NONI'S WISH

Noni’s wish is Vein Specialists’ foundation in organization with a mission to further the education of the public and increase general awareness of the warning signs, risk factors, and clinical symptoms of ovarian cancer. Gloria “Noni” Nispel was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer around Labor Day of 2002 at the age of 65. After a nine-month courageous and difficult battle with ovarian cancer, she passed on to a more peaceful place. Her presenting symptoms, like in many other patients, were mistaken for another illness. In her case, a gastrointestinal illness, and by the time the diagnosis was rendered, she had widespread disease. Dr. Magnant, along with his wife Patty, have organized this foundation as a tribute to his late mother-in-law, Gloria “Noni” Nispel, and for the thousands of other women in the U.S. who will die this year of this disease.

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cancer related cause of death among women in the U.S. and causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. Each year, about 20,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and about 15,000 women die from this disease. The majority of cases are not diagnosed until the disease is in advanced stages and the survival compromised. Women and their physicians may not recognize the symptoms early enough, and too often, women who are at high risk are not identified or monitored. In addition, physicians may dismiss or misdiagnose women with the disease. Often times the symptoms may be misread as gastrointestinal in origin, generalized bloating, or other vague complaints. Through continued research, efforts at increasing public awareness, and further clarification of high risk patient populations with more intensive and accurate screening exams, our hope is to make a significant contribution to the cause of instituting earlier therapy and eventually of finding a cure for ovarian cancer.