AFTER numerous surgeries and living with excruciating pain in her ovaries since her teens, Tamworth woman Ellen Fisher still considers herself one of the lucky ones, because her condition isn’t cancerous.
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But she knows all too well that ovarian cancer is a silent killer and takes hold of thousands of woman across the nation each year, so she’s dedicating the month of October to raise awareness.
The local wife and mother will participate in “Frocktober” – a fundraiser for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, now in its sixth year.
It’s the second year Mrs Fisher has put her hand up for the event, raising about $800 last year for research, with a mission to raise $1500 this time around.
Even her employer, the local Westpac Bank branch, is getting behind her quest – which will see her out of uniform and wearing a frock a day for the entire month. Mrs Fisher describes her style as a bit of “rockabilly”, she’s a big fan of skulls at the moment – and that’s reflected in the abundance of dresses she has in her collection.
“I haven’t picked them out yet, but I do have enough,” she said.
“I feel good about it (raising awareness) – I might not get a comment every day but when I do I explain it’s for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation and it makes me feel a bit happier that one more person knows about this fundraiser.
“It’s not a widely known one compared to things like MOvember and Steptember.”
In the lead-up to her big month ahead Mrs Fisher has been rallying up support via social media and has also joined some Facebook groups to support others taking part in the fundraiser – one which she said was close to her heart.
“My ovaries don’t work properly, I’ve had years of pain and it was a real eye opener to me,” she said. “A lot of people don’t know the true facts about ovarian cancer, a pap smear can’t detect it – it’s the silent killer.”
“While I’m a lucky one and don’t have it, a lot of people don’t know that these issues could mean something.”
Frocktober is aimed at promoting early detection of Ovarian Cancer which when detected and treated early 80 to 100 per cent of women will survive beyond five years.