The Detroit News delivers $20K to Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance for charity contest
Jakkar AimeryThe Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance on Monday collected $20,000 as the winner of the annual Detroit News Holiday Cheer for Charity contest in December.
The Ann Arbor ovarian cancer alliance won the grand prize in the holiday charity campaign. Supporters of the nonprofit pledged $12,750 in donations during the contest, which ended in December, outpacing four other charities in reader votes, according to Michigan.com, the business agent for The News. Adding the grand prize of $20,000 from The Detroit News, the alliance received a total of $32,750.
The organization supports Michigan residents and their families affected by ovarian cancer and funds research while raising awareness.
"This money will really help to support our programs and ongoing work to support survivors in the community, to connect with those who are newly diagnosed, support families, raise awareness of the symptoms and risk factors of ovarian cancer and support our ongoing work for research and greater reach in Michigan," said Megan Neubauer, executive director of Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance, in a statement.
Factors that may increase the risk of ovarian cancer include genetics, obesity, family history of cancer and personal history, the group said. Symptoms include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly or increased urgency or frequency of urination, the group said.
The Detroit News in 2023 marked its seventh year handing out prizes to nonprofits through the Cheer for Charity campaign. Since 2016, The News has awarded $140,000, it said.
"We’re so pleased to be able to support the Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance in its efforts to raise awareness about ovarian cancer, which is diagnosed in about 600 women each year in our state and is a particularly deadly form of cancer," said Detroit News Editor and Publisher Gary Miles. "The more people who know the risk factors and symptoms, the earlier more women can get a diagnosis and increase their chances for a long and healthy life."
The campaign raised $26,050 in donations for the five charities through the holiday campaign, which ran from Dec. 1-15. Readers cast more than 8,000 votes with 14 charities to choose from at the start of the competition.
A $7,860 second-place prize went to A Kid Again, which provides community and long-term support to children with life-threatening conditions and their families. The Rhonda Walker Foundation, a five-year mentoring and leadership program for inner-city teenage girls; HAVEN, an Oakland County group that provides support services to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence; and Living Arts Detroit, an organization that provides performing, visual and media arts to children in southwest Detroit were awarded third-, fourth- and fifth-place prizes, respectively.
In 2022, the Cheer for Charity campaign collected more than 6,000 votes by readers in the first round and raised more than $68,166 by the end of round two, which crowned St. Clair Shores nonprofit 4 Paws 1 Heart the winner.
jaimery@detroitnews.com