Ovarian Cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women according to the American Cancer Society. A woman has a one in seventy eight chance of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime also according to the American Cancer Society. The UK Markey Cancer Center Ovarian Cancer Screening program has been in existence since 1987 and has been and is currently working to combat this “silent killer.” The screening program provides free annual sonographic screenings to women across Kentucky with the goal of detecting cancer early.  According to statistics from the program, more than 47,000 participants have received more than 310,000 free screenings or more than 1200 per month. Members of the Muhlenberg County Homemakers Association have been involved in raising funds for this program since the late 1990’s. They have utilized a bean supper, silent auction, and live auction the last several years to generate funds for this worthwhile cause. They included a quilt raffle for the 2019 fund raising efforts. The current treasurer of the Homemakers Association reported that they have given $27,262.50 since 2012.The 2019 event resulted in the Muhlenberg County Homemakers raising and donating the largest sum since their involvement with the program.  They donated a total of $5,725 to the UK Markey Cancer Center Ovarian Cancer Research and Screening Program. This resulted in the Association taking home the honor of first place in the KEHA Ovarian Cancer Donations. Not only did they win first place as a group but they also won first place for individual donations. This is the first time they have won these honors. The Muhlenberg County Homemaker treasurer stated “ This just shows the hard work we have put into this.”  

Mary Baxter, Muhlenberg County Extension Homemaker treasurer, left and Martha Sue Hargrove, Muhlenberg County Homemaker Program Committee Chair, right, display the quilt  that was raffled to help with the Ovarian Cancer Research and Screening Program.