Frocktober Day 11 Caring and Shirring

What do you know about ovarian cancer?

Do you know it can't be detected in a pap smear?

Did you know that the symptoms can range from loss of appetite to bloating?

Did you know that in Australia one woman dies from ovarian cancer every 10 hours?

As women, we need to understand the symptoms  of ovarian cancer and the risk factors. All too often women are too busy caring for others to take notice of their own health. 
Frocktober is a way we can help each other become aware of ovarian cancer as well as raising funds to support research and the development of an early detection test.

So I'm sharing some links and some information.

(from the Cancer Council Australia website)

Symptoms and diagnosis

There may be no symptoms or symptoms may be non-specific and include:

• persistent abdominal pain
• pelvic or back pain
• cramps, swelling, bloating
• symptoms of urinary frequency or changed bowel habits with constipation or diarrhoea and/or nausea
• fullness after food, weight loss, loss of appetite
• tiredness
• painful intercourse or vaginal bleeding.

(From the Women's Cancer Foundation Ovarian Cancer Institute website)

What is ovarian cancer?

Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that begins in a woman’s ovaries. Some of the cells in one or both ovaries start to grow abnormally and develop into cancer.

Around 90 per cent of ovarian cancers start on the outer covering of the ovary. This is known as epithelial ovarian cancer. Whilst only 1400 women will be diagnosed with this disease every year, more than 900 of these women will die.

Not great odds are they?

The money you donate to frocktober goes to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation

(from their website)

Our Mission

1. The development and implementation of an early detection program for ovarian cancer

2. Improving the mortality rate, management and long-term survival of women with ovarian cancer

3. Gaining fundamental understanding of the causes of ovarian cancer

I encourage everyone to read up. I also encourage you all to donate HERE. Because with a deadly cancer that has no or minimal symptoms, an early detection test is the key! 

Now for the FROCK. It's a colourful cotton print frock, vintage Sportsgirl, with a shirred bodice and SHIRRED SLEEVES. And yes - I'm shir you guessed (see what I did there?) that I cut it shorter and am wearing the scrap in my hair.

It's a craft lady sort of dress and I teamed it with hand crafted accessories (made by me) worthy of the Golden Hands Encyclopedia of CRAFTS All of which was appropriate for a crafternoon in the sewing room cutting out a 70's dress pattern from 70's fabric. 

Mind you I think I stuffed it up trying to alter the size. SIGH! But If the frock fits, then you can be SHIR I'll wear it! See you all tomorrow!