This presentation is aimed at educating women on the signs and symptoms of Ovarian Cancer. By knowing the signs and symptoms and advocating on their own behalf they will be more likely to seek a definitive diagnosis of their symptoms. It might just save their life. We are very keen to have the opportunity to take this message to Rural Communities.
Bio
Madelyn Duckmanton Assoc.Dip. Med Lab Sci. GAICD
Madelyn Duckmanton is the founder and Chair of the Letitia Linke Research Foundation, a not for profit completely volunteer run charity based here is South Australia. Madelyn and her husband John are both Medical Scientists with many years’ experience working in both private and public Pathology. In 2014 their youngest daughter Letitia was diagnosed with stage 4 Ovarian Cancer, a disease for which there is currently no screening test. Letitia then underwent four years of gruelling treatment only to lose her battle with the disease just four years later, aged 38 years. She left behind a grieving husband and two small boys.
Madelyn, along with family and other Ovarian Cancer patients including Ruth Cece, set up a not-for-profit charity named after Letitia to continue to raise the profile of Ovarian Cancer.
Raising funds for research to find an early detection test, better treatment for Ovarian Cancer and educating the community about the disease is now the mission of the Letitia Linke Research Foundation.
Bio
Ruth Cece- Ovarian Cancer Survivor
Ruth worked alongside her husband in their business for almost 30 years. They are blessed to have two healthy children, three beautiful granddaughters and a new great grandson. Until ovarian cancer rocked their family they thought they had it all. Ovarian cancer has taken a great deal from her but has also given her a positive goal.
Ruth’s involvement with the Letitia Linke Research Foundation Inc began on December 1st 2014. It was her first round of chemotherapy having been diagnosed with ovarian cancer a couple of months earlier. Letitia was in the same chemo room undergoing treatment and she helped Ruth through that first day. They became chemo buddies and firm friends after that. Ruth supported Letitia with her Adelaide Silver Style Charity events up until Letitia’s death. Madelyn then approached Ruth with a view to continuing Letitia’s legacy and passion for raising funds for research into an early detection test for ovarian cancer. Ruth was honoured to be able to be part of this endeavour as it is very close to her heart.
Ruth is a lucky ovarian cancer survivor, one of the few according to the experts. It is so important for her to tell her story to as many women as she can in the hope that she may just save a life by giving women the knowledge and tools to seek and obtain an early diagnosis. She has been given the gift of a second chance to live and this is her way of paying forward.