Campaign on awareness

Find out what changes we're campaigning for to improve awareness of ovarian cancer.

What are we campaigning for? 

There is no screening tool for ovarian cancer, so it's vital everyone is aware of the symptoms if the disease is to be diagnosed early. But our brand new data shows there's an awareness crisis:

  • Only 1 in 5 women know that bloating is a symptom of ovarian cancer 
  • Only 1 in 100 women know that needing to wee more often is a symptom 
  • 4 in 10 women wrongly believe that cervical screening detects ovarian cancer 

We want governments to combat this crisis through awareness campaigns featuring ovarian cancer symptoms, which will mean quicker diagnosis for everyone, everywhere.

We’re asking you to call on your elected representative to raise awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer  

Write to you elected representative today

What's happened so far? 

  • England: NHS England has launched the first-ever nationwide awareness campaign which includes ovarian cancer symptoms. Explore our journey spanning more than a decade of campaigning for this.
  • Northern Ireland: The Public Health Agency ran an ovarian cancer awareness initiative. They also launched Be Cancer Aware to raise awareness of all cancers, although there has yet to be an ovarian cancer-specific campaign.
  • Scotland: The Detect Cancer Early symptoms awareness-raising programme has featured ovarian cancer as part of the #MySurvivor campaign but has not been the focus on any standalone activity.
  • Wales: To date there has been no specific activity on ovarian cancer. But in 2017 the Welsh Assembly Petitions Committee produced a report calling for a public-facing ovarian cancer awareness in Wales.

How can you get involved? 

Things aren't moving fast enough in the UK. Everyone, everywhere needs to be aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer. Enough is enough – we need change now. 

Write to your elected representative today. By working together, we can help ensure everyone diagnosed with ovarian cancer has the best possible chance of survival wherever they live.

Write to you elected representative today