ABOUT THE
OVARIAN CANCER
RESEARCH FOUNDATION

ABOUT THE OCRF

The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) is Australia’s leading independent funder of ovarian cancer research, dedicated to transforming outcomes for the most lethal women’s cancer. In Australia, fewer than 50 per cent of women and girls diagnosed with ovarian cancer will survive more than five years - a figure unchanged for decades, highlighting disparities and gender inequities in research and care that demand urgent action.

OCRF is rewriting this story. Their vision is a future where those impacted by ovarian cancer can live healthy, vital lives. To achieve this, they are catalysing change and accelerating progress by increasing awareness, advocating for greater investment and equity, collaborating nationally and internationally, and strategically funding high impact medical research.

The OCRF is entirely funded by the Australian community, through fundraisers, donors and valued partners such as Witchery. Witchery is the OCRF's largest and longest-term partnership, donating more than $17.9 million through a range of projects over the years, most notably the Witchery White Shirt campaign, which began in 2008.

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ABOUT OVARIAN CANCER

What does an ovarian cancer diagnosis mean? Simply put, it means there are malignant (cancerous) cells growing on one or both ovaries, or the fallopian tubes. It is often accompanied by the spread of malignant cells to surrounding organs in the abdominal cavity.

The ovaries are located on either side of the uterus and are responsible for the production of ova (eggs) and hormones involved in the menstrual cycle and fertility.

While cells in our body usually grow in a controlled and organised fashion, when they grow abnormally, they form a growth or a tumour, which can be benign or malignant. A malignant ovarian tumour, known as a cancer or carcinoma, will continue to spread in an uncontrolled fashion through the body unless it is treated. The extent of this spread will determine the stage of ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer continues to be one of the most lethal and least understood cancers affecting women and girls. Today, five women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and 70% of these will be at an advanced stage, when the five year survival rates drop to just 29%.

In part, this is because the symptoms of ovarian cancer are so vague and in part, because there is no early detection test. Contrary to common belief, a pap smear does not detect ovarian cancer, only cervical cancer which is usually caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) - ovarian cancer is not.

Invasive surgery is currently the only way of detecting and accurately diagnosing ovarian cancer.

Even if initial treatment is successful, in many cases the cancer comes back, and is much harder to treat.

It is a bleak picture of the reality of ovarian cancer—one that hasn’t changed significantly in thirty years, although recently there have been some promising developments, there's a long way to go.

These factors highlight why innovative research is so urgently needed. We need to find an early detection test and discover better, more effective treatments that will help women survive a ovarian cancer diagnosis long term, and bring hope to future generations.