Amy Cartlidg
e came to speak to the Club about Ovarian Cancer and the work of the charity Target Ovarian Cancer. Amy (pictured here on the left next to Club President Helen Byrne) is the Fundraising Manager for the charity and was able to give us in depth information about this terrible disease that kills 4,500 women in the UK every year (compared to 950 women who die each year from cervical cancer). For more information see the Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland website www.sigbi.org/2012/ovarian-cancer-awareness-month-march-2012/ and the Target Ovarian Cancer website www.targetovariancancer.org.uk/ Soroptimists are working with charities like Target to raise awareness of the disease which could save 3,000 lives/year. March is Ovarian Cancer Awarness Month – so join in with any events to support this deserving cause.
Research has shown that the key symptoms to be aware of are:
- · Persistent pelvic or abdominal pain (that’s your tummy and below)
- · Increased abdominal size/persistent bloating – not bloating that comes and goes
- · Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
- · Urinary symptoms (needing to wee more urgently or often than usual)
Occasionally there can be other symptoms such as
- · Changes in bowel habit
- · Extreme fatigue (feeling very tired)
- · Unexplained weight loss