In 2024, the Mother’s Day Classic Foundation (MDCF) will partner with the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) to become their second national women’s cancer cause, alongside the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF).
WALKING SHOULDER-TO-SHOULDER FOR WOMEN’S CANCER RESEARCH
We’re thrilled to announce today's exciting development that the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation’s reach and awareness will expand across the country next year, through the much-loved 2024 Mother’s Day Classic.
The Mother’s Day Classic event engages more than 65,000 participants across 70+ sites each year, and the MDCF team will increase their research impact by becoming a dual-cause national event. MDC participants will be able to take part and fundraise in support of ovarian cancer research, breast cancer research, or both.
The OCRF’s original fundraising walk, the Walk With Women, was founded by long-serving patient ambassador Helen Powell. We are so grateful to Helen, her family, and our engaged and supportive community of sponsors, event organisers, fundraisers and ambassadors who’ve been the true force behind Walk With Women over the years. We believe this new partnership is a significant step in the right direction for Walk With Women, one that will provide new opportunities and ways to walk for ovarian cancer research alongside breast cancer research, on this significant day for mothers in the national calendar.
This exciting new partnership with MDCF will lead to a step-change in fundraising and awareness of the need for medical research in ovarian cancer, Australia’s most lethal reproductive cancer.
AN EXEMPLARY HISTORY: THE MOTHER’S DAY CLASSIC FOUNDATION
In 2023, the Mother’s Day Classic welcomed more than 65,000 participants to walk and run in more than 70 events Australia-wide, raising more than $2.5 million for the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF). This contribution takes the MDC’s overall fundraising for breast cancer research to more than $44 million over its 26-year history.
The five-year survival rate for breast cancer has increased from 84 per cent to 92 per cent since the Mother’s Day Classic started in 1998.
The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation celebrates the great success of the MDC’s support of the NBCF – and the gold standard work of the NBCF itself – in helping to improve breast cancer survival rates through funding and accelerating life-changing medical research.
The move to include the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation as a dual cause reflects the Mother’s Day Classic’s keen focus on improving women’s health and quality of life overall.
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WHAT THIS MEANS FOR OVARIAN CANCER RESEARCH
With an Australia-wide presence, a long-standing legacy, exemplary funding history and multiple physical events in each state, this new partnership will move the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation onto a national stage.
With both reproductive cancers having predominately female-impacted patients and various similar risk factors, including the BRCA 1 and 2 gene mutations, both cancer communities have a strong level of shared experience and understanding.
Breast cancer continues to be the most diagnosed cancer in women in Australia, whilst ovarian cancer is the most lethal female cancer, based on survivability. Around 12 women die every single day from breast or ovarian cancer in Australia. One death is too many.
The new partnership will speed up our progress toward the day that no Australian family suffers the devastation of losing another woman or person to ovarian cancer.
Robin Penty, Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation CEO, said: “The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation has a mission to make sure the place where all human life begins – the ovaries – is no longer a place where women’s lives end.
“This exciting new partnership with the Mother’s Day Classic Foundation will lead to a step-change in fundraising and awareness of ovarian cancer, and help all women and girls pay closer attention to their reproductive health as well.”
“On behalf of all those affected by ovarian cancer, and their families, we’re delighted to join this significant and much-admired national event on a very important day for mothers in our calendar.”
HOW WILL FUNDING BE SPLIT between charities?
In 2024, the Mother’s Day Classic Foundation (MDCF) will welcome the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation as a second cause, benefiting from the MDC’s fundraising efforts.
Participants in the 2024 Mother’s Day Classic event will be provided with the option of fundraising for breast cancer research, ovarian cancer research or both during registration.
The Mother’s Day Classic Foundation (MDCF) will determine the donation to be made to each of the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) and the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation from the net proceeds of the 2024 MDC event, in accordance with the election of MDC event participants.
The 2024 Mother’s Day Classic will raise funds through community fundraising, online fundraising, donations, merchandise sales and registration fees.
GET INVOLVED
On Sunday, May 12, 2024, the 27th Mother’s Day Classic will once again inspire and unite the community and deliver another extraordinary result, this time for both breast cancer and ovarian cancer research.
We hope you’ll sign up for the Mother’s Day Classic in your closest city, as we take a giant step forward as an organisation.
We look forward to bringing more information and details to you as we get closer to the official Mother’s Day Classic launch in February 2024.
Sign up here to be the first to register.