Wolf&Grayson EditorialOvarian cancer research, particularly for rare subtypes, remains critically underfunded despite affecting thousands of women yearly. While scientific advancement requires significant financial backing, the path to securing those funds often begins with a personal story. Through her nonprofit work, Emily Campbell, Executive Director at Not These Ovaries, has discovered that authentic storytelling creates connections that transform into actionable support for lifesaving research, providing hope for patients with rare ovarian cancer subtypes while educating donors about the critical need for continued research.
Connecting Through Personal Experience
For Emily Campbell, storytelling isn’t just about sharing information, it’s about creating genuine connections that motivate action. Her approach focuses on the power of personal narrative to break through the noise of competing causes. “People resonate with stories,” Emily explains. “When you’re starting a nonprofit, there are so many others in the space. How do you differentiate yourself? By connecting with people, telling your story, and finding a way to create that connection to get them more engaged and interested and educated.”
This strategy creates a ripple effect that extends beyond a single donation. “The more I tell my story, the more I hear back from others about their own personal stories that might be tied to ovarian cancer or maybe some sort of cancer,” she notes. “It opens the door for others to share and be comfortable sharing their experiences as well.”
Tailoring Messages to Different Audiences
Emily recognizes that effective storytelling requires knowing your audience and adapting your approach accordingly. Her team carefully considers how to frame their message depending on whether they’re speaking to patients, grassroots organizers, or potential major donors. “You tailor your story to what will motivate each individual,” Emily says. “For grassroots groups, the messaging is patient-centric because many organizers are patients themselves, survivors, or caregivers. You can get more detailed about the actual diagnosis because you don’t have to educate them as much.”
The approach shifts when speaking with potential philanthropists. “With large-scale donors, it’s more about education. The average person is not going to be super educated on ovarian cancer, especially these rare subtypes that affect younger women. You have to build that context first and then share your story so they don’t feel totally lost in the facts.”
Making Impact Tangible
One of Emily’s most successful strategies involves demonstrating exactly how donations translate into research progress. At a recent fundraising dinner in Miami Beach, her team showed donors the direct impact of their contribution. “We had about 50 people at this event, and with the proceeds, we were able to fund a month’s worth of research at a local hospital,” Emily shares. “Cancer research is so hard because it takes a very long time and there’s a lot of expenses. There isn’t that immediate transaction that we’re used to as consumers.” By putting results in concrete terms, Emily helps donors understand the value of their support. “Being able to share that with everyone during the event and then doing the follow-up really resonated with people because they could actually see where the funds were going. It makes it more real, and they’re more likely to continue donating because they know the dollars are being put to work.”
As a small team comprising primarily Emily and her husband, plus a content writer, they take a straightforward approach to sharing patient stories. “We interview individuals with similar stories, and honestly, it’s just letting them tell everything they’re comfortable sharing. Then we craft it on the other end, formulating that arc after the story’s been told.” For other nonprofits looking to leverage storytelling for fundraising, Emily offers practical advice: “Patient stories are impactful because they keep everyone connected. At the end of the day, we’re doing cancer research for the patient and future patients.” She emphasizes balancing urgency with optimism: “You have to have that sense of urgency and make it clear this needs to get done. But then end with ‘we can fill these gaps if we do this together.’ Make donors feel empowered in that story too, it’s not just your story anymore, it’s their story because they’re also now involved.”
Want to support or connect with Emily Campbell? Follow @nottheseovaries on social media or visit their blog to stay updated on rare cancer research advocacy.
