 Connie Bell with her high school sweetheart/husband Diego Saenz When I was diagnosed with low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) in the fall of 2022 it stopped me in my tracks. I was working at a job I enjoyed and found interesting (a rarity, I know). I was happily married to my high school sweetheart and we had a nice quiet life with our beloved cockapoo. Unfortunately, all of my current and future plans got turned upside down after being diagnosed with LGSOC. It took a while for things to sink in about how much my life was going to change. As I went through treatment, including surgery, chemo, and a maintenance drug, I sometimes felt powerless against this disease. While I recovered and felt better, I had more capacity to research LGSOC. I learned how it is extremely under researched and underfunded, which are two things you never want to hear about your cancer type. I immediately became more frustrated and motivated to do something to try and help. During my late night internet searching, I thankfully found STAAR. I was thrilled to find an organization dedicated to LGSOC and even more elated that they focused on raising funds for research and spreading awareness. I knew right away I had found a special group of people who truly understand what it is like to live day in and day out with this disease. All of the board members and volunteers welcomed me into STAAR as I began volunteering with the Marketing and Communications Committee. I was able to apply my skills and past experience working in health education to create patient outreach materials and social media posts. I told my story as I testified at the FDA externally-led patient-focused drug development meeting and described what life is like living with LGSOC. Recently, I was part of the planning committee for the inaugural LGSOC patient conference. I was honored to join STAAR’s board in December 2024 and lead future volunteer efforts. I found that volunteering has been a healthy way to channel some of my frustrations and negative thoughts into tangible actions. I know I am using my time and energy toward a worthwhile cause and I am doing that alongside an amazing group of people. We are always looking for people to join us as volunteers. It’s incredible what we can do when we do it together. STAAR is powered by dedicated volunteers—patients, caregivers, and advocates who want to make a difference. Whether you’re passionate about research, fundraising, communications, or donor relations, there’s a place for you on our team.
You can fill out the interest form here.  STAAR Founding Board Member Bailey Wolfe, left, with Connie. AuthorConnie Bell is a member of STAAR's board and chairs the volunteer committee.
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