September is Ovarian Awareness Month, which means it’s time for STAAR’s Step Up America Campaign, the most impactful awareness and fundraising program we execute together all year. It is our biggest fundraiser, where we bring in the vast majority of our donations.

Why do we need more awareness and funding for LGSOC?

We know from hearing from STAAR members and the landmark survey of 180 people across 10 countries that we were part of in 2023 that while we are making progress, we need to keep up the momentum of awareness, research and support. This survey alone found that for the majority of patients it took an average of nearly three years to get an accurate diagnosis, with many experiencing misdiagnoses or having their symptoms initially dismissed by a healthcare provider. And there are still no FDA approved medicines specific to LGSOC.

What has STAAR accomplished with the help of fundraising?

Since STAAR’s founding in 2020, we have made major strides in connecting the LGSOC community in the United States and with our partners globally.

• We helped to fund significant research focused on LGSOC.
• We established an LGSOC Awareness Day during Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month to focus attention on this rare cancer.
• We led the first FDA patient meeting about LGSOC, which educated the federal agency about the patient impact of the disease as they make decisions about potential new treatment options.
• We partnered with the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition and Cure Our Ovarian Cancer and experts around the world in the first global survey about the patient impact of LGSOC.
• We have raised awareness locally and nationally about LGSOC and the importance of symptom awareness through grassroots events and major media coverage.
• Most importantly, we have formed a community where no one with LGSOC has to feel alone in their diagnosis.

None of this could have happened without the contributions of our founders, our Board, our volunteers, our industry partners and family, friends and others living with LGSOC who have donated their time or funding to help our progress.
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Why should I get involved?
In order to make more progress against LGSOC and to support those living with it, significantly more research and awareness is needed. STAAR is the first advocacy group in the United States to focus on LGSOC by funding research to provide better outcomes, and offering resources and a place to connect. And STAAR is 100% volunteer-run, meaning more of every dollar goes directly to the mission.
 
How can I provide support?
Fundraising, Donations, Employer Matches and Volunteering, including our Step Up campaign, which is in full swing for September, at any level are all deeply appreciated.
 
Throughout the month, we support individuals in creating their own events to fundraise for research and spread awareness about LGSOC symptoms. We welcome events as large as a city-wide 5K and as small as a group of friends getting together for coffee. This year we also have the virtual Step Up America Step Challenge, creating an easy way to participate for those who can't host an event!

All participants can also order a Step Up T-Shirt with common LGSOC symptoms on the back to help spread awareness!
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