Support groups became very important to me during my treatment for breast cancer. I found a whole new family, and it broadened my knowledge when meeting people who had a different cancer from my own. The Ovarian/ GYN cancer support group seemed so sparse, I decided to join them. This wonderful group of ladies lacked support from the public. Granted the reproductive cancers benefitted from the research that was done for breast cancer that showed the chemos suitable for breast cancer could be used for the GYN cancers. It was the lack of support, however, that concerned me. Komen for the Cure was providing national recognition for breast cancer and research. When Nancy Brinker, Susan Komen's Sister, was in Baton Rouge, I asked her to consider including the GYN/ Ovarian cancers in Komen for the Cure of Female Cancers. She told me she was as concerned as I was that there was no method of detection for ovarian cancer and that ended the conversation. I understood her answer.

A committee was formed in 2010 for the purpose of informing the public. Because there were several survivors in treatment and two passed away before our event, friends of the survivors served on the committee. Two more were lost at the beginning of the year. Why should they die? One was a school teacher wanting to retire with her husband. Another was a beautiful young lady with a whole life ahead of her. Another was the mother of a young son, whom she desperately wanted to watch grow up. One was a grandmother taking pride in her grandchildren. Had they known about the symptoms, they would probably be here today. Losing my friends has been very painful and I work in their memory to try to saves lives through knowledge of a deadly cancer.