I am participating in a walk during Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month this February to raise funds for Australia's most deadly gynaecological cancer - ovarian cancer. My main motivation for this walk is to honour and pay tribute to two special women in my life, Karen Hayes and Jan Dewing, who both lived and died with ovarian cancer. Both of these women died too early, and had so much more living to do.

My goal is to walk 100km during February for Karen and Jan, to remember them, their strength, and the impact they had in my life, and to do my part in finding a cure for this devastating disease. I want to raise awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research in their memory, to ensure that no-one else has to suffer and die from this disease.

The five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer in Australia is just 49%, meaning those diagnosed get less than half a chance of surviving five years from their diagnosis. My goal is to help change the statistics and give those diagnosed with ovarian cancer a greater chance of survival, just like my Nana and Jan deserved. Research is the answer.

The OCRF is the leading non-government funder of ovarian cancer research in Australia, and the largest funder nationwide for early detection research. If an early detection test can be developed, survival rates for ovarian cancer could rise to 90% and above, saving the lives of thousands.

Please, please help me support the vital work of the OCRF, and the dedicated researchers they fund, by making a donation in memory of my Nana, Karen, and dear friend, Jan. Every dollar counts!