Julia Banks (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Most parents would know and enjoy that connection with fellow parents at their kids' school sports. It is that common bond: you are standing in the rain, the cold or the heat together, cheering on your child's team. Whilst many of these connections are more acquaintances than friends, you are still grateful for their friendship and company. One of these acquaintances, a mum at my child's school, had enduring fatigue and a persistent headache for days, which she passed off as a virus. However, her GP ordered a CAT scan, which showed a brain tumour: secondary cancer. The primary cancer was ovarian cancer. When she passed away in her mid-40s, the school community was rocked with grief and, albeit I did not know her well, I cried and cried.

Each day in Australia, four women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and three of them will die from the disease. Ovarian cancer has the lowest survival rate of any women's cancer and there has been very little improvement in the survival rate in the past 20 years. The symptoms of ovarian cancer are pervasive and silent. Some symptoms include excessive fatigue, appetite loss, indigestion and persistent bloating. Some key risk factors include family history of ovarian, breast or bowel cancer, or being aged over 50. Awareness in this regard is critical, so spread the word to stop the spread of ovarian cancer.

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