Tag: Target Ovarian Cancer

Letters: The Big Give Appeal

 Did you know that over 7,000 women – mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmas, aunties, nieces, cousins, friends – are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year?  

One of those women was my mother, actress Marjie Lawrence. We lost her in 2010 when she died of ovarian cancer, just three weeks after her diagnosis.  

Receiving an ovarian cancer diagnosis is devastating. The latest research from the charity Target Ovarian Cancer revealed that over half the women diagnosed struggle with their mental health as a result. Despite this, there is a desperate lack of support and information available – from the moment of diagnosis, throughout treatment, and beyond into recovery and adjustment back to everyday life. 

This is not acceptable. Women are left feeling lost, scared, and unsure where to turn.  

That’s why I am writing to you today to ask for your help.  

Target Ovarian Cancer aims to look after every area of life for a woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer. This includes providing a nurse-led support line and group events where women can access crucial information and vital support. The charity also produces information guides and tools to empower women with knowledge – helping them to take control of their health. 

These essential tools need urgent funding.   

From midday Wednesday 11th October to midday Wednesday 18th October, there’s a fantastic opportunity to raise these funds when Target Ovarian Cancer teams up with THE BIG GIVE APPEAL to raise up to £20,000! 

EVERY donation made will be matched, so it will have DOUBLE the impact. Donate £5, and it will raise £10. Donate £50 and it will raise £100.  

Target Ovarian Cancer is there for everyone affected by ovarian cancer, any time they need it. Through Target Ovarian Cancer and The Big Give, more women living with ovarian cancer will be able to receive invaluable support and information – absolutely essential for the best possible outcomes.  

To make a donation and have it doubled, please visit: 

targetovariancancer.org.uk/biggive 

With best wishes,  

Sarah Greene 

Sarah Greene       

Honorary Patron at Target Ovarian Cancer and presenter on BBC1’s The Finish Line  

“20,000 voices cannot be ignored”

ARGET OVARIAN CANCER LEAD MARCH TO DOWNING STREET TO DEMAND GOVERNMENT TAKE ACTION ON THE OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS CRISIS

 “Enough is enough.” These are the words etched onto paper by over 20,000 people in an open letter, published by Target Ovarian Cancer, urging the government to take action on the ovarian cancer awareness crisis – a disease which kills 11 women every day. 

Target Ovarian Cancer campaigners marched to Number 10 Downing Street yesterday to amplify the voices of thousands of people who have signed the open letter demanding that the government take urgent action to save lives.  

This momentous milestone – the first time thousands have come together to call on the government in this way – comes following the alarming findings of the charity’s latest research which revealed that four out of five women could not name the key symptom of ovarian cancer, persistent bloating.

This is in addition to the Ovarian Cancer Audit Feasibility Pilot which revealed 14% of women diagnosed in England between 2013 and 2018 died within two months of diagnosis, and 30% died within the first year. 

The open letter has been led by Target Ovarian Cancer – the UK’s leading ovarian cancer charity that improves early diagnosis, funds life-saving research and provides much-needed support to everyone affected by ovarian cancer. 

As there is no current effective screening process for ovarian cancer, knowing the symptoms – persistent bloating, abdominal pain, feeling full quickly, and needing to wee more urgently – is essential to survival and early diagnosis. 

Annwen Jones OBE, Chief Executive of Target Ovarian Cancer, said: “At Target Ovarian Cancer, we know that there is a huge crisis in ovarian cancer awareness and diagnosis and are overwhelmed by the strength of support our open letter has received.

“It’s extremely sobering to see over 20,000 people come together to demand that the government take immediate action to save lives. 20,000 voices cannot be ignored.  

“The reality is that too many people are dying as not enough is being done to make the symptoms of ovarian cancer known. The reality is that diagnosis is coming too late because of this. The reality is that we need the government’s support to reach anyone who could be diagnosed early with this disease in order to save lives.  

The open letter tells the government what is needed to combat the crisis: dedicated ovarian cancer symptoms awareness campaigns across the UK. 

One supporter who joined fellow Target Ovarian Cancer’s campaigners is Annie Griffin, who was diagnosed with stage Ia mucinous ovarian cancer – a rare type of ovarian cancer – in 2020.

Annie added: “If we don’t share our ovarian cancer experiences with our MPs how will they know what we go through? How can we expect change if we don’t speak up? 

“The weeks and months that it took to get diagnosed and finally understand what was wrong with me took their toll. I genuinely thought it was middle age, perimenopause, and fibroids. Nothing rang alarm bells, and I don’t want that to happen to other women. That’s why we need more awareness around ovarian cancer, that’s why I’m on a mission to help make that happen.”  

The charity was outside Westminster today on behalf of 20,000 people, demanding the government take urgent action on the ovarian cancer awareness crisis. 

Della Ogunleye, 60 from London, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2019, also attended the open letter hand in, added: “Target Ovarian Cancer amplifies our voices.

“Together, we can reach places and have conversations that we may not be able to achieve alone. The saying goes, if you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together.  

“We need greater awareness of symptoms now. By standing together our voices will be louder.” 

To find out more about Target Ovarian Cancer or access its support line visit:

www.targetovariancancer.org.uk.

Letters: Time to make a stand, says Target Ovarian Cancer

Dear Editor, 

It’s time to make a stand.  

Did you know that one in seven diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year die within two months after diagnosis? We are being failed. Enough is enough. 

On Tuesday 28 June I am marching to No 10 Downing Street, alongside Target Ovarian Cancer campaigners, to hand in our open letter signed by 20,000 people. Together, we’re demanding the government takes action on the awareness crisis in ovarian cancer.  

In 2019 I was working long hours in the City of London. With a daily commute, busy lifestyle and regularly visiting my sick mum, I was tired. But, like many women, I ignored this and continued on. Then one night, I felt a painful lump in my tummy. It was a tumour. I was later diagnosed with stage IIIa ovarian cancer. 

For me, ovarian cancer affected my whole body. My right leg bloated due to deep vein thrombosis and a clot on my lung was discovered. I had intense surgery to drain my kidneys and remove the tumour, as well as a total hysterectomy and many other procedures. I then underwent six rounds of chemotherapy.  

Ovarian cancer changed my life, and with no screening in place it is essential that we are all armed with awareness of symptoms. This means the cancer can be found earlier, and outcomes are significantly improved. No one should die because of a late diagnosis. 

Four out of five women cannot name the key symptom of ovarian cancer, bloating. This needs to change. 

I’m writing to ask your readers to take just two minutes of their time to learn the symptoms and spread the word to their families and friends: persistent bloating, feeling full or having difficulty eating, tummy pain, and needing to wee more often or more urgently.  

Become part of this movement to make change happen in government today by campaigning to improve the lives of people affected by ovarian cancer.  

With best wishes, 

Catherine Hunt

Target Ovarian Cancer is the UK’s leading ovarian cancer charity. We work to improve early diagnosis, fund life-saving research and provide much-needed support to women with ovarian cancer https://targetovariancancer.org.uk