As Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month draws to an end, three women affected by the disease are urging others to listen to their bodies and to seek medical help if something does not feel right, in collaboration with charity Target Ovarian Cancer.

Sbba from Slough, Elaine from Reading and Sue from Kent have come together to share their stories in the hope to help other women.

Sbba

In March 2022, Sbba was given a diagnosis of stage 3c low grade serous ovarian cancer – a rare form of ovarian cancer.

Prior to her diagnosis, Sbba had been experiencing unexplained health issues including bloating, lethargy, and difficulty eating.

Despite facing setbacks, including unsuccessful surgery and challenging rounds of chemotherapy, Sbba eventually underwent successful surgery in February 2023, resulting in a 100% tumour-free outcome.

Beyond her personal struggle, Sbba has transformed her experience into a powerful advocacy platform. Her efforts include raising awareness about ovarian cancer, breaking the silence around cancer in South Asian communities, and addressing health inequalities. Sbba has recently produced a series of podcasts in collaboration with Macmillan in order to have frank and open conversations on cancer.

More on Sbba’s story.

Elaine

After a fibroid removal operation was delayed due to the pandemic, it was a routine renal scan in late 2020 that led to Elaine’s ovarian cancer diagnosis. Elaine underwent a hysterectomy, and then a six month course of preventative chemotherapy, after which she was given the good news that everything was clear.

Prior to her diagnosis, Elaine had been experiencing several symptoms for about 12 to 18 months including lower back pain and pain in her side, along with extreme fatigue. However, at the time, she had a busy life raising two teenage boys so put a lot of it down to stress, as did her GP at first. Being in her early 50s at the time, Elaine also thought that some of what she was feeling was most likely because of the menopause. However, the fatigue continued to worsen.

Having gone through such a journey and feeling like she is now on the other side of it, Elaine firmly believes that she needs to do all she can to alert women to the signs and symptoms of this disease and support those that she can who are currently amid their own journeys.

More on Elaine’s story.

Sue

After finding a lump in her stomach, Sue made an appointment to see her GP. With an elevated CA125 result, she was referred for a scan and eventually diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer.

Sue was treated with chemotherapy and surgery, followed by an immunotherapy trial. She was told that her cancer had an 80% chance of returning over the next two to four years. She feels very fortunate that now, seven years later, she remains in remission and has three beautiful grandchildren, with a fourth on the way.

Six months prior to Sue’s ovarian cancer diagnosis, she had taken early retirement and was looking forward to being a ‘lady of leisure’, with some lovely holidays booked. However, one morning Sue felt a big lump in her tummy as she had been feeling uncomfortable when trying to sleep on her front. Sue went to her GP and was sent for an ultrasound and blood tests.

Following the ultrasound, Sue went back to her GP as she was scared that she might have ovarian cancer even though the doctor did not think this. However, this is before Sue’s blood test – CA125 – which came back at over 6,000 which was a huge indicator. Sue feels that the test saved her life.

Since being in remission, Sue has been up the Eiffel Tower and climbed over the O2. She is an active campaigner for charity Target Ovarian Cancer, demanding national symptom awareness campaigns so that everyone can spot ovarian cancer.

Main symptoms of ovarian cancer

 Symptoms of ovarian cancer include frequently (roughly 12 or more times a month) having:

• a swollen tummy or feeling bloated
• pain or tenderness in your tummy or the area between the hips (pelvis)
• no appetite or feeling full quickly after eating
• an urgent need to pee or needing to pee more often

Other symptoms of ovarian cancer can include:

• indigestion
• constipation or diarrhoea
• back pain
• feeling tired all the time
• losing weight without trying
• bleeding from the vagina after the menopause

For more information on ovarian cancer please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/ovarian-cancer/