Francine's story: Ovarian cancer at age 31
10 years ago, medical researcher Francine's whole world stopped. At just 31 years old, she faced a shocking stage 3 ovarian cancer diagnosis.
A routine check-up had detected a benign ovarian cyst. Her sister, a gynaecologist, insisted she monitor it, and when they discovered a larger cyst on the other ovary nearly two years later, she advocated for Francine to have it surgically removed. When Francine awoke from the surgery, her surgeon told her it wasn't just a cyst. Within a week, she underwent a hysterectomy and started her six rounds of chemotherapy.
While the treatment was gruelling and led to medically induced menopause, Francine is one of the lucky ones. Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynaecological cancer and only 29% of people diagnosed at a late stage will survive for more than 5 years.
Today, Francine has no evidence of disease and has received the most precious gift – becoming a mum to a beautiful two-year-old daughter through egg donation and surrogacy.
You can play a vital role in ensuring others like Francine receive a second chance at life by supporting cutting-edge research that aims to detect cancers earlier, develop more effective treatments, and ultimately save lives.
Prof Francine Marques, 41, ovarian cancer survivor
Our ovarian cancer researchers
Dr Jessica Holien
Dr Jessica Holien from RMIT University is using advanced computer modelling to accelerate drug discovery for mucinous ovarian cancer (MOC). Her research maps how proteins interact in cancer cells, identifying key targets for new treatments. This innovative approach speeds up drug testing, making it more efficient and cost-effective.
Dr Emily Colvin
Dr Emily Colvin from the Kolling Institute sought to examine the importance of non-cancer cells in ovarian tumours in her Cure Cancer-funded project. Her goal was to identify those cells as targets for new and more effective therapies, and find ways to diagnose the disease earlier, helping to improve ovarian cancer treatment and quality of life for patients.
Prof Caroline Ford
Prof Caroline Ford leads the Gynaecological Cancer Research Group (GCRG) at UNSW Sydney. One of Caroline’s major ovarian cancer projects aims to develop a reliable ovarian cancer screening blood test. By detecting traces of cancer DNA in a patient’s blood earlier, this test can help clinicians identify patients who can undergo curative surgery to remove the tumours.
How your donation helps
$75
Can fund an hour of research
$125
Can help fund microscopy imaging to look for immune cells in tumours
$550
Can fund provide lab supplies for up to 10 vital experiments
$1,000
Can help provide cutting-edge software to analyse cells
More about ovarian cancer research
Prof Francine Marques’ ovarian cancer story
A spotlight on our female ovarian cancer researchers
Jo Yates, cancer-free and thriving, shares her story
Together, we can cure cancer.
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