Meet Emily Campbell | Cofounder and Executive Director of Not These Ovaries

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Campbell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Thank you so much for featuring me! It’s an honor.

Honestly, I wasn’t originally planning to start a nonprofit.

In December of 2023 was when my symptoms started. (Know these common signs ladies! Persistent and extreme bloating, pelvic and back pain, feeling extremely full after only a few bites of food, and irregular periods.) Over the course of several weeks, I visited multiple doctors, where I was continuously dismissed. I was told nothing was wrong, or that it was probably stress, or maybe a food allergy. It was after weeks of doctor’s appointments, a visit to the ER, and eight days of tests at the hospital where I finally received an answer: a diagnosis of stage III borderline serous ovarian cancer.

What struck me during the months immediately following my diagnosis, was how slow the process was for meeting with specialists; how many gaps there were in the understanding of this disease; the lack of research; the lack of education. But most striking, the lack of funding.

So my thought process shifted from “How do I get through this?” to “How can we change the system so this doesn’t happen to someone else—or so someone else doesn’t feel like they are so alone?” So I asked: Why are the treatments so limited? Why is a diagnosis so commonly delayed? Why is everything so fragmented? And how can we build something focused on real, direct research that can produce better outcomes?

And I knew what I wanted as a core value: 100 percent of donations to go directly to research to eradicate ovarian cancer, especially the rarer subtypes that disproportionally affect younger women.

My inspiration behind Not These Ovaries ultimately came from my own experience of losing something so important to me at a young age, which was my health, so it grew organically from the necessity of advocacy. I wanted to build something that changed women’s lives for the better.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’d love to share! Not These Ovaries is a nonprofit organization dedicated to quickly funding research for ovarian cancer, with a focus on understudied areas such as low-grade serous carcinoma (LGSOC) and borderline ovarian tumors (BOT). We focus on two strategic challenges: first, to create informative content that is medically accurate to educate patients, caregivers, and physicians; and second, to address the dearth in funding research and fundraise to help fill those gaps.

We’re just over one year since the launch of our website, and we’ve since raised over $250,000 from incredible supporters! Outside of the funding, what excites me most is the momentum we’ve created. From launching our website and publishing over 100 educational articles to hosting sold-out fundraising events and forging important partnerships, we’re pushing awareness into action.

If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s, you don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to care enough to start. And be willing to ask for help along the way.

So, what do I want the world to know about Not These Ovaries? It’s not just a nonprofit, it’s personal. It’s built by patients, for patients. It’s fueled by love and grief and rage and hope. And it exists because I believe, deeply, that we all deserve better.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love this question because it showcases the vibrancy and diversity of Miami. My husband and I are lucky to have a lot of visitors during the winter months, so we get a chance, even as locals, to continue to explore our city.

Museums like the Rubell Museum and galleries like La Cometa and Pendentive Studios are musts. Fountainhead Arts is a Miami-based artist residency that has incredible programming for those who want to be more connected to artists. I love taking guests to their Open House nights. For drinks, Sobremesa is such a fun, chill little wine shop that does tastings on the weekends. My girlfriends and I could spend hours there on a Saturday afternoon (sometimes we do). I’m a beer girlie, so a lazy afternoon brewery hopping is the best – Lincoln’s Beard, Unseen Creatures, Unbranded, and Tripping Animals are tops.

For food, Sunny’s Steakhouse, hands down. Dinner under their banyan tree is so special. It still has that charm from their original pop-up days. Caracas Bakery, Baker & Barista, or Flour & Weirdoughs have the best breakfast pastries. I love being outdoors, so I’d take guests to places like Vizcaya or the Deering Estate (or even the Bonnet House further north). They are beautiful pieces of Miami history. Local shops like Fly Boutique, Vara Vintage, or the pop-up Little River Flea are great spots to find some fun vintage clothing gems. Cheesy as it sounds, for a first-time visitor, an airboat on the Everglades! We’re are so lucky to be neighbors with such wildlife. To close out the weekend, I’d take guests dancing in Little Havana. Daiquiris at Cafe La Trova, then ending the night under the pineapple stage at Ball & Chain. Who’s with me?

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
None of this would exist without my network.

Chris, my husband. He carried a lot of the mental and emotional weight in the very beginning. He also helped with the launch of the 501(c)(3), so shout out Chris!

Every single person who stepped up and helped when we needed it most. My friends and family who showed up in every way possible, however they could. They reminded me that community is one of the strongest indicators of success.

Lastly, to every patient out there who has ever had to become their own advocate. They are my motivators.

Website: https://nottheseovaries.org

Instagram: @nottheseovaries

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/company/nottheseovaries/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@NotTheseOvaries

Image Credits
Jordan Frey