Minister for Health Sussan Ley has highlighted a new social media awareness campaign as an important initiative to improve women’s knowledge and awareness of ovarian cancer.

Minister for Health Sussan Ley has highlighted a new social media awareness campaign as an important initiative to improve women’s knowledge and awareness of ovarian cancer.

Marking Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month this February, Cancer Australia has launched a new online resource ‘No one knows your body like you do’ to raise awareness and help women identify the symptoms of ovarian cancer.

According to Ms Ley “the symptoms of ovarian cancer can be vague and similar to other common conditions – this awareness campaign through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube educates us on what to look for”.

“Four women are diagnosed every day with ovarian cancer, the second most common gynaecological cancer and the most common cause of gynaecological cancer death in Australia.”

Through Cancer Australia, the Commonwealth Government is committed to reducing the burden of cancer on the community. National funding for ovarian cancer research projects and research programmes has increased five-fold in the last decade.

Cancer Australia has also funded nine grants for organisations to support women with gynaecological cancers in urban and regional Australia; for example, through telephone support, support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, as well as support and wellbeing networks.

The Maintaining support for women with gynaecological cancers programme also aims to support health professionals to deliver evidence-based, multidisciplinary care to women affected by gynaecological cancers and provide information and support to them, their families and carers.