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Leave a legacy by including a gift in your Will, starting a tribute page for a loved one, or funding a research grant for early-career cancer researchers driving clinical innovations.
Organise a fundraising event in your community, either as a team or an individual. You can join one of our existing fundraising events or you might like to come up with your own way.
When organisations work together, we can have a greater impact for every Queenslander going through cancer and help amplify our message for all Australians.
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Contributions go towards world-class research, prevention programs and support service.
When she first noticed abdominal pain and changes in her bowel movements, she was sent to get a stool test. At the time, Jackie was feeling fit, playing golf and going to the gym. When the test came back negative, her doctor told her to persevere and improve her diet. She did, and the symptoms subsided for a while. Then, when the pain in her pelvic area came back, Jackie was diagnosed with diverticulitis – a type of inflammation in the colon. Her symptoms continued to worsen, despite an ultrasound showing nothing out of the ordinary. It was only when she got a CAT scan that Jackie was finally diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer.
In early 2023, Jackie began intensive treatment. She had chemotherapy for three months, a PET scan, followed by surgery. A malfunction in BRCA 1 gene was identified post-surgery and she proceeded with three more months of chemo.Jackie’s husband Bob was by her side for the entire journey; cooking, cleaning, washing her clothes, taking her to hospital, and learning as much as he could about ovarian cancer.“He was present for every chemotherapy. He took care of me when I fell ill, which happened a lot. He complimented me as I lose weight and my hair – I lost 6kg during chemotherapy. I had diarrhoea and everything I ate went straight through me. Bob read Cancer Council Queensland booklets, learning everything he could about my treatment and emotions and how to deal with cancer if you’re a close relative. And he stayed positive about my outcome.”
The oncology team at Townsville’s Icon Centre connected Jackie with self-care programs, allied health services, and a Facebook group for women in North Queensland going through ovarian cancer. They also helped Jackie access genetics testing, which showed her cancer was somatic, not genetic, allaying her fears that other women in her family could be at risk. Jackie, who says she feels as though she’s had the “best treatment and the best support that’s available”, now spends her time supporting other women navigating ovarian cancer.
“I host a ‘Teal Tea’ and I will be doing Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea. It’s important to do that, because the money raised goes to research and helping others who have cancer.”
“Unlike breast cancer, which has early detection through the mammogram program, ovarian cancer does not have screening. Fewer than half of women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer will survive for five years, and the earlier the diagnosis, the better the outcome.”
is conducting research focused on the early diagnosis and monitoring of ovarian cancer through a portable and automated diagnostic device. This device, which utilises nanoengineered structures, aims to significantly impact ovarian cancer detection, treatment and monitoring.When you donate to Cancer Council Queensland, you’re funding local research on a global scale and having a real impact in the lives of Queenslanders living with cancer.
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