A whole host of women’s cancers remain largely in the shadows.

Two events next week seek to shine the light on these “below the belt” cancers that kill nearly a third of the women diagnosed with them.

Dr. William Winter, a gynecologic oncologist from Portland, Oregon, will present a lecture and screen a documentary about his experience dealing with ovarian, fallopian tube, vulvar, endometrial and cervical cancers.

“People are uncomfortable talking about these kinds of cancer,” Winter said. “But the best cure for cancer is preventing it from happening in the first place.”

At 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, Winter will present a question-and-answer session at conference room 3 at The Summit Medical Fitness Center. 

“It’s my understanding that I’ll be getting up there and talking about my day job,” he said. 

The women’s cancers in which Dr. Winter specializes are common enough that every woman should know about them, according to event organizer Ming Lovejoy.

“I saw him speak in Portland,” she said of Winter. “And I saw the movie. I knew we needed to bring the message up here.”

From 6 to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, Winter and Lovejoy will screen the documentary “N.E.D.” or No Evidence of Disease, a rockumentary featuring Winter’s all-oncologist rock band. 

The unusual band was formed at a convention and performed cover songs for other gynecological oncologists. The film follows the band and patients who have defeated the “below the belt” cancers.

Tickets to the Thursday event are available at ticketriver.com/event/14884 or at The Toggery, Whitefish, the Kalispell Grand Hotel and the Medi-Lift Spa in Bigfork. 

The Below the Belt event will benefit Wings Regional Cancer Support and Flathead Cancer Aid Services. Call 212-2729 for more information.