Bluegrass Ovarian Cancer Support, Inc. BOCS

Founded in March 2008 by a handful of gynecologic cancer survivors, Bluegrass Ovarian Cancer Support Inc.'s primary goal is to offer a forum for sharing experiences, knowledge and assistance to those who face the unique challenges of these types of cancers.

Bluegrass Ovarian Cancer Support Inc. (BOCS) exists to help Central Kentuckians and their loved ones during diagnosis, treatment and survival of ovarian and other gynecologic cancers, and works to promote public awareness and education of these cancers.

Bluegrass Ovarian Cancer Support, Inc. board is run by dedicated volunteers.  

We provide "care bags" with a BOCS brochure, and some goodies, to the GYN oncology offices at the UK Markey Center and the Baptist Health Cancer Center to be distributed to those newly diagnosed with ovarian or other gynecologic cancers.   

We are community partners with Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance.  We are the Central Kentucky facilitator for the Survivors Teaching Students® program where healthcare students hear from survivors and caregivers in an classroom setting.  We sponsor attendance of survivors including those in treatment for the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance annual virtual conference.   Several of us are mentors in the W2W program.

Each September, we coordinate hanging teal bows in Lexington and surrounding cities, as well as other locations, as part of Turn the Towns Teal® - a national campaign for ovarian and gynecologic cancer awareness.  Volunteers and partners hang teal bows with a URL to get more information on OC and GYN cancers.  

Each month, our support group of survivors, and those in treatment, and friends or family meet by Zoom or in person, alternating months.  At these monthly meetups, we either meet for a meal or typically have a speaker for continuing education and awareness on various aspects of the cancer journey on Zoom nights.  

Annually, we along with caregivers, friends, healthcare providers and community partners, celebrate survivors including those in treatment, with a luncheon and gift bags, door prizes and awards.