Be aware, be informed: New initiatives to reduce ovarian cancer impact
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Week February 20 – 27
Monday, 21 February 2005
'Be aware, be informed': Two new initiatives will be launched today in an effort
to reduce the impact of ovarian cancer on Australian women.
The National Ovarian Cancer Network (OvCa Australia) and the National Breast Cancer Centre's (NBCC) Ovarian Cancer Program have joined forces to encourage women to be aware and informed in the fight against the leading cause of death from gynaecological cancers.
Today, the two organisations will jointly launch a new awareness campaign and a national guide for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Each year approximately 1200 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Australia and more than half of these women will not survive five years after diagnosis. Over 70 per cent of women are diagnosed at an advanced stage, where the cancer has spread and is very difficult to treat successfully.
OvCa Australia Director and former Olympic swimmer Nicole Livingstone will launch the OvCa Girlfriends' Catch Up & Check Up Week today encouraging women to catch up with their girlfriends to talk about ovarian cancer and check up on their own health.
“In the absence of any early detection test for ovarian cancer, we need to make sure women know the symptoms that may indicate ovarian cancer and are aware of any unusual and persistent changes in their bodies,” said Ms Livingstone.
Gynaecological oncologist and member of the NBCC’s Ovarian Cancer Consumer Guide Working Group, Dr Margaret Davy, said in the absence of prevention strategies, women diagnosed with the disease need quality information to support decision making about their treatment.
The NBCC has developed a national guide for women with ovarian cancer, Epithelial ovarian cancer – Understanding your diagnosis and treatment.
“The guide includes easy to understand information, personal perspectives from women with ovarian cancer and questions you may ask your doctor,” Dr Davy said.
The Ovarian Cancer Program is an initiative of the National Breast Cancer Centre and is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
The NBCC's guide for women with ovarian cancer and the OvCa Girlfriends' Catch Up & Check Up Week will be launched at 10am today at the Sebel Pier One Hotel (The Bridge Room), Sydney. Media are welcome to attend.
The NBCC's free guide for women with ovarian cancer is available at www.ovariancancerprogram.org.au (from Monday) or freecall 1800 624 973 to order a copy.
Media contact: Bree Hancock 0438 209 833
|
