A Call To Action
John and Karene O' Hare
For a full year before Karene’s Ovarian Cancer diagnosis, she began experiencing abdominal discomfort. Being a nurse and a non-alarmist, she attributed it to indigestion or the flu.
When the symptoms persisted, she visited her internist who could not diagnose the problem. Months passed with more doctor visits and numerous tests. Specialists concluded that it was a torn muscle deep within the abdomen. She traveled out of town to another specialist who concluded it was an abdominal tear. Karene listened to her body when it whispered that something was wrong; but because there is no reliable test, her physicians were unable to detect the initial or the metastasized cancer. In March 2007, Karene experienced excruciating pain and when the pain became intolerable, she was admitted to the hospital. Finally an abdominal laparoscopic examination was performed. The diagnosis was Stage III C Ovarian Cancer. Prior to the diagnosis, she was extremely healthy – running daily, consuming healthy food, and visiting her doctor for regular physical check-ups. For 18 months Karene underwent numerous surgeries, two rounds of chemotherapy, horrendous side-effects, and more suffering than any woman should face. Karene fought her battle until her last breath. As she returned home from the hospital for the last time in hospice care her loved ones from all over the US and Canada surrounded her. At her passing, she was surrounded by her extended family who prayed, cried, and felt her deep love.
Her family decided that to help with the healing process they would follow her spirit of giving. The Karene O'Hare Ovarian Cancer Run/Walk was born during their soul searching as they continually posed the question “What would Karene want us to do?"
The run raises money to fund grants to medical service providers for Ovarian Cancer screening, for testing and treatment. It also under rights an Ovarian Cancer education program. These are critical goals, that meet important health issue for woman of all ages. Too frequently this disease is not detected until it is in an advanced stage. There is no test available to detect the disease, but rather it is a matter of the symptoms that often are subtle and can also indicate other problems. Women need to know their risk factors and the potential symptoms of the disease. They also need to become more informed and as a result better enabled to be assertive in speaking to their health care providers. The Run raises money to fund grants to medical service providers for Ovarian Cancer screening, testing and treatment. It also underwrites an Ovarian Cancer education program. These are critical goals that meet important health issues for women of all ages.
When the symptoms persisted, she visited her internist who could not diagnose the problem. Months passed with more doctor visits and numerous tests. Specialists concluded that it was a torn muscle deep within the abdomen. She traveled out of town to another specialist who concluded it was an abdominal tear. Karene listened to her body when it whispered that something was wrong; but because there is no reliable test, her physicians were unable to detect the initial or the metastasized cancer. In March 2007, Karene experienced excruciating pain and when the pain became intolerable, she was admitted to the hospital. Finally an abdominal laparoscopic examination was performed. The diagnosis was Stage III C Ovarian Cancer. Prior to the diagnosis, she was extremely healthy – running daily, consuming healthy food, and visiting her doctor for regular physical check-ups. For 18 months Karene underwent numerous surgeries, two rounds of chemotherapy, horrendous side-effects, and more suffering than any woman should face. Karene fought her battle until her last breath. As she returned home from the hospital for the last time in hospice care her loved ones from all over the US and Canada surrounded her. At her passing, she was surrounded by her extended family who prayed, cried, and felt her deep love.
Her family decided that to help with the healing process they would follow her spirit of giving. The Karene O'Hare Ovarian Cancer Run/Walk was born during their soul searching as they continually posed the question “What would Karene want us to do?"
The run raises money to fund grants to medical service providers for Ovarian Cancer screening, for testing and treatment. It also under rights an Ovarian Cancer education program. These are critical goals, that meet important health issue for woman of all ages. Too frequently this disease is not detected until it is in an advanced stage. There is no test available to detect the disease, but rather it is a matter of the symptoms that often are subtle and can also indicate other problems. Women need to know their risk factors and the potential symptoms of the disease. They also need to become more informed and as a result better enabled to be assertive in speaking to their health care providers. The Run raises money to fund grants to medical service providers for Ovarian Cancer screening, testing and treatment. It also underwrites an Ovarian Cancer education program. These are critical goals that meet important health issues for women of all ages.
