On Friday, September 4th, National Wear Teal Day, more than 70 UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy students gathered in the Lobby wearing various shades of teal to raise awareness for ovarian cancer.  National Wear Teal Day initiated the Lambda Chapter’s Ovarian Cancer Awareness Campaign that has continued to expand over the month of September.

Partnering with APhA’s Women’s Health Patient Care Project, the Lambda Chapter coordinated an Ovarian Cancer Survivors Teaching Students Lunch & Learn on the final day of Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. Three local ovarian cancer survivors spoke at a school-wide event about the specific signs and symptoms they experienced prior to their diagnoses.  Their powerful, personal stories educated student pharmacists about specific side effects associated with their therapeutic regimens. Coordinating with KE’s Beta Mu Chapter at UNC’s satellite campus, the event was video teleconferenced to Asheville-based students.  By selling pizza and collecting donations for teal ribbons, the KE Sisters raised over $150 for the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.  Even the Potential New Members attributed to the event’s success by baking teal-accented desserts.

Although Ovarian Cancer Awareness month has come to an end, the Lambda Chapter’s awareness campaign will continue to grow.  This spring, we will coordinate a “Flock the Yard” campaign in parallel with a local organization, where students will have the opportunity to purchase or adopt teal flamingos with tags around their necks indicating the donator or the person being honored. Over the course of the adoption period, students will watch as the flock continues to grow in the school courtyard. The Lambda Chapter adopted their own teal flamingo to be placed in the local organization’s front yard in Clemmons, North Carolina, this past April.  More information about Clemmon’s “Flock the Yard” initiative can be found at No to O.

Photo: University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy Students on National Wear Teal Day, September 4th, raising awareness for ovarian cancer.