HERA Women’s Cancer Foundation

HELP US ELIMINATE OVARIAN CANCER

The mission of the HERA Ovarian Cancer Foundation is to eliminate ovarian cancer by promoting Health, Empowerment, Research, and Awareness.

ways to help

Raising awareness is critical to saving lives. HERA is committed to informing women, the people who love them, and the doctors who care for them, about the symptoms and treatments of ovarian cancer.

Upcoming Events

Climb4Life - October 24, 2020

Climb4Life is a cornerstone in helping accomplish our mission to eliminate ovarian cancer. This annual event provides an excellent forum for empowering women and building awareness of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer.

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Recent News

HERA has raised $1 Million for ovarian cancer research

Congratulations and thank you! HERA has raised $1 Million for ovarian cancer research since 2002. Thank you for helping us give one million dollars to fund research grants focused on new treatments, better diagnostics and finding a cure for ovarian… Read More

A Farewell to Our Dear Friend, Maggie Luck

Maggie Luck, and her loving family, have touched our hearts deeply for several years and it is with great sorrow to announce that she passed away on October 27, 2016. One of Maggie’s two daughters, Kelly Luck, recently posted the following announce… Read More

Review: A Guide to Survivorship for Women Who Have Ovarian Cancer

A Johns Hopkins Health Book, 2nd Edition, Edited by Dr. Robert E. Bristow, Dr. Terri L. Cornelison, Dr. F.J. Montz, 2015 Review by Whitney Boland September is ovarian cancer awareness month, a great time to learn more about the disease. Although ovar… Read More

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Resources and Statistics

Ovarian cancer is most frequently diagnosed among women aged 55 - 64 (24.3%)

222,060

Approximate number of women in the US who have or have a history of ovarian cancer.

22,240

Women who received a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer in 2018.

14,070

Women who will die from overian cancer this year.

1 in108

A women's lifetime risk of dying from ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecological cancer and is the 5th leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women.

Survival Rate

For all types of ovarian cancer, the 5-year relative survival rate is 45% while the 10-year survival rate is 35%.
However, women younger than 65 are twice as likely to survive 5 years than women 65 and older.
If ovarian cancer is found and treated before cancer has spread outside the ovary (stages IA and IB), the 5-year
the relative survival rate is 92.5%.
However, only 15% of all ovarian cancers are found at this early stage.

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History of Hera

ABOUT HERA AND OUR MISSION

Hera was chosen as the name for the foundation because she was considered the protector of women and empowered women to stand up for themselves. The HERA Women’s Cancer Foundation encourages us to do the same: to empower women to take control of their health by championing the often unrecognized threat of ovarian cancer to women’s health.

HERA is also an acronym for Health, Empowerment, Research and Awareness.

EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES

One in 75 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in her lifetime. It affects mothers, daughters, sisters and friends. With early detection about 92% will survive longer than 5 years after diagnosis.

Currently, only 20% of ovarian cancer is caught early.

Estimates for ovarian cancer in the United States for 2017: about 22,440 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed and about 14,080 deaths will occur. It ranks fifth as the cause of cancer deaths in women, and accounts for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system.

Signs and Symptons