Every day a woman in New Zealand is told she has ovarian cancer.
Every 29 hours the disease claims a New Zealander’s life.
It is the deadliest of the five gynaecological cancers with a survival rate of around 36%. It kills more women in New Zealand than the other four – cervical, uterine, vulval and vaginal cancer – combined.
Some other countries have slightly better survival rates but late diagnosis, too little research and a lack of treatment options make fighting the disease an international imperative.
Today is World Ovarian Cancer Day and the mission of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition is to ensure no woman is left behind.
The coalition is petitioning the World Health Organization and health leaders around the world to recognise ovarian cancer as a global health priority.
If we do nothing to change the status quo, TWELVE million women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and EIGHT million women will die from the disease by 2050. The estimated mortality is greater than the population of Hong Kong and twice that of Los Angeles.
Latest projections indicate that ovarian cancer incidence and mortality are set to jump by 55% and almost 70% respectively by 2050, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the greatest burden.
- Opportunities for collaboration and partnerships with current women’s health initiatives are being missed. We should do better.
- Families, social networks, communities, and economies suffer from every woman’s ovarian cancer diagnosis. We can do better.
We call upon the World Health Organization and other health leaders around the world to prioritise ovarian cancer as an urgent health priority so we can change the future of this disease that is challenging to diagnose and treat. We must act now to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care for all women while addressing disparities and inequalities where they exist.
Working together under the banner of #NoWomanLeftBehind, we have a fighting chance of creating a world where everyone living with, or at risk of, ovarian cancer has the best chance of survival and best quality of life possible, no matter where they live.
Millions of women will be left behind without immediate coordinated action.
We simply must do better.
You can sign the petition at the link above.
Please do and share the link.
Posted by homepaddock 
Homepaddock 