My sponsored skydive for Target Ovarian Cancer in 2013

TargetOvarianCancer

I am posting this on 14th November 2014.
Six months ago today my auntie died of ovarian cancer.
She was 45 years old and left behind her loving husband
and her children aged 21 and 16. 

Ovarian cancer is most often a killer because it is difficult to diagnose. We hear about breast cancer all the time because it is easier to diagnose, treat, and prevent. While the breast cancer charities are doing fantastic work, I believe more attention should be paid to other cancers, particularly ovarian. If more people, including doctors, were aware of the early symptoms, people like my auntie would be diagnosed earlier, before it’s too late.

Our family now support the charity Target Ovarian Cancer (http://www.targetovariancancer.org.uk/).  It states on their website that only 3% of women are confident in knowing the symptoms of ovarian cancer, but according to the Cancer Research website (http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/keyfacts/ovarian-cancer/uk-ovarian-cancer-statistics) it is the 5th most common cancer in females, and the 2nd most common gynaecological cancer after uteras cancer. The Target Ovarian website shows a list of the symptoms of the cancer. The problem is that the symptoms- bloating, feeling ill when eating, tummy pain and needing to urinate frequently, can be mistaken for other illnesses. 

Target Ovarian funds several campaigns including: early diagnosis and symptoms awareness- they say that 90% of women would survive over five years if diagnosed early enough. They do research into clinical trials, and familial ovarian cancer- because 2 out of 10 cancers are caused by genes passing from person to person. They organise events such as Ovarian Cancer Awareness month in March and World Ovarian Cancer day on 8th May. 

      I urge everybody reading this to get involved, get informed, and help stop it happening to one of your loved ones. 

                                                 The photo below is of my cousin, who did the jump for his mother and raised over £1,500 for Target Ovarian Cancer.