Mother Honors Daughter's Memory By Raising Money And Awareness To Fight Ovarian Cancer
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Paulinda Babbini has made it her life's work to fight ovarian cancer since she lost her 20-year-old daughter to the disease nearly a decade ago.
Babbini hopes her work will help prevent the pain and heartache she's experienced through her daughter's illness and death.
"You need to be proactive," she said. "It's so important for young women, particularity, to know the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer."
Her daughter Robin began exhibiting symptoms when she was 16-years-old, but since the cancer is so rare among young people, her doctor didn't do a full range of diagnostic tests.
"When we went to the gynocologist ... she was 16," Babbini said. "He didn't think about giving her a transvaginal ultrasound."
Months later, a before a trip to the emergency room finally detected four tumors.
Robin underwent surgery and chemotherapy, but the cancer came back. It spread and ended Robin's short life.
It didn't take long for Babbini to fight back.
Four years after Robin's death, she formed the Ovarian Cancer Circle with 12 volunteers.
The group raises money for ovarian cancer research at UCLA and educates young women about the disease.
The group holds two major fundraisers each year: "Take a bite out of Ovarian Cancer" and "Happily Ever Laughter," which was held last week.
Babbini speaks about the disease whenever she can, whether at health fairs or schools including her daughter's alma maters: Pacific Hills High School and at UC Santa Barbara.
She's also often clad in teal -- the color of ovarian cancer awareness.
She hopes her efforts can help other families avoid the pain and heartache she's experienced.
"If I had known what I know now, I would have been very proactive," she said.
Her efforts were recently recognized by assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Glendale).
"I'll speak anywhere and everywhere to get the word out," she said. "This is my passion, this is my commitment, this is what I'll do the rest of my life."
