Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I do hesitate to rise after the emotional contributions of the members for Ballarat, Shortland, Canberra, Dobell and Lindsay. They all told personal stories of a disease that has affected many people in our community. I rise also as a friend of one of my constituents, Paula Benson, who has been touched personally by this disease but who, since that time, has gone on to do extraordinary work, particularly with Ovarian Cancer Australia, to raise awareness of this disease.

This is an issue that, when I first heard about it, certainly, 10 years ago, I knew next to nothing about. The symptoms of this disease, and the importance of early awareness and early diagnosis, were things that were, frankly, not at all on my radar. But since hearing of this good advocacy work, since the Morning Teal and since the ovarian cancer awareness days, this work that has been done in our community has alerted me to it. It is a discussion that I have had with my family members and with people that I know. I have asked family members whether they know the common symptoms—whether they know that abdominal or pelvic pain, increased abdominal size or persistent abdominal bloating, needing to urinate often or urgently and difficulty eating or feeling full quickly can be signs of ovarian cancer. These are generalised symptoms. It is difficult from the outside to diagnose. So it is very important that women are supported in trusting their own bodies and in seeking medical diagnosis and support. Having these conversations in families and in our community and ensuring that there is a wide knowledge of these symptoms is a very important thing that we can all be doing in this House. I congratulate those members here who have been talking about this. I encourage members to get along to the Teal Ribbon Day events that are going on in the community and in this House. I commend the member for Shortland for bringing this motion to the House and the member for Dobell for seconding it.

Debate adjourned.

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