September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and on September 18, 2022, Foundation Medicine recognized and honored patients by participating in the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition’s (NOCC) Together in TEAL walk at Carson Beach in South Boston.

Participants in Together in TEAL raise money to support the programs and initiatives of the NOCC’s four pillars: early awareness, quality of life, research and community outreach. Foundation Medicine’s team came out in the hopes that together, we can achieve a future where no woman ever loses her life to ovarian cancer. Several Together in TEAL events took place around the country, and Foundation Medicine was proud to be a teal market partner, sponsoring this year’s event in Boston.

Joyce, Program Manager, Corporate Program Management Office, participated in the event with her mom Kathy, who was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer in the fall of 2016. Their team “My ovary is gone... but not forgotten” was comprised of family and friends who came together to support not only Kathy, but the community that has gotten her through so much.

“It’s just really important for my mom to do this and be a part of this community that has really rallied around her, and to help other women who are in similar circumstances,” Joyce explained.

Joyce’s journey to Foundation Medicine was in part inspired by what her mother went through during her treatment. “A huge attribution to my mom still being here and doing as well as she is, is that we understand the mutations and the specifics of her cancer, and her care team is able to find the right treatments for her. It’s a really powerful thing,” she said. “Knowing that we are creating tools that physicians can use to support their patients in their cancer journeys is inspiring and motivating.”

She is grateful to be a part of a community like Foundation Medicine that steps outside of the office and lab to be there for patients, caregivers, physicians, and partners. “It’s such a great community. We’re all here for a reason, and we all know we’re here for a reason. Knowing that that support extends outside the lab and the confines of our offices is really empowering. When my family saw Foundation Medicine was sponsoring the Together in TEAL walk, they were excited to see that support extended. I know my mom is jazzed about the fact that the company where I’ve worked for almost three years is one of the sponsors for this event.”

“It gives you a sense of true connection to the work that we do to remember that we’re not just dealing with patient samples, but we’re dealing with real patients, their families, their caregivers, their clinical teams, and even the biopharma industry. It’s humbling to remember and see the impacts that we make every single day represented by the people who are at this walk.”