As MOCA celebrates our 20th anniversary this year, we are profiling a MOCA supporter each month. Some will have long-standing ties with our organization, and some will have connected with us more recently. They’ll all share a common thread of caring deeply about MOCA’s mission.
Our June profile is focused on a woman who been with MOCA since our early days – Allynne Burg. She is a 27-year survivor of ovarian cancer and shares what MOCA means to her in this profile.
Tell us how you first become connected with MOCA.
I was diagnosed with Stage IIC ovarian cancer in 1992, seven years before MOCA would be founded. After my diagnosis, I had attended support groups for people with all types of cancers, since there weren’t dedicated groups for women with ovarian cancer before MOCA.
While it fills a very important need for many, I found that groups that deal with all cancers made it difficult for me to communicate how I felt and how I was dealing with my disease.
Five years after my diagnosis, I was considered cancer-free, however, it was still important for me to connect with others who had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
My Nurse Practitioner, Sue McIntyre, introduced me to MOCA right after it started. MOCA came to my rescue – providing community and support.
How have you have been involved with MOCA?
Since being connected with MOCA, I participate in the HOM Teal Strides for Ovarian Cancer Walk/Run and attend educational meetings and other events. Being part of MOCA continues to be very important to me as a survivor.
What is your hope for the next 20 years of MOCA?
I have so many hopes for the next 20 years of MOCA! I hope they continue to raise the funds needed for ovarian cancer research, so we find an early detection test and better treatments.
I also value the information and awareness they raise, and I hope that continues, so more people know about ovarian cancer.
I have big plans to mark the 20th anniversary of MOCA and my 27th year of survivorship! I plan on attending HOM Teal Strides for Ovarian Cancer on Saturday, Sept. 14 and other events and meetings this year. And I will continue to financially support MOCA and their efforts because I believe in their work.
