World Ovarian Cancer Day - One Voice for Every Woman

Today (May 8) is World Ovarian Cancer Day, a global movement to raise awareness about ovarian cancer by pledging to spread the word through the theme One Voice for Every Woman.
This year, World Ovarian Cancer Day is asking people to pledge to pass on the awareness message to at least five friends.
All those who sign the World Ovarian Cancer Day pledge at www.ovariancancerday.org will receive an e-card
with ovarian cancer risk and symptom information. This card is to be passed along to at least five
friends, who in turn will be encouraged to pass it along to their friends.
Each year, nearly a quarter of a million women around the world are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and the
disease is responsible for 140,000 deaths annually. Statistics show that just 45% of women with ovarian
cancer are likely to survive for five years compared with 89% of women with breast cancer. Women in
developed and developing countries are similarly affected by ovarian cancer.
There is no test for the early detection of ovarian cancer, a disease characterized around the world by a lack of
awareness of symptoms and late stage diagnosis.
Symptoms of ovarian cancer are often confused with less serious conditions such as gastrointestinal
complaints. Symptoms include:
? increased abdominal size / persistent bloating (not bloating that comes and goes)
? difficulty eating / feeling full quickly
? abdominal or pelvic pain
? needing to pass urine more urgently or more frequently.
Approximately 15% of cases of ovarian cancer are due to family history. This means having a close blood
relation (mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, granddaughter, aunt or niece) on either your mother’s or your
father’s side of the family who has had breast cancer before the age of 50 or ovarian cancer at any age. In
addition to sharing symptom and risk information, WOCD will also focus on prevention of ovarian cancer.
Ovarian Cancer Australia CEO Alison Amos says: "World Ovarian Cancer Day is an important day for ovarian cancer organizations and communities around the world to unite and speak with one voice to raise awareness of ovarian cancer. We're proud to be involved with this global initiative and will be passing the awareness message out among those we work with. This activity supports our vision to save lives and ensure that no woman with ovarian cancer walks alone."
To sign the pledge, go to http://ovariancancerday.org/pledge/