Bishop McCort students tie teal ribbons, raise awareness of ovarian cancer

Joshua Byers, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

Sep. 1—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Bishop McCort Catholic High School students on Thursday tied teal ribbons around trees, lamp posts, parking meters and signs around Johnstown to raise awareness of ovarian cancer.

For some of the students, it was their first time volunteering; for others, such as senior Kira Hindman, participating in the "Turn the Town Teal" ovarian cancer awareness campaign has become a tradition.

"It means a lot to me," said Hindman, who has participated for the past six years.

This is the 10th year in which Bishop McCort students, in partnership with Laurel Auto Group and the Ann Harris Smith Foundation, are taking part in the campaign during September, which is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

Hundreds of ribbons will be tied throughout Johnstown, Ferndale, Richland Township, Windber, Somerset, Ebensburg and other locations in the coming days.

The main message of the campaign is: "The earlier the diagnosis, the better the prognosis." There's no early detection test for ovarian cancer, which means it's important for women to be aware of the symptoms of the disease.

According to the National Institute of Health, a woman's lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer is one in 78, and typically a diagnosis comes at an advanced stage of the disease.

Symptoms include pelvic and abdominal pain, difficulty eating and feeling full, increased abdominal size and bloating, and urinary frequency and urgency.

For sophomore Amiya Harris, taking part in the campaign has a special meaning — her grandmother died from ovarian cancer. She said it is important to spread awareness and understanding for those battling the disease.

Harris added that tying the teal ribbons is a fun activity to do with friends, and it gives them all a sense of satisfaction to participate.

Alongside the student volunteers Thursday were Mary Lou and Bob Walker.

Mary Lou Walker, a breast cancer survivor, has tied ribbons as part of the campaign for years. She's the former cheerleading coach at Bishop McCort and has stayed involved at the school since leaving that position.

"It's good to get young girls involved," she said, adding that her Catholic faith motivates her to do good.

For more information about ovarian cancer, visit www.ovarian.org and www.turnthetownsteal.org.