The silent killer is its name. No, this isn’t a new true crime Netflix series — it’s ovarian cancer. As for how it got this name? There’s no screening program; there’s also no cure. Symptoms can be, and often are, mistaken for something else.
Three women in Australia die from it each day — according to Ovarian Cancer Australia, it’s one of the deadliest, yet underfunded, female cancers in our country.
Which is why the faces behind iconic Australian label CAMILLA AND MARC have launched a campaign in support of ovarian cancer — specifically, to raise funding for ovarian cancer testing.
The sister-brother duo who founded the brand, Camilla Freeman-Topper and Marc Freeman, know just how tragic ovarian cancer can be. They lost their mother to ovarian cancer 27 years ago, when Camilla was 11 and Marc was 13.
The philanthropic campaign, “Ovaries. Talk About Them.” was originally launched in 2020, and the duo has raised over $225,000 to date. This year, they’re using fashion to raise the word, get people talking, and to raise much-needed funding. Selling unisex limited edition t-shirts and hoodies, both in boutiques and online, 100% of proceeds will be going to research — and they’re available from today.
Specifically, the proceeds raised will be going directly to associate professor Caroline Ford and her team at the Ovarian Cancer Research Group, UNSW Medicine to raise the vital funds for the fight against this devastating disease, according to a press release.
Creative director, Camilla Freeman Topper said, “We are proud of what we have achieved to date, but there is much work to be done. If we can detect this disease early, it will be a game-changer for women’s health.
“There is still no early diagnosis test for ovarian cancer almost 30 years after my mother’s death, largely due to a lack of awareness and funding which is just so hard to believe. Ovarian cancer is the deadliest female cancer and is in dire need of attention. Over 300,000 women worldwide die annually from the disease, often because of a late diagnosis and that’s simply not good enough.”
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