Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) is a not-for-profit organization focused on
ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous tumor of an ovary. It may originate from the ovary itself or more commonly from communicating nearby structures such as fallopian tubes or the inner lining of the abdomen. The ovary is made up of three different c ...
research, advocacy and patient support. The organization was formed in January 2016 when the former not-for-profit organization
Ovarian Cancer Research Fund
Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) is a not-for-profit organization focused on ovarian cancer research, advocacy and patient support. The organization was formed in January 2016 when the former not-for-profit organization Ovarian Cancer Res ...
, which focused primarily on ovarian cancer research, combined with Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, which focused primarily on ovarian cancer advocacy and support programs, to form one organization.
History
The former Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) was founded in December 1994, as the Ann Schreiber Ovarian Cancer Research Fund by Sol Schreiber in memory of his wife, Ann, who died of
ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous tumor of an ovary. It may originate from the ovary itself or more commonly from communicating nearby structures such as fallopian tubes or the inner lining of the abdomen. The ovary is made up of three different c ...
. The organization later became the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. In 1997,
Liz Tilberis
Elizabeth Jane Tilberis (née Kelly; 7 September 1947 – 21 April 1999) was a British fashion magazine editor of Manx and English ancestry.
Tilberis was born in Shirehampton, Bristol in 1947Harper's Bazaar'' and also battling ovarian cancer, became the organization's first president. Tilberis, with help from
Donna Karan
Donna Karan (, born Donna Ivy Faske), also known as "DK", is an American fashion designer and the creator of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY clothing labels.
Early life
Karan was born Donna Ivy Faske to mother Helen "Queenie" Faske (née Rabin ...
, started the organization's signature fundraiser, Super Saturday, hosting the first one in 1998 in the Hamptons in New York. Prior to becoming Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund was the oldest and largest charity in the United States funding ovarian cancer research.
The former Ovarian Cancer National Alliance (OCNA) was founded in 1997 by the leaders of several ovarian cancer organizations. Prior to becoming the eventual merge of the two organizations, OCNA was a leading ovarian cancer organization in the United States focusing on federal advocacy, awareness and patient support programs.
Research
As of December 2018, since inception of the original organization, OCRA has awarded 297 research grants to scientists at 73 medical institutions, totaling over $80 million.
The majority of ovarian cancer research funding in the United States comes from two government sources—the
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) coordinates the United States National Cancer Program and is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is one of eleven agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ...
and
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national sec ...
. OCRA is the largest non-governmental funding source of ovarian cancer research. OCRA research grants are approved by a committee of gynecologic oncologists and scientists treating or studying ovarian cancer.
Grant-making programs
Through grant-making programs, OCRA funds scientific research at cancer centers and academic research centers in the U.S. The first grants were awarded in 1998. OCRFA offers three research grants:
* Collaborative Research Development Grant: OCRFA's largest grant ($900,000 over three years) is for senior investigators with established research careers, and provides funding for large ovarian cancer research projects that involve several investigators within one institution or collaborations between groups in multiple institutions. ($300,000 per year for three years)
* Liz Tilberis Early Career Award: This award is for junior faculty, and supports a time commitment to research and academic endeavors in ovarian cancer. ($150,000 per year for three years).
* Ann and Sol Schreiber Mentored Investigator Award: This award was created in 2003, and funds clinical fellows or post-doctoral fellows working under the supervision of a mentor who is considered a leader in the field of ovarian cancer research. ($75,000 over one or two years)
*Rosalind Franklin Prize for Excellence in Ovarian Cancer Research: This annual award was introduced in 2005 in honour of Rosalind Franklin, discoverer of key chemical properties for the correct description of the structure of DNA and died of ovarian cancer in 1958.
OCRA selects research projects through a peer-review process, conducted once each year by a panel of advisors called the Scientific Advisory Committee, which is chaired by Jeff Boyd of the Florida International University and Miami Cancer Institute.
Less than 10% of applicants are awarded grants. Institutions that have received the most grants include
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (colloquially MD Anderson Cancer Center) is a comprehensive cancer center in Houston, Texas. It is the largest cancer center in the U.S. and one of the original three comprehensive cancer centers ...
,
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
,
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Fox Chase Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center research facility and hospital located in the Fox Chase section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The main facilities of the center are loca ...
clinical trial
Clinical trials are prospective biomedical or behavioral research studies on human participants designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, including new treatments (such as novel vaccines, drugs, diet ...
enrollment with an ovarian cancer clinical trial finder on its website.
Advocacy
OCRA works with federal policy makers, including the President, Congress, and federal agencies like the
Food and Drug Administration
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respon ...
(FDA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). OCRA commits its resources to be a voice for ovarian cancer survivors and to significantly reduce the number of deaths from this deadly disease by advocating at the federal level for:
* Adequate and sustained funding for ovarian cancer research and awareness programs.
* Legislation that improves quality of life and access to care for cancer patients.
Advocacy Day
Advocacy Day takes place on Capitol Hill. Ovarian cancer survivors meet one-on-one with elected officials to share their personal stories as well as ask for support on a number of federal efforts aimed at sustaining or increasing funding for federal ovarian cancer research, awareness and support.
Support
OCRA's support programs focus on helping women and their families before, during and beyond diagnosis.
nurse practitioners
A nurse practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice registered nurse and a type of mid-level practitioner. NPs are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, formulate and prescribe ...
, nurses and physician assistants—to increase their understanding of ovarian cancer symptoms and risk factors so that they will be able to diagnose the disease when it is in its earlier, most treatable stages.
Ovarian Cancer National Conference
The OCRFA Ovarian Cancer National Conference provides expert sessions on topics such as clinical trials, early detection, and treatment through various forums and lectures from renowned clinicians and researchers. Survivors and their families also can attend workshops and events on issues about living with ovarian cancer.
Woman to Woman Program
In 2011 the former OCRF began a national expansion of Woman to Woman, a local program originating at Mount Sinai Hospital. This program pairs volunteer gynecologic cancer survivors with women recently diagnosed and actively going through treatment, and offers information and support for caregivers. Woman to Woman program sites are selected through an application process. OCRFA gives each selected institution a one-year, $50,000 grant to cover the cost of a part-time program coordinator, with remaining funds allotted to a patient fund. Newly established Woman to Woman programs are expected to become self-funding after the first year.
Community Partner Program
OCRFA works with not-for-profit organizations across the United States to share information and put forth a unified national voice for the ovarian cancer movement. This program was established by the former Ovarian Cancer National Alliance and was formerly called the Partner Member Program.
Events
The first OCRF ovarian cancer awareness broadcast and print public service announcements were created in partnership with
L'Oréal
L'Oréal S.A. () is a French personal care company headquartered in Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine with a registered office in Paris. It is the world's largest cosmetics company and has developed activities in the field concentrating on hair color, ...
and featured
Andie MacDowell
Rosalie Anderson MacDowell (born April 21, 1958) is an American actress and former fashion model. MacDowell's known for her starring film roles in romantic comedies and dramas. MacDowell has modeled for Calvin Klein and has been a spokeswoman ...
. Since then, OCRA has been included in print and online publications, including books, national and international magazines and local newspapers, as a resource for ovarian cancer information.
Contributions to public discourse on ovarian cancer in are done through various forums, including Letters to the Editor in ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
''.
The organization has four signature events. The earliest established, called Super Saturday, is an annual fundraiser held in Water Mill, New York. Super Saturday was founded in 1998 by fashion designer Donna Karan, and late OCRF President and Editor-In-Chief of ''Harper's Bazaar'', Liz Tilberis. It is dubbed the "Rolls-Royce of garage sales" by The New York Times, and has been hosted by
Kelly Ripa
Kelly Ripa (; born October 2, 1970) is an American actress and talk show host. Since 2001, she has been the co-host of the syndicated morning talk show '' Live! with Kelly and Ryan'' in various formats.
As an actress, Ripa's best known roles ...
and sponsored by Donna Karan, QVC and
InStyle
''InStyle'' was an American monthly women's fashion magazine founded in 1994. It was published in the United States by Dotdash Meredith. In February 2022, it was announced that InStyle would cease print publications and move to a digital-only f ...
. Super Saturday includes a "garage sale" of new designer products, a live on-site QVC broadcast, a children's carnival, and other activities. In 2013, Super Saturday raised $3.5 million for Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.
The Legends Gala was sponsored for several years by L'Oréal Paris, and is held every other year. A 2011 Gala was held at the American Museum of Natural History, and was hosted by
Julianna Margulies
Julianna Margulies (; born June 8, 1966) is an American actress. After several small television roles, Margulies achieved wide recognition for her starring role as Carol Hathaway on NBC's long-running medical drama series '' ER'' (1994–2009) ...
. The gala has raised nearly $19 million since 2002, and typically honors individuals from a range of industries. Past honorees have included
Sherry Lansing
Sherry Lansing (born Sherry Lee Duhl; July 31, 1944) is an American philanthropist and retired film studio executive. She is a former CEO of Paramount Pictures and president of production at 20th Century Fox. In 1996, she became the first woman ...
,
Trudie Styler
Trudie Styler (born 6 January 1954) is an English actress and film producer.
Early life and family
Styler was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, the daughter of Pauline and Harry Styler, a farmer and factory worker. When Styler was two years ...
, Terry Lundgren, and Kathy Black.
A signature "Stand Up for Madeline and OCRA" comedy event is held annually in tribute to
Madeline Kahn
Madeline Gail Kahn ('' née'' Wolfson; September 29, 1942 – December 3, 1999) was an American actress, comedian and singer, known for comedic roles in films directed by Peter Bogdanovich and Mel Brooks, including '' What's Up, Doc?'' (1972), ' ...
, who died from ovarian cancer. Her husband, John W. Hansbury, joined the Board of Directors of Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and created the comedy event which is held at
Carolines on Broadway
Carolines on Broadway is a venue for stand-up comedy situated at 750 Seventh Avenue, on Broadway between 49th and 50th Streets, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City.
History
Caroline Hirsch opened Carolines as a cabaret in ...
.
In 2012, Ovarian Cycle, formerly an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, became a signature event series of the organization. Ovarian Cycle had previously held indoor cycling events to raise money for ovarian cancer research with the organization a national charity recipient of a portion of Ovarian Cycle's annual fundraising.
Partners
Through corporate sponsorships and cause-marketing campaigns, the organization has received support from a variety of companies. Some sponsors have included QVC, L'Oréal Paris,
Electrolux
Electrolux AB () is a Swedish multinational home appliance manufacturer, headquartered in Stockholm. It is consistently ranked the world's second largest appliance maker by units sold, after Whirlpool.
Electrolux products sell under a variety ...
,
Alex and Ani
Alex and Ani is an American retailer and producer of jewelry located in Cranston, Rhode Island.
History
The firm was founded in 2004 by Carolyn Rafaelian. The name comes from a combination of the first names of Rafaelian's two daughters. T ...
, and
LeSportsac
LeSportsac Inc. is an American handbag, luggage, and travel accessories company. It is owned currently by Itochu Corp.
Company
LeSportsac, Inc. started in 1974, by Melvin and Sandra Schifter as a travel accessories retail company that introdu ...
.
Accountability
Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance has a four-star rating from independent charity evaluator Charity Navigator, and ranks among the top 10% of all four-star rated charities. OCRA is also a Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity that meets the BBB Wise Giving Alliance accreditation standards for charity accountability, and has had their seal since 2010. Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance is a Silver-level GuideStar Exchange participant. In October 2012, ''
Self
The self is an individual as the object of that individual’s own reflective consciousness. Since the ''self'' is a reference by a subject to the same subject, this reference is necessarily subjective. The sense of having a self—or ''selfhoo ...
'' magazine ranked then-OCRF as one of the three best cancer charities."Give Back and Make it Count" SELF Magazine, October 2012, Marjorie Korn, p.130