An emotional short film was produced to celebrate the life of the late ABC Newcastle broadcaster Jill Emberson to mark World Ovarian Cancer Day on Monday.
The film, developed by Ovarian Cancer Australia, aims to boost awareness, research funding and treatment of the disease.
Ms Emberson, a former Newcastle citizen of the year and ovarian cancer campaigner, died in December 2019.
She founded the Pink Meets Teal campaign after being diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer in February 2016 at age 57.
Ovarian cancer is Australia's deadliest female cancer, with a five-year survival rate of 49 per cent. The 10-year survival rate is 36 per cent.
Ovarian Cancer Australia chief executive Jane Hill said it was unfortunate that "stories like Jill's are all too familiar".
"Due to the deadly nature of ovarian cancer, the army of survivors who can advocate for change is much smaller than what we see with some other cancers," Ms Hill said.
Ovarian cancer is a difficult disease to detect. There is no early detection test and the signs and symptoms are often vague and mimic other conditions.
Co-chair of Ovarian Cancer Australia's clinical and scientific panel, Professor David Bowtell, said there had been "some improvements in treatments since Jill's death in 2019" but progress was slow.
PARP inhibitors - a type of targeted cancer drug - had shown "a remarkable advantage" when used after "initial chemotherapy", but the drug was not for all patients.
"We are using the 'cure' word in some women," Professor Bowtell said.
Ms Hill said "large-scale and long-term funding" was needed for research.
"We need high-quality care and treatment options that are affordable and accessible."
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