Fashion extravaganza to raise funds for ovarian and cervical cancer research

A GLITZY fashion show featuring the creations of Irish and international designers will be held in Cork on November 4 to raise money for research into ovarian and cervical cancer.

The cancers, often termed ‘silent killers’, are the focus for this year’s Runway for Research fashion show which will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Little Island.

While cervical screening reveals 1,000 new cases a year of pre-cancer abnormalities, 70 of the 200 new cases of cervical cancer each year will not survive.

The prognosis for ovarian cancer is even poorer, where the disease is often not detected until it has reached an advanced stage.

There are approximately 334 new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed in Ireland every year and 226 deaths. This has motivated the women of Cork to use a fashion expo and runway show to raise funds for research for these gynaecological cancers.

Surgeons and nurses at the South Infirmary, St Finbarr’s and Cork University Hospital are combining with Cork Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) to host the fashion show which will feature models from Assets Model Agency.

The fashion night will also feature two Cork patients who have won their personal battle with cancer and will be ‘made over’ to walk the runway and close the show.

One of them, Kate McNamara, featured in a TV3 documentary Me and the Big C. She will speak along with consultant surgeon John Coulter from the South Infirmary/Victoria University Hospital and researcher Dr Sharon McKenna.

“I am extremely excited about the results I have seen for ovarian cancer in the CCRC labs and that is why I am lending my support to Cork Cancer Research Centre for their work,” Mr Coulter said. “In the near future with our support, they will have new treatments that we can offer here to our patients,” said.

Tickets are €30 and can be purchased by contacting Cork Cancer Research Centre at [phone].

All proceeds will go to gynaecological cancer research at CCRC which conducts studies in conjunction with cancer clinicians at Cork hospitals.