“You don’t often have women in Parliament talking about abdominal bloating, pelvic pain or the need to urinate often, but it’s time we talked about it more,” Federal Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman has declared.
February is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, aimed at getting people talking about the cancer that today alone, four Australian women will learn they have.
“While it isn’t the most glamourous topic of conversation, it is the deadliest women's cancer,” said Ms Templeman.
“Last year across the country, approximately 1500 women were diagnosed and more than 1000 women died of ovarian cancer.”
Ms Templeman joined an old colleague, Newcastle ABC presenter Jill Emberson, who is being treated for ovarian cancer, at functions in Parliament House to launch the month of awareness.
“Jill and I were young journalists together back in the 1980s, at the start of our careers.
“It was brave of Jill to share her experience of ovarian cancer – she is about to start another round of chemo, so she is really in the thick of it – but it brings home to all of us in Parliament that this disease is brutal.
“The main thing a woman can do is to know the symptoms of ovarian cancer, because despite popular belief, it is not a silent disease.”
The symptoms to look out for are: abdominal or pelvic pain, increased abdominal size or persistent abdominal bloating, needing to urinate often or urgently, or feeling full after eating a small amount.
Ovarian Cancer Australia is also encouraging women who are not comfortable with their doctor’s diagnosis or are still concerned about unexplained persistent symptoms, to seek a second opinion.
To mark Ovarian Cancer Awareness month Labor has committed $12 million towards Ovarian Cancer Australia’s work including supporting three new clinical trials to give patients access to innovative treatments and further research.
“And we welcome the federal government’s announcement of $3 million to support a project that helps women identify whether they carry the BRCA genes which indicated a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer,” Ms Templeman said.
For more information on Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month visit: https://ovariancancer.net.au/ovarian-cancer-awareness-month/
