Vale Jill Emberson

The Karista team are saddened by the loss of ABC broadcaster and Ovarian cancer advocate Jill Emberson.

After being diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer in 2016, Jill decided, despite her own suffering to help women like her use their own voices to advocate for better detection rates and increased research funding. "My hope is that women will feel more able to raise their symptoms with their doctors, that their doctors will pick them up a bit better." Jill told the ABC.

According to Ovarian Cancer Australia: “If women are diagnosed at an early stage, they have a 44% chance of being alive and well within five years of diagnosis. However, approximately 75% of women are diagnosed at an advanced stage, where the cancer has spread and is difficult to treat successfully."

“There is no early detection test for ovarian cancer, so the best way of detecting the disease is to know and recognise the signs and symptoms. Ovarian cancer cannot be detected by a pap test or cervical smear”.

As a part of her advocacy work, Jill founded the Pink Meets Teal campaign, which inspires breast cancer survivors to fight for fair research funding between the two cancers.

Jill must also be recognised for successfully lobbying Health Minister Greg Hunt for better funding. After their meeting, Minister Hunt announced a $20 million contribution to Ovarian Cancer Research.

If you would like to read more about Jill Emberson please follow this link and to watch her Australian Story click here.

For further reading into Ovarian Cancer, please visit their website https://ovariancancer.net.au/

Sources: ABC, Ovarian Cancer Australia.