Reflections from Robin Penty, October 2024 

It’s been a true pleasure seeing all the fabulous frocks and support for Frocktober this year – what started as a grassroots fundraising campaign in Geelong has come a long way to become the dynamic, national initiative it is today. We’ve already achieved some great results, with OCRF ambassador and campaign star Amelia Higgs sharing her story in 9Honey, the gorgeous Flynn sisters are appearing in the Herald Sun soon, and there's been an avalanche of social media activity. Over $170,000 has been raised so far, so let’s keep going and let’s keep frocking!

That’s exactly what I’m doing this week, too – trying to turn heads and start conversations around the globe, with the wonderful support of our great friends at Witchery and Leona Edmiston.  As I write to you, I’m attending the Helene Harris Memorial Trust International Forum on Ovarian Cancer in Surrey, UK, along with Amy Wilson PhD, the OCRF’s Research Advisor. The forum occurs every four years, bringing together many of the world’s brightest research minds in ovarian cancer, and this year OCRF is one of four international charities supporting the event as invited Global Partners. It’s been a stimulating few days and there will be plenty to come out of the forum which I look forward to sharing with you when we return.

Georj Jensen and OCRF celebrate 10 years

A few weeks ago, we celebrated the launch of the 10th anniversary of our partnership with Danish luxury brand, Georg Jensen. This year’s campaign is as deeply moving as ever, featuring the story of OCRF ambassador Suki Paddington who shares the legacy of her mother, Margy, who tragically passed from ovarian cancer in December 2023. Georg Jensen celebrated this milestone year with a unique heritage pendant, the ‘forget-me-knot’, designed by a pioneering female jewellery designer, and their team hosted a beautiful media event in Sydney where Suki and her family were special guests. The event was attended by past campaign ambassadors and all of Australia’s top fashion editors and writers, leading to terrific media coverage for our cause and this special partnership.

September was also busy for the OCRF Research team, who’ve just wrapped up a series of virtual ‘consumer engagement in research’ workshops, the second phase of our national consultation exploring more ways to increase participation and co-design with patients and survivors in OCRF-funded research projects. These sessions have provided valuable insights that will inform both the what and the why of our forthcoming OCRF research action plan

The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands upon which we work, strive, and learn, the Wurrundjiri Woi wurrung and Bunorung Boon wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and extend this respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia and beyond.