The Bridget Nesko Memorial Foundation, Inc. (the “Foundation”) is dedicated to the memory of Bridget Nesko, BSN, RN, who lost her life on November 28, 2022 from the ravages of ovarian cancer at the age of 55.
As 501c3 nonprofit charity, the Foundation utilizes private funds provided by Bridget’s husband to grant awards and scholarships to students graduating from two of Bridget’s alma matter educational institutions – George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia and Little Flower High School for Girls in Philadelphia.
The Foundation also utilizes both private funds from Bridget’s husband, and publicly donated funds to provide scholarships to dependents of families impacted by ovarian cancer.
Through an independent nonprofit entity – the Bridget Nesko Ovarian Cancer Project – Foundation leaders, in conjunction with several external nonprofit organizations, provide aggressive grass roots public and healthcare professional ovarian cancer awareness advocacy and heavily promote the early use of cancer antigen “CA-125” blood tests, as well as BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic testing for early ovarian cancer detection.
Bridget Made Her Life Make a Difference – Her Foundation Can Help Other Women and Their Dependents Do the Same
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SCHOLARSHIPS
The Bridget Nesko Memorial Scholarship Foundation, Inc. (the “Foundation”), through its Bridget Angel Fund provides scholarships to the dependents of families impacted by ovarian cancer. Scholarships will help to defray the costs for students beginning, continuing, or completing a higher or technical education leading to a career, preferable – but not exclusively – in the healthcare field.
The Foundation also provides professional mentoring, scholastic and career advice to students selected for scholarships until their graduation and job commencement.
Since its founding earlier this year, the Foundation has invested more than $16,500 in scholarships and awards and has underwritten more than $35,000 in outreach and advocacy efforts.
AWARENESS OUTREACH
Many victims, their families, and even some members of the medical community are not fully aware of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. That lack of insight will help contribute to the loss of more than 13,000 lives in 2023 in the US, and more than 207,000 worldwide.
To boost awareness and provide tools for women to help track their own symptoms, the Foundation initiated an aggressive grassroots “guerilla-war” to promote ovarian cancer awareness by conducting educational presentations focused on “The Truth About Ovarian Cancer“, including discussions about early warning signs and symptoms, early testing options and the process for selecting the right, best and most responsive and informed medical team and cancer-related treatment options.
While there are a number of excellent informational and support resources available to ovarian cancer sufferers and their families (like the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition which we support), the time to address ovarian cancer is before it is clinically diagnosed.
Learn more about how to help defy ovarian cancer by clicking here.
BRIDGET NESKO OVARIAN CANCER PROJECT
While there are several tests to detect testicular cancer at an early stage, there are no such definitive tests available for women to gage the presence of ovarian cancer.
One relatively low cost and non-invasive procedure – a simple blood test called a “Cancer Antigen 125” (or “CA-125”) – can help in detecting a possible ovarian cancer presence at a very early stage of its development.
The Foundation has launched a revolutionary pilot program called Project KOCA – or Kick Ovarian Cancer’s Ass – managed by the Bridget Nesko Ovarian Cancer Project – to make CA-125 blood testing available to women exhibiting two or more early symptoms of ovarian cancer. Testing would be made available to candidates who are unable to afford such tests, or who are unable to locate a medical team willing to undertake such testing. While the majority of states allow patients to obtain their own CA-125 blood tests, four states – including the state of New Jersey – require a prescription from a state-licensed medical practitioner. In addition, some states, such as Maryland and New York, require a laboratory to hold a state license in order to test specimens originating from the state, even if testing will be conducted outside of the state’s borders.
The pilot program is focused on the greater Delaware Valley / Philadelphia metropolitan area, but depending on its success and outcomes, the Program could be expanded geographically, and could include and BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic testing as well.
Learn more about early testing options and Project KOCA by clicking here.
THE BRIDGET NESKO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION, INC. SUPPORTS THE NATIONAL OVARIAN CANCER COALITION
Bridget Nesko Memorial Scholarship Foundation, Inc.
184 Deschler Boulevard, Clayton, NJ 08312 | (856) 595 2184
Info@BridgetAngelFund.Org
