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Heal the Teal: Reduce the Impact of Ovarian Cancer on NZ Women 

Brilliant Futures Fund Round 13  Joint Winner SI New Zealand

Soroptimist International South East Asia Pacific (SISEAP) is thrilled to announce the successful recipients of Round 13 of the Brilliant Futures Fund.

Through this initiative, funding directly empowers grassroots clubs to implement transformative community projects focused on educating, empowering, and enabling women and girls across our region. In Round 13, grant funding has been awarded to two extraordinary initiatives led by Soroptimist International Club of Bangsar (Malaysia) and Soroptimist International Aotearoa New Zealand (SIANZ).

SI Aotearoa New Zealand: "Heal the Teal: Reduce the Impact of Ovarian Cancer on NZ Women"

SI Aotearoa New Zealand: "Heal the Teal: Reduce the Impact of Ovarian Cancer on NZ Women"

What They Hope to Achieve

SI Aotearoa New Zealand (SIANZ), in partnership with health advocates like the Ovarian Cancer Foundation NZ and Talk Peach, seeks to tackle the devastating late-stage diagnosis rates of ovarian cancer in New Zealand. Currently, 85% of cases are diagnosed at Stage 3 or 4, and widespread public confusion exists regarding detection (with 53% incorrectly believing a cervical smear screens for ovarian cancer).

The "E - Educate and Raise Awareness of Early Symptoms" project pillar aims to close the critical gap between general awareness and actionable symptom knowledge, significantly increasing public understanding that persistent or unusual symptoms require timely discussion with a healthcare provider.

 

How They Will Do It

During Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (February 2027), SIANZ will deploy a nationwide, multi-channel educational campaign:

Wide-Reach Media Campaign: Launch a professionally produced cinema advertisement across 18 movie theatres reaching over 75,000 moviegoers, paired with a national social media campaign targeting over 10,000 digital views.

Community Poster Distribution: Distribute 400 printed posters across cafes, pharmacies, medical centers, libraries, and public amenities, managed directly by local SIANZ club Ambassadors.

Targeted Health Messaging: Clear, evidence-based messaging centered around the B.E.A.T. F. symptom framework (Bloating, Eating difficulty/Feeling full quickly, Abdominal/pelvic pain, Toilet habit changes, Fatigue). Messaging will emphasize that cervical smears and HPV vaccines do not screen for or prevent ovarian cancer.

Online Knowledge Survey & Competition: Drive participation in an online knowledge evaluation survey using unique QR codes printed on posters and cinema slides, offering a NZ$200 donation prize to the Ovarian Cancer Foundation NZ in the winner's name.
Inclusive & Equitable Outreach: Partner with Māori, Pasifika, and diverse community networks to ensure culturally safe and accessible distribution across regional and urban New Zealand.

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