On July 25, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Sherwood will host an International Walk for Ovarian Cancer with help from people from both sides of the border.

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among gynecological cancers, and is often called the "silent killer."

"I thought this was a perfect opportunity to make it an international fight against this disease that we don't hear a lot about. This will be the first ovarian cancer walk that North Dakota has hosted, and the first international walk between the U.S. and Canada," said Jennifer Henderson, a registred nurse and organizer of the walk.

Henderson was born and raised in Sherwood and currently resides in Canada. Her mother died from ovarian cancer and her sister has also been diagnosed with the disease. She hopes to bring an awareness of the condition to others.

"There's nothing less than a woman's life at stake here. Our goal is to get the word out to everybody to listen to your body," Henderson said.

Ovarian cancer symptoms are often vague, and the condition often isn't diagnosed until the chances of survival are greatly reduced.

"It's hard to detect, and it's usually misdiagnosed as anything from indigestion to bowel problems. Usually, when it's detected it's in the later stages," Henderson said.

"What I say to patients and people that I work with, is to listen to your body. Ovarian cancer is known as the silent killer, and it will whisper to you. We as women need to take control of our bodies and listen to those whispers," she said.

Women with ovarian cancer might experience vague gastrointestinal complaints, bloating, or an unexplained change in bowel habits. They might also experience pelvic and abdominal swelling, pain, or frequency and urgency in urination. A family history of the disease, being peri-menopausal or post- menopausal, or having ovulation uninterrupted by pregnancy or contraceptives increases the risk of ovarian cancer.

Henderson hopes the International Walk for Ovarian Cancer will bring those concerns to the forefront, and raise money for ovarian cancer research. The money raised by Canadians in the walk will benefit Ovarian Cancer Canada, and the money raised by Americans will benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund in the U.S.

"I have had support from both sides of the border that's amazing, with everybody that is willing to help and donate," Henderson said.

In addition to raising money, the event will feature guest speakers, ongoing entertainment, and will be followed by a barbecue lunch. Henderson is also seeking ovarian cancer survivors to take part in the event, and people willing to provide entertainment.

People can still register for the walk as individuals or as teams. The deadline for registration is June 30. For more information on the walk or to get pledge or registration forms, contact Allan Engh at 263-1971 or visit the Web site (www.sherwoodnd.com).