10/26/2025
Our Ms. Hopkins County Fair is doing great things in the community! Great Job, Alaina!!!!
A huge heartfelt thank you to Melanie Proffitt Dragoo and EBAD for inviting me to speak on the importance of women’s health and self-advocacy. It was such an honor to share my story of surviving ovarian cancer twice, and to remind each of you that your voice matters when it comes to your body and your health.
As a woman who has walked this path, I want to highlight: no one knows your body better than you do. If something doesn’t feel right pay attention. Speak up. Ask questions. Seek as many opinions as you need until you feel confident in your health.
Here are some facts that underscore why this matters:
In the U.S., an estimated 20,890 women will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer this year.
Sadly, about 12,730 women will die from ovarian cancer in the same period.
A woman’s lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer is about 1 in 91.
And while diagnoses and deaths from ovarian cancer have been gradually declining, this is not a reason to stay quiet.
These numbers remind us: ovarian cancer may not always come with obvious warning lights, and it’s often called a “silent killer” because symptoms can be vague and easily overlooked. That’s why self-advocacy is so vital.
If you feel like your body is sending you signals persistent bloating, unusual pelvic or abdominal pain, changes in your digestion or bladder habits, fatigue, or just a feeling that “something’s off” trust that. It’s okay to ask for advanced testing. It’s okay to ask for a second (or third) opinion. It’s okay to say: I’m not comfortable yet, I want more answers.
Thank you again, Melanie,and to everyone in the audience for your courage to listen, learn, and act. Let’s keep spreading awareness, supporting each other, and taking control of our health. Because your life matters. Your body matters. Your voice matters.
With gratitude and hope,
Alain Scott,
Ms.Hopkins County Fair 2025