In observance of National Ovarian Cancer Month, Greater Newburyport Ovarian Cancer Awareness (GNOCA) will present its seventh annual Newburyport Lantern Festival, at Bartlet Mall, on September 2, from 6 to 8 p.m.  The rain date is Monday, September 3rd. All are welcome to come and decorate, light and float lanterns on Frog Pond at dusk. This well attended ceremony is in the Asian tradition of remembering family and friends and making wishes for the future. Decorating materials and calligraphers will be available. The event is free, with a suggested donation of $10 per lantern. Lanterns can be purchased at the event and there are lots of markers and stencils available to help decorate lanterns. Lanterns can also be purchased in advance at Greetings by Design.

GNOCA, a volunteer organization, was founded in 2011. Its mission is to honor and improve women’s lives by promoting earlier detection, enhanced recovery and greater survival rates for ovarian cancer. GNOCA (www.ocawareness.org) seeks to increase awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer, to provide support services for women and families affected by ovarian cancer within the Greater Newburyport area, and to help fund ovarian cancer research.

Aside from direct assistance to local patients and their families, proceeds from GNOCA events go to Ovations for the Cure (ovationsforthecure.org), a nonprofit organization, in their promotion of knowledge of the disease, concrete hope and support for those already diagnosed, and significant scientific advancements leading to the cure.

Each year, over 21,000 women in America are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, but with keener awareness of the subtle, earliest symptoms of this insidious disease, a 93 percent five-year survival rate can be achieved.

Over the past six years, the Newburyport Lantern Festival has really grown, beginning with about 100 participants the first year and swelling to about 2,000 participants in subsequent years. Many view the occasion as a perfect time to take evocative photographs as the lit lanterns freely float along the water in the twilight.

The public is encouraged to bring picnics, blankets or lawn chairs to the Newburyport Lantern Festival. Live music, under the able leadership of Donna Ricci, will be featured throughout the evening.

Other events planned by GNOCA include a September 7^th show at the Firehouse Center for the Arts with four comedians from the Boston Comedy Project. In past years this evening has sold out, so interested individuals should purchase Boston Comedy Project tickets online, visit or call the box office, at 978-462-7336, for reservations. Tickets are $28 and include receptions before and after the show.

For questions about any of these events, or to learn more about GNOCA, please call Deb Green, at Greetings by Design, 978-225-6700, or email info@ocawareness.org.

Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

• Bloating
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Trouble eating or feeling full quickly
• Urinary urgency or frequency
• Gastrointestinal discomfort
• Fatigue and/or fever
• Unexplained weight gain or loss
• Unexplained changes in bowel habits