise’s mother, “Don’t worry about your husband. Worry about your daughter.” In fifteen years, Denise feels like very little has changed in terms of … Continued
Covid-19 has disrupted nearly every aspect of life as we know it, and navigating a diagnosis and treatment for ovarian cancer – already a game changer – has been impacted as well. We want to better understand from our community exactly how this pandemic is affecting access to, and decisions around, treatment and clinical trials … Continued
Scared. Overwhelmed. Exhausted. Befuddled. These are common words one might use to describe how we feel during this unprecedented time in history. But Dmitriy Zamarin, MD, PhD, adds “fascinated” to the list as he ponders the psychological and sociological implications of the Covid-19 pandemic. “This small amount of genetic material that has spread through the … Continued
We reached out to our grantees and Scientific Advisory Committee, many of whom are on the frontlines – working in hospitals, meeting with patients, seeing firsthand the impact of Covid-19. We wanted to hear their words and reflections. “What do you wish everyone understood right now?” we asked them. “And what gives you hope?” Here … Continued
The world works in ironic and sometimes painful ways Yvette Jives, a nurse and social worker in North Carolina, has spent a lifetime helping others. She developed a women’s health program at the community center where she worked for 15 years (after working for 14 years in a hospital), monitoring patients’ cervical and breast cancer … Continued
(May 4, 2020) On April 29th, the Food and Drug Administration approved niraparib (Zejula, GlaxoSmithKline) as a first-line maintenance treatment for advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer, regardless of BRCA mutation status. Niraparib was first approved by the FDA for treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer in 2017. This most recent approval means … Continued
(May 4, 2020) Many of you in our strong community have inquired about plans for our 2020 National Conference, originally scheduled for July 10-12 in Washington DC. The past two months have been wait and see due to COVID-19, and we can’t say for sure what regulations will look like come July, but we know this: … Continued
Sandy Sullivan has a favorite quote that she keeps pinned to her bulletin board. It reads, “If you’re lucky enough to get a second chance at something, don’t waste it.” It’s a powerful statement for anyone, but especially poignant for someone surviving ovarian cancer. And yet, Sandy has always lived her adult life – even … Continued
Simply put, a biopsy is a surgical procedure that involves removing a piece of tissue, cell sample or fluid from part of the body, to determine if cancer cells are present. A biopsy is performed in a medical facility, and is often an out-patient procedure, meaning it does not require a hospital stay. Some biopsies, … Continued
Nonprofits all over the world are hurting because of COVID-19. While people everywhere are feeling the uncertainty and struggle surrounding this global crisis, we also know that the needs of ovarian cancer patients that existed yesterday still exist today – and in many ways have become amplified. #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of giving taking place … Continued
Those who have faced an ovarian or gynecologic cancer diagnosis have so much to offer to others going through a similar experience – be it support, tips or friendship. Inspired Advice is a blog series that tackles specific topics – from managing treatment-related nausea to intimacy post-diagnosis – and shares advice and reflections from our OCRA Inspire … Continued
Today is National Superheroes Day, and while we realize that many of these “national days” are made up holidays, we can’t let this day go by without acknowledging just a few of the people in our ovarian cancer community who are real life OCRA Heroes. They may not wear capes or fly through the air … Continued
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