For World Ovarian Cancer Day, the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition is launching a global call to action through its “Reach For The Scars” campaign — spotlighting the real stories, scars, and experiences behind one of the deadliest and most under-recognized cancers affecting women worldwide. With awareness still critically low and ovarian cancer cases rising among younger populations, more than 200 organizations are uniting to push for earlier diagnosis, stronger recognition, and urgent change.
Annabel Deegan, Media Consultant at the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, shared the following release with OncoDaily.
“Friday May 8th is World Ovarian Cancer Day. The World Ovarian Cancer Coalition is calling for urgent global action to change the trajectory of the most lethal and under-recognised cancer affecting women worldwide. We are at a critical moment with survival outcomes still poor, awareness low and annual global deaths projected to rise by 70%.
This year’s campaign Reach For The Scars is shifting the conversation from statistics to what women are really going through – encouraging those affected to share their scars, stories, and voices to make the realities of ovarian cancer impossible to ignore. Olympian figure skater Piper Gilles kicked off our campaign sharing her scars and encouraging women around the world to do the same.
Why cover World Ovarian Cancer Day:
- New data shows ovarian cancer is one of 11 cancers rising in young people
- It is the most lethal of female cancers – under-recognised and under-funded
- Awareness is critically low. The World Ovarian Cancer Coalition’s Every Woman Study found that 66% of women had never heard of ovarian cancer or knew anything about it before diagnosis.
- The Reach For The Scars campaign brings a new human lens to the disease, encouraging survivors, previvors, patients, and families to share lived experiences and help close the awareness gap.
- This World Ovarian Cancer Day is a rare global moment when over 200 organisations unite to call for ovarian cancer to be recognised as a health priority and to push for change that could save lives.
What we can provide:
- Posts/Videos and pictures of scars – visible and invisible that women around the world have shared leading up to this World Ovarian Cancer Day
- Spokesperson – World Ovarian Cancer Coalition CEO, Christel Paganoni-Bruijns
- Survivor stories and additional data for coverage
Scars tell stories that statistics alone cannot. Women are speaking up – our data shows the vast majority experience symptoms before diagnosis – but too often those voices are not heard in time. By bringing these stories into the open, we can raise more awareness of this disease, help drive faster diagnosis and ensure no one feels alone.”
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