WOODSTOCK – The Woodstock North Thunder girls basketball teams are sponsoring a fundraiser to increase awareness about ovarian cancer.

Known as the silent killer because its symptoms mirror aches and pains that affect many women during the menstrual cycle, ovarian cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women and is the deadliest gynecologic cancer.

“[The girls] felt like this type of cancer doesn’t get a lot of attention, but it’s very critical for women, especially because the symptoms are something you may not even think about as being something until you’re in the later stages,” said District 200’s Laurie Crain, who is helping organize the event.