The impact of our charity
We are Ovarian Cancer Action - hear from our CEO, Cary Wakefield
We're the charity at the heart of ovarian cancer research.
Ovarian Cancer Action has been at the heart of global ovarian cancer research for 40 years. The charity has its roots in a global scientific conference. It was then founded in 2005.
Since then, we’ve driven some of the biggest research breakthroughs of the last 15 years and influenced lifesaving policies. With the world's leading ovarian cancer experts, we're driving change:
- In 2009 we led the campaign for the Department of Health to recognise the four main symptoms of ovarian cancer - ending the myth that ovarian cancer is a silent killer.
- We still hold a global research conference every four years, to share ovarian cancer research findings and connect with the best scientists.
- We invest in research projects that are going to have the biggest impact on survival. For example, trialling the use of a successful breast cancer drug on ovarian cancer, and early detection tests that could create a screening programme.
We are Ovarian Cancer Action and we’ll be here until no woman dies of ovarian cancer.
WHAT HAS OVARIAN CANCER ACTION ACHIEVED?
- 1986 – In memory of Helene Harris, the Harris Family establish the HHMT International Forum on Ovarian Cancer - an international thought leaders’ meeting to encourage collaboration between international scientists working on research into ovarian cancer.
- 2005 – Helene’s daughter Allyson Kaye founds Ovarian Cancer Action, a UK charity to build on the HHMT Forum and raise awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer.
- 2006 – We establish the Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Europe’s first dedicated ovarian cancer research centre at Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College.
- 2006 – We put symptoms on the map in the first ever Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.
- 2007 – We become a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities – validating the quality and independence of our research.
- 2009 – We successfully campaign for the Department of Health to recognise the four main symptoms of ovarian cancer.
- 2011 – Our researchers completed our first ever clinical trial looking at chemotherapy resistance, in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline.
- 2012 - We launch BriTROC, the first UK-wide collaboration on ovarian cancer research, to build clinical trial infrastructure for ovarian cancer research across the UK. This ensures patients can benefit from clinical trials no matter where they live.
- 2014 – Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre researchers find that AKT inhibitor drugs improve responses to chemotherapy.
- 2014 – We develop the BRCA risk tool for members of the public to calculate their risk of carrying a genetic mutation that increases their risk of developing ovarian cancer.
- 2015 – OCA funded researcher Professor Ahmed at the University of Oxford discovers a relationship between a protein called SOX2 and ovarian cancer. The discovery could eventually lead to a screening tool.
- 2015 – We launch a new policy campaign ‘Acting on BRCA’
- 2017 - Professor Iain McNeish takes over as Director of the Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, leading projects spanning prevention, personalised treatment and preventing chemotherapy resistance.
- 2018 – After analysing samples taken from over 500 ovarian cancer patients, the BriTROC trial shows that ovarian cancer can be broken down further to 7 subgroups which will help inform new research into personalised, more effective treatments.
- 2019 - OCA funded researcher Professor Ahmed at the University of Oxford discovers six previously unknown cell types in the fallopian tubes which mirror ovarian cancer subtypes – an important step in finding the cell of origin in ovarian cancer.
- 2020 – Professor Ahmed spins out our funded research into a biotech company, Singula Bio, ensuring innovative scientific discoveries will result in patient benefit.
- 2020 – We fund two new immunotherapy research projects at the University of Leeds and the University of Oxford, accelerating the next generation of kinder, more effective ovarian cancer treatments.
- 2020 - BriTROC-2 launched – building on the progress from the first trial, the trial will help to further research into personalised and more effective treatments for women with ovarian cancer.
- 2021 – We become the charity partner of the year of the Bio-Industry Association.
- 2021 – We receive over £1m from the Tampon Tax fund to launch IMPROVE UK, a programme to invest in clinical excellence research to tackle health inequalities in ovarian cancer.
- 2021 – After a decade of our campaigning, the UK Government agrees to fund an ovarian cancer audit.
