Jean Kittson Teamed up with Patricia Brown, a Teacher for 26 years who is one of Ovarian Cancer Australia’s “11th Hour Ambassadors. Together they Hope to Deliver an Important Health Message to Australian Women Teachers:
Don’t leave learning the symptoms of ovarian cancer until the 11th hour!
Every 11 hours an Australian woman will die from ovarian cancer. To mark Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in February (an initiative of Ovarian Cancer Australia), Jean Kittson and 11 Australian women from many walks of life teamed up with Ovarian Cancer Australia to help raise awareness of the disease and help generate vital funds for programmes that support women diagnosed with the disease, and their families.
There is no early detection test for ovarian cancer and while the disease is often considered a silent killer scientific evidence shows that many women do experience symptoms that if acted on, could result in an earlier diagnosis and a better chance of beating the disease.
Jean Kittson, the 2010 Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month Campaign Ambassador said, "Ovarian cancer affects someone’s friend, someone’s partner, someone’s sister, someone’s daughter and someone’s mother. I’m delighted to be part of such an important health initiative for Australian women. Together, we can all learn the symptoms of ovarian cancer to save lives and at the same time raise vital funds to help women who have the disease."
Nicole Livingstone, co-founder and Patron of Ovarian Cancer Australia said, "We really value what Jean Kittson, Patricia Brown and all the 11th Hour Ambassadors are doing to help us deliver this essential health message to Australian women. It’s this support that has given us the opportunity to educate women and hopefully help save lives."
Ms Kittson said, "By teaming up we hope to inform women about a disease that is the 6th most common cause of cancer death among Australian women and help them learn to recognise the symptoms of ovarian cancer so that they can seek early treatment which could save their lives.
"Most women think they are protected through a Pap smear. However this test does not detect ovarian cancer. There is no test to detect ovarian cancer. Only knowing the symptoms will save your life. Our message to every Australian women is make sure you know the symptoms of ovarian cancer because it might save your life. Don’t leave it until the 11the hour," Ms. Kittson said.
The 11th Hour Ambassadors are 11 women chosen to represent Australian women of all ages, cultures and professions to emphasise that women should not leave learning the symptoms of ovarian cancer until the 11th hour!"
Patricia Brown, one of the 11th Hour Ambassadors for the campaign is passionate about teaching having worked as a teacher for 26 years and is equally passionate about getting this vital health message out to all teachers in all forums of education.
"When I was invited to be part of this campaign to raise awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer among women and teachers, I was thrilled to be involved in such an important women’s health issue. We all know about breast cancer but not enough women know about ovarian cancer and its symptoms that can provide early detection of the disease and give women a better chance of survival.
"If by working with Ovarian Cancer Australia we can help save the life of just one woman by raising awareness about the early symptoms of ovarian cancer as well as raise vital funds to support the invaluable services offered by Ovarian Cancer Australia, then we will have helped to make a difference," Patricia Brown said.
Nicole Livingstone explained the care offered by Ovarian Cancer Australia for women diagnosed with the disease. "Ovarian Cancer Australia plays such a critical role in supporting women with ovarian cancer throughout Australia. Whilst other organisations are chasing a detection test which could be years away, with 1500 women newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Australia every year, we are here to support women physically, emotionally and intellectually, she said.
"We established Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month because awareness of the disease and its symptoms is critical in ensuring women and their loved ones know about ovarian cancer and can recognise its symptoms. The more people who know about the disease, the greater the chance we have of women being detected earlier and in turn, the better their survival prospects," Ms Livingstone said.
The most common four symptoms which women with ovarian cancer experience frequently and persistently are: pelvic and abdominal pain, increased abdominal size/persistent bloating, increased urinary frequency, and difficulty eating and/or feeling full quickly.
To learn the risks, signs and symptoms or to make a donation please visit www.ovariancancer.net.au . Don’t leave it until the eleventh hour!
For more information on ovarian cancer, or to make a tax deductible donation or purchase teal ribbons (minimum quantity of 5 at $2 each) please contact Ovarian Cancer Australia.
Phone: 1300 660 334
Email: admin@ovariancancer.net.au
Website: ovariancancer.net.au
We are able to offer you a number of photographs and interview opportunities including:
Patricia Brown of Northmead – 11th Hour Ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month 2010
Jean Kittson – Ambassador – Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month 2010
Jean Kittson and the 11th Hour Ambassadors
JEAN KITTSON – Ambassador – Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month 2010
Jean Kittson is one of Australia’s best known and most popular comedians.
She is a performer and writer whose television shows include the Big Gig, Kittson Fahey, Let The Blood Run Free, Good News Week, Flat Chat, Glasshouse, The Great Debates and The Einstein Factor.
She is a regular guest on Richard Glover’s Thank God its Friday Show On 702 Sydney (2BL). Her most recent film role was with Delta Goodrem In Hating Alison Ashley.
She is a magazine columnist who has written for New Weekly, The Sunday Telegraph, and The Sydney Morning Herald’s Sydney Magazine and is currently a columnist with Readers Digest Health Smart Magazine. She is the author of the Penguin best seller, Tongue Lashing. She is also a firm favourite on the corporate speaker’s circuit.
Patricia Brown – Teacher and 11TH HOUR Ambassador
Born on 2 October 1953 from mixed parents. Mother, Olga Winifred Bartels (nee Wakeham), British, and father Albert Edwin Bartels, Anglo Indian.
Happily married to Alan Brown, Research Chemist, and has been blessed with two children, Tracey now working as a Product Manager and Nicholas: actor, songwriter, singer. Both Tracey and Nicholas attended Selective Schools, Girraween Selective and Newtown Selective. Tracey completed her BA degree in Communications and Marketing, UWS, Parramatta Campus and Nicholas has a BA degree in Performing Arts (NIDA).
Patricia has worked as a teacher for 26 years. 7 July 1984-20 August 2001 joined TAFE (Department of Technical and Further Education) as a teacher of Communication, Business (Admin) Services, Information Technology (Bankstown, Wetherill Park, Granville, Mount Druitt). In August 2001-current transferred to DET (Department of Education and Training). Patricia has worked in Chifley College, Bidwill Campus and Northmead High School in the HSIE Faculty.
Patricia works with passion as a teacher and aims to teach for the rest of her life. She is currently studying Certificate III in Christian Ministry and Theology at Parramatta Institute for Mission, Blacktown and University of Western Sydney, Post Graduate Studies in TESOL. Patricia will continue studying till it takes her to her grave. She is also a Teacher of (Hatha) Yoga and Tai Chi.
Patricia wishes to retire from full time work this year and care for her aged mother, 90 years old and her two grand children, Fynn and Indie Roche. She will continue to teach part-time, assist with voluntary work with St Vincent’s de Paul Society and The Catholic Women’s League.
Patricia cannot understand ‘hatred and envy’ as she feels it is most corrosive in life. Her heart aches for the poor and helpless. She believes: "Be the Change you want to See in the World". She does this in her own , humble and unique way.
11TH HOUR Ambassadors
11 women from all walks of life have joined Jean Kittson to deliver an Australia Day message to help educate all Australian Women about the risks and symptoms of ovarian cancer.
Patricia Brown (56) Teacher - High School Deborah Brown (31) Dancer - Bangarra Dancer Theatre Australia Sgt Danielle Cameron (30) Police Woman - NSW Police Sharon Clark (56) State Manager (NSW) - Chemmart Debra Gooley (52) Restaurant Manager & Chef - Fisherman's Wharf Restaurant Ann Henderson (67) Grandmother to Marley & business woman - Scanpix Deborah Kuleff (28) Film maker - Glocal Pictures Kavita Narayanan (29) Nurse - Nursing Australia Lynda Pereira (38) Business Women - Senior Brand Manager - Marketing - MLC Tracy Brown (32) Young mother with baby – Indie Roche Tannia Tiropanis (27) Makeup Artist - Napoleon Perdis
Please see information on ovarian cancer, Ovarian Cancer Australia, Awareness Month and Teal Ribbon Day on pages 4-6 of this media kit.
Please contact Insight Communications for more information, photographs or to arrange interviews.
Clare Collins - Insight Communications Alice Collins – Insight Communications P: 02 9319 3844 P: 02 9319 3844 M: 0414 821 957 M: 0414 686 091 E: clare@insightcommunications.net.au E: alice@insightcommunications.net.au
On February 1, Ovarian Cancer Australia is launching Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month 2010 to help save lives by raising awareness about the symptoms of ovarian cancer and provide support for those touched by ovarian cancer.
• In 2010, more than 1500 Australia women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer
• More than 850 will die from the disease – that’s 1 woman every 11 hours
• 75% of women are diagnosed in the advanced stages and will not live beyond 5 years
• Ovarian cancer is the 6th most common cause of cancer death in Australian women
• Ovarian cancer can affect women of all ages – girls as young as 7 have been diagnosed. But the risk of getting ovarian cancer increases with age. The average age for an ovarian cancer diagnosis is 64
• There is no detection test – a Pap smear does NOT detect ovarian cancer
• The majority of Australian women DON’T know the symptoms of ovarian cancer but almost all women with ovarian cancer suffer symptoms
• To ensure a good chance of survival it is essential that ovarian cancer is caught in the early stages
• If found in the early stages, the majority of women will be alive and well after five years
• Awareness of symptoms is the principal means of early diagnosis to save lives!
• With the help of the media, we aim to save lives by educating women about the symptoms of ovarian cancer. We aim to inform them about what to do if they have symptoms, empowering them to manage their health
Who is Ovarian Cancer Australia?
Ovarian Cancer Australia is a national not-for-profit organisation providing support and advocacy for people affected by ovarian cancer, and is the peak body for ovarian cancer awareness and prevention. Our programs are focused in these important areas:
• Promoting awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms in the community – giving Australian women and their healthcare providers a better understanding of the early signs of ovarian cancer
• Providing support networks and resources to women and their families and friends affected by ovarian cancer
• Advocating with medical professionals, government and the media for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer
• We are the only organisation that works with Australian women, their families and friends who have been affected by ovarian cancer
Ovarian Cancer Australia Exists To:
• Save women’s lives by raising awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer
• Support those touched by ovarian cancer
• Be the voice of ovarian cancer awareness and prevention in Australia
How Many Women In Australia Have Ovarian Cancer?
• 1 in 70 Australian women will develop ovarian cancer in their lifetime. Each year, more than 850 Australian women will lose their battle with ovarian cancer – that’s one woman every 11 hours.
• What Is The Life Expectancy For A Woman Diagnosed With Ovarian Cancer?
• 75% of women are diagnosed in the advanced stages and will not live beyond 5 years. If diagnosed early, the majority of those women will survive. This is why awareness and early detection is so important.
Who Is At Risk Of Developing Ovarian Cancer?
Factors that are considered to increase the risk of ovarian cancer are:
• Age – women over the age of 45 are at greater risk of developing ovarian cancer. However, it affects women of all ages – ovarian cancer has been diagnosed in girls as young as 7
• Never having taken the contraceptive pill
• Having few or no pregnancies
• A high-fat diet, being overweight and smoking
• A history of cancer in the family, especially ovarian, breast or some bowel cancers (approximately 10% of all ovarian cancer cases are due to an inherited gene fault and these are found in 1 in 500 people in Australia)
• Being of Ashkenazi Jewish descent
Facts About Ovarian Cancer In Australia
• This year, 1500 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer; more than 850 will die from the disease
• There is no reliable early detection test for ovarian cancer
• The majority of Australian women do not know the symptoms of ovarian cancer
• Ovarian cancer is the 6th most common cause of cancer death in Australian women
What Are The Symptoms Of Ovarian Cancer?
The four most frequently reported symptoms from women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are:
• Persistent abdominal pain or pelvic (lower abdominal) pain
• A noticeable increase in abdominal size or abdominal bloating
• Needing to rush to the toilet to urinate often or urgently
• Feeling full quickly or finding it difficult to eat
Other symptoms that have been commonly reported by women with ovarian cancer include:
• Vague but persistent stomach upsets such as wind, nausea, heart burn or indigestion
• Vaginal bleeding
• Change in bowel habits
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Excessive fatigue
If these symptoms persist even after prescribed treatment for other more common conditions (for example irritable bowel syndrome), women should ask their GP to consider the possibility of ovarian cancer. Ovarian Cancer Australia provides free symptom diaries to download from their website so that women can track what they are experiencing and be able to better communicate with their GP.
Is There A Test For Ovarian Cancer?
• No! There is NO early detection screening test for ovarian cancer. A Pap smear does NOT detect ovarian cancer. This is why awareness of the symptoms is critical to Australian women
How Is Ovarian Cancer Diagnosed?
• Ovarian cancer can only be confirmed at the point of surgery. If ovarian cancer is suspected, a GP will recommend tests which can suggest if ovarian cancer is a possibility, these include the CA125 test, and a trans-vaginal ultrasound, but these tests cannot be used to screen for or diagnose ovarian cancer.
How Is It Treated?
• When ovarian cancer is confirmed during surgery, a total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus), bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries on both sides), omentectomy (removal of the fatty tissue that covers the bowels), lymphadenectomy (removal of one or more lymph nodes) may be performed.
Awareness Is The Key To Saving Lives – We Raise Awareness By Promoting:
• Australia’s annual awareness month is February
• Teal Ribbon Day is Wednesday 24 February 2010
• Teal is the international colour representing ovarian cancer
About Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
• Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is an international campaign to raise awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer. In 2010 in Australia Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is held in February. Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is also a time when Ovarian Cancer Australia, their volunteers and friends, raise funds for their programs and resources to support women with ovarian cancer and to ensure every woman in Australia knows the symptoms of ovarian cancer.
For more information on ovarian cancer, or to make a tax deductible donation or purchase teal ribbons (minimum quantity of 5 at $2 each) please contact Ovarian Cancer Australia.
Phone: 1300 660 334
Email: admin@ovariancancer.net.au
Website: ovariancancer.net.au
