The Ovarian Cancer Foundation’s “Workout 4 Women” began yesterday and Cartherics has accepted the challenge

By Leigh Dayton

It all began when an e-mail landed in the In-Box of Cartherics’ Executive Assistant Karen Loudon. It was from Ovarian Cancer Australia (OCA), a not-for-profit organisation which supports women diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

The news? “This November, no woman walks alone.” It was an announcement that this month is the organisation’s Workout 4 Women fundraising event.

Recognising the obvious connection between OCA’s work and Cartherics’ goal of developing affordable treatments for cancer, particularly ovarian cancer, Loudon sent a message around. The response was positive and the CARTeam was established.

Yesterday eight women, sporting the teal team colour, took their first steps towards the challenge of walking or running 4 kilometres daily, while raising funds to help OCA continue its much-needed support.  Every day four women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Only 46% will survive.

“I’m so happy to be part of a team of wonderful colleagues walking for a cause close to our Cartherics hearts and at the same time doing something that’s good for our health,” says Loudon.

For Cartherics’ Intellectual Property Manager Telma Mantas, the fundraising challenge holds personal and professional meaning.

“Having lost my mother to cancer in my twenties, I see the fight against cancer as a personal war,” Mantas explains. “I am proud to be part of Cartherics, a team of excellence whose vision is to prevent cancer becoming a death sentence by developing ‘off-the-shelf’ immune therapy products for the treatment of different types of cancer including ovarian cancer.”

For PhD candidate Rasa Islam the challenge is exciting. “I have never participated in any kind of exercise challenge before,” she admits. “However, I do want to get more active and am very keen to contribute to ovarian cancer research. This is therefore such a perfect opportunity.”

As OCA notes, you don’t have to run, hop, skip or even swim to contribute. Donations, big and small, can be made at https://www.ovariancancer.net.au/my-fundraising/1335/carteam

Go CARTeam go!