Bringing Canadians the facts on ovarian cancer
December 21, 2015
New awareness campaign featured by media
Media is stepping up in a big way to further public awareness of ovarian cancer. Publications like Chatelaine, enRoute, Reader’s Digest, and Maclean’s have generously dedicated full-page print placements to bring Canadians the facts on this disease.
Lauren Richards appearing
as part of the campaign
Behind the scenes, Lauren Richards is marketing the campaign. An ovarian cancer survivor, Lauren is a leading light in the advertising industry who is committed to raising awareness about this disease. To do so, she is personally appealing to colleagues at major media outlets for their help in bringing awareness to all Canadians.
“Working on this campaign has been so good for my soul,” says Lauren in an interview. “Being able to apply my experience and the relationships I have built through my career has been life-changing. As I’ve reached out to the community and told them my story, and the facts about ovarian cancer, their response has been nothing short of amazing.”
Thus far, the combined readership of participating monthlies is a potential 15,647,000 people. It’s clear that the message is getting out there.
Elisabeth Baugh, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Canada, has always been a strong proponent of furthering awareness by taking ovarian cancer out of the clinical context so that it’s widely understood as an important health issue. “Most people don’t talk about ovaries, it’s not that they’re afraid to, the topic just doesn’t come up.”
But the awareness campaign is set to change that.
Anita Unruh and her
husband Patrick
“Sometimes you have to try new things and this is a very direct, in-your-face approach,” says Anita Unruh, a survivor and awareness advocate. “Love it or hate it, 'ladyballs' gets attention and a reaction. That’s what’s needed for Canadians to take notice and get to know about ovarian cancer.”
“Nowadays people are being bombarded with messages from every company under the sun,” says Karen Cinq Mars, Vice-President of Marketing at Ovarian Cancer Canada. “The aim of the campaign is to interrupt all the noise by earning that second glance and creating an opening for someone to nudge the person next to them and say, ‘Did you see that?’”
And so the conversation begins.
Lyne Shackleton pictured
with her two sons
“I have two sons and since the time they started talking about their ‘balls’ I used to remind them that I have them too -- they're just inside, they're called ovaries,” says Lyne Shackleton, a long-time volunteer who saw her mother through a journey with ovarian cancer.
“Both men and women are born with gonads, but the 5-year survival rate for men with testicular cancer is so much higher than that for women with ovarian cancer,” adds Anita. “There’s much work to be done here to equalize outcomes and we need to get going – because it’s 2015!”
There’s also much in store for 2016 as public relations surrounding the campaign ramps up. Additionally, a television spot featuring Geri Hall (This Hour has 22 Minutes), Teresa Pavlinek (The Jane Show), and poker great Evelyn Ng is set to air on major networks including City, CTV and Global. Select Cineplex theatres will also start running the segment in the New Year.
To read more about the awareness campaign, visit ladyballs.org. There you will find a story about Pat McDonald, a survivor who is sharing the recent discovery of her adoption to raise awareness about the importance of genetics and knowing your family history.