The Women’s Football Awards (WFAs) have announced a major charity partnership with Ovarian Cancer Action.
The inaugural WFAs, to be hosted by football legends Jamie Carragher and Eni Aluko on Thursday May 25th at Nobu London, will support Ovarian Cancer Action,
The WFAs is the first time all levels of women’s football will be recognised at one flagship event, paying tribute to grassroots greatness as well as superstars of the women’s game.
Ovarian Cancer Action wants to transform ovarian cancer survival rates, with only three in 10 women diagnosed currently living beyond 10 years. By 2032, Ovarian Cancer Action wants at least half of women diagnosed to live beyond 10 years through earlier diagnosis and the development of new game-changing treatments.
England and Arsenal star Beth Mead, who won the Golden Boot award as the Lionesses won their historic European Championship title in 2022, tragically lost her mum June to ovarian cancer, two years after diagnosis. Because of this, Beth decided to become an ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Action.
Ovarian Cancer Action has partnered with Beth on a range of activities and campaigns, such as the Walk In Her Name fundraiser that took place in March (Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month) Beth captained a team of hundreds of walkers who raised over £200,000.
Mead is also an ambassador for The Women’s Football Awards, who have confirmed a percentage of profit made from the glittering awards ceremony in May will be donated to Ovarian Cancer Action as the charity continues to transform the lives and prospects of women today and for generations to come.
Since the charity was founded in 2006, they have funded more than £12 million of ovarian cancer research to develop groundbreaking new treatments and ways to diagnose ovarian cancer earlier. This has been spearheaded by the Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre (OCARC), Europe’s first ever centre dedicated to ovarian cancer research. Last year alone, their research contributed 11 new ovarian cancer discoveries.
Cary Wakefield, Chief Executive from Ovarian Cancer Action said:
“Ovarian Cancer Action are thrilled to be the chosen charity for the inaugural Women’s Football Awards, building on an incredible outpouring of support from the women’s football community. It’s disgraceful that less than half of the 7500 women diagnosed in the UK each year will live longer than five years, so we owe it to inspirational women like June Mead, to make ovarian cancer a survivable disease.”
Eni Aluko, co-presenter of the Women’s Football Awards, said:
“I am so proud to be part of the Women’s Football Awards team. We are aiming to make real change in the UK alongside Ovarian Cancer Action.”
“The Women’s Football Awards is celebrating every aspect of the women’s game and shines a light on those doing amazing work from grassroots upwards. This partnership also allows the awards to create an inspiring legacy.”
The Women’s Football Awards comes ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The event has been backed by England internationals Jess Carter, Nikita Parris and Toni Duggan.
Meanwhile, Chelsea defender Reece James and Everton star Conor Coady have given their support for the initiative as have Sky Sports News presenters Pete Graves and Hayley McQueen.
The Women’s Football Awards is also supporting social mobility charity Football For Change.