Hope In Action

MOCC Reaches Five-Year Mark
On September 17, 2020, we launched the Mucinous Ovarian Cancer Coalition (MOCC). We did so with a strong belief in the power of hope and community. It was the birthday of our late founder, Rhonda.
For months, between her chemo treatments, Rhonda and her sister, Shelley, worked on ideas for MOCC. The sisters envisioned an all-volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to this rare form of ovarian cancer. They hoped to pull together their differing goals into one cohesive mission and action plan.
Rhonda wanted to help the women she met, in person and online, who were struggling to navigate this difficult disease. Some had transportation and grocery challenges, while others lacked the strong personal support system she felt blessed to have. Her top priority was sending out MOCC Cares packages. 

Shelley wanted to do everything imaginable to save her sister’s life. She was determined to connect with the leading minds around the world in rare cancer research and treatment, and to fund as much quality research as possible, as quickly as possible.

Just six weeks after our launch, however, things would drastically change. Complications from her chemotherapy would quickly and unexpectedly bring Rhonda’s time on earth to an end. Today, in Rhonda’s honor, and for women like her, the work of MOCC continues.

On this, our five-year anniversary, we’re taking a quick look back at our accomplishments—and telling the stories of just a few of the many women we’ve connected with over the last five years.

We’re also sharing links to our #ItsProbablyNothing social media campaign, which kicks off this September, and our second annual MOCC Day of Giving fundraiser.

Are you ready? Let’s get started …

Growth and Progress: Five Years Later

Our number one priority has been research. Nothing will change about this disease until we can get to the root cause and find better treatment options and prevention strategies. If you visit our Research pages, you’ll see that we’ve already funded $100,000 in grants through Rhonda’s Award. In just five short years.

We have also put together a Physician Advisory Committee, comprising experts in this rare disease, and maintain an online directory of GYN oncologists who have experience treating mucinous ovarian cancer. This helps women more quickly find targeted advice and guidance.

Lastly, we’ve created and continue to update an online Learning Center. It’s packed with articles, guides, and podcasts to help people understand more about this disease. No more endless internet searches to find answers.

The Faces of Mucinous Ovarian Cancer 

As this five-year milestone drew near, we decided to share some of the stories of women who’ve walked this path. So you could see their names and photos and learn more about what daily life with mucinous ovarian cancer is like. Some of them are survivors, while others haven’t been as fortunate. But you’ll immediately notice what they have in common: their age.

For most types of ovarian cancer, the average age of diagnosis is 63. In our five years of working with women with the mucinous form of this disease, only a handful have been close to that age. The majority are far younger. Here are a few of their stories:
Click on each name to explore their full story and learn more about their journeys.
  • Rhonda: Vivacious and fun-loving, Rhonda was with us for only one year after her diagnosis. Her story is a complicated one of setbacks and courage and never giving up.
  • Havyn: Havyn’s diagnosis came when she was just 15 years of age. Today, she’s been disease-free for two years, and she just graduated from high school.
  • Kate: Another young woman, Kate was only 16 years old when her symptoms began. Her journey ended far too soon—Kate passed awayon hospice at just 19.
  • Sarah: A survivor, Sarah gives us a look at her path from diagnosis to the present, including disregarding critical warning signs. She also shares her perspective as a five-year survivor, offering women adviceon managing decision-making and treatments.
  • Amanda: The MOCC Volunteer of the Year for 2025, Amanda is a survivor. A nurse practitioner in the field of gynecology, she is a fierce advocate for education and research.
  • Jaimie: A dynamo who touched the lives of many, Jaimie’s cancer journey ended in June of 2025. Read her story as told by her devastated sister, Breana.
  • Leslie: A woman currently in treatment for a recurrence, Leslie is determined to pursue every option. She wants to be here to watch her daughters, ages 11 and 14, grow up.
  • Molly: Diagnosed at just 48, Molly is closing in on ten years free from disease. She shares the details of her diagnosis and treatment with us. Molly also highlights how she ignored symptoms until she ended up in an emergency room far from home.

We hope this helps reinforce how important our work is and why your support is vital.

Mark This Milestone With Us

You can help ensure our continued success by supporting two of our initiatives:
  • Donate: The second annual MOCC Day of Giving is on September 17. Our goal is to raise $7,000 through individual contributions and fundraisers.
  • Share: Tuesday, September 2, will be the kickoff of our #ItsProbablyNothing campaign. You can help by posting the images and messages you’ll find on our website to your own social media channels.
As always, we thank you for your support of the Mucinous Ovarian Cancer Coalition!