Beth's very important role
As well as her day job on Shortland Street and role as theatre producer, Beth Allen also holds another very important role - ambassador for the NZ Gynaecological Cancer Foundation.
In her role as ambassador, she's currently raising awareness for Gynaecological Awareness month this September by hosting a series of events across the country.
Beth has been involved with the NZ Gynaecological Cancer Foundation for three years and it’s a cause close to her heart.
She shared her very personal connection to gynaecological cancer with Good Morning.
Watch Beth Allen's interview below:
“I lost both my grandmothers to some form of gynaecological cancer so I’m quite big on making sure it doesn’t happen to other families,” she explains.
Approximately 400 New Zealand women a year die from gynaecological cancers and Beth’s character Brooke Freeman even suffered ovarian cancer onscreen two years ago.
“I was really please that they took it on. She’s not a completely sympathetic character but it was good to have another side of her I think. “
The storyline coincided with Gynaecological Awareness month that year and Beth said that she was glad she was able to raise awareness of the cause on the show as well.
“I was really pleased that we got it out around September 2010 so it was around the same awareness month time.”
Beth says Brooke’s brush with ovarian cancer was difficult to play.
“It was disturbing just as a women really, not the sort of thing you want to imagine happen to you.”
Gynaecological cancer can strike women of any ages but it’s usually a disease of much later on in life around 50 and early diagnosis can save lives
While Brooke came away from her cancer scare relatively unscathed, many women do not which is why Beth and the NZ Gynaecological Cancer Foundation are trying to draw attention to a cancer that isn’t so widely talked about.
She's hosting a sold out “High Teal” event at the Langham in Auckland on September 8
th followed by a second” High Teal” event on 16
th September in Christchurch.
For more information and tickets, visit the NZ Gynaecological Cancer Foundation website.
Catch Beth as Brooke Freeman, weeknights at 7pm
