BATON ROUGE — Hundreds of people will lace up and hit the streets of Baton Rouge on Saturday morning for the 2026 Geaux Teal Ovarian Cancer Awareness Walk, and there’s still time to register.
The walk starts at LSU’s softball facility, Tiger Park. Late registration opens at 8:30 a.m., followed by an opening ceremony at 9:45 a.m. ahead of the walk. If you can’t make it to Tiger Park for the walk, you can also choose the “walk from home” option. You can register here.
The LSU softball team will also host their annual Strikeout Ovarian Cancer game on April 11. The Tigers will take on Arizona at 5 p.m., and will host survivors, fighters, and family member so of those who are no longer with us on the field for a pre-game ceremony. You can sign up for the pregame ceremony and buy tickets here.
Original story
BATON ROUGE — Rain or shine, walkers will take part this Saturday in the annual Geaux Teal Ovarian Cancer Awareness Walk fundraiser for Geaux Teal, a local organization that raises awareness of ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among women due to difficulty with diagnosing.
This weekend, LSU Softball will face South Carolina while wearing teal on Saturday to honor a former SEC player, who died from ovarian cancer in 2018. Teal is the color used to raise awareness for ovarian cancer.
This annual tradition of “All for Alex” honors Mississippi State’s Alex Wilcox. Wilcox was on Mississippi State’s 2018 softball team while battling ovarian cancer.
She passed away in the summer of 2018 after her battle with cancer.
Since then, schools in the SEC have teamed up to wear teal or teal accents during a specific softball game in a campaign of awareness and support. Teams first participated in this initiative during the 2021 season, according to Geaux Teal.
The Teal Game is scheduled to follow the Geaux Teal Ovarian Walk and will start at 6 p.m.
Geaux Teal Walk information
Geaux Teal is a Baton Rouge area group of women, whose purpose is telling their families’ stories to spread awareness of ovarian cancer. The organization has held a Teal Walk since 2013, with the first walk having only 216 participants.
Since then, the walk has gained in popularity, with 2019 having more than 1,000 walkers participating.
The walk takes place at Tiger Park LSU Softball Facility and is a three-mile walk. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. and the opening ceremony begins at 9:45 a.m.
There is also a walk from home option for those who cannot participate in person.
Those interested in participating in either version of the walk can sign up here.
The Geaux Teal Ovarian Cancer Awareness Walk is the only fundraising event for the organization and helps go toward funding grants through Cancer Services that go to current patients with ovarian cancer.
Since the walk’s inception, Geaux Teal has raised around $400,000.
Geaux Teal survivors
Kendall Stephens was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2024 after she was experiencing symptoms of feeling full while eating. She had multiple tests done including GI tests and bloodwork, before a CT scan with contrast revealed a tumor the size of a volleyball on her ovary.
She was able to have her uterus and ovaries taken out in February 2024 and then in August, surgeons performed another procedure to remove the rest of the cancer.
A pap smear will not show that you have ovarian cancer, she said. An ultrasound of the ovaries and uterus can show the tumor, but unless a CT scan uses contrast, it won’t show a tumor.
She will speak at this year’s walk, which is just hours before she gets to celebrate “ringing the bell” with her family and friends. Stephens has recently been declared as having “no evidence of disease” in her battle with ovarian cancer.
Stephens became involved last year with Geaux Teal to help raise awareness of ovarian cancer and help others with ovarian cancer get the financial and emotional help they need.
When she was first diagnosed with the cancer, her oncologist recommended she reach out to the organization, which is how she met Jeanette Montgomery, a survivor of ovarian cancer and member of Geaux Teal.
Montgomery is now 14 years cancer-free.
Both Stephens and Montgomery feel that not enough people are aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer or that a pap smear is not going to show whether ovarian cancer is present. This is why they believe in the importance of Geaux Teal’s mission.
Stephens will also be honored at the Saturday softball game with a walkout onto the field as the Our Lady of the Lake Geaux Hero.
Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, there’s no known way to prevent most types of ovarian cancer. Having regular women’s health exams and requesting screening are some of the best ways to be aware of your overall health.
In addition, see a doctor if you begin to experience symptoms related to ovarian cancer. Here are some of the symptoms to be aware of:
- Abdominal bloating, indigestion, nausea
- Changes in appetite
- Pressure in pelvis or lower back
- Tiredness or low energy
- Changes in menstruation
- A more frequent or urgent need to urinate and/or constipation
- Abdominal or pelvic pain
- Pain during sex
While these symptoms can seem “vague” and happen to most people at some time, Montgomery stressed that if you’re experiencing them for weeks on end, to consider getting checked out by a doctor.
In addition, survivors like Stephens and Montgomery want people to know that women of any age can have ovarian cancer; it’s not just a cancer for “older women” as previously thought.
Geaux Teal also has a list of resources on its website for those who want more information or who need support going through a cancer diagnosis.
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