Jane Todd Crawford

Jane Todd Crawford was the first woman to undergo abdominal surgery to remove an ovarian tumor – a 22-pound tumor.  Jane is a medical pioneer; she is the reason that not only ovarian surgery but also any abdominal surgery is now possible.

My interest in Jane's story began when I discovered her grave marker in a small Sullivan County, Indiana cemetery last year. I wrote a post about her in my blog, A Grave Interest, for National Ovarian Cancer Month, http://agraveinterest.blogspot.com/2011/09/jane-todd-crawford-first-survivor-of.html

In 1809, in the wilds of Kentucky, medical knowledge was extremely limited, and skilled medical surgeons - few and far between.  Most people simply accepted the “hand they were dealt.”  Thankfully, Jane Todd Crawford was not like ‘most people.’

I have launched the Jane Todd Crawford Project on Kickstarter http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/janetoddcrawford/jane-todd-crawford

I have two goals for this project:

1) To raise the necessary funds to write and publish this book about Jane’s courageous life, and her contribution to women’s and medical history.

2) To make people more aware of Ovarian Cancer, it’s risks and treatments.  It’s been over 200 years since Jane underwent the first ovarian surgery – Now, we’re in the 21^st Century where only 15% of women diagnosed will survive past five years! That is not acceptable!

I am also asking you to take a two-fold step:

1) Please donate whatever you or your company can to make this book a reality. Any backing of $25 or more will get a copy of the book.

Of course, the higher the financial backing, the bigger the rewards. Please check out the rewards column of the Jane Todd Crawford project on Kickstarter to see how you (or your company) can get dinner, a personal tour of the McDowell home, an original stone rubbing, even a chartered bus tour of the route Jane traveled to undergo this surgery.

2) Pass these links along to others in your social media network, and in your life.  Help me get the word out, raise the finances, and tell Jane’s story – a story so many women understand all too well…

Together, we can make this happen!

THANK YOU!!!