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MBA Students Forming a Team to ‘Make a Difference’ in Ovarian Cancer Fundraiser

One of the four organizers of the Jenkins MBA team has a special connection with this fundraiser, as he and his team mates described in an end-of-semester classroom presentation in May. They now are inviting fellow classmates and others in the College of Management community to join in and help the team reach its $1,000 goal.

‘My mother-in-law was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in July of 2009,” said Bill Borter, one of the team leaders. It took her a long time to get diagnosed in her coastal North Carolina community, but “through this organization, she was able to see a doctor at Duke within one week. They did surgery the following week, and she has been cancer free for a whole year now,” Borter said. The NC State Jenkins MBA team is running/walking to raise awareness for ovarian cancer and raise money for ovarian cancer research.

An early diagnosis and treatment increases survival rates significantly, according to the student team’s presentation. Those diagnosed in stage one, when the cancer is located in a woman’s reproductive organs, have a 90 percent survival rate. At stage two, when the cancer begins spreading upward into the small bowel and lymph nodes, the survival rate drops to 70 percent. Beyond that, the survival rate is 15 to 20 percent at stage three, and one to five percent at stage four.

Funds raised in this annual walk and run event are used to support the Duke Ovarian Cancer Research Program.

“During these challenging economic times, the need to come together as a community could not be stronger,” Borter states on his page in the event’s website. “Any amount, great or small, helps to raise money and awareness in our fight against ovarian cancer. Duke is making progress with new and better treatments and is continuing research to find an accurate screening test. “With your help, it will become a reality. I greatly appreciate any support that you can afford and will keep you posted on my progress,” he said.

The run begins at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 11. An educational forum opens at 9:30 a.m., and the Walk for the Cure begins at 10:30 a.m. Nearly 80 teams have already signed up.

To make a contribution or join the Jenkins MBA team, visit the Gail Parkins Memorial Ovarian Cancer Walk & 5K Run website and use the password NCState MBA to register or make a contribution.