Tips Tuesday: Paint Toes (or Nails) & Save Lives

I am dedicating this Tips Tuesday to a very special cause. I have seen this on a couple of blogs last week (Life of Meg and Handbag Obsessed) and thought it was very important and pretty cool. September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and to help raise awareness, paint your toes (or in my case your nails) teal.

I have had a lot of people comment on my nails last week, and every time they do so, I state I am doing this to bring awareness about ovarian cancer.

OPI Ski Teal We Drop

If you aren't sure about painting your nails teal, paint your toenails. My feet are in some serious need of TLC, so they are currently in hiding (or as I have been saying, rehab...ha!!).

But in all seriousness, ovarian cancer has historically been called the "silent killer" because the symptoms were not thought to develop until the chance of being cured was poor. Recent studies have proven this to be untrue, and the following are some symptoms likely to occur in women with ovarian cancer:

-- Bloating
-- Pelvic or abdominal pain
-- Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
-- Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)

Women with ovarian cancer report that symptoms are persistent and represent a change from normal for their bodies. The frequency and/or number of such symptoms are key factors in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Several studies show that even early stage ovarian cancer can produce these symptoms.

Women who have these symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks should see their doctor, preferably a gynecologist. Prompt medical evaluation may lead to detection at the earliest possible stage of the disease. Early stage diagnosis is associated with an improved prognosis.

Ovarian cancer is the 5th leading cause of death among U.S. women, but if diagnosed early there is a 93% chance of survival rate.

Visit http://www.tealtoes.org/ for more information and to find even more resources about ovarian cancer.