{"id":3785,"date":"2023-11-01T16:18:31","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T20:18:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3785"},"modified":"2026-02-01T14:40:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T19:40:30","slug":"guest-commentary-teal-circle-we-are-strong-when-we-stand-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3785","title":{"rendered":"Guest Commentary &#8211; Teal Circle: We are strong when we stand together"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>By Frieda Weeks<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Search the word \u201csurvivor\u201d in a dictionary and the top definitions are fairly black and white. Simply put, a survivor is described as someone who remains alive after coming close to death. Keep reading and you\u2019ll find a bit more depth; survivors carry on despite hardship, cope well with difficulties and persevere through trauma.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve been a survivor, or love one, you understand that words alone cannot capture the entire complex journey. Dictionaries paint a very lonely picture, but survivors desperately need a strong support system to persevere. Survivors are not simply people who cope well with adversity, they have access to healthcare. As a co-founder of Hope for Heather, committed to raising awareness about ovarian cancer in honor of my daughter, I\u2019ve seen too many potential survivors fall through massive gaps in care.<\/p>\n<p>Women who cannot get regular checkups with doctors, often minorities, are far less likely to learn about or discuss their symptoms. Women in rural communities are often forced to travel long distances to see specialists for effective treatment. Women who do not have a loving caretaker at home struggle to keep up with medication, appointments, meals and much-needed rest.<\/p>\n<p>I created the Teal Circle of Women (TCOW) this year to expand Hope for Heather\u2019s education efforts and shine a light on healthcare disparities through influential women in our community. Within just a few months 30 women joined the circle.\u00a0Many are small business owners, as we believe small business is truly the backbone of our community.\u00a0Visit some of our Teal Circle partners, including Fashion Rescue 911, CellaV Boutique, and Studio 663 (just to name a few) and you will readily find our ovarian cancer symptom cards and other information to take home and share.<\/p>\n<p>By harnessing the power of all women, we can save lives and move mountains.<\/p>\n<p>Hope for Heather\u2019s Teal Circle women come from a variety of backgrounds, but share a commitment to making a difference in our community.<\/p>\n<p>Tawn Lombardo runs TMDC Dance Studio.\u00a0Her Christmas Dance Show raises\u00a0funds for Hope for Heather through her students, who learn about the mission, the importance of good health and giving back.\u00a0Each year, a graduating senior is given a dance scholarship in Heather\u2019s memory. This is a great example of the Teal Circle at work.<\/p>\n<p>Alyssa Blazina is our Teal Circle of Women ambassador and a key player in launching TCOW.\u00a0Alyssa is president and CEO of BizHub CNY, a mover and shaker, and a DO-er.\u00a0Alyssa helps area businesses and loves to give back in creative ways.<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer Savastino, owner of Gannon&#8217;s Pest Control, is a supporter of Teal Circle and Hope for Heather.\u00a0Jen knows the power of women in our community and uses her voice to elevate our cause.<\/p>\n<p>Letizia Pinkel uses her voice through music.\u00a0Letizia is our music ambassador and supports us through her music events with the Z Band.\u00a0Letizia plays Hope for Heather&#8217;s teal guitar several times a year and speaks from the stage about the importance of education and ovarian cancer.<\/p>\n<p>The Teal Circle is a partnership between Hope for Heather and women in business who will use their voices to share our education and awareness mission.\u00a0We ask our members to have symptom and education cards at their place of business, to volunteer and assist at events, to help find event sponsors, and give us a bigger voice in the community.\u00a0There is no financial expectation.\u00a0Our mission is to save women&#8217;s lives from a terrible disease.\u00a0Survivors need support, access to healthcare, and hope. We are powerful and strong when we stand together.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>Editor\u2019s note: Frieda Weeks is the president of Hope for Heather, an organization named for her daughter whose mission is to raise funds to support ovarian cancer research, to promote education and awareness, and to help to provide comfort to women and their families devastated by cancer.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Frieda Weeks Search the word \u201csurvivor\u201d in a dictionary and the top definitions are fairly black and white. Simply put, a survivor is described as someone who remains alive after coming close to death. Keep reading and you\u2019ll find a bit more depth; survivors carry on despite hardship, cope well with difficulties and persevere&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3786,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[259,1505,964,1507],"class_list":["post-3785","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-special-feature","tag-hope-for-heather","tag-october-2023","tag-survivor","tag-teal-circle"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Frieda-Weeks.jpg?fit=861%2C1289&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3320,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3320","url_meta":{"origin":3785,"position":0},"title":"Inspire &#8211; Carolyn Kardos: A constant advocate","author":"Alyssa Dearborn","date":"September 28, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"By Alyssa Dearborn If you ever meet Carolyn Kardos, you will immediately notice her teal hair. You also might be able to spot her matching teal Jeep. For Kardos and many other ovarian cancer survivors, teal is more than just a color: it\u2019s a symbol of strength and survival.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Inspire&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Inspire","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=1143"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/carolyn-kardos-2.jpg?fit=720%2C960&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/carolyn-kardos-2.jpg?fit=720%2C960&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/carolyn-kardos-2.jpg?fit=720%2C960&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/carolyn-kardos-2.jpg?fit=720%2C960&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2567,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2567","url_meta":{"origin":3785,"position":1},"title":"SPECIAL FEATURE: \u2018No woman should die of breast or ovarian cancer:\u2019 CNY\u2019s Hope for Heather reports back following 2019 National Conference","author":"syracusewomanmag_c4lfdt","date":"September 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"BY FARAH F. JADRAN \u00a0 Though some women have more risks of developing breast or ovarian cancer \u2014cancer itself is not biased. It\u2019s not selective. It\u2019s not political. It\u2019s not prejudiced. Take a moment and think about your intermediate family, your closest circle of friends and your co-workers. Somewhere in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Causes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Causes","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=104"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/IMG_20190714_143829_911.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/IMG_20190714_143829_911.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/IMG_20190714_143829_911.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/IMG_20190714_143829_911.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/IMG_20190714_143829_911.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2613,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2613","url_meta":{"origin":3785,"position":2},"title":"FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Liberty Resources Help Restore Hope Center","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"October 5, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Sara Haag, MSW, Divisional Director \u00a0 Tell me about the Help Restore Hope Center. 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The Help Restore Hope Center is a domestic violence, rape crisis, and victim services program based in rural Central New York, proudly assisting survivors as they transform their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Causes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Causes","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=104"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sydney-sims-3zgllN5P7Mc-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sydney-sims-3zgllN5P7Mc-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sydney-sims-3zgllN5P7Mc-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sydney-sims-3zgllN5P7Mc-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/sydney-sims-3zgllN5P7Mc-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2304,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2304","url_meta":{"origin":3785,"position":3},"title":"SPECIAL FEATURE: A style for every story","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"March 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"At the New York State Fair last year, Frieda Weeks was approached by a woman who told her the kind of news she loves to hear. \u201cShe was a woman of the cloth and she said, \u2018I want you to know that two years ago I got a symptom card\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Causes&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Causes","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=104"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Heather-Weeks.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Heather-Weeks.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Heather-Weeks.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Heather-Weeks.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Heather-Weeks.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":776,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=776","url_meta":{"origin":3785,"position":4},"title":"Gary Weeks","author":"Staff","date":"May 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The Original Man of Teal\u00a0 By Kathryn Walsh | Photography by Mary Grace Johnson\u00a0 If you\u2019re ever wandering through the Great New York State Fair or cheering on the Syracuse Crunch, and a silver-haired man approaches you with a handful of teal ribbons, don\u2019t be alarmed. 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