When Beth Quinn was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer, she and her friends made a commitment to make a difference. They formed She ROCKS to raise funds for ovarian cancer research and patient support. The group has contributed more than $170,000 to fund the ovarian cancer research of UNC Lineberger’s Vicki Bae-Jump, MD, PhD. This past September, UNC Lineberger renamed part of Bae-Jump lab space in Beth’s honor.
When cancer strikes, patients often tell us they have a choice to make: they can become bitter, or they can become better. Thankfully, Beth Quinn chose the latter.
A banker, mother, grandmother, community volunteer and friend, Quinn had always been physically fit and proactive with her health. But over a period of months, she began having abdominal pain and bloating, going to various doctors to determine the cause. On December 23, 2013, Beth went into surgery to have her gall bladder removed, and woke up to the news that she had stage IV ovarian cancer.
Because there are no screenings for ovarian cancer, and women are typically asymptomatic until the disease has advanced, Beth was unaware of her illness. Her best friend, Mary Barto, agreed that this was unacceptable, and the two of them partnered with another close friend, Tracy Brown, to do something about it. They formed She ROCKS, a Wilmington-based organization dedicated to raising funds for ovarian cancer research and providing local support to patients affected by all cancers.
Funds raised by She ROCKS go directly to UNC Lineberger to fund the ovarian cancer research of UNC Lineberger member Vicki Bae-Jump, MD, PhD, as well as to patient support programs at Quinn’s community hospital, Zimmer Cancer Center. To date, the group has contributed more than $170,000 to Bae-Jump’s work.
In recognition of Quinn’s investment in research and her confidence in the ongoing mission of UNC Lineberger, Paola Gehrig, MD, professor and director of UNC Gynecologic Oncology, joined Bae-Jump in making a surprise announcement on September 7 during the 3rd Annual She ROCKS Fundraiser in Wilmington, NC. “UNC Lineberger is pleased to name one of the Bae-Jump lab spaces in our cancer center building in Beth’s honor,” Gehrig and Bae-Jump shared with more than 700 attendees at the Wilmington Convention Center. “As Beth continues to fight ovarian cancer, The Beth Quinn Lab will be a constant reminder of the importance of our work and a meaningful tribute to a brave cancer center advocate and friend.”