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For the fifth year in a row, Greater Valley Area residents met at J. Smith Lanier Park last week to place teal ovarian cancer ribbons in memory of West Point resident Lori “Mowie” Fawbush.

With September being ovarian cancer awareness month, a group of Greater Valley area residents gathered at the park to remember their friend, who advocated for cancer awareness after battling the disease for 13 years until passing away in 2018. 

Despite her own health battle, Fawbush remained a faithful friend and advocate for her community. She organized a group of citizens to raise awareness for ovarian cancer by putting up ribbons around West Point and the Valley area every September. 

“Her faith was strong through all this,” said Ellen Collins, a close friend of Fawbush. “It became stronger and stronger.”

Originally from Greenville, Tennessee, Fawbush moved to West Point and quickly became a helping hand within the community. She served at the Valley Baptist Church and helped organize the Backpack Buddies initiative at the church in her free time. 

“She loved God and she loved other people,” said Jen Hammond, Fawbush’s sister. “And then in her faith there, she was just such an amazing witness and she was surrounded by these friends.”

She was involved in many community outreach groups including the Patient and Family Council at East Alabama Medical Center, Hope Harbor, Boys and Girls Club of West Georgia, Kid One Transport, and Charter Garden Club. 

In 2006, Fawbush went to her annual checkup and discovered that she had ovarian cancer. Since then, she became a founding member of “Teal Magnolias,” an ovarian cancer support and awareness group affiliated with East Alabama Medical Center.

Ovarian cancer often goes unnoticed with few symptoms. Only about 20% of the cases are able to be diagnosed during the early stages. Fawbush advocated for the importance of early detection by going to regular checkups. 

Fawbush passed away in April 2018. 

Fawbush graduated from The University of Tennessee College of Communications in Knoxville in 1981. She became fast friends with Collins while at Camp Illahee in Brevard, North Carolina. Over the years, she worked for BSA Advertising and later, Aydlotte and Cartwright agency. Eventually, she served at the J. Walter Thompson Advertising in Atlanta. 

Later, she decided to start her own company called “Hodge Podge” after her grandmother whose last name was Hodge.