Sisters Against Ovarian Cancer

About SAOC

Sisters Against Ovarian Cancer was founded in 2007 as an effort to raise awareness about ovarian cancer. Proceeds from all fundraisers and the annual Walk will support ovarian cancer research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center under the direction of Stephen A. Cannistra, M.D. Director of the Gynecologic Cancer Program at BIDMC.

Dr. Cannistra established this fund several years ago in order to foster research in the area of gynecologic malignancies such as ovarian cancer. His lab was the first to prove that the genes found in an individual patient's tumor can predict how she will respond to treatment. This observation has provided important leads in the exploration of ovarian cancer cells, specifically how these cells develop resistance to commonly used chemotherapy agents. The BIDMC team is continuing this important work to better understand the genetic basis for ovarian cancer, to identify novel proteins that might serve as screening tests, and to individualize treatments based upon each patient's tumor gene profile.

Our Mission Statement

Sisters Against Ovarian Cancer is a charitable organization founded to raise awareness regarding ovarian cancer, educate those at risk, and fund research for life-saving screening and treatment programs.