SEE’s 'Protect Your Privates' Ovarian Cancer Campaign Returns

With the goal of doing whatever it takes to help find a cure for ovarian cancer, — which has a store in downtown Birmingham — is bringing back its “Protect Your Privates” campaign. 

Set to launch in September (Ovarian Cancer Month), SEE’s program includes a high intensity grass roots campaign to raise both money and awareness for ovarian cancer, which is the leading cause of death from gynecological cancers and the fifth leading cause of cancer death among American women. 

Partnering with the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, SEE will use its 27 stores across the country as well as its loyal customer base to help the effort. 

Only 20 percent of ovarian cancer cases are caught before the cancer has spread beyond the ovary to the pelvic region. When ovarian cancer is detected and treated early on, the five-year survival rate is greater than 92 percent. Most patients are diagnosed at advanced stages, and less than 50 percent of women survive longer than five years after diagnosis.

The good news is that today 50 percent of women are surviving longer than five years after diagnosis — a marked improvement in the survival rate from 30 or more years ago when it was 10 percent to 20 percent.

The Plan

The goal of the “Protect Your Privates” program is to use leverage SEE’s customer base and the traffic in its 27 stores to raise awareness and funds for the OCRF. The campaign includes distributing free ovarian cancer education kits at all SEE locations across the country, using social media platforms and email marketing to create buzz by sending weekly facts and figures as well as opportunities to get involved, and donating all proceeds from the sale of SEE’s exclusive “Protect Your Privates” T-shirts  sold in the stores throughout the month of September.  

In addition, a portion of sales from all 27 SEE stores every Monday in September will go to the OCRF. 

The Woman Behind the Plan

The face of the campaign is Golden’s own wife, Shelley, who is a passionate ovarian cancer survivor.  “Like most women, I was unaware of preventative measures I could have taken that may have prevented this terrible disease.  I only wish I knew then what I know now about these facts.  That’s why it is crucial to get this information in the hands of all women,” remarks Shelley. 

Free information and facts on these potential lifesaving actions are available at all SEE stores through the month of September.

“We are partnering with OCRF for several reasons,” adds Richard Golden.  “One of the most important reasons is because the OCRF aggressively lobbies for more ovarian cancer research with the main goal of completely eradicating the disease.” 

“Everyone has been touched by cancer is some way,” adds Shelley.  “Our goal is to do our part by reaching out to women who may not be aware of their risks for ovarian cancer, and to arm them with information that may potentially save their lives – information that may very well have prevented me from getting this disease had I had access to these facts.” 

— Courtesy of SEE Eyewear