Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) has again committed to helping women with ovarian cancer, through fundraising.

The Team Teal campaign sees female drivers in Australia and New Zealand wear teal-coloured driving pants to raise awareness of the cause. HRV first joined the Team Teal campaign in 2014, which has to date raised more than $2.5 million for ovarian cancer research, education and awareness across Australia and New Zealand. 

WomenCan’s Team Teal campaign begins February 1 and runs until March 15. Every time a reinswoman drives a winner in Victoria, HRV and wagering partner Tabcorp will each donate $200 to the Team Teal tally.

HRV first became involved in Team Teal to support Aldebaran Park Principal and Team Teal Patron Duncan McPherson OAM, whose late wife, Lyn, lost her life to ovarian cancer in 2010. Lyn was the inspiration for the original Team Teal campaign and Victoria was the first state to become involved in the campaign, later followed by the rest of Australia then New Zealand.

HRV Chief Commercial Officer Fiona Mellor thanked HRV’s Team Teal ambassadors, Jodi Quinlan, Jackie Barker, Kate Gath and Kerryn Manning, for their involvement and urged the industry to donate.

“I want to thank our partners Tabcorp for matching our $200 donation for each winning reinswoman in Victoria. A special thank you also to Duncan for raising funds and awareness for this very important cause,” Mellor said.

 

Know the symptoms
Ovarian and other gynaecological cancer affects all women – young, old, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, wives, daughters and those with reproductive organs. 

There is no screening test available for ovarian cancer and many women are initially misdiagnosed leading to advance stage cancer diagnosis. It’s critical to know the symptoms, listen to your body and act promptly by consulting your doctor.

The most common symptoms of ovarian cancer include:
•    abdominal bloating, which is unusual, persistent and lasts longer than three weeks
•    the need to urinate quickly and frequently
•    changes in bowel habits like constipation
•    discomfort or pain in the pelvic area.

Every year, 7800 women are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer in Australia and New Zealand. In 2023 an estimated 1800 Australian women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer with a 49 per cent survival rate to five years.

Money raised through Team Teal support the Survivors Teaching Students education program into medical schools, where women share their lived experience of being diagnosed and living with the disease to medical and allied health students. It also contributes to the patient referral network, which enables women to have access to cutting edge treatments regardless of where they live. 

Get involved
Donate to this worthy cause on WomenCan’s dedicated Team Teal fundraising page. Or, why not buy a ticket to a Night at the Trots Team Teal fundraising dinner on February 25 at Melton.