Afternoon Teal is an Ovarian Cancer Australia initiative, bearing the international colour for the disease. In Maitland, the Women’s Network Hunter has hosted events that invite dignitaries, survivors and the public to celebrate survival, raise awareness and work toward a future without ovarian cancer.

This year Maitland’s Afternoon Teal will be held at Mansfield House’s newly unveiled Palm Court Tea Salon on Sunday, February 26.

Organiser Race Barstow said Mansfield House normally offers premium high tea events, but has offered a more casual option to maximise donations to Ovarian Cancer Australia.

“The Afternoon Teal is mostly about making women more aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer, which can be quite vague” Ms Barstow said.

“It’s also about educating the medical community. Often there’s a lack of testing or an ignorance about the disease which means it’s often caught in later stages.”

It wasn’t until earlier this month that life-saving treatments for ovarian cancer were added to the Commonwealth-funded Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. 

PRD Nationwide’s Rhonda Nyquist, a long term supporter of the network, has donated a cruise at Port Stephens as the top prize in the Teal’s raffle. Palm Court and the local business community will also get behind the event with donations and prizes. 

Ms Barstow said she hoped the Afternoon Teal would help raise awareness and remind women to insist on early screenings.

The modest tea will be held at Mansfield House in High Street Maitland on Sunday, February 26 from 2pm until 4pm. More information and tickets are available online from hunterwomen.org.