World Ovarian Cancer Coalition Leads Global Campaign to Raise Awareness of Ovarian Cancer
World Ovarian Cancer Day (WOCD) on May 8th stands as a pivotal moment in the ongoing global effort to raise awareness about ovarian cancer and to advocate for the condition to be recognized as a priority in women’s health. On this day, the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition (WOCC) and its network of over 200 partner organizations from around the world unite their voices to highlight the importance of early detection and diagnosis, as well as the need for better support and awareness efforts to save lives. This day serves as a call to action for the global health community, urging them to give greater attention to ovarian cancer, which remains one of the deadliest and most under-recognized cancers affecting women.
A Powerful Message from Global Ambassador Deborah Harkness
One of the most prominent voices leading the charge for WOCD 2025 is Deborah Harkness, the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition Global Ambassador and a best-selling author. Harkness, who has used her platform to shed light on the challenges faced by women with ovarian cancer, emphasizes the critical importance of listening to one’s body. “If your body is telling you something isn’t right, LISTEN TO IT,” Harkness urges. “I urge women to know the signs of ovarian cancer, make sure that you take this list of symptoms to your doctor to advocate for the right testing and the right follow-through care. Women and their doctors must be better informed about the symptoms of ovarian cancer so that they can take action.”
Through this campaign, Harkness stresses the need for increased awareness among women and healthcare providers about the key symptoms of ovarian cancer, which, if caught early, can significantly improve survival rates. The primary symptoms of ovarian cancer often overlap with those of other conditions, which can contribute to delays in diagnosis. However, by educating both women and healthcare professionals, it is possible to ensure more timely diagnoses and more effective treatments.
Understanding the Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is often referred to as a “silent killer” because its symptoms can be easily overlooked or mistaken for other, less serious conditions. The five most common symptoms of ovarian cancer that women should be aware of include:
- Persistent bloating
- Difficulty eating
- Feeling full quickly
- Pelvic/abdominal pain
- Urinary changes
These symptoms may be subtle at first and can easily be attributed to other, non-cancerous causes. As a result, many women do not seek medical attention until the disease has advanced, which is one of the reasons why ovarian cancer has such a high mortality rate.
The importance of awareness cannot be overstated. Women who are familiar with these symptoms and seek medical advice early are more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage, which significantly improves their chances of successful treatment. However, lack of knowledge about ovarian cancer remains a major barrier to early detection.
The Lack of Awareness: A Global Issue
The World Ovarian Cancer Coalition’s Every Woman StudyTM: Low-and Middle-Income Edition sheds light on the global awareness gap surrounding ovarian cancer. This groundbreaking study surveyed over 2,400 women living with ovarian cancer in 22 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The results revealed a startling lack of awareness, with only one in four women (26.1%) reporting that they had heard of ovarian cancer before their own diagnosis. Awareness levels varied widely between countries, with some nations seeing as few as 3.3% of women familiar with ovarian cancer, while others, like Uzbekistan, reported a more significant 63.2% awareness rate.
This lack of knowledge is not limited to low- and middle-income countries. The findings from the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition’s first Every Woman Study in 2018 also highlighted that, in high-income countries, more than two-thirds of women had never heard of ovarian cancer or did not know anything about it before they were diagnosed. This knowledge gap plays a significant role in delays in diagnosis, as women who are unfamiliar with the disease may not seek medical help when symptoms first appear.
Furthermore, the 2018 study showed a direct correlation between awareness and diagnosis. Women who had prior knowledge of ovarian cancer were more likely to visit their doctors within three months of experiencing symptoms, increasing the likelihood of an earlier and more accurate diagnosis.
WOCD 2025 Theme: “No Woman Left Behind”
The theme for World Ovarian Cancer Day 2025 is “No Woman Left Behind,” reflecting the commitment to ensure that every woman, regardless of where she lives, has access to early diagnosis, treatment, and care for ovarian cancer. Clara MacKay, CEO of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, emphasized that “No matter where she lives, every woman with ovarian cancer deserves the earliest possible diagnosis and the best possible care.”
MacKay’s statement highlights the need for a more equitable healthcare system, one that ensures that women in all corners of the world, regardless of income or geography, have access to the same level of care and attention. She further stresses that addressing ovarian cancer requires an urgent global effort: “Accelerating diagnosis efforts and radically boosting awareness is not just a global health and economic imperative – it’s a matter of equality and justice.”
The Growing Threat of Ovarian Cancer
If global awareness efforts are not significantly ramped up, the future outlook for ovarian cancer is bleak. By 2050, it is projected that 12 million women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and 8 million will die from the disease. These statistics underline the urgency of incorporating ovarian cancer into global women’s health initiatives and National Cancer Control Plans. It is clear that without a concerted effort to change the status quo, millions of women will continue to face unnecessary suffering and loss.
The World Ovarian Cancer Coalition calls for immediate action, advocating for governments, health organizations, and the medical community to prioritize ovarian cancer awareness, early detection, and research funding. By doing so, we can work toward reducing the global impact of the disease and ensuring that no woman is left behind in the fight against ovarian cancer.
A Global Commitment
The road to changing the trajectory of ovarian cancer starts with education, advocacy, and better healthcare policies. By raising awareness on World Ovarian Cancer Day 2025 and throughout the year, the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition aims to create a ripple effect of understanding and action.
The coalition’s work includes partnering with organizations across the globe to provide resources, raise awareness, and promote policy changes. It is through these collective efforts that the medical community can be better equipped to detect ovarian cancer early, improve treatment options, and ultimately save lives.
As the global health community comes together on May 8th, it is crucial that the momentum continues long after World Ovarian Cancer Day. Every woman, no matter where she lives or her economic status, deserves access to the knowledge, care, and resources needed to survive ovarian cancer. Through awareness, early detection, and increased funding for research, we can work toward a future where ovarian cancer is no longer one of the most lethal cancers for women.
In closing, the fight against ovarian cancer is not just a health issue—it is a human rights issue. The call to action on World Ovarian Cancer Day is clear: No woman should ever be left behind in the battle against ovarian cancer. Together, we can make that a reality.
