A Town Turns Teal, A Community Ties Together

Never ones to turn “blue” in the face of challenges, the team at Independent Carpet One Floor & Home are painting the town teal for a cause close to home. At the beginning of September, store staff and their community partners spent their free hours tying teal ribbons around local gathering spots.

 Turn the Town Teal is an initiative founded by Gail McNeil, following her diagnosis with Stage III Ovarian Cancer in late 1997. After her doctor initially dismissed her symptoms, which can mimic common perimenopause symptoms, Gail knew she had an important message to share with the world. She began tying teal ribbons around her New Jersey town: a colorful reminder to be vigilant about the disease’s subtle symptoms and known risk factors.

Today, Turn The Town Teal is observed in all fifty states, with volunteers gathering each fall to adorn town centers, businesses, places of worship, and local landmarks with teal ribbons and banners. Currently there is no early detection protocol for Ovarian Cancer, yet early diagnosis is critical to increase survival rates.

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month: a time when Independent Carpet One tends to pause, reflect, and honor the memory of longtime staff member Annette Siese, who died of the disease in 2017 at the age of 46. Catherine Buchanan, owner of Independent Carpet One, said she and her team are currently in their 11^th year honoring Annette and thousands of others like her throughout the towns of Wayne and Westland.

“We do this for her, for all the survivors, and for those who have lost the battle,” Catherine noted. “Annette will forever be remembered by both our staff and our city.”

To learn more about Ovarian Cancer, its symptoms, its risk factors, or how to get involved, please visit www.turnthetownsteal.org.