Freezing Eagles Heat Up Cancer Awareness

At their annual Freezing Eagle practice, the Boston College rowing team braved the intense cold of the icy Charles River and honored the memory of a fellow rower. BC sophomore Alexis Burns visited the team to raise awareness of ovarian cancer in memory of her sister, former Clemson rower Brittany Burns. Alexis spoke about her sister's story, her family's fundraising campaign, and how to detect early signs of ovarian cancer. She then joined coaches on their boat, sharing the Freezing Eagles experience.

Brittany Burns was unexpectedly diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer in December 2015. Upon diagnosis, she created the Fight Like Britt Campaign to help educate young women about the symptoms of ovarian cancer and how to recognize the telltale signs of the disease. Britt was determined to spread awareness to college-aged women, specifically targeting athletic programs such as rowing teams. After a short and courageous battle with the disease, she passed away on February 1, 2016. The Burns family continues Britt's mission, partnering with the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition to promote earlier detection and awareness of the disease.

Their goal is to educate one million people about the symptoms of ovarian cancer, in the hope that spreading awareness saves the life of at least one young woman. The family has received an overwhelmingly positive response to their efforts, including from one young woman who was able to recognize early symptoms and receive preventative treatment due to the Fight Like Britt Campaign.
"Knowing that Britt was able to impact a woman's life—that really meant the world to us," said Alexis.

BC Rowing continues the fight against ovarian cancer and spreads awareness in Britt's memory. Throughout the practice, the Eagles wore bracelets in her honor.

"It was an honor to have Alexis join us at practice and speak so eloquently of her sister. The team is excited to be a small part in raising ovarian cancer awareness," said head coach Steve Fiske. "We continue to be inspired by Brittany's courage and hope to create more awareness of symptoms and promote more early detection."
To learn more about ovarian cancer, visit ovarian.org.

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