Ovarian cancer is one of the most lethal and least understood cancers today.
Known as the “silent killer,” it is notoriously hard to detect in its early stages. Unlike many other primary cancers, there is still no routine, reliable early detection test for ovarian cancer.
This is not just a medical oversight; it’s a global crisis in the making. But there is hope – and it’s never been closer.
The Ovaries. Talk About Them. campaign, now in its sixth year, has been driving a single, ambitious goal: to help bring the world’s first circulating tumour DNA-based early detection test for ovarian cancer to clinical trials by 2026.
Since launching in 2019, the campaign has raised over AUD 2.5 million in direct research funding, uniquely driven by 100 percent of proceeds from the associated fashion collection and public donations.
These funds have enabled a world-first research initiative led by Professor Caroline Ford and her all-female team at the UNSW Gynaecological Cancer Research Group.
“We’re on the verge of a scientific breakthrough that could fundamentally change outcomes for people with ovarian cancer around the world. Early detection is the missing piece, and we’re closer than ever to delivering it,” said Professor Caroline Ford, UNSW.
With clinical trials now in sight, the next chapter in women’s health could look very different from the one we’ve known. After identifying three particular DNA biomarkers in 2024, current work is focused on combining them into a single, highly sensitive blood test – a rigorous process known as multiplexing.
This represents the final step before launching a clinical trial to assess the real-world effectiveness of what could become the world’s first early detection test for ovarian cancer.
The goal of Ovaries. Talk About Them. is to develop a blood test that will detect ovarian cancer in its critical early stages, when it is in one spot and isolated, as this is when surgery can remove the cancer, providing a permanent cure.
“We are now on the home stretch and are confident in our selection of ovarian cancer biomarkers and are working hard to combine them in the best way to ensure that our test is as specific and as sensitive as possible. We are optimistic that at the end of this process (multiplexing), we will have a test that is both sensitive in specifically detecting tiny amounts of tumour DNA.”
Ovaries. Talk About Them is a true embodiment of women supporting women. The team of scientists are all women, and the funds raised from this initiative have directly supported salaries and the fostering of career growth and success of women in scientific fields.
“Working as part of an all-female team of researchers has made us think more broadly about how the test will be used in the real world. We’ve had such an awareness of the way female physiology works as we were going through the various stages of developing this test,” said Dr Kristina Warton.
“We’ve checked the impact of periods, of endometriosis, of menopause, to try to eliminate the possibility that any of these widespread female life experiences will make the test work less well. It’s been quite startling along the way how little research there is overall in these areas.”
With one step left and one chance to make history, CAMILLA AND MARC has called on all Australians and supporters around the world to take part. Buy a t-shirt, donate, spread the word. And be part of a movement that will save lives. It all begins with ovaries.
“We are incredibly optimistic that the wonderfully capable team is on track to take the first early detection test to clinical trial by 2026. Now, we need everyone to show up like never before, for our mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends. If we get this across the line, we will change the future of women’s health globally,” said Camilla Freeman-Topper, Creative Director of CAMILLA AND MARC.
The design of this year’s collection is minimal and pared-back, stripping away distraction to let the message speak louder than ever. This aesthetic reflects the raw clarity and urgency of the cause, with clean, concise typography front and centre, allowing the focus to remain precisely where it should be: on the conversation.
With a collection embedded in bold new slogans, including ‘How much are your ovaries worth?’ and ‘It All Begins with Ovaries’, this year marked a significant call to action to help ensure the ambition of this life-changing initiative is met.
“This campaign started as a personal mission to fund a test that didn’t exist. Through the incredible commitment of our community, this dream is now within reach. We set a bold goal, but this campaign is an incredible example of what we can achieve when purpose drives business,” said Marc Freeman, CEO of CAMILLA AND MARC.
CAMILLA AND MARC Ovaries. Talk About Them. will launch in-store and online on the 25th of August.
