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Community Corner

Ovarian Cancer Walk/Run Honors Friends and Survivors

Cancer survivors take to the streets to raise awareness, friends and family carry pictures to remember those gone.

With numbers pinned to their chests about 1,500 people took to the Studio City streets Sunday morning in honor of the 12th Annual Walk/Run for Awareness & Hope to benefit Ovarian Cancer Research and Education hosted by CBS Studios on Radford Avenue. Races spanned from 10k to one mile, and afterward participants attended a Health Fair, ate orange slices and cupcakes, and bought raffle tickets.

Some walked for survivors, others for those they lost.

A large group wore shirts that read "Team Stephanie" and told Patch that they were there in memory of Stephanie Petersen, who died at 26 of ovarian cancer last June. One walker carried a large image of Petersen. Many other friends and family members were there to honor a loved one.

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Linda Golding and Wanda Powell walked with their friend Janet Frame, an ovarian cancer survivor. Golding said unlike other women's health issues, ovarian cancer is sometimes overlooked. "[The Walk Run] really brings awareness to ovarian cancer because it's not as well publicized," said Golding. "Breast cancer's really big, and I do that event for my cousin."

Unlike breast cancer, which can often be detected with a self-exam, ovarian cancer has subtle symptoms that mimic other ailments and thus often goes undetected by doctors. At the Walk/Run, members of the Ovarian Cancer Orange County Alliance passed out cards to raise awareness of ovarian cancer symptoms — they include bloating, having a hard time eating or feeling full quickly, frequent or urgent urination, and pelvic or abdominal pain. Indigestion, fatigue, constipation, back pain, menstrual irregularities, and pain during intercourse are also commonly reported.

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Studio City resident Gayle McKenna, an ovarian cancer survivor, founded the event 12 years ago after noticing a lack of funding and education for the disease.

"[The Ovarian Cancer Run is] about education and awareness. Last year we handed out over 60,000 bookmarks of the signs and symptoms, and we hope to top that this year," said McKenna, who noted that the money raised from the event helps fund ovarian cancer research.

Despite efforts like McKenna's, doctors still haven't created an early detection protocol. Powell said physicians don't take women's health as seriously as men's, and that doctors should be more willing to screen for ovarian cancer.

Curtis Frame, Janet's husband and a registered nurse, said all women should request an annual CA-125 blood test, especially those like his daughter that are in the high-risk pool because of a family diagnosis. According to Medicinenet.com, CA-125 is a protein that is a tumor marker present in greater concentration in ovarian cancer cells than in other cells.

Golding questioned why doctors don't screen for this protein regularly. "If all it is is bloodwork, whenever I go in and the doctor orders bloodwork, why can't they just order that test?" she asked.

The Ovarian Cancer Orange County Alliance recommends that women see their gynocologist if any of the ovarian cancer symptoms present themselves for more than a few weeks. In addition to the CA 125 blood test, they advise requesting a pelvic/rectal exam and a transvaginal ultrasound.

A little proactivity can go a long way. Golding warned, "None of us want to think we have, so we will put it off, and put it off, and put it off. My stomach hurts. Oh well, my stomach hurts, and doctors don't take you seriously."

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