Page 10 - The Wayne Dispatch

Turning town teal yields survivor stories

By Carolyn Marnon said, ‘hello can I help you?’ She said, son realize that their life matters to
For the 7th year, Wayne will be ‘Oh no, I want to come out and give us. Because it does.”
turning teal with ribbons raising you a hug and say thank you.’ I www.turnthetownsteal.org in-
awareness of ovarian cancer. The looked at her puzzled a bit because I forms site visitors of potential symp-
teal ribbons will be placed through- had never met this lovely lady. She toms of ovarian cancer which
out the city on September 1 by em- began to tell me, ‘I just got off the include:
ployees and friends of Independent phone with my sister, and I was • Bloating
Carpet One in Westland. Cathy telling her that I saw the carpet lady • Pelvic or abdominal pain
Buchanan, co-owner, has spear- in the parking lot. You know the one • Vague but persistent gastroin-
headed this local event during Na- Teal ribbons were tied along Wayne Road who ties the teal ribbons along Ford testinal upsets such as gas, nausea,
tional Ovarian Cancer Awareness and Wayne Rd. She’s here. My sister or indigestion
Month to help spread information and Ford Road bringing awareness to told me to tell you thank you. She is • Difficulty eating OR feeling full
about this disease that has no early ovarian cancer. an ovarian cancer survivor. We’ve quickly
detection test. If detected in the early year after year, talk to people along seen you and your team tying the rib- • Urinary symptoms (urgency or
stages, the survival rate for ovarian our route of tying ribbons, about bons year after year and we’ve frequency)
cancer is 90-95%. why we are doing this and explaining wanted to say thank you so many • Unexplained changes in bowel
“I know it has made impact on a the symptoms and also hearing sto- times. It means so much to us. We habits
number of people’s lives” says Cathy, ries from people who stop us about love to see these ribbons. We love In- • Unexplained weight gain/loss
“as I have had contact with and made members of their family.” dependent Carpet One.’ Tears rolled • Ongoing unusual fatigue
friends with families who have lost “But two months ago while load- down my face and we had the best • Back pain
someone to ovarian cancer. Chris ing my trunk with purchases from hug.” • Menstrual changes
Siese from Wayne is doing well after Home Goods on Ford Rd in Canton,” “And that moment made every- • Pain during intimacy
losing his wife Annette two and a half continues Cathy, “I was stopped by a thing reality of why we do this. It’s
years ago.” (Annette’s story was fea- lady getting in her car. She had seen making a difference. It’s touching If these systems persist for 10
tured in The Wayne Dispatch in Sep- my license plate that says Carpet lives. When people think they’re all days to 2 weeks, you are advised to
tember 2017.) Kathy Graham has One on the front of my car. She came alone in this struggle, they realize consult your gynecologist, physician
lost a family member to ovarian can- running saying, ‘Carpet One lady they’re not alone and people care. We or a gynecological oncologist. As the
cer and struggling herself as a breast please stop. Carpet One lady!’ I do care, and we will do this year website tagline says “The earlier the
cancer survivor. And we constantly, chuckled to myself and stopped and after year even if it makes one per- diagnosis-the better the prognosis.”

10 · September 2019 · The Wayne Dispatch