Ribbons of teal to fight ovarian cancer

By LISA CAPOBIANCO
STAFF WRITER
For some women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, recognizing the symptoms of the disease beforehand may have gone overlooked.
Known as the “silent” disease, ovarian cancer presents a number of what may appear to be “normal” symptoms of getting older, such as backpain, difficulty eating and ongoing unusual fatigue, and menstrual changes, to name a few.
Bristol resident Judie Lodovico, a 12-year survivor of ovarian cancer, did not experience any of these symptoms, as her doctor caught the disease during a routine gynecologist appointment. During the same week the doctor discovered her cancer, Lodovico underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy. Although the cancer returned five years later, Lodovico is now cancer-free.
“There are no outward signs—I was a very healthy person,” said Lodovico, adding that she had Stage 1C of the cancer. “I didn’t have any of these symptoms or signs, and if I did, they were very subtle.”
Feeling blessed the cancer was caught on time, Lodovico wanted to help spread awareness about ovarian cancer with the hope of helping other women detect those symptoms before it is too late. Through an ovarian cancer awareness campaign called “Turn The Towns Teal,” Lodovico has helped give Bristol a beacon of hope by placing teal signs, ribbons and posters in different areas of the city with the help of a committee consisting of friends, family and other members of the community. Besides signs and posters, the Turn The Towns Teal committee also distributes cards that contain a list of ovarian cancer symptoms.
As September marks “Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, these signs and ribbons will remain hanging in Bristol throughout the entire month.
“I’m blessed to still be here,” said Lodovico, adding that there was no history of ovarian cancer in her family. “Ovarian cancer wasn’t going to define who I was.”
Last year, over 1,500 signs and ribbons hung throughout the city, and this year there are over 2,000 of them that will hang in residential neighborhoods and in public areas, including the schools. From neighbors to local businesses to schools, the entire community has embraced the campaign from the beginning, said Lodovico. Artificial Flower Shop on Lake Avenue has devoted time in making the bows, and Harvest Bakery will make teal-frosted cupcakes. On Sept. 16, Nuchie’s Restaurant will host a “Ladies Night” where some of the teal materials will be available to raise awareness.
“The support of the community really fuels our energy,” said Lodovico, adding that the community’s support is growing.
Founded in 2007 by Gail MacNeil of Chatham, N.J., Turn The Towns Teal is a national campaign that promotes ovarian cancer awareness and its silent symptoms, stated the campaign’s website. MacNeil battled the disease for 10 years, and wanted to help other women by spreading more awareness about the symptoms of the disease, which her doctor claimed were the onset of middle age, stated the campaign’s website. In 1997, MacNeil was diagnosed with Stage IIIC ovarian cancer, and ultimately lost her battle with the disease, according to Turn The Towns Teal.
About six years ago, Lodovico was visiting her children in Florida when she saw the teal bows on someone’s tree. After inquiring about the bows, Lodovico decided to start the campaign in Bristol, and soon after, received permission from the mayor’s office and the Parks Department to do so. Other communities in Connecticut that are registered for the campaign include Avon, Greenwich, South Windsor, Cromwell, Danbury, Brookfield, New Canaan, and Putnam.
Lodovico said the mantra of the campaign is, “The earlier the diagnosis, the better the prognosis,” which she is proud to promote here in Bristol.
“We really wanted to help raise awareness,” said Lodovico. “When they say it takes one ribbon, one bow, one sign, it does take one of those to save a person’s life, and that’s something that we’ll continue to do—it’s all worthwhile.”
Ovarian cancer normally develops in older women age 63 or older, stated the American Cancer Society’s website. In 2014 alone, over 21,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with the disease, and 14,270 women will die from it, according to the society. The American Cancer Society also states that ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, and accounts for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. Symptoms include unexplained changes in bowel habits, bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, and unexplained weight gain or loss, according to Turn The Towns Teal campaign’s website.
“I hope that everyone will pay attention to the symptoms,” said Lodovico. “People can survive this if they find it early.”
Lodovico’s daughter, Jennifer Lodovico-Gorack, has joined her mother’s efforts in helping raise awareness by serving on the committee. Calling her mother “strong from the very beginning of her battle with ovarian cancer,” Gorack said she hopes at least one woman’s life has been saved through the campaign.
“This campaign provides women the opportunity to recognize these silent symptoms, and to understand that when the disease is caught early their prognosis is so much better,” said Gorack, adding how her mother always reminds her that one day she hopes a Turn The Towns Teal flag will hang at the state capitol every September.
In 2013, Lodovico’s husband established the Bristol Talks Teal Fund at the Main Street Community Foundation in honor of his wife. The goal of the fund is to raise awareness of ovarian cancer symptoms in order to strengthen early detection of the disease. Susan Sadecki, president and CEO of the Foundation, is a longtime friend of the Lodovicos who has served on the committee for Bristol’s Turn The Towns Teal.
Sadecki said the campaign has become a personal crusade to save the lives of many women.
“[It’s] hard to measure concrete success, but if the symptom cards we give out to women save at least one life then the campaign in my eyes is deemed successful,” said Sadecki.
For more information on Turn The Towns Teal, visit http://www.turnthetownsteal.org/.