Newk?s Cares and St. Dominic Lunch and Learn

WOMEN'S HEALTH PLACED FRONT AND CENTER WITH OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS CAMPAIGN Newk?s Cares and St. Dominic?s Join Forces to Boost Ovarian Cancer Survival Chances Jackson, Miss. (August 21, 2015) ? With one in 70 women facing ovarian cancer, Newk?s Cares and St. Dominic?s are rallying the community with two fun, educational events designed to spark awareness and raise support for research in the battle against this relatively silent killer. September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and, to kick things off, the Jackson community is invited to a free lunch-and-learn event on August 27, followed on September 17 by the second annual Ovarian Cycle® Jackson spin celebration. Each year, 200,000 women worldwide are diagnosed with ovarian cancer? a statistic that hits particularly close to home for Newk?s Eatery CEO Chris Newcomb and his wife Lori, whose personal battle with the disease began in 2013 and inspired the Newk?s Cares movement. With a 90 percent survival rate at early detection, the Newcombs have made educating women of ovarian cancer?s symptoms a top priority. In response to Lori?s passionate leadership in the area of ovarian cancer awareness and education, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund? the oldest and largest charity in the U.S. funding ovarian cancer research?elected Lori to its governing Board of Directors this year. ?It?s easy to be swept up in the busyness of life, taking care of your family, your job and your home but forgetting to care for yourself and ignoring the often subtle warning signs your body is giving you,? said Lori Newcomb, Newk's Cares co-founder. ?Ovarian cancer survival rates can be increased simply by making women and their loved ones aware of the signs, so that this silent disease is no longer silent. With education and awareness, women won?t have to be blindsided like I was.? In an effort to highlight these subtle symptoms? which include bloating, as well as loss of energy and appetite? a community-wide educational lunch-and-learn event will be held at noon on August 27 in St. Dominic?s Centre Building with complimentary meals provided by Newk?s Eatery. Lori Newcomb and Dr. Paul Seago? a gynecologic oncologist from St. Dominic?s who has been central in Lori?s ovarian cancer journey as her personal doctor? will speak at the lunch. Mechale Mayfield, St. Dominic's Oncology and Palliative Care Service Line Administrator, will also speak. This event is open to anyone who would like to learn more about ovarian cancer. Attendees can pre-register for the lunch by emailing NewksCares@Newks.com. Activities will continue on September 17 when wheels will be spinning from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Ovarian Cycle® Jackson event. Community members are invited to pedal their way to a cure in support of Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. This year?s celebration is looking to take both the energy levels and ovarian cancer support higher than last year?s event, which raised more than $120,000, by increasing this year?s goal to $150,000. Riders can sign up for a time slot on the Newk?s Cares website and will be able to ride at their own pace while instructors and a live DJ keep hearts pumping and spirits high. "We are proud to partner with Newk's Eatery for this special event to raise awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research," said Lester K. Diamond, president of St. Dominic Hospital. "We share the common goal of supporting this important research in hopes of finding a cure for ovarian cancer." For more information, please visit NewksCares.com and follow Newk?s Cares on Facebook. ### About Newk?s Cares Newk?s Cares is the philanthropic arm of Newk?s Eatery and was established in 2014 by Newk?s Eatery CEO, Chris Newcomb, and his wife Lori Newcomb. Lori was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2013. Newk?s Cares? was established after her diagnosis as a way of giving back to an important cause that has personally impacted the Newk?s family. The goal of Newk?s Cares is to increase the number of ovarian cancer survivors by improving the rate of early diagnosis.