Rehoboth to Turn the Town Teal for ovarian cancer awareness

During September, the City of Rehoboth Beach will participate in a national campaign to create awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms.

Volunteers will support Turn The Towns Teal by tying teal bows to light posts on Rehoboth Avenue and the bandstand. This ovarian cancer awareness initiative annually takes place during National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

The Delaware Ovarian Cancer Foundation, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization, sponsors the campaign in its efforts to help save more women's lives through its mission of increasing awareness and education, raising funds for research, and helping women diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Delaware Ovarian Cancer Foundation Vice President Sally Oberle participates in memory of her sister Sidney.

The initiative gives ovarian cancer survivors a voice, and the volunteers who have lost loved ones to this disease are proud to do something proactive in their memory.

The teal bows are the visual cue, while the educational brochures providing information about the disease are available at local merchants and the summer concerts.

There is still no test for ovarian cancer, so knowledge of symptoms is crucial. Symptoms can include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, and urinary symptoms such as frequency or urgency. The symptoms are vague, and if they persist more than two weeks,  a woman should discuss them with her physician. The symptoms mimic those of other conditions, so the disease is extremely difficult to diagnose.

All women are at risk, affecting 1 in 70 females of any age. Fewer than 20 percent of cases are diagnosed early. Due to late diagnosis and a high recurrence rate of 70-90 percent, ovarian is the deadliest of the gynecologic cancers.

Residents are encouraged to join the awareness campaign by tying a teal ribbon on their mailbox to show support. Other signs of support include wearing teal on Tuesdays, teal hair extensions, teal awareness bands, teal ribbon car magnets and using teal nail polish.