Student looking to do big things against ovarian cancer
BY TOM SHORTELL Staff Writer
Sept. 17th, 2009
MIDDLETOWN — Courtney Mackrell leads something of a double life. In one, she’s an honor roll student at Thorne Middle School, where she’s a member of the cheerleading squad known for her upbeat personality.
In the other, she’s a young woman at the center of an ovarian cancer awareness movement in the township. The eighthgrader earned a proclamation from the Township Committee for organizing Paint the Town Teal, a month-long event where teal ribbons are put up to promote early detection of the cancer. She’s also reached out to businesses and restaurants throughout the area, asking them to place posters in their windows.
The disease became a part of Courtney’s life when her grandmother was diagnosed with stage-three ovarian cancer three years ago, she said. Though patients at this stage have only a 20 percent survival rate over five years, her grandmother’s case has gone into remission. Still, it served as a wake-up call to Courtney.
“You don’t want to hear about someone you love having such a terrible cancer,” she said.
An estimated 22,000 woman were diagnosed with ovarian cancer last year, according to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, a group that lobbies for better education and more funding to prevent the disease. The group estimates another 15,000 women died of the disease in the same year.
Ovarian cancer is most often diagnosed in its later stages, which results in higher mortality rates, said Kathy Mackrell, Courtney’s mother. Though accurate screening tests for ovarian cancer currently are not available, the Mackrells have started fundraising efforts and awareness drives to change that.
Courtney spent about eight hours tying approximately 500 teal ribbons in locations around the township with four other girls this month. She also made a presentation to the faculty of Thorne Middle School on the teachers’ first day of school, asking them to wear teal ribbon pins for the month of September.
“It’s not easy for a kid her age to get up and speak in front of adults. She’s a diamond in the rough,” said Alvaro Cores, Thorne’s principal. The school now collects donations at its front office for Kaleidoscope of Hope, the charity group Courtney works with, he said.
Last year, Cores made Courtney the school’s first Citizen of the Month, an award he started that recognizes leadership and community values.
“She represents the values we hold on to at Thorne. She embodies everything we try to pass on,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kathy Mackrell has started her own awareness group, United Ovarian Cancer Support. The group has created a cookbook containing recipes from ovariancancer survivors from every state and some other countries.
“I’ll give all of the money to research for a cure or an early detection test. That [early detection] is most likely the only thing I’ll see in my lifetime,” Kathy Mackrell said.
While Courtney acknowledges that most teenagers don’t travel to conventions or organize fundraisers for scientific research, she said her efforts are producing results. Her teachers encourage her to keep up the work, and other classmates have started similar efforts for other diseases and cancers, she said.
“Why just do little things when you can do big things?” she asked.
To learn more about ovarian cancer awareness, visit unitedovariancancersupport.org or kohnj.org.
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