World Ovarian Cancer Day to be observed May 8
Hashtag #WOCD2025 will help used to raise awareness for 13th annual event
Thursday is World Ovarian Cancer Day, an annual effort to raise awareness about ovarian cancer, the second most common type of gynecological cancer.
In recognition of the event, currently in its 13th year, the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, a global network that works with nearly 200 advocacy organizations to raise awareness and improve outcomes for women affected by ovarian cancer, is encouraging members of the ovarian cancer community to take to social media using the hashtag #WOCD2025. The coalition has put together a get involved guide to help members spread the word.
Ovarian cancer can be deadly, but many people aren’t aware of it or its common signs. This means the disease isn’t often diagnosed until it’s fairly advanced, at which point the outcomes are generally poorer. By improving awareness and enabling earlier diagnoses, the coalition seeks to improve outcomes.
“No matter where she lives, every woman with ovarian cancer deserves the earliest possible diagnosis and the best possible care,” Clara MacKay, CEO of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, said in a press release from the group.
Raising awareness for earlier diagnoses, better outcomes
The coalition’s theme for this year’s World Ovarian Cancer Day is “No Woman Left Behind” and emphasizes the importance of improving outcomes. The coalition recently surveyed more than 2,400 people living with ovarian cancer across 22 low- and middle-income countries. The results showed that nearly three-quarters of the respondents weren’t aware of ovarian cancer before they were diagnosed.
“Accelerating diagnosis efforts and radically boosting awareness is not just a global health and economic imperative, it’s a matter of equality and justice,” MacKay said.
An earlier study by the coalition that surveyed patients in high-income countries found that about two-thirds of the participants hadn’t heard of ovarian cancer before being diagnosed. This lack of awareness directly affects clinical outcomes since people who know about ovarian cancer are more likely to seek medical attention if they experience symptoms such as persistent bloating, trouble eating, feeling full quickly, issues with urination, or pain in the pelvis or abdomen.
A lack of awareness means about two-thirds of the 12 million people expected to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer by 2050 will die from the disease, according to the coalition. “There is a direct link between awareness and diagnosis,” it states in the press release.
“If your body is telling you something isn’t right, listen to it,” said Deborah Harkness, a novelist and World Ovarian Cancer Coalition global ambassador. “I urge women to know the signs of ovarian cancer, make sure that you take this list of symptoms to your doctor to advocate for the right testing and the right follow-through care. Women and their doctors must be better informed about the symptoms of ovarian cancer so that they can take action. If we do this, we will truly leave no woman behind in the challenge of facing ovarian cancer.”
Other organizations taking action for World Ovarian Cancer Day include the advocacy group Target Ovarian Cancer in the U.K., which is s encouraging community members to share in an online forum the one thing they wish everyone knew about ovarian cancer.
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