Be kind, open your heart, love and go on"
Those were the words written a thousand times from Amanda Ryan to her daughters after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
The words have brought comfort to Olive and Frank clothing brand owners Chloe Torpey and Gaby Corless and have driven them to create two bespoke products to raise money for Target Ovarian Cancer.
Gaby said:
We saw an opportunity to collaborate on a meaningful project through our clothing brand: a t-shirt and hoodie inspired by Mum's words. We hope it will be a beacon of hope for women facing adversity and challenges in their lives. Mum approached every challenge with strength and resilience – it captures her zest for life.
Unusual bloating was the first symptom Amanda had of ovarian cancer, but it wasn’t until months later in March 2019 that she was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. Amanda, nor the doctors who ran numerous tests, ever suspected ovarian cancer. In fact, she thought the bloating was due to a diet change.
For a year, Amanda underwent chemotherapy and she and her family held on to the hope that treatment would prolong her life. However, due to the extent of the cancer, no further treatment options were available to Amanda, who peacefully passed away on 3 April 2020.
It was then that Chloe and Gaby found Target Ovarian Cancer.
Chloe said:
Mum bravely faced the remaining three months of her life and passed away during lockdown. We created a JustGiving page for people to donate in Mum's memory who couldn’t attend her funeral but wanted to express their love and support for her. The response exceeded our expectations – raising £4,050. We researched several charities and were drawn to Target Ovarian Cancer because of their impactful work, especially in supporting women facing circumstances similar to Mum's. We knew we wanted to support them further in the future.
During Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in March 2023, Olive and Frank launched the ‘Open Heart’ tee with 100% of profits going towards our work on the first day of sale, and 10% thereafter. To date, the t-shirt has raised over an incredible £3,600 which has gone towards our work providing education modules for GPs, and support to women living with ovarian cancer through our nurse-led support line.
Chloe and Gaby told us:
Mum inspires us today. She always encouraged us to pursue our dreams and do what we loved. Ultimately she taught us the importance of being kind, loving others and living life to the full. She also had a wicked laugh that would light up any room, something people still comment on today.
We're delighted to be teaming back up with Olive and Frank for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month 2024. This year, the ‘Open Heart’ hoodie has been created in addition to the tee, and will raise vital funds to stop ovarian cancer devastating lives.
Chloe and Gaby want to use their clothing brand to help change the future for other women affected by ovarian cancer.
Through Mum’s journey we aim to highlight the importance of resilience, early detection and awareness of symptoms as understanding the symptoms of ovarian cancer could save your life. Ultimately, we want her legacy to serve as a beacon of hope and for people to feel a sense of empowerment while wearing her words.
Today sees the ‘Open Heart’ hoodie go on sale for £56, with 100% profits going to Target Ovarian Cancer today on Friday 1 March, and 10% thereafter.
