Eva Longoria is nothing like the character she plays on Desperate Housewives. Unlike Gabriel, she proves she is much more than a pretty face by always making time for important causes.
She arrived looking radiant in a pretty pink and red dress to the “Night of Hope” event last night. The event was hosted by L’Oréal Paris and all proceeds raised at the event were given to The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund research programs.
Eva was among many other famous faces including Andie MacDowell, Diane Keaton, Kerry Washington, Brittany Murphy, Jaime Pressly, Nia Vardalos, Joan Chen, Rita Wilson and Brook Lyons.
Get the Facts About Ovarian Cancer
Did you know???
Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancers in the United States, and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women. According to the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that 22,430 women will be diagnosed with this cancer in the U.S. in 2007, and about 15,280 women will die from the disease. A woman’s lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is 1 in 67; it is an insidious disease that often strikes without warning and without cause. The symptoms of ovarian cancer are often vague and subtle, making it difficult to diagnose.
Currently there is no effective means of early detection for the disease. As a result, ovarian cancer is usually diagnosed in advanced stages and only 50% of women survive longer than five years. Today, only 25% of cases are diagnosed in the early stages, i.e., before the cancer has spread beyond the ovary to the pelvic region. However, if ovarian cancer is detected and treated early, the five-year survival rate is greater than 90%.
Until we have an effective way to detect ovarian cancer, we urge all women to become educated about the disease so she can act independently to protect her health.
Listen to your body. Do not ignore symptoms.Signs & Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer
• Vague but persistent and unexplained gastrointestinal complaints such as gas, nausea,
and indigestion
• Abdominal bloating, pelvic and/or abdominal pain, and/or feeling of fullness
• Unexplained change in bowel habits (constipation or diarrhea)
• Unexplained weight gain or loss
• Frequency and/or urgency of urination
• Unusual fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• New and unexplained abnormal postmenopausal vaginal bleeding
Risk Factors
• Increasing age, with highest occurrence in women over 50
• Family or personal history of ovarian, breast, endometrial, or colon cancer
(only 10% of cases are linked to family history, however)
• Uninterrupted ovulation (having no pregnancies; infertility, low parity)
• Presence of BRCA1 or BRCA 2 gene mutations
Prevention & Risk Reduction
• Use of oral contraceptives for more than five years can reduce your risk by approximately 50%
• Multiple pregnancies, having first full-term pregnancy before the age of 25
• Breast feeding
• Hysterectomy/Tubal ligation substantially reduces risk
• Removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes (oopherectomy) dramatically reduces, but does not completely eliminate, risk of developing ovarian cancer.
For more information and to join the fight against Ovarian Cancer, visit:
Filed under: Eva Longoria | Tagged: Andie MacDowell, Brittany Murphy, Cancer, Diane Keaton, Eva Longoria, Jaime Pressly, Joan Chen, Kerry Washington, Nia Vardalos, Rita Wilson and Brook Lyons.
