We’re proud to share that Jan Lushbaugh, founder of Tennessee in Teal, was recently featured in Voyage Knoxville Magazine for her inspiring story of faith, resilience, and purpose.
After relocating to Tennessee in 2015, Jan’s life changed dramatically when she was unexpectedly diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer in 2016. Like many women, she had consistently normal annual exams and had no idea that ovarian cancer often cannot be detected during routine check-ups—or that its symptoms can be subtle and easy to dismiss. Her diagnosis came after she noticed a painful knot in her abdomen that wouldn’t go away, leading to surgery and then the life-changing news.
Jan endured surgery and chemotherapy, facing the physical and emotional toll head-on—fatigue, neuropathy, brain fog, and more—while leaning on her faith and support system to keep going.
Today, Jan is using her experience to help others through Tennessee in Teal, a nonprofit dedicated to ovarian cancer awareness, education, and outreach across the state. Through speaking engagements, community events, teal awareness campaigns, and ongoing advocacy, Tennessee in Teal works to ensure more women recognize the signs early—especially since there is still no early detection screening test for ovarian cancer.
As Jan approaches eight years NED (No Evidence of Disease) in March 2026, her mission remains clear: raise awareness, support women at every stage, and push for research and progress that can save lives.
Read the full Voyage Knoxville feature at VoyageKnoxville.com
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