Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance is dedicated to curing ovarian cancer and improving treatments by advancing innovative science while promoting the best care possible for all those affected by gynecologic cancers through advocacy, knowledge and support.

OCRA values professional development opportunities for all staff. We identify both funded and free opportunities as appropriate, and also encourage staff to identify options they are interested in and these requests are reviewed and approved as they are received. For example, team members have attended conferences related to their roles, taken a relevant college class, or have sought certifications that support advancement in their respective fields. Additionally, we offer sessions in which team members from different departments present on specific topics relevant to their roles within OCRA, we regularly update staff on strategic goals of the organization within individual departments and as a whole, and we hold regular cross-departmental meetings to ensure visibility of all team members, communication and opportunities for collaboration. All of these initiatives are aimed at helping all staff grow and learn, as well as providing options for potential advancement.

In February of 2023, OCRA spearheaded new recommendations in the fight against ovarian cancer. Turning decades of conventional wisdom on its head, OCRA acknowledged early detection and symptom awareness do not save lives and started strongly recommending a completely new path for prevention. In this dramatic shift of focus, OCRA began a nationwide push for genetic testing of those at increased risk and consideration of a prophylactic surgery even for those at average risk to potentially prevent the deadly disease. The new push included a program to distribute free genetic test kits to eligible individuals. OCRA made a national announcement of the new direction, netting almost 1,000 media placements and reaching literal millions of people via television, print and online. Importantly, OCRA also worked with 60 ovarian cancer community partner groups, to shift messaging to focus on actions that will decrease mortality. OCRA held meetings with these groups and has shared collateral materials with them to aid in helping with this new push for prevention and risk management. In the first four months after announcing the new direction, OCRA has begun distribution of more than 3,300 free genetic testing kits to eligible people; of the approximately 600 who have already submitted theirs, 29 people were identified with genetic mutations that make them at high risk of developing ovarian cancer. OCRA’s ability to pivot and adapt to new scientific breakthroughs can save lives.