3rd annual “Get Busy Fighting!” Golf Tournament presented by VIVA Health

The Laura Crandall Brown Foundation will host the 3rd Annual “Get Busy Fighting” golf tournament, presented by Viva Health, on November 4th at Oxmoor Valley Golf Course. The event honors local gynecologic (GYN) cancer survivor and advocate, Ginny Bourland. Ginny was diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer in the summer of 2011. With no prior medical conditions and leading an otherwise healthy lifestyle, Bourland took particular notice when her sudden weight gain was unresponsive to increased exercise and diet changes. She persisted in finding an answer despite both her general practitioner and gynecologist attributing the symptoms to decreased metabolism and stress. “I knew that none of those explanations really sufficed,” said Ginny. “This was not normal for me.” That persistence led her to the ER, where Bourland said she was determined to find answers. Indeed, after a CT scan, Bourland was told she likely had a type of abdominal cancer. Within 24 hours, an oncologist confirmed it instead as ovarian cancer. Since 2011 she has had three recurrences and become an active fundraiser and advocate in the community for gynecologic cancer research and awareness efforts. She is married to husband Shea and stays busy raising their two beautiful children, Will and Bella, and at her job as an actuary at VIVA Health, which is the tournament’s presenting sponsor for the third year in a row. “Ginny is a fantastic co-worker, and an even better person,” said Tony Ceasar, Director of Marketing & Communications at VIVA Health.

 “We are proud to serve as the presenting sponsor for this event, and to honor Ginny and her impact on the community in this way.” “We are excited to partner with the Bourlands on this 3rd annual event,” said Mary Anne King, Executive Director of the Laura Crandall Brown Foundation. “Ginny touches everyone she meets in a positive way, whether it’s with her story or her wonderful personality. She is a daily example of how personal strife can be channeled into an opportunity to give hope and help others. That idea is something Laura (Crandall Brown) also personified, and is the reason the foundation exists today.”

The tournament will feature a four person scramble format, with prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams. Online Registration is available at www.thinkoflaura.org/getbusyfighting. Entry fees are $125/golfer or $500/team and include greens fee, cart, drink tickets, and entry to the awards lunch. Sponsorships are still available. For more information, contact ma.king@thinkoflaura.org. Proceeds from the golf tournament will benefit the Laura Crandall Brown Foundation’s mission of early detection of ovarian cancer, GYN cancer awareness, and patient support.

About GYN Cancers and the Laura Crandall Brown Foundation’s Impact:

There is no reliable early detection test for ovarian cancer. Currently 85% of cases are detected in late stages, and over half of women diagnosed will die within five years. Furthermore, all GYN cancers together (ovarian, cervical, uterine, vulvar, and vaginal) affect more than 90,000 women in the U.S., and cervical cancer is the only GYN cancer that can be prevented with the use of screening tests. Without early detection and screening tests, awareness is key. The Laura Crandall Brown Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was established in 2009 by family and friends of Laura Crandall Brown, who died of ovarian cancer at the age of 25. Our mission is offering hope through research for early detection of ovarian cancer, empowering communities through gynecologic cancer awareness, and enriching lives through patient support.


For more information www.thinkoflaura.org For more information contact Lindsay Giadrosich, Special Events & Awareness Coordinator (205) 427-0256 lindsayg@thinkoflaura.org