WHAT WE DO
The mission of the HERA Ovarian Cancer Foundation is to eliminate ovarian cancer. Currently no effective test exists to reliably diagnose the disease early on, when the chance for survival is greatest. Over the past decades, available treatment protocols have not appreciably altered mortality from this disease. Incidence rates have decreased only slightly, and much more work needs to be done. Because there are fewer numbers of healthy survivors to raise awareness for ovarian cancer, research has been grossly under-funded. Progress has stalled due to lack of adequate research dollars. HERA works to change this by awarding grants, providing public education and staying active on the national advocacy front. The priority is to better understand the disease so that a test for early detection and more effective treatments can be developed.