Annual ‘Turn the Town Teal’ initiative spreads awareness on Ovarian cancer
LEWES, Del. – “I think she’d be thrilled that we are taking what took her life and making purpose of it,” Oberle said.
Sally Oberle sister, Sidney Richardson DeSymter, was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer back in 2004. “She fought it for four years through chemo, radiation, and various other treatments. She passed away at age 54,” Oberle said.
On a quest to keep her sister’s memory alive, Oberle is now the Vice President of Delaware Ovarian Cancer Foundation. The nonprofit hosted their annual Turn the Town Teal campaign Wednesday. “We want them to see these bows and say, ‘what’s that?’ That starts the conversation,” Oberle said.
Ovarian cancer is considered a ‘silent disease,’ as most symptoms go undetected and a diagnosis typically doesn’t happen until it’s too late. On top of that, Oberle says testing options are limited. “The few things we have available to us are pelvic ultrasounds which may or may not show a tumor. There’s also a CA125 blood test and all it does is tell you that you have a cancer antigen,” Oberle said.
It was Jan Gilmour’s 8th year joining in the initiative. She’s with the Delaware Chapter of the Ovarian Research Alliance. The international organization raise funds to increase awareness and research Ovarian cancer. Gilmour said although there’s been many advancements in research, there’s still a lack of local resources. “Here in Sussex County, we have no gynecologic oncologist who can treat Ovarian cancer,” Gilmour said. “If we don’t have the specialist here who can help create awareness, it’s up to us as individuals.”
16 years later, Oberle says her sister’s fight is the reason why she’s an advocate and passionate about saving as many women lives as possible. “Everybody needs a purpose and I think that’s mine,” Oberle said.
The Delaware Ovarian Cancer Foundation says even if you’re a survivor, there’s still a 70% chance the cancer could reoccur. Top symptoms to look out for include difficulty urinating, having trouble eating, and a change in your bowel movement.
Yearly, the foundation also provides $50,000 in grant funding to the Helen Graham Cancer Center to support their research efforts.
National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is celebrated annually in September.
