Recognizing the need to alert women of the silent symptoms of ovarian cancer and to help local patients who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, the Pollino family will host a benefit, "Angels Among Us" in tribute to their deceased mother, Judy Pollino.
Proceeds from the event will raise money to help create the Judy Pollino Memorial Cancer Treatment Fund at the W.C.A. Foundation and will aid WCA Hospital in the fight against ovarian cancer.
The "Angels Among Us" benefit will be held on Saturday at the Falconer Rod & Gun Club on Buffalo Street Extension, Falconer, from 3 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 each and include a chicken barbecue. The event will also feature a basket giveaway, 50/50 giveaway, children's face-painting and duck pond, a pocket lady, ring toss and weather permitting, outdoor horse shoes and cornhole tournament. Music will be provided by DJ Gill Star Search Productions.
"My mother passed away from ovarian cancer two years ago," said Tammy Pollino-Hallett, daughter of Judy Pollino. "Our mother was such a giving and loving person and I know she would have wanted to do all she could to help other women in their fight against ovarian cancer. During her lifetime, she collected angels and so our family thought it was only fitting to name this event 'Angels Among Us.' My mom was, and still is an angel among us. We hope our community will attend this fun-filled day and stand alongside the Pollino family and WCA Hospital in our fight against ovarian cancer."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among U.S. women. The symptoms of ovarian cancer are often vague and subtle, making it difficult to detect and diagnose. Common symptoms include bloating, pelvic and/or abdominal pan, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly and urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency). If a woman is experiencing these symptoms for two or more weeks, and if they are new and unusual for her, she should see her physician, according to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, the leading organization dedicated to eradicating ovarian cancer, to provide ovarian cancer education and support women fighting the disease.
Family members of the Pollino family including Tammy Pollino-Hallett, Laurie Pollino Wade, Lisa Pollino Peterson, Angelo Pollino, Lillian Olsen and their spouses and children will gather together during the event to welcome the community and celebrate the memory of Judy Pollino.
"It is not only a chance for our family to join one another and take part in this worthy cause, but an opportunity to open our doors to the community to help support a cause that very near and dear to our families' hearts," Ms. Pollino-Hallett said.
Individual donations and memorial gifts to the Judy Pollino Memorial Cancer Treatment Fund can be sent to the W.C.A. Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 214, Jamestown, NY 14702-0214 or by calling the W.C.A. Foundation at 664-5461.
