For those that are unaware, the month of September is a special month that belongs to spreading awareness about Ovarian Cancer. During this month women dress in the color Teal, to raise awareness for the cause and urge women to get tested for the disease.
Ovarian Cancer rare and begins to form in the female organs that produce eggs. The ovaries, which are a part of the female reproductive system, are the same size and shape of an almond and they produce female’s eggs.
Cancer in the ovaries is not common, but Ovarian Cancer causes more deaths than other female reproductive cancers.
According to American Cancer Society, the disease is known as the eighth most common cancer among women in the United States. When caught early on, the cancer can be found and treated, however; the cancer is very dangerous because women with Ovarian Cancer usually don’t show any symptoms until the disease is in the advanced stage which makes it hard to treat.
Due to the lack of symptoms until the advanced stage, the disease has earned the nickname, “The Silent Killer.”
Some of the symptoms for Ovarian Cancer include, bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, loss of appetite, indigestion, pain during intercourse, constipation, and menstrual changes.
It’s important to get tested when these symptoms are persistent and only 19 percent of Ovarian Cancer cases are diagnosed in the early stages. The 5-year survival rate is only at 46 percent.
Kesha Hall, a Sophomore Engineering major from Atlanta, Georgia stated, “It’s very scary, to know you can have it and not know until it’s too late so it’s very important to get tested.”
Many women raise awareness of the disease by simply painting their toes teal. There is even an organization called the “Teal Toes” which discounts women on pedicures when they choose to paint their toes teal.
Ovarian Cancer survivor and founder of the “Teal Toes” organization, Carey Fitzmaurice stated to Nails Magazine, “Painting toenails teal starts the conversation about the signs of this whispering killer.”
There aren’t any known causes for ovarian cancer, however; there are some known risk factors such as family history, infertility and obesity. While Cervical Cancer can be detected in a pap smear, Ovarian cancer cannot, which is why it’s very important to get a screening done.
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Ovarian Cancer awareness
September 20, 2017
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