GUELPH – Like so many fundraisers this year, the 2020 Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope is going virtual.
But participants will really walk, donors will really help the organization raise funds, and in Guelph at least, there will be a physical meeting place for those who choose to participate this way.
The walk takes place on Sept. 13 across the country and this year, with online registration and donations, walkers can choose their own routes and times.
There will be a closing ceremony online, with entertainment, inspiring stories from women who have had ovarian cancer, and updates on the progress of research.
In Guelph, there will be a meeting place at the Gazebo in Royal City Park from 10am to 1pm, where walkers can enjoy live music and speeches, and can make donations. People are asked to wear masks during this social time.
“It’s all very strange this year,” said Frances Vanover, an ovarian cancer survivor and co-chair of the Guelph walk, in a phone interview.
“Normally we meet in the park and do a 2.5km or 5km walk and then gather for refreshments and speeches. It’s fun and heartwarming and good to come together. This year, we just don’t know what to expect.”
The need for fundraising remains great, as a diagnostic test and cure are still not available. Yet when caught early – in stages one or two – there is a 90 per cent survival rate.
“Cancer hasn’t stopped because of COVID,” Vanover said, “This is a terrible disease that affects women, and unless it hits you or your family, it’s not really widely known.”
Ovarian Cancer Canada is the only national organization that focusses solely on ovarian cancer.
Funds raised are used to support programs for those newly diagnosed, for women in treatment, for grief supports for families, and for research.
Vanover said ovarian cancer is still called “the silent killer” and the symptoms are vague and can easily be ignored: bloating, changes in the bowels and urination, feeling full all the time or loss of appetite, fatigue and lower back pain, among them.
“The symptoms are so vague we tend to brush them off, which is what I did. But if you are experiencing two or three of these and they don’t go away, get tested,” she said. “Don’t waste time. Knowledge is power.”
Vanover said women who have had breast cancer are more susceptible to ovarian cancer, as was the case with her, “so don’t delay. This disease affects women of all ages and all stripes.”
To register or to make a donation, visit www.ovariancancerwalkofhope.ca. Be sure to click on Guelph for local information.
