"They All Matter" Let's Find a Cure Blog Hop

     Welcome to the "They All Matter"  Let's Find a Cure blog hop!  If you came to me from Christine, then you're in the right place!  If you just happened upon my blog and this hop, then you'll need to visit Lisa's blog to get started.  All of the blog posts in this hop will focus on a different type of cancer, simply to bring awareness to as many as we can.

     I chose ovarian cancer for my focus, as I lost my dear, sweet Aunt Van a few years ago from ovarian cancer.  I had intended to make a layout using a picture of Aunt Van along with a couple of pictures from her memorial service (which I unfortunately couldn't attend), but I can't locate the pictures.  :-(  I know I have them somewhere, and I'm sure I'll run across them very soon, but I stayed in the hop so I could bring awareness to this horrible disease.

     According to Wikipedia, the symptoms of ovarian cancer are frequently very subtle early on and are easily confused with other illnesses.  Symptoms may include bloating, pelvic pain, and difficulty eating.  In most cases, the exact cause of ovarian cancer remains unknown.  Diagnosis of ovarian cancer begins with a physical examination, a blood test, and a transvaginal ultrasound.  Stage I and Stage II ovarian cancer is difficult to diagnose until it spreads and advances to Stage III and Stage IV.  

     Unfortunately, ovarian cancer has a very poor prognosis, mainly because it lacks any clear early detection or screening test.  In simple terms, this means that most cases of ovarian cancer are not diagnosed until they have reached the advanced stages.  Over 60% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer have Stage III or Stage IV, and it has already spread beyond the ovaries, as was the case with Aunt Van.  Many women opt for chemotherapy or radiation treatments.  

     The five-year survival rate for ALL stages of ovarian cancer is 47%, but if the cancer is diagnosed early, the five-year survival rate jumps to almost 93%.  Ovarian cancer is the second most common gynecologic cancer and the deadliest in terms of the absolute figure.

     We MUST find a better early detection or screening test for ovarian cancer, and we must CONTINUE to fund research to find a cure for ALL types of cancer!  Aunt Van opted NOT to take chemotherapy and radiation treatments for her ovarian cancer, as her doctors told her it might only prolong her life for a few more months.  I saw her a few months before she passed, but she was taken from us just a few short months after receiving her diagnosis and way too soon.  Please help us find a cure.

     Your next stop in the hop is Toni.  In case you get lost along the way, here's the entire lineup:

1.  Lisa

2.  Ashley 

3.  Pam 

4.  Christine

5.  Ashley W <= YOU ARE HERE!!

6.  Toni - GO HERE NEXT

7.  Jamie

8.  Jearise

9.  Lluvia

10.  Christina

11.  Pam

12.  Haidee

Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure to check back soon, as I'll be having a 200 follower giveaway.  I know my dear Aunt Van is looking down from above.  I love and miss you, Aunt Van!!!