The Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Ohio (OCAO) is a 501(c)(3) non profit. Our mission is to promote the early detection of ovarian cancer with advocacy, education, awareness and public outreach to improve outcomes and help save lives. We also work to provide support to the women diagnosed with this disease, as well as their family members and caregivers.
Why We're Chamber Members:
The OCAO joined the Chamber in order to further our organization's recognition in the community and to work with local businesses to raise awareness and educate the public about ovarian cancer and its symptoms. We are hoping to do this by working with Chamber members to educate them in one on one or community settings. In addition, we're looking for opportunities to work with business members to get their company involved in volunteer opportunities within our organization.
Fun Facts about my OCAO:
The OCAO was founded by nine women in March 2009. Since earning our 501(c)(3) nonprofit status we have:
~provided grant money to OSU Gynecological Oncology, OhioHealth and the Mt. Carmel Foundation to help women with ovarian cancer in need
~established an internship program to give back to the community by helping young people
~provided scholarships to ovarian cancer survivors to attend Camp Mak-A-Dream in Montana and to attend the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance's Power of Teal conference in Washington D.C.
~spoken at public and private events to raise awareness
~held our first annual gala
~attended numerous health fairs providing thousands of participants with vital information on ovarian cancer
~held an awareness night at Huntington Park with the Columbus Clippers
~donated over 350 Bags of Hope for newly diagnosed patients to area treatment centers
~held our annual 5K to honor survivors and raise awareness in the community about ovarian cancer
Featured Product or Service:
The OCAO was founded not to provide products but to provide education, information and support. Our goal is to educate both the public and healthcare providers about ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, approximately 21,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year. In that same year, roughly 14,500 women die from ovarian cancer. When diagnosed early approximately 90 percent of those diagnosed will achieve a 5-year survival rate. Seventy percent of all cases that are diagnosed occur when ovarian cancer has entered its later and more deadly stages. This drops a woman's five-year survival rate to less than 30 percent.
The key to survival is early detection and the key to early detection is creating a population of women who know their bodies, know the symptoms of ovarian cancer and are unafraid to advocate for themselves within the healthcare industry. The OCAO is working to create such a population. By education not only women, but men as well, we hope to ensure that there will be a day where every woman is diagnosed at Stage I.
For more information, visit www.ocao.org.
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