Sept. 12 marked the first Totally TEAL Tuesday and Teal Walk without Mary Gosek.
Mary, the wife of Oswego State men’s hockey head coach Ed Gosek, passed away at 55 on Saturday, June 3 after battling with Stage 3 ovarian cancer since 2012.
Mary worked on campus for 34 years as a computer program analyst. She was also known around campus for her relationship with the Oswego community and all the work she put forth helping raise awareness for ovarian cancer, the silent killer.
According to a card circulated by representatives of Hope for Heather, a Pap test does not detect the disease, and the lifetime risk is 1 in 72. Women of all ages are at risk, though the risk increases with age. Symptoms are vague and may vary, making this form of cancer difficult to detect. Hope for Heather also said that women who have had a hysterectomy are still at risk of ovarian cancer.
It was Mary’s goal with the Totally TEAL campaign to help raise and spread awareness to women everywhere. According to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance, ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer among women, but is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. 46.2 percent of women survive more than five years, according to the same site.
These frightening statistics drove Mary to help the campaign impact as many people as possible, not just those in the Oswego community.
Even without Mary helping every step of the way, this fight will live on by us continuing to help spread knowledge about symptoms, early detection and statistics, as well as support for those diagnosed with the disease.
That was evident this past Tuesday in the turnout for this year’s Totally TEAL Walk around Glimmerglass Lagoon. Mary’s resilient attitude through all the fighting showed just what kind of person she was and the inspiration she provided.
Given that, in order to keep her work alive and well, more students should get involved. Women should definitely be aware of how to spot the horrible disease. Even more so, the campus must be a sea of teal, a representation of a united front against what is often a silent killer.
Come Tuesday, let the campus turn teal. Let survivors’ voices be heard and most importantly, spread the word.
