OCATS - Ovarian Cancer Awareness & Treatment in Saskatchewan

Awareness

Creating awareness for gynecologic cancers is challenging. These topics still seem to be taboo. This creates situations where women do not have the language to discuss symptoms in the area of our body that houses our reproductive organs. It can be embarrassing for different reasons. Because there are No screening tools for ovarian cancer it is especially important for us to raise awareness of the symptoms, the diagnostics tests you can talk with your doctor about, and where to go for more information (i.e. gynecologic oncologist – a cancer specialist of women’s reproductive organs). Talking about cancer itself is a subject avoided. Cancer survivors don’t necessarily want to be reminded everyday. For people fighting cancer, the outcome statistics are depressing. We need to raise awareness without negatively affecting people.

To create opportunities to talk about gynecologic cancers we have several Awareness Events each year including:

Annual Benefit Dinner & Silent Auction (September Ovarian/Gynecologic Cancer Month) – raise funds for our New Patient Care Kits, ensuring support and information from other patients is available at the earliest possible opportunity. The Kits are provided to the gyne oncologists and cancer centres.
Gynecologic Cancer Conference – An educational event driven by gyne cancer patients and our support people for the general public and all people in the medical care community

2011 Creating Collaborative Care, June 16th Sheraton Centre, Saskatoon

September Ovarian Cancer Month Awareness activities – The month is filled with creative and fun activities to create discussion in the medical community, awareness among women, encourage women to become their own advocates and to education everyone for the need for Gynecologic Oncology Units in Saskatchewan.
Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, usually in October
Teal Panties Parties – Kind of like Tupperware Parties only nothing is for sale! You get a group of women together, they each donate a pair of Teal panties to OCATS, we provide a speaker or info and brochures and teal awareness ribbons. Great for the office, girls night out, church meetings, social groups.
Public Meetings - We travel to rural settings and speak at town halls. Or we’ll come to your women’s or business event to speak and provide brochures and teal ribbon awareness pins. Please invite us to your community, church or gathering of friends.
Teal Panties Clothesline – A provocative way to get people’s attention. We take our clothesline of teal panty donations to public venues and handout brochures and teal awareness ribbons.
Trade Shows and Conferences – We’ll set up our display at these types of functions and hand out materials.
Monthly Support Groups in Regina and Saskatoon

In addition to Awareness Events, we have several Fundraising Items that help raise awareness because:

They incorporate the colour TEAL for ovarian cancer, or LAVENDER for gynecologic cancers. The colour for cervical cancer is Teal and White.
They come with Information Cards that explain the symptoms and where to go for support.
They are lovely to look at and are good conversation starters.
The funds raised pay for brochures, posters, public meeting and trade show expenses.

Our fundraising items include the following (all items come with the Awareness Info Card)

Teal Awareness Bracelets, $10 Donation