Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
The 1st of March marks the start of Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, which is an opportunity to spread awareness of the fifth most common form of cancer in UK women.
Each year in the UK around 6,700 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Of those women, around 3 out of 10 will live for at least 5 years and approximately three quarters will live for 5 years or more.
Unfortunately, the symptoms of ovarian cancer make it quite difficult to spot and diagnose, as many tend to be similar to those caused by more common and far less serious conditions. However, there are a few symptoms which are more frequent in women with ovarian cancer and which experts are advising we become more aware of. Though there are various symptoms which may indicate ovarian cancer, persistent pelvic and stomach pain, an increase in tummy size and persistent bloating as well as difficulty eating and filling up very quickly are the ones which we are being told to look out for. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms on a regular basis it is essential you pay a visit to your GP as soon as possible.
For more information about symptoms and to view an online symptom tracker visit www.beatonline.info, and for further information about ovarian cancer visit www.ovarian.org.uk or www.ovacome.org.uk
If either yourself or a family member have been diagnosed with cancer then you may find that counselling is a tool which can help you to come to terms with the shock. Anxiety and stress levels will be soaring not just for the individual themselves, but also for their loved ones, often resulting in sufferers keeping their fears to themselves so as not to burden and upset everyone else.
Counselling is something which can tackle all of these various aspects by providing coping strategies for both sufferers and their families, and though counselling can’t cure cancer it can be invaluable in helping families to outlet their feelings, come to terms with the diagnosis and deal with any practicalities.
To find out more about how counselling can help individuals and families to cope with cancer, please visit out fact-sheet, or to contact a counsellor specialising in this area, please use the search tool located on the homepage.