July 2, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, AL — The North Jefferson Quilter’s Guild will present a quilt to the UAB Ovarian Cancer Support Group, a service of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Comprehensive Cancer Center. The quilt, comprised of fabric decorated with teal ovarian cancer awareness ribbons, will be displayed for educational and awareness purposes. It will be presented during a celebration to take place Tuesday, July 8 at 10 a.m. at the Mt. Olive Community Center.
Several members of the Guild have personal connections to both ovarian cancer and the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. Guild President Betty Kimbrell of Mt. Olive is an ovarian cancer survivor, while another member recently completed ovarian cancer treatment at the UAB Ovarian Cancer Interdisciplinary Center. Another member, Debbie Gilbert, is a clinical studies data manager at the Cancer Center.
The idea for the quilt originated in November when six of the Guild members attended a quilting convention in Houston, where representatives from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center distributed materials to make squares for a quilt honoring and memorializing ovarian cancer patients. “Our original intent was to send the [individual] squares back to M.D. Anderson,” Kimbrell said. “But then we thought it would be wonderful to make a quilt and give it to someone locally.”
The quilt took only a few months to complete and measures 56 inches by 56 inches. It will be displayed at educational events and at the UAB Ovarian Cancer Interdisciplinary Center.
This year, an estimated 25,400 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which accounts for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center is recognized as a national leader in research and treatment for the disease, and is the recipient of a prestigious $9-million Ovarian SPORE grant (Specialized Program of Research Excellence) from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The UAB Ovarian Cancer Interdisciplinary Center provides complete care for patients with the disease, including diagnosis, treatment and access to clinical trials. In addition, it serves as a central location for the screening and evaluation of women who may be at high risk for developing the disease.
The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center was designated by the National Cancer Institute in 1973 as one of the first 11 comprehensive centers in the country, and has maintained its designation for more than 30 years. Considered among the elite of cancer research centers, the Cancer Center ranks as one of the nation’s leaders in developing novel bio-therapies, such as cancer vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, and placing these drugs quickly into patient care settings. The Center is also a leader in both translational research and multidisciplinary care, providing cutting-edge health care for patients from Alabama and beyond.