Judy's Mission to Hold Annual Luncheon Benefitting Ovarian Cancer Awareness

HOUSTON, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Judy's Mission Ovarian Cancer Foundation will hold its annual Mission Possible Luncheon, titled "Laughter is the Best Medicine," on May 12, 2017 at the Junior League of Houston. The luncheon benefits Judy's Mission, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to ending ovarian cancer by increasing awareness, advocating for those who have been diagnosed, and funding research for the development of effective screening and treatment.

Pamela Soliman, M.D., M.P.H, of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, is the honoree for the event. Dr. Soliman will be recognized for her tireless work in ovarian cancer research, compassion for her patients, and advocacy on behalf of Judy's Mission. The keynote address will be given by Karen Mills, a renowned comedian and ovarian cancer survivor who can be heard weekly on Sirius/XM Laugh USA and has toured the country sharing her story. Shern-Min Chow, news co-anchor at KHOU Channel 11, will emcee the event.

"The luncheon raises much-needed funds to support Judy's Mission programs," said Aimee Friend, Executive Director of Judy's Mission, "and we are thrilled with the outpouring of support from the local community." 

The Mission Possible Luncheon will also coincide with the launch of Judy's Mission's annual "Before Stage 4" (B4S4) social media campaign. The campaign originally ran in September 2016 and reached 80,000 women in Harris County and Montgomery County, helping to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer and the importance of early detection. The success of the campaign has been expanded to include a full year of advocacy.

When ovarian cancer is caught in Stage I, 93% of patients survive five years or longer. Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital, in collaboration with In the Pink of Health, provided Judy's Mission with partial funding for the year-long social media push, which targets women ages 35-55 in Montgomery County and Harris County who have an interest in cancer prevention, have reported risk factors, or have shown interest in cancer-related non-profits.

There is currently no screening available for ovarian cancer, which means many cases go undetected until stage 3 or stage 4. Educating women to recognize the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer is critical for early detection.

Risk of ovarian cancer increases for women over 50, those who have a family history of ovarian cancer, women who have inherited mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, women of Northern European and/or Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, and women who have never been pregnant.

For more information about Judy's Mission, please visit judysmission.org.

About Judy's Mission
Judy's Mission is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Houston, Texas that honors the memory of Judith Liebenthal Robinson, Ph.D. by promoting awareness about ovarian cancer, advocating for those who have been diagnosed, and funding research for the development of effective screening and treatment.

About In the Pink of Health
Memorial Hermann In the Pink of Health is a group of inspired women who partner with Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital to raise funds to reduce incidences of breast and ovarian cancer and assist survivors in their journeys in the Montgomery County and surrounding communities. Visit inthepinkofhealth.org for more information.

About Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest form of gynecological cancer, as there is no effective method of screening and it is normally not caught until Stage 3 or 4. Its symptoms are deceptive because they can be attributed to common female issues, such as weight gain, hormonal imbalance, and menstrual cycle. For this reason, it's said that ovarian cancer is "a silent killer with symptoms that whisper."

For Additional Information:
Aimee Friend
Executive Director
156100@email4pr.com
832-463-1712

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SOURCE Judy's Mission