​Volunteers Needed To Help Turn Doylestown Teal

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Volunteers are needed on Saturday morning to help "Turn the Town Teal" for ovarian cancer awareness.

For the 16th year a team of volunteers will fan out through downtown Doylestown decorating lamp posts with teal ribbons to spread awareness of the deadly disease.

Volunteers, residents, and survivors are asked to gather in the parking lot in front of Starbucks. Sign-in begins at 9:15 a.m. Coffee, snacks, and water will be provided.

The event will officially begin with a kickoff ceremony honoring the memory of loved ones taken by the disease and recognizing survivors.

If you are a survivor and can join the group on Saturday or have lost a loved one to ovarian cancer that you would like acknowledged, please provide the name, year of diagnosis, date of passing, and age to Joan Doyle at joanddoyle@gmail.com .

"We hope you can join us for that moving part of the ceremony. Many find it cathartic to continue to honor their loved one," said organizer and former Doylestown Borough Councilwoman Joan Doyle.

Cathy Hoot has been assisting Joan Doyle with the event for many years. "She is a whiz at creating a system for preparing the 400 ribbons that will be done at my home by a small group of women," said Doyle.

Joan lost her sister to ovarian cancer after an almost six-year battle when she was diagnosed at stage 3. In memory of her sister, Joan coordinates the volunteers and the Turn the Town Teal campaign, which has grown into one of the largest "Turn The Town Teal" events in the country.

To help kick off this year's event, Doylestown Borough Mayor Noni West read from a proclamation at Monday night's borough council meeting recognizing the Turn the Town Teal campaign and declaring September as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in Doylestown Borough.

"We are proud to display the teal colored ribbons of ovarian cancer throughout our downtown area and we call upon residents, organizations and healthcare providers to raise awareness of ovarian cancer as well as all cancers and the importance of early detection to help those in our community live longer, healthier lives," said Mayor Noni West, reading from the proclamation.

Turn The Towns Teal coincides with National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in September. The mission is to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and its subtle symptoms and risk factors. Women of all ages, 10 to 80, are at risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Knowing the symptoms and risk factors can literally save a woman’s life. If detected in the early stages, the success rate is 90 to 95 percent. As of today, there is no conclusive early detection test. Often, ovarian cancer is diagnosed in its later stages.

"Come out and volunteer on Saturday and show Doylestown’s community spirit for this lifesaving cause," said Doyle. "If we can save even one woman’s life, we have succeeded."

For additional information, contact Joan Doyle, Doylestown coordinator of Turn The Towns Teal, at joanddoyle@gmail.com or call 215-262-4242.