UK HealthCare

Capital Ovarian Cancer Organization Raises $10,000 for Ovarian Cancer Screening

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 20, 2011) − The Capital Ovarian Cancer Organization's (COCO)second annual Tee It Up with COCO Charity Golf Scramble raised $10,000 to support the Ovarian Cancer Screening Program at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center.

On Monday, Sept. 19, representatives from the association visited Lexington to present a $10,000 check to the UK Markey Cancer Center. Dr. John R. van Nagell, Jr., director of the Ovarian Cancer Screening Program, accepted the check.

"We truly appreciate this donation," van Nagell said. "For 24 years, the Ovarian Cancer Screening Program has been providing free screenings for Kentucky women and saved many lives. This gift will help us continue to provide this valuable service."  

  

Ovarian cancer is ranked fifth among cancer killers for American women and accounts for more cancer-related deaths than any other gynecological malignancy. When it is detected early, women can be cured with existing treatment methods. However, most women have no symptoms until the disease has progressed into an advanced stage. As the disease progresses, survival rates drop sharply.

Markey's Ovarian Screening Program was initiated in 1987 by Dr. van Nagell, the UK College of Medicine, and his colleagues. The goal was to study whether transvaginal sonography (TVS) could be an effective means of early ovarian cancer detection.

So far, more than 200,000 free screening examinations have been provided to more than 37,000 Kentucky women, and women from every county in the state have participated in this program. Through the screenings, 447 ovarian tumors and 76 malignancies have been detected. Currently, screenings are being performed at six locations throughout the state, including Lexington, Elizabethtown, Somerset, Prestonsburg, Maysville and Paducah.

"My sister died in 2005 from ovarian cancer, and the Capital Ovarian Cancer Organization was created in her honor," said Beverly Van Houten, executive director for the organization. "We're thrilled to be able to make this donation to Markey's Ovarian Cancer Screening Program."

The Capital Ovarian Cancer Organization is a non-profit organization that offers support services for women and families fighting ovarian cancer. The group’s goals are to raise awareness, increase early detection and improve treatment methods of Ovarian Cancer; to contribute to research for a cure for ovarian cancer; and to provide women with the information needed to make educated decisions about their health care. COCO is located in Frankfort, Ky., and is an official partner with the National Ovarian Cancer Organization (OCNA).

For more information about the COCO, find the group on Facebook or visit http://capitalovariancancer.org. For more information about the Ovarian Cancer Screening Program, visit http://ovarianscreening.info. To make an appointment for screening, call toll free (800) 766-8279 or (859) 323-4687.

MEDIA CONTACT: Allison Perry, (859) 323-2399 or allison.perry@uky.edu