Elixir Teams Up With Local Ladies to Help Ovarian Cancer Research Fund

Elixir - a Local Lounge, Green Valley's hottest place to 'Relax, Dine and Play,' is teaming up with local ladies to help the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) in their fight against the disease with the first "TEAL Fight Night" on Sunday, Oct. 5.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m. guests can mix and mingle, bid on silent auction items, vie for raffle prizes and enjoy the entertainment of the evening as they give back to help the fight against ovarian cancer.

Guest entertainers and speakers will take the stage throughout the evening as ladies sip on signature cocktails and enjoy hors d'oeuvres. Specially crafted by the skilled bartenders at Elixir with coconut vodka, blue curacao, St. Germaine and sour, the TEAL (Take Early Action and Live) is the featured drink of the night. At a special price of $5, guests can delight in the delicious cocktail and know that all proceeds will benefit OCRF. Special guest attendees, including members from Chippendales, are also scheduled to appear.

Guests are invited to bid on lavish silent auction items including beauty packages, Vegas experiences, jewelry, sports packages, show tickets and much more. All proceeds from the silent auction go directly to OCRF. Throughout the evening, attendees can also purchase raffle tickets for a cash raffle at the end of the evening with one lucky winner splitting the raffle prize with OCRF.

Attendees can also honor those affected by ovarian cancer by visiting the "memory hall." In this special dedication area, guests can display memorials of their loved ones or create tributes throughout the evening to share. Here, all are invited to write words of inspiration and hope on provided cards. After the event, the staff at Elixir will take all messages to a local hospital and share them with patients going through cancer treatment.

In addition to all of the "TEAL Fight Night" activities, Elixir, joined by Remedy's Tavern and Distill - a Local Bar, are selling teal ribbons throughout the month of September leading up to the event. These remembrance ribbons will then be on display at the Ladies Night event in honor or in memory of those affected by ovarian cancer. All proceeds from the sales of the teal ribbons will benefit the OCRF.

Ovarian cancer is a disease affecting the ovaries, the reproductive organs responsible for producing eggs and female hormones. Ovarian cancer is often difficult to detect, because the symptoms of ovarian cancer -- such as bloating and appetite changes -- are similar to those of other non-cancerous conditions. There is no effective screening test for the early detection of ovarian cancer.

The pap smear tests for cervical cancer, not ovarian cancer. When ovarian cancer is detected and treated early, the five-year survival rate is greater than 92 percent. But only 20 percent of ovarian cancer cases are caught before the cancer has spread. Most patients are diagnosed at advanced stages, when the disease is harder to treat.

The good news is that today 50 percent of women are surviving more than five years after diagnosis -- a marked improvement from 30 or more years ago, when the survival rate was 10 to 20 percent. In spite of improvements in treatment, ovarian cancer accounts for more deaths than all other gynecologic cancers combined, and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among American women.

Approximately 22,000 U.S. women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, and about 15,500 women will die from the disease. One in 78 American women will develop ovarian cancer in her lifetime. Currently, there is no effective means of early detection.

Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) is the oldest and largest charity in the United States funding ovarian cancer research. Our mission is to fund scientific research that leads to more effective identification, treatment, and ultimately a cure for ovarian cancer, as well as related educational and support initiatives.

Since 1998, OCRF has awarded 217 grants to scientists at 65 leading medical centers in the U.S., an investment of nearly $60 million for ovarian cancer research. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, OCRF-sponsored investigators are developing innovative strategies for early detection; exploring the genetics that increase risk for ovarian cancer; understanding the underlying molecular biology of the disease; identifying new and better targets for treatment; and deciphering how and why ovarian cancer spreads, and how to stop it.

TEAL Fight Night begins at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 5 at Elixer, 2920 N. Green Valley Parkway just north of Sunset Road, The event is free to attend; guests must be 21 or older with valid ID. For more information, visit www.ocrf.org.