Morrisville Turns Town Teal For Cancer Awareness

MORRISVILLE, PA —Throughout the borough, the "Teal Tea Foundation" has made its mark.

You'll see the ribbons marking "National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month" for September, a tradition the borough has done for the past decade.

Starting in September, volunteers of the local chapter —which serves Pennsylvania and New Jersey —hung teal-colored bows on the trees around town in all public spaces. The bows will remain for the rest of the month.

In June, the Morrisville Borough Council approved "Turning the Town Teal," a movement in practice for the past 10 years, said Borough Councilwoman Nancy Sherlock, who is also a foundation trustee.

By hanging ribbons. Sherlock said the borough is bringing attention to this insidious disease that kills about 13,000 women each year.

She said that the nearby "Trenton Makes" bridge also is displaying teal lights through the middle of the month.

There is no test for ovarian cancer. It ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, Sherlock said.

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.

Anyone interested in hanging a bow on their home can pick one up at Morrisville Borough Hall.

On Wednesday, the group is honoring all women in Pennsylvania and New Jersey who have died in 2022 by meeting in the middle of the Trenton Makes Bridge to say a few words.

"We encourage everyone to be vigilant about their health and visit their doctor if they experience any change in their health," Sherlock said. "We continue to try and make everyone aware of this insidious disease."

(Photo Courtesy of Nancy Sherlock)