Cancer Victim Raises Money to Fight Disease

Spirit of Medford Woman Lives on in 3rd Annual ‘Step Up and Break the Silence’ Walk

The organizing committee at the first annual Sisters Against Ovarian Cancer walk in 2008. Founding member Marie Spinale, who passed away last year, is third from left. Courtesy photo.

– Heidi Walsh

Sisters Against Ovarian Cancer will be hosting their third annual walk in honor of their founding member, Marie Spinale, on September 11th at the Stoneham Zoo. The goals of the “Step Up and Break the Silence” walk are to raise awareness of ovarian cancer, educate those at risk, and fund research for life-saving screening and treatment programs.

Sisters Against Ovarian Cancer were founded in 2007 by Medford resident Marie Spinale, who courageously battled the disease for three years before her death in 2009. Marie became an inspiration to those around her when she created the SAOC to help others fight the same disease.

“I needed to have a way of dealing with everything that had happened to me in the last two years,” said Marie in a statement on the organization’s website. It is my hope that we can make a difference by raising awareness and also raising money for ovarian cancer research.”

According to organizing committee member Judy Budny, in 2008 the group managed to pull 186 registered walkers and in 2009 an even larger turnout of 211 people registered for SAOC’s walk.

Proceeds for this walk 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. The SAOC has raised over $115,000 for ovarian cancer research to date. This year, the group has so far raised $11,150 toward their $60,000 goal.

The five mile walk starts at the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, circles Spot Pond, and ends at the zoo.

“Marie is an inspiration to everyone who knew her,” said sister Judy Kurn. “She wanted to make a small difference in the huge world of ovarian cancer. SAOC is trying to continue her legacy of helping to find a cure.”

The SAOC Committee is comprised of seven women. The members are Marie’s sister, Susan Morais, her best friends from childhood, Linda D’Orsi and Kathie Keenan, and friends she met later in life, Carol Powers, Maureen Foster, Dianne McCartin and Judy Kurn. The organizing committee is always seeking new members to help and can be reached at sistersagainstoc@gmail.com.