Ovarian cancer: Annalise Dalins’ confronting realisation on the set of a Witchery photoshoot | Exclusive

One woman dies every eight hours. Less than 50 per cent survive five years. About 10,000 will lose their lives by 2035.

These are the harrowing ovarian cancer statistics that threatened to overwhelm former Miss Universe Australia Annalise Dalins on the set of the 2025 Witchery White Shirt campaign.

The 24-year-old, who is engaged to AFL star Josh Daicos, always dreamed of being part of the campaign to awareness and funds for ovarian cancer and was “honoured” when she was invited to be an ambassador this year.

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But nothing could have prepared her for the emotions that struck when she stepped onto the set.

“It was quite overwhelming, because there were so many really awful statistics that I wasn’t even aware of,” Dalins tells 9honey.

“That was really a tough moment because I was firstly disappointed in myself that I didn’t really know the entirety of how severe ovarian cancer is.

“But then also to feel the reality of those statistics- it was just pretty hard to comprehend.”

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal reproductive cancer of any gender, killing an estimated 1000 Australians born with ovaries every year.

Symptoms are vague and there is still no early detection test, so about 70 per cent of cases are diagnosed in the advanced stages, when the cancer has already spread.

Treatment options have barely changed over the last 30 years and though the average age of diagnosis is 64, younger women also lose their lives to the disease.

Those are the women Dalins is really determined to reach with this campaign.

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With more than 160,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, many of them young Australian women, the model wants to use her platform to dispel common myths and drive home just how deadly this disease can be.

Especially because she didn’t really understand that herself before joining the 2025 Witchery White Shirt campaign.

“I was really honoured to be entrusted to represent such an important cause, to raise awareness and funds for ovarian cancer, and I straight away set a goal for myself to bring awareness regarding the disease to younger girls,” she says.

“I just think these open conversations really need to be happening amongst us young girls.”

Many women mistakenly believe that ovarian cancer is an “older woman’s disease” that can’t affect them when they’re young.

Others think that it can be detected with a pap smear/cervical screening test, which is untrue.

WATCH: Ovarian cancer survivors share their stories

The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) has been working to educate women of all ages about this disease for decades and Dalins offers a vital connection to the youngest generations of Aussie women, most of whom live their lives online.

The Digital News Report: Australia 2024 found that nearly two-thirds of Gen Z rely on social media as their main news source, even when it comes to things like health.

Dalins is keenly aware of the influence that gives her over the tens of thousands of women that follow her and admits she feels responsible for setting a positive example.

That’s why she’s so intent on using her platform to inspire important conversations about ovarian cancer and make change.

And what better way to spread awareness and raise funds than through fashion, something she views as uniting women of all different ages and walks of life.

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This year’s white shirt was designed by Founder and Creative Director of Viktoria & Woods, Margie Woods and is the latest in an almost 20-year legacy.

Since the White Shirt campaign started in 2008, Witchery has raised more than $17 million for the OCRF and the impact of these simple white shirts can’t be understated.

“It’s fashion being used in a great way [and] it’s really motivating to see Witchery, and Viktoria and Woods, and all of us come together and work towards a greater cause,” Dalins says.

“By purchasing these pieces, we can really make a change and really make a difference.”

And this is just the first step for Dalins, who is eager to leverage her social media platform to keep giving back with more charitable and social impact work.

She dreams of using her fame – which has only grown with Daicos at her side – and connection to so many young women to champion important causes and make a difference for the next generation.

“For me, it was always a dream that I would come home every single day knowing that I’ve helped someone. It just makes me really, really happy,” she says, then laughs.

“To be honest, that’s probably a reason why I think he [Daicos] fell in love with me.”

There’s an infectious positivity about the 24-year-old, something in her bright blue eyes and easy smiles that makes you believe her.

Witchery will donate 100% of gross proceeds from every White Shirt and White Jean sold to the OCRF to support ovarian cancer research. Learn more and shop online or in-store.

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