Every eight hours, one Australian woman dies from ovarian cancer.
Rare and devastatingly deadly, over 70% of women who are diagnosed are in the advanced stages of the disease, and thus have a miniscule 5-year survival rate.
For October, the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) are holding their fashionable fundraiser, Frocktober.
During Frocktober, Australians can sign up to the challenge and wear their most stylish ensembles. Either in teams or individually, at work, on the weekend, or every day of the month, with the support of family, friends and colleagues, Frocktober raises dire funds for ovarian cancer research.
Last year, OCRF were able to pull together $1.1 million from their dedicated frockers.
‘Wearing your frock is lots of fun,’ says Georgie Beck, Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation ambassador and ovarian cancer survivor. ‘Pull out your old clothes you haven’t worn for a long time, out of the depths of your wardrobe. You feel like a princess.’
Georgie, in her late 40s, was diagnosed in 2022 with stage 4 ovarian cancer, and is currently soldiering through a reoccurrence of the disease. Last year, Georgie, her girlfriends, and her sister, hosted their own Frocktober events, with prizes and a raffle. Throughout the month, they were able to raise $62,000 towards OCRF.
‘The problem with ovarian cancer is it has been overlooked for thirty years. We are still using the same treatment,’ explains Georgie. ‘There is no early detection test. I was exercising six days a week, and then I had two weeks of bloating, no other symptoms at all. I have no genetic markers. They don’t know why I got it. I was just stuck by lightning.’
Many symptoms of ovarian cancer, including bowel discomfort, bloating, and pain, all mimic conditions like IBS, or are masked under symptoms of menopause and menstruation. As a result, ovarian cancer is often caught too late.
‘Women really need to advocate for themselves to push for tests to dig deeper,’ says Georgie. ‘The exciting thing is the early detection test has been coming along really well. They’ve had some breakthroughs. The more people that get involved, the more money we can raise for our teal sisters.’
To participate in Frocktober, and find out more information about the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, visit www.ocrf.com.au
