Camilla and Marc’s Ovaries. Talk About Them. Campaign achieves ovarian cancer breakthrough

After losing their mother to ovarian cancer, the designer duo initiated a campaign that has raised millions and led to a breakthrough.

Camilla Freeman-Topper and Marc Freeman. Picture: Nagi Sakai

Every eight hours, a woman in Australia dies from ovarian cancer. Despite being the most lethal form of cancer to affect women, this devastating disease remains largely undetected until it’s too late, with minimal progress towards early diagnosis – until now.

Five years ago, Camilla Freeman-Topper and Marc Freeman, founders of Australian designer label Camilla and Marc, launched their Ovaries. Talk About Them campaign, raising more than $1.7m for ovarian cancer research.

These funds have been instrumental in equipping Caroline Ford and her team at the University of NSW Gynaecological Cancer Research Group. With the campaign’s support, Ford’s team has made a breakthrough – a global first in developing a unique three-target signature for early detection of ovarian cancer using DNA biomarkers. This significant milestone has the potential to revolutionise ovarian cancer diagnosis. The next goal is to conduct a clinical trial for the test by 2026.

“It’s a really significant breakthrough and it’s the critical step towards getting an early detection blood test to clinical trial,” Freeman says. “The team at UNSW, headed by Professor Caroline Ford, has been able to identify additional biomarkers never previously connected to ovarian cancer. It’s an amazing example of fashion being able to change the game in women’s health.”

Ford says: “We are thrilled with the research progress we have made thanks to the support of the Ovaries. Talk About Them campaign and are pushing hard to ensure that we get a reliable, accurate and sensitive test to the community as soon as possible.”

The sibling designers have a deeply personal connection to the fight for early detection. Their mother, Pamela, died aged 42, only two years after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Professor Caroline Ford from the UNSW Gynaecological Cancer Research Group. Picture: Nagi Sakai

“Our mum lost her battle with ovarian cancer when Marc was 13 and I was 11,” Freeman-Topper says. “It’s been over 30 years now, and there are still no early detection tests.”

The designers started the Ovaries. Talk About Them campaign in honour of their mother, and it is aimed at sparing others the grief they experienced.

Ovarian cancer, often called the silent killer, typically is diagnosed too late because of its subtle and easily overlooked symptoms. Globally, more than 310,000 women are diagnosed each year and less than half survive beyond five years.

By 2050, the number of cases is expected to rise by 55 per cent, making early detection more crucial than ever.

“The reason why it’s (a) silent killer is because it’s so difficult to know that you’ve got ovarian cancer until it’s too late,” Freeman-Topper says. The need for an early detection test is not just about improving survival rates; it’s about giving women a fighting chance.

“If we can get a test into clinical trials, it would make a huge change for women’s health,” Freeman-Topper says. The lack of an early detection test is a glaring gap in women’s healthcare, one the campaign is determined to fill.

Central to the pair’s fundraising and advocacy efforts is the brand’s limited-edition capsule collections, where all proceeds go directly to getting the world-first DNA-based early detection test to clinical trials.

“Wearing the T-shirt out and around, it’s amazing the conversations that can get started about it, and that’s the power of the movement,” says Freeman.

Naomi Watts for Camilla and Marc’s Ovaries. Talk About Them. Campaign. Picture: Nagi Sakai.

And it’s working. The capsule collection has raised significant funds and gained the backing of high-profile figures who amplify its reach. Actors Naomi Watts and Rose Byrne and models Sabrina Elba, Dree Hemingway, Georgia Fowler and Angeer Amol, among others, have lent their voices and platforms to the campaign, helping to encourage more people to join the conversation.

“We’re really encouraging everyone to support by purchasing an item from our collection online … where they can also make a donation,” Freeman-Topper says. “The more noise and awareness we can create, the closer we can get to an early detection test.”

The duo’s mission is clear: to have an early detection test for ovarian cancer in clinical trials by 2026.

“Our hope is that one day a mother will be diagnosed early, treated and go on to live a full life with her family all because of the work we’re doing today,” Freeman says. “That’s the legacy we want to leave behind – a legacy of life, hope and lasting change.”

Camilla and Marc’s 2024 Ovaries. Talk About Them campaign launches on August 26.