HRV takes the reins again to help women with ovarian cancer

Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) is once again proud to take the reins to help women with ovarian cancer.

Since HRV teamed with Team Teal in 2014, the campaign has raised more than $2 million for ovarian cancer research, education and awareness across Australia and New Zealand.

“It’s a wonderful initiative that has grown every year. I could not be prouder of our great industry and the way in which all harness jurisdictions have embraced this cause,” said passionate trotting aficionado, Aldebaran Park Principal and Team Teal Patron Duncan McPherson OAM, whose late wife Lyn was the inspiration for the original Team Teal campaign.

Lyn, who lost her life to ovarian cancer in 2010, was a passionate and fierce advocate for raising funds and awareness to improve the outcome of women affected by the disease.

“The work that Lyn started re raising funds and awareness of Ovarian Cancer, all the while as she fought her own battle with this insidious disease, has left a legacy which I promised would continue,” McPherson said.

“To be able to positively impact the lives of so many families in Australia and New Zealand throughout the campaign and know that we are ‘making a difference’ to the improvement of women’s health is the inspiration not only myself but the industry as whole needs so as to continue the campaign for many years to come.”

WomenCan’s Team Teal campaign begins February 1 and runs until March 15, 2022. All female drivers in Australia and New Zealand will wear teal coloured driving pants during this time to promote the cause.

And every time a reinswoman drives a winner in Victoria, $400 will be donated to the Team Teal tally courtesy of HRV and long-time wagering partner Tabcorp.

“Team Teal is a special campaign and we’re proud to once again embrace this annual event, which holds a place in the hearts of all harness racing people,” HRV CEO Dayle Brown said.

“This year’s message is about harnessing the power of hope and the enormous strength of survivors so that we can improve outcomes for women with ovarian cancer.”

Brown thanked HRV’s Team Teal ambassadors, Jodi Quinlan, Jackie Barker, Kate Gath and Kerryn Manning, for their involvement and urged the industry to generously support Team Teal any way possible.

“Our ambassadors are passionately ready to take up the cause and I’m sure they will be driving hard to raise as much money as possible. Let’s get right behind them,” Brown said.

Know the Symptoms

Currently there is no screening test available for ovarian cancer and most women are misdiagnosed initially, leading to advance stage cancer diagnosis, so it is critical to know the symptoms, listen to your body and act promptly by consulting with your family doctor.

The most common reported symptoms of ovarian cancer include:

• abdominal bloating, which is unusual, persistent and lasts longer than three weeks
• the need to urinate quickly and frequently
• changes in bowel habits like constipation
• discomfort or pain in the pelvic area.

Every year, 7600 women are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer in Australia and New Zealand.

In 2022 an estimated 1720 Australian women will be diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer with a 48 per cent survival rate to five years and an estimated 250 New Zealand women will be diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer with a 37 per cent survival rate to five years.

Funds raised through Team Teal support the Survivors Teaching Students education program into medical schools, where women discuss their lived experience of being diagnosed and living with the disease. The funds raised further support a Patient Referral Network to ensure women have access to treatment regardless of where they live.