From the Editor

ON THE COVER

Serving His Community

A look at the life of Detective Sergeant Clint Blackmon and his impact in the Hoover community. Photo by Keith McCoy Design by Connor Martin-Lively NNot everybody has a sister, a wife or a daughter, but everybody has a mother. Mothers are precious. If any other’s mother is like mine, she’s strong-willed, opinionated and stubborn, but she also loves unconditionally, protects her own ferociously and never misses an opportunity to remind me where I came from. I almost never grew up with my mother. When I was 4 years old, my mother developed a precancerous ovarian cyst that caused her to near knock on death’s door. She thankfully had wonderful surgeons. My mother had overcome the pain of passing and not knowing her unborn years before I was born. Through losing pregnancies, nearly losing me in delivery and barely surviving an ovarian cyst, my mom has earned the right to remind me that she brought me into this world and she can take me out, ha! Up until this point, however, there has not been an early-detection test for ovarian cancer, which is exactly why the Laura Crandall Brown

Foundation came to be. Carmen Brown details Laura’s story on page 25, in which she recalls loved ones’ testimonies of how Laura, in her final days battling this invisible killer, dedicated her efforts to founding

Alabama’s only nonprofit organization whose sole purpose is to fund research for an early-detection test. A test that might’ve saved her life among countless others. This year around 20,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Less than half will survive five years after their diagnoses. Out of all deadly gynecologic cancers, ovarian cancer is the most fatal.

Women like my mother are lucky. Surviving all that my mother has and calling her lucky doesn’t seem to be a fair statement, but sadly, other mothers like her could be at risk for such a disease and not even know it. The symptoms of ovarian cancer are inconspicuous, with some being written off as signs of one’s menstrual cycle or menopause. For those that discover their diagnosis, it’s often too late. So what can we do, readers, to help supports our mothers, our daughters, our sisters, our friends? Laura Crandall Brown Foundation

Executive Director Ramona Graffeo encourages anyone who wishes to be supportive to donate, to volunteer and to spread awareness for the race to find an early-detection test. On Saturday, Sept. 24 all are invited to participate in the Head Over

Teal 5k and 10k, which is taking place at The Preserve in Hoover,

Alabama, at 8 a.m. Those interested in volunteering or participating in the races can visit thinkoflaura.org for more information. I implore each of you, readers, to please consider what you can do to help.