A deeply personal campaign to CAMILLA AND MARC’S Creative Director Camilla Freeman-Topper and CEO Marc Freeman who lost their mum over 30 years ago to the disease, ‘Ovaries. Talk About Them‘ exists to change the dire statistics of ovarian cancer.

Notoriously difficult to detect with no routine, reliable early detection test available, ovarian cancer, known as the “silent killer” is a global crisis in the making. According to the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, the number of people diagnosed with ovarian cancer is projected to rise by more than 55% by 2050, with annual deaths expected to increase by a staggering 70%. As one of the most lethal and least understood cancers, without intervention, these numbers will only continue to grow.

But there is hope – and right now it’s never been closer.

Since the campaign first launched in 2019, Ovaries. Talk About Them has raised an incredible $2.5 million in medical research funding, with 100% of the proceeds enabling a world-first research initiative led by Professor Caroline Ford and her all-female team at the UNSW Gynaecological Cancer Research Group.

Now in its sixth year, the campaign has gone far beyond raising money – it has raised global awareness, sparked fundamental conversation, and funded ground-breaking research seeing the research group at UNSW on the precipice of a critical milestone for 2026: to help bring the world’s first circulating tumour DNA-based early detection test for ovarian cancer to clinical trials.

“We’re on the verge of a scientific breakthrough that could fundamentally change outcomes or people with ovarian cancer around the world. Early detection is the missing piece – and we’re closer than ever to delivering it.” says Professor Caroline Ford, UNSW.

After years of transformative research and their relentless pursuit of the 2026 goal, the team is now just one step away from a world-first breakthrough – to develop a blood test that will detect ovarian cancer in its critical early stages, when it is isolated in one spot seeing surgery remove the cancer, providing a permanent cure. The approach has been to identify the differences between DNA from ovarian cancer and DNA from healthy cells, and in 2024, three highly specific DNA biomarkers were identified – a truly remarkable feat from Professor Caroline Ford and her team at the UNSW Gynaecological Cancer Research Group.

“We are incredibly optimistic that the wonderfully capable team is on track to take the first early detection test to clinical trial by 2026. Now, we need everyone to show up like never before, for our mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends. If we get this across the line, we could change the future of women’s health globally” says CAMILLA AND MARC Creative Director Camilla Freeman-Topper.

The movement that is being championed is a true embodiment of women supporting women. The incredible team of scientists are all women, and the funds that have been raised have directly supported salaries and the fostering of career growth and success of women in scientific fields. In 2025 there still remains significant socio-political barriers for women who desire to progress in science; Ovaries. Talk About Them has been working overtime to not only alleviate this but to draw a focus to and make a significantly positive impact on the critically underfunded ovarian cancer.

Marc Freeman, CAMILLA AND MARC’S CEO said, “This campaign started as a personal mission – to fund a test that didn’t exist. Through the incredible commitment of our community, this dream is now within reach. We set a bold goal but this campaign is an incredible example of what we can achieve when purpose drives business.”

With one step left, the brand is urgently calling on all Australians and supporters globally to take part. Buy a t-shirt, donate, spread the word – and be a part of a movement that will save lives. It all begins with ovaries.

CAMILLA AND MARC
camillaandmarc.com
@camillaandmarc