OVARIAN CANCER ALLIANCE OF OREGON & SW WASHINGTON

The Ovarian Cancer Alliance provides direct program services to women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, including the Here4You Financial Assistance Program for women in treatment; Survivors Teaching Students Program to help medical, physician assistant, nursing, and pharmacy students understand the survivors’ human and personal journeys and how the students can better assist in care as they move into their professions; By Your Side chemotherapy care kits; peer support for those newly diagnosed with cancer or fighting a recurrence; education and fellowship events.

Our Mission:
** To offer support to all ovarian cancer survivors by providing opportunities for networking, education and community outreach

** To promote awareness of ovarian cancer and to provide education to women and the health care community

** To advocate for public policy, research & funding for ovarian cancer

Assumptions
• The Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Oregon and Southwest Washington (OCAOSW) continues to be in a growth mode.
• This organization plan, with its current programs and four new initiatives, is achievable by December 2022 with a full time Executive Director, an engaged Board of Directors, and a corps of volunteers.

New Initiatives
• Coordinated Marketing
The linking of awareness building, outreach, advertising, communications and “sustainable fundraising” will have an outsized positive impact in supporting our mission. We will coordinate our programs to build awareness, educate, support, and provide financial resources for our community. In addition, our website and brochures will benefit from a refresh.

• Focus on Young Adults
The survey suggested that we expand our presence on social media. Younger individuals tend to use social media more consistently providing a platform for awareness building about ovarian cancer and its symptoms. Social Media is a key component in our sustainable fundraising and advertising plans where we can expand our connection with younger individuals.

• Support of Families and Friends
Our support of families, friends and caregivers can be expanded. Some of the actions might include social events where caregivers can meet, peer mentoring for partners of survivors and family-centered events. Increasing our connections with family and friends of survivors could also provide volunteer opportunities.

• Expanding the Connections with Health Care Professionals
Our partners in supporting the newly diagnosed and those recurring are numerous and diverse. They include gynecologic oncologists, gynecologists, general practioners, oncology nurses, social workers and nurse navigators. These communities are the firstline providers of information about ovarian cancer. In a systematic fashion, we will expand and deepen our relationships with health care professionals.

Ongoing Initiatives
Goal 1: Provide support for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, their families and friends, including opportunities for networking, education and community outreach
Goal 2: Educate the health care community, survivors and their families as well as the community at large, focusing on early detection. The communities of Oregon and Southwest Washington will know us from our services.
Goal 3: Advocate for public policy, research and funding for ovarian cancer
Goal 5: Provide for financial stability and growth

The Alliance's active board members, committees, staff, and volunteers are achieving strategic goals and action items per stated timelines. Concurrently, we are working on areas of opportunity to bridge gaps in services. Due to Covid-19, we seamlessly pivoted all programming online, with the exception of onsite events. Onsite events are on hold until it's safe.

2021 OCAOSW Impact as of December 9, 2021
Here4You Financial Assistance
• $31,422 was distributed for critical needs such as housing, medical bills, utility bills, and etc.

Peer Mentees
10 were officially paired; however, there's a significant amount of peer mentoring via support groups. Difficult to measure. Peers are mentored in many different ways, for example when we field phone calls and emails.

Events
• 12 support sessions moderated by Susan Hedlund: 228 registrants total
• 4 happy hours: 50 registrants
• 7 educational sessions: 267 registrants
• 1 annual medical update: 46 registrants
• 1 STS speaker happy hour: 10 registrants
• 2021 OVF
o $85,000 gross proceeds. New OVF sponsorship record: $43,000!

Survivors Teaching Students Program
586 healthcare students in 2021: nursing school, nurse practitioner, pharmacy, and PA (pretty amazing during Covid!!)

Trust Your Gut Symptom Awareness Social Media Campaign
• September - November:
o 389,717 impressions (number of unique people who viewed the ad)
o 8,039 all links (clicked on ad; viewed OCAOSW page; commented or liked ad)
July-October Trust Your Gut public service announcements (PSAs): OCAOSW has received 283 TV commercials at no charge. Valued at $34,150.

By Your Side Kits
• 19 in 2021. **Low number this year likely due to staffing issues/turnover and ongoing Covid safety protocols.