History of the White Shirt Campaign
Established in 2000, Witchery and the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation's long-standing partnership aims to raise awareness and funds towards an early detection test.
Donations to Date
$16,279,416
The Partnership
Over the past 16 years, Witchery via the White Shirt Campaign has donated over $16 million to the OCRF, contributing to invaluable ovarian cancer research projects and medical advancements that aim to save women's lives.
Developing an early detection test could save the lives of more than 8,000 Australian women, and more than 1.3 million worldwide over the next 10 years. Without an early detection test, improved treatments and prevention, we will continue to lose mothers, wives, sisters, daughters and friends. But there is hope.
Funds raised through the sales of the Witchery White Shirt collections continue to fund research scientists, innovative projects and essential research equipment in support of the OCRF’s mission.
Since 2014, funds raised by Witchery have helped OCRF to support 35 researchers in 20 medical research institutes across Australia, with vital initiatives including:
- Funding of one of the world's leading early detection projects - the Active Ratio Test which entered clinical trials in 2018 and has since progressed into expanded clinical trials. We hope that the success of these trials leads to a readily available, early detection test in coming years.
- Dedicated specialist ovarian cancer research scientists.
- Critical studies in early detection research.
- Development of new technologies that promise more targeted treatment options to improve quality and length of life.
- Collection and management of ovarian cancer tissue samples for research.
Why Ovarian Cancer?
- Only 49% of women survive ovarian cancer, a statistic that has barely improved in the last 50 years.
- Ovarian cancer is the most lethal of all reproductive cancers and one of the most underfunded.
- The majority of women are already in the advanced stages of ovarian cancer at the time of diagnosis, and only 29% of these women will live beyond five years.
- Ovarian cancer treatments have barely improved in 30 years, although promising options are emerging.
- Unlike breast and cervical cancers, there is no early detection test.
- Vague symptoms like bloating and fatigue are often confused with other women's health problems.
- A pap smear or cervical screening does not detect ovarian cancer.
- There’s no early detection test for ovarian cancer, yet.
- Developing an early detection test for the next generation could save the lives of more than 8,000 Australian women, and more than 1.3 million worldwide over the next decade.
- Research is the only way we can change outcomes for ovarian cancer.
In 2023, the White Shirt Campaign received a World Ovarian Cancer Coalition Impact Award in the Inspiring Collaborations category. Witchery via the OCRF is proud to be the single largest donor to ovarian cancer research in Australia.
2023 Donation
$1,228,284
2022 Donation
$677,832
2021 Donation
$537,772
2020 Donation
$335,600
2019 Donation
$1,400,000
2018 Donation
$1,700,000
2017 Donation
$950,578
2016 Donation
$1,650,000
2015 Donation
$1,600,000
2014 Donation
$1,200,000
2013 Donation
$1,130,000
2012 Donation
$1,070,000
2011 Donation
$700,000
2010 Donation
$500,000
2009 Donation
$600,000
2008 Donation
$1,000,000
The Early Years 2000–2007
The partnership between Witchery and the OCRF was established well before the first White Shirt Campaign.
In 2000, Witchery joined the OCRF's mission to develop an early detection test that ultimately becomes as readily available and habitual as a pap test is for cervical cancer. Witchery begins to raise funds for the OCRF through the sale of Silver Ribbons, the Exposure Book and Exposure lip gloss. 2007 sees the launch of the 'Every Cloud' initiative with a collection of silver gifts and a unique OCRF desk diary. 100% of gross proceeds from the sale of the diary were donated to the OCRF.