12 Days of Christmas: Helping women save their own lives

Michelle Quirk (front) with foundation trustees Dr Ai Ling Tan (left), Bridgette Jackson and Nicola Edwards. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Every two days a woman in New Zealand dies from ovarian cancer - a fact many people do not and yet should know.

The NZ Gynaecological Cancer Foundation is working hard to raise the awareness of gynaecological cancers affecting Kiwi women and encouraging women everywhere to get themselves checked.

The foundation has been gifted $10,000 this Christmas, thanks to the Auckland Airport 12 Days of Christmas project.

It is one of 12 charities from around the country to receive a grant.

General manager Michelle Quirk said the foundation was grateful for such a big gift, which will go towards raising awareness of gynaecological cancers affecting New Zealand women.

"We're trying to help women get into their gynaecological health.

"When I talk to people about the statistics and facts like ovarian cancer is the fourth largest killer of women in New Zealand, they're shocked - they say, 'I didn't know that. I better get a check-up'," Ms Quirk said.

"The awareness and education is very important."

Some of the cancers affecting women around the country are cervical, endometrial, vaginal and ovarian - the latter being the fourth largest killer of women in New Zealand, Ms Quirk said. "A lot of people think that it's something that comes later in life. But there are some people that get diagnosed in their late teens, 20s and 30s - the prime time in their life."

The grant will be used specifically to develop a recently launched DVD: Gynaecological Cancers: What you need to know.

The DVD will be translated into te reo and will be used in Maori-based contexts such as in marae and other bases within the Maori community.

"It's respectful to speak and connect with Maori women in their language," Ms Quirk said. "It's a taboo subject in a number of cultures, so doing it this way helps to break some of those barriers."

The DVD will help raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancers.

Auckland Airport community relations manager Katie Moore said staff were pleased to help such a worthy cause.

"The NZ Gynaecological Cancer Foundation is doing fantastic work to raise awareness and we are very [pleased] that this donation will help make the DVD more accessible to members of our community."