Kerry Washington Talks Ovarian Cancer and Raising Awareness

If ovarian cancer survivors could pick a fantasy cheerleading squad, we'd do well to draft Kerry Washington. The actress and Color of Hope spokeswoman has adopted our underfunded and underrepresented disease as her cause, and she really knows her stuff.

I caught up with her recently at the L'Oreal Paris "Health & Hope Breakfast," held in honor of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and we talked symptoms and risk factors. Washington, whose film 'Mother and Child' recently debuted at the Toronto Film Festival, is as lovely in person as she is on screen, but she's more than just a pretty face fronting a campaign. She's informed, aware, and compassionate. Now, if we could just get her some teal poms-poms. Check out what she had to say in our Q&A.

Kerry, you often talk about getting involved with Color of Hope, in part, because your mom is a breast cancer survivor. Knowing your family history is important for women who may be at risk for both ovarian and breast cancers. Have you become more vigilant about your own health since your mom's diagnosis?

KW: Yes. My passion for raising awareness was born around my mother's diagnosis. I've been given an opportunity to support women's cancer issues in my personal and professional lives. It was really difficult at first when my mom got diagnosed, but our family talked about it, and it wasn't just the "C word" anymore. She put it all on the table, and, as a result, we developed fluidity around talking about health in our family.

I think as women, we tend not to talk to our physicians and ob/gyns. I've been to see mine so many times, but we really talked for the first time about health and cancer risks after my mom's diagnosis. Women are not taught to talk about our bodies. We're taught to say "down there." We're not taught to say vagina, uterus, ovaries -- the proper biological terms for our anatomy. I think we have to break free from the stigmas we assign to our bodies.

Looking good goes a long way toward feeling good, especially for survivors who are likely to lose their hair. You work in an industry where your physical appearance is always on display. What advice would you give to women who, because of their treatment, shed the things we associate with beauty?

KW: I think the thing that women dealing with this disease have to focus on is building themselves up when they start to feel down. You may be losing your hair, but you can still be beautiful. I'm terrified of sounding hokey, but the L'Oreal slogan -- "Because you're worth it" -- is so important. I felt like here's a campaign that realizes it can't just be a catalyst. It actually has to encourage women to truly take care of themselves. Maybe you might start wearing lipstick or have great cheekbones that you could show off. You have to celebrate yourself even when you're feeling at your worst. On days when I'm not feeling so together, I'll call my girlfriend and complain, and she tells me to go put on some heels, get pretty, and get out in the world. Half of life is showing up.

President Obama wants to double funding for cancer research during his term, with specific money set aside for hard to treat diseases such as ovarian cancer. Do you think this is a good first step in making this disease more visible and ultimately improving survival outcomes?

KW: Definitely. We talk about early detection, but we have to put the money behind it. This is a disease that the president's own mother battled. It's so important for us to discuss women's health, to get involved, and to provide a support system for women affected by ovarian cancer.

Celebrity endorsements are critical for awareness campaigns. They make people pay attention to something they might not otherwise consider. When did you know that you wanted to become an advocate for this disease?

KW: The reason this became so important for me is because my mom is around today as a result of early detection, and that's something that doesn't typically happen with ovarian cancer. We have to work toward finding some sort of early detection method. Doctors often don't know the symptoms of ovarian cancer, which are subtle. So much of this campaign is about awareness. Next month, for breast cancer awareness, you'll be able to buy a million pink things. The projects surrounding breast cancer opened up the dialogue, and we're hoping to do the same around ovarian cancer. L'Oreal is a really cool family to be in. All the proceeds from the Color of Hope makeup go to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, and they're all good colors.

Chana Garcia is a journalist, blogger and cancer survivor who lives in New York City. A version of this post first appeared on Black Gyrl Cancer Slayer.

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