Why Early Detection?

One in 72 women will face ovarian cancer in their lifetime.  More than 22,000 women are diagnosed annually, and only 15% of cases are diagnosed early.  Less than half of the women diagnosed this year will be alive in five years.

There is no reliable early detection test to screen for ovarian cancer.  Additionally, ovarian cancer symptoms can be vague and easily attributed to other causes, which increases the likelihood that women will experience a misdiagnosis or late diagnosis.  

We believe that the pursuit for early detection is the difference between life and death - the chance to fight it, to beat it, to live!

Our Impact 

The Laura Crandall Brown Foundation is the only nonprofit organization in Alabama whose research focus is dedicated solely to funding the early detection of ovarian cancer.  To date, we have funded more than $250,000 in research grants for this purpose, including grants to the following institutions:

• Abramson Cancer Center - University of Pennsylvania (2011)
• Mitchell Cancer Institute - University of South Alabama (2012)
• University of Alabama at Birmingham, Division of GYN Oncology (2013) - Click here for a research update on this grant.
• Ovarian Cancer Institute - Georgia Institute of Technology (2014)
• Stephenson Cancer Center - University of Oklahoma (2016) - Click here for a research update on this grant.