Allies and friends of the late ABC broadcaster Jill Emberson will use International Women's Day to renew calls for increased funding of ovarian cancer research.

Key points: Advocates say Government funding for ovarian cancer research is not enough, despite a $20m boost last year

Advocates say Government funding for ovarian cancer research is not enough, despite a $20m boost last year The disease, which claimed the life of ABC broadcaster Jill Emberson, receives four times less funding than breast cancer

The disease, which claimed the life of ABC broadcaster Jill Emberson, receives four times less funding than breast cancer Scott Morrison has said "there is always more that can be done" and affirmed the Government's commitment to the issue

Anne Kempton, the co-founder of advocacy group Pink Meets Teal, said the Federal Government's commitment of an additional $20 million was not enough.

"To put it in context, that $20 million is actually $4 million over five years," Ms Kempton said.

"What we actually need is to be taken seriously.

"We need to be given $50 million every year so that something can be done for these thousand women who die every year like Jill, and they don't need to."

Jill Emberson was determined to raise awareness of ovarian cancer after she was diagnosed in 2016. ( Australian Story: Bruce Williams )

Joining forces

Pink Meets Teal was co-founded by Emberson after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in January 2016.

Ovarian cancer takes the lives of 1,000 Australian women every year, but receives four times less funding than breast cancer.

"We started this after a conversation with Jill Emberson about raising awareness about ovarian cancer, linking it into the equity theme for International Women's Day," Ms Kempton said.

The idea of Pink Meets Teal was that ovarian cancer advocates — Teal Ribbon Day — join forces with breast cancer advocates Pink Ribbon Day.

As a result of Emberson's advocacy work Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced an additional $20 million in funding last November.

But Ms Kempton said those funds were "not going to make any difference whatsoever for the thousand women who are going to die this year".

"I think it's outrageous that our Government can rely on women's groups and women-based organisations to do big fundraising," she said.

"It's not touching the surface of what's really needed."

'We need to do better'

At the Teal Ribbon Breakfast in Canberra, Scott Morrison praised the work of ovarian cancer advocates, and singled out Emberson and Kristen Larson who both died in 2019.

"Jill and Kristen are terribly missed," the Prime Minister said.

"This is a particularly sad day, and our thoughts are with their loved ones.

"As a government, we are committed to a brighter future that they campaigned for.

"No amount of funding can ever be enough in this area, and that's why I think it will always be true to say there can always be more that can be done."

Nikola Bowden says the Hunter Medical Research Institute will use Jill Emberson Memorial Donations to fund a PhD for young researchers. ( ABC Newcastle: Anthony Scully )

Pink Meets Teal is continuing to advocate by linking up with researchers such as Associate Professor Nikola Bowden from the Hunter Medical Research Institute, as well as working alongside Ovarian Cancer Australia and other advocacy groups.

"We have now an advocacy kit through Pink Meets Teal [where] you can sign a petition that we've got online, which has now got 55,000 signatures," Ms Kempton said.

"You can write letters to our politicians, and you can donate.

"I think it's really important also for we women to be clear about the symptoms and to do something about it."

Retail assistant Hannah Teale and Sharon Claydon in front of the shop Abicus, which is a participant in the Fearless Flower walk. ( ABC Newcastle: Anthony Scully )

The federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon has called for a bipartisan approach to the issue of funding.

"I spoke to Jill at length about my commitment to ensuring this would not drop off the national agenda," Ms Claydon said.

"I spoke to the [Health] Minister and indeed the Prime Minister at the last breakfast saying, 'this is nowhere near good enough.'

"$20 million is an important start, but it is just a start."

"It would be fair to say that $4 million across five years is grossly inadequate, and we would absolutely need to do better."

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 2 minutes 24 seconds 2 m 24 s Textile artists in Newcastle creating flowers to be sold for ovarian cancer research ( ABC Newcastle: Anthony Scully )

Supporting initiatives

This week members of Newcastle Makers and Traders are supporting a Pink Meets Teal initiative Fearless Flowers.

Led by coordinator Wilma Simmons of the Timeless Textiles gallery, Wednesday Makers group volunteers have produced 5,000 textile flowers over the past 12 months.

Traders are displaying the handmade flowers in shopfronts this week, to be sold and auctioned at the gallery today.

Newcastle cafe owner Bec Bowie is one of 29 city traders participating in an associated Fearless Flowers walk that locals can follow on their phones by downloading the City of Newcastle app.

Bec Bowie holds some of the handmade Fearless Flowers decorating Estabar. ( ABC Newcastle: Anthony Scully )

"It's important that we come together to shout out the issues that are important to our community," Ms Bowie said.

"It's important that we work together, and we support one another's strengths and initiatives like this one that Anne's pulled together."

Ms Kempton said Pink Meets Teal would continue to push for change in the same way that advocates of breast cancer research had done.

"It feels a bit like we have to go back to the 1970s, where women agitated to get something done about breast cancer," Ms Kempton said.

"And that's what Pink Meets Teal is doing — we're agitating, we're saying this is not OK.

"It's not OK that if I was to get ovarian cancer today I've got a very low chance of surviving, whereas if I got breast cancer today, I've got a very, very good chance of living."

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 30 minutes 14 seconds 30 m The Good Fight

'Don't forget me'

Last month the ABC released a final 'postscript' episode of the award-winning podcast Still Jill.

In the final days before she died on December 12, 2019, Jill recorded a plea to listeners: "Please, don't forget me".

"I'm telling you this story, these very personal details, because I hope that they will fire you up to stay committed to getting better outcomes," she said.

"If you hear about this disease, think about what you've learnt in this podcast.