The Overview: October 2021

Have we got a roundup in store! You heard from us a lot in September (thanks to you, we surpassed our Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month fundraising goal!) and there’s still so much to report … research progress, a brand new clinical trial initiative, our upcoming Fall Advocacy Day, and the list goes on. Read on for all the ways we’re continuing the fight and supporting the community, and how you can help!

RESEARCH

• Meet Dr. Sridevi Challa, an OCRA grantee at UT Southwestern who has been receiving major accolades as lead author of a study being described as having found an “Achilles’ Heel” for ovarian cancer. Learn more about her research and what drives her deep commitment to searching for answers.

• OCRA is partnering with Global Coalition for Adaptive Research on a new clinical trial initiative designed to test multiple drugs simultaneously against standard of care treatments in order to rapidly test and deliver new therapies to patients with advanced ovarian cancer or recurrent platinum-resistant disease.

• OCRA grantee Dr. Sumegha Mitra of Indiana State University and colleagues have made a discovery that may aid in the development of future ovarian cancer therapies, as it points to the potential effectiveness of a targeted inhibitor in treating certain tumors.

• A recent study, funded in part by OCRA, has shed more light on the demographics of hereditary ovarian cancer, and provides further data to suggest an urgent need for increased genetic counseling for potentially high-risk Black women, as well as increased genetic testing in Black ovarian cancer patients.

ADVOCACY

• We need your voice! Register today for our first-ever Fall Advocacy Day, to be held virtually on November 15-16. No experience is necessary! We’ll guide you through how to help your elected officials understand that federal research and education programs are making a difference, and must remain a government priority.

• OCRA is conducting a survey to gauge patient response to the expansion of telehealth in response to the pandemic and will use the results to help guide our advocacy efforts. Thanks to everyone who already filled it out. If you haven’t, we still want to hear from you!

• We’re deeply grateful to the lawmakers and advocates who came together during Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness and show support for the cause at the local, state and federal levels. A special thanks to Representatives Rosa DeLauro, Darrell Issa, Brian Fitzpatrick, Andre Carson, Mary Gay Scanlon, and Jennifer Gonzalez-Colon for sponsoring House Resolution 687 recognizing September as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Our gratitude also goes out to Senator Debbie Stabenow for introducing the Senate resolution.

PATIENT SUPPORT & PROGRAMS

• Our Ovarian Cancer National Conference, held virtually a few weeks ago, brought more than 650 people together from across the U.S. and more than a dozen countries around the world for three days of presentations, resource sharing, and community. There was so much information to take in — from the latest in research and treatment to managing recurrence; discussions around exercise, nutrition and spirituality; and the implications of a UK study on cancer screenings. We will make these sessions available on our website starting in November.

• Express yourself! In November, OCRA will launch an expressive arts program, held virtually each month. Please join us for journaling, narrative medicine, creative arts and other interesting activities. Stay tuned for more information!

• B. Dana Kivel has granulosa cell tumor, a rare form of ovarian cancer. But while Dana has a gendered gynecologic cancer, their gender identity does not align with what one would expect of someone who has ovarian cancer. Read Dana’s story and learn what they’re doing to support the cause.

EVENTS

• Supporters are getting their squats on! OCRA is kicking off a new initiative on Facebook this November … the 60 Squats a Day Challenge. Across the country, fitness enthusiasts (and ordinary folks!) will log 60 squats every single day for a month in order to raise money for research and OCRA patient support programs. Join the 60 Squats a Day Challenge!

• Shout out to all those who participated in the many Ovarian Cycle and fitness events held in cities across the U.S. in the month of September. Collectively, their efforts raised more than $100,000 to support OCRA’s mission. Learn more about how you can join an event — like Ovarian Fitness Washington, D.C. on November 6 — or start your own!

• Speaking of shout outs … our gratitude spans from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Jonathan Sockolosky (in San Francisco) and Andrew Berger (in NYC) have dedicated their lives to raising awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research after losing their mothers to the disease. Now, they are engaging in some friendly competition in OCRA’s Coast to Coast fundraising battle. Two coasts, one goal: raise as much money as possible for cutting-edge ovarian cancer research. It’s a tight race, with over $80,000 raised so far — read their stories and show your support for the East or the West coast, or both!

WAYS TO GIVE

• THANK YOU to everyone who donated so generously toward our Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month fundraising effort. We had set our goal at $230,000, to represent the nearly 230,000 patients and survivors living with the disease in the U.S. But clearly our community set their sights even higher, so with one day left, we moved the goalpost. You met that increased challenge and together, we raised more than a quarter million dollars to fight this disease.

• A HUGE thank you to Newk’s Cares and Newk’s Eatery for their in-store promotions that raised more than $288,000 in September to help fund ovarian cancer research — and for their continued support of our shared mission. We are deeply grateful for their partnership, just as we are grateful for the support from Color Street who created a special teal shade of their nail polish strips in honor of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and donated $100,000 to the cause.

• OCRA offers a number of options for workplace giving:
  • Matching Gifts. Did you know that many employers will match charitable donations made by their employees? This means you can double your giving power to OCRA! If you are not sure if your employer matches charitable giving, this tool can help.
  • Automatic Payroll Deductions. Yourcompany may allow you to automatically deduct charitable contributions from your paycheck. Connect with your HR department about adding a recurring or one-time donation to OCRA through payroll.
  • Combined Federal Campaign. Federal, state and local government employees can support Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance through payroll deductions as part of the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). OCRA’s CFC number is 11154.
  • Corporate Partnerships. Many companies will make charitable contributions to causes that are important to their employees. OCRA has a variety of opportunities for companies interested in becoming a corporate partner or event sponsor. For more information, contact nwargo@ocrahope.org.