Chatham Plans To ’Turn Teal’ In September

CHATHAM, NJ — When teal ribbons are tied around Chatham Borough trees in September, they’ll be up to honor a Chatham resident and raise awareness about ovarian cancer.

Chatham Borough’s Council plans to adopt a resolution at their Monday night meeting to “Turn The Towns Teal,” in September, a campaign inspired by Gail MacNeil, a Chatham resident who battled ovarian cancer for a decade.

According to the resolution, which Council President Carolyn Dempsey plans to read into the record at the Council meeting, ovarian cancer is considered a “silent disease,” with its symptoms often quietly encroaching on women as the fifth cancer-related death among them. If found early, however, the chances of surviving are between 90 and 95 percent, but because ovarian cancer often doesn't sound an alarm with its onset, symptoms often mimicking others or very vague, the five-year survival rate averages 46 percent. The rate depends on when a woman receives her diagnosis and how far the cancer has progressed.

The council’s approval of the resolution will bring Chatham Borough on board with Turn The Towns Teal’s national awareness-raising campaign, with many other towns across the country doing so as well in September.

Turn the Towns Teal partners with the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance.

Mendham resident Jane MacNeil - Gail MacNeil’s sister-in-law - is the president of the campaign, a 501c3 non-profit organization. As of June, there were 465 people throughout the United States registered within all 50 states, to turn their towns teal in September.

Tuesday is the last day to register to join the 15th annual campaign, with registration for the 16th yearly one coming up on May 8, 2022.

For more information about Turn The Towns teal, visit: www.turnthetownsteal.org/.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.