Turning the Town Teal

To help spread awareness of ovarian cancer, the village has partnered with the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition in its Turn the Towns Teal initiative.

Teal ribbons were tied around trees and parking meters in the village's downtown last week, as well as by Village Hall and the Long Island Railroad station, to help raise awareness of ovarian cancer. More than 20,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year, and 15,000 will lose their lives to it.

Liz Pittelko, president of the Long Island Chapter of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, said RVC and Huntington were the first villages to participate in the awareness initiative, and impacting just one person would be considered a success. 

"Anytime we create awareness, even if it's only one person," Pittelko said. "That one person can tell someone else and puts that idea in the back of their head."

She explained that symptoms of ovarian cancer are often misdiagnosed since they are rather ordinary: cramping, lower back pain, tiredness and bloating.

Pittelko added that the coalition chose RVC because its downtown has a lot of foot traffic, which is exactly what they need to spread the word. She added that the group plans to take the ribbons down in the first week of October.

Mayor Mary Bossart said the village board decided to participate in the program months ago, and that the ribbons may steer some women to get checked out before it's too late. "Anytime we can promote education for our residents, we will," Bossart said.

Potential Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

• Pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort
• Vague but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea and indigestion
• Frequency and/or urgency of urination in the absence of an infection
• Unexplained changes in bowel habits
• Unexplained weight gain or weight loss
• Pelvic and/or abdominal swelling, bloating and/or feeling of fullness
• Ongoing unusual fatigue
• Menstrual changes
• Pain during sex

For more information : www.turnthetownsteal.org