The month of September is recognized as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. According to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, ovarian cancer is rare since only 1.3% of women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Yet, it is the number one cause of cancer-related death among women. Additionally, in 2021 it is estimated that 21,410 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and of those diagnosed 13,770 women will die. Due to the mortality rate, it is important to know about ovarian cancer so people can be educated about the risk factors along with the signs.

National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is important because it is a time dedicated for women and the public to gain knowledge about ovarian cancer. This is important because an increase of public knowledge can lead to earlier diagnoses and hopefully lower the death rate. Therefore, the purpose of this month is to raise awareness surrounding ovarian cancer which is sometimes referred to as the “silent killer.” This is due to the fact that the symptoms of ovarian cancer are very similar to other diseases which means women will overlook the signs and they will not realize they should see a doctor and get tested. As a result of this, the diagnosis for ovarian cancer is typically confirmed at a later stage. According to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, only 15-20 percent of ovarian cancer is diagnosed in the early stages.  Read the full article.