Our board member Loraine Peck is sharing her story to shine a light on the importance of research.
Loraine and her mum Marilyn
“Three years ago, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Within a week I was on the operating table and by catching it early, surgery alone proved enough. No chemo needed. Only 7% of women with ovarian cancer get off that lightly. Two weeks ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Within a week I was on the operating table. After the ‘full Angelina Jolie’, I’m recovering at home with the all clear. No chemo, no radiotherapy. Again, lucky.
We all know breast screening is important and, because my darling mum had breast cancer, I was vigilant. But there is no screening test for ovarian cancer. If I hadn’t caught it so early, that cancer had a 50% chance of killing me. The only reason I got lucky was because I’m a skinny little bint and one of the tumours stuck out far enough for me to notice. 70% of women with ovarian cancer find out when it’s already at the advanced stage.
My point? Breast cancer now has a 90% survival rate while gynae cancers still hover down under 60%. I joined the board of the Australian Gynaecological Cancer Foundation because we need to raise funds to improve those odds. All funds go to research and research will deliver results, maybe even a screening test. It’s pretty simple. Please donate. Do it for your mums, your sisters, your wives and your girlfriends. But especially for your mums, because it’s Mother’s Day on Sunday.
– Loraine Peck
To celebrate your Mum this Mother’s Day, we’d love for you to donate #OneForYourMum. This campaign encourages people to make a single donation to the AGCF. All money raised is used to fund important research that will help save women’s lives around the world – women like our strong mums.
Copy and paste the below to your social media and share a special story all about your Mum.
Join me this Mother’s Day by making a donation and posting a special memory of you and your mum to social media with the hashtag #oneforyourmum. Donate to the Australian Gynaecological Cancer Foundation here: https://bit.ly/2A0AAOv
Happy Mother’s Day.