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Newk's Eatery raises nearly $1M in fight against ovarian cancer

December 5, 2018

In its fifth year fighting for women battling ovarian cancer, Newk's Cares — an ovarian cancer awareness movement spearheaded by Newk's Eatery —  raised over $258,000 this year to help fund research of the disease, according to a company press release.

The goal of the organization, which has raised nearly $1 million since its inception four years ago, is to improve the rate of early diagnosis by promoting early detection through symptom awareness and funding research for Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, Newk's Co-founder Lori Newcomb said in the release.

"After little to no warning signs, I was diagnosed with Stage IIIC ovarian cancer in 2013," she said. "Time had passed, and it took until I knew something was drastically wrong to listen to my body. Early warning signs are often missed or thought to be normal aches. I want women everywhere to be aware of the symptoms, so if they are having any warning signs, they will go to the doctor and take care of their bodies right away, since early detection and treatment increases the survival rate to more than 92 percent."
Newk's Cares is now a national campaign in partnership with OCRA."

Despite the 200,000 women currently living with ovarian cancer in the U.S., it receives among the least financial support of any form of gynecological or breast cancer. There is more work to be done, and with support from the community, Newk's Cares is confident every woman can be given a fighting chance, said Newk's CEO Chris Newcomb, show is Lori's husband.

"We're proud to continue to use our platform through Newk's Cares to fund the work of leading ovarian cancer researchers, and bring more light to this disease," he said in the release. "We have a mission to educate women everywhere about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, and to start a conversation that has life-saving potential."

To raise this year's funds, the chain held a variety of campaigns. They included turning their collectible cups teal, the color of Ovarian Cancer Awareness, and allowing guests to make support of ovarian cancer research and education both in-store and through online ordering. It also hosted the annual Ovarian Cycle Jackson spin celebration in its home base of Jackson, Mississippi, which brought together more than 170 riders who joined in the fight. 

This past August, Newk's Cares also organized a Lunch & Learn event in Jackson in partnership with St. Dominic Hospital to raise awareness and support of ovarian cancer prevention and treatment. 

Along with Newk's Cares' seasonal efforts, Newk's has made a commitment to prioritize awareness of ovarian cancer in its 125 locations year-round, according to the release. The restaurant, for example,  has permanently replaced traditional red straws with teal straws and donates 10 cents from every Newk's Cares water bottle sold to OCRA.