Local woman in awareness campaign to highlight ovarian cancer symptoms

World Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day took place yesterday as women around the world were urged to make themselves familiar with the symptoms of the disease which can often be misdiagnosed as something else.

Because the symptoms are similar to other conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, it tends to be diagnosed at a later stage and local mother-of-three Ingrid Halligan Dunne who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when she was just 45 wants to create awareness around the disease and is urging women showing symptoms to get checked out as soon as possible.

Ingrid, who is from Gormanston, is taking part in an awareness campaign by the Irish Network for Gynaecological Oncology (INGO) which aims to highlight the symptoms of ovarian cancer through their 'BEAT' message and features on their video campaign.

The key to the INGO campaign is knowing the signs and getting help at an early stage if experiencing any of the following signs for three weeks or more (BEAT campaign) –

• Bloating that is persistent and doesn’t come and go

• Eating less and feeling full more quickly

• Abdominal and pelvic pain you feel most days

• Toilet changes in urination or bowel habits

The symptoms of ovarian cancer can often be confused with irritable bowel syndrome, but this rarely presents for the first time in a woman over 50.

Ingrid is urging women to be aware of the symptoms and that if they are feeling unwell and experiencing any of the symptoms to make sure they go and get checked out. She also said that many women think it only affects older women but that she was just 45 when she was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer.

"I felt so ill and was so sick but women tend to keep going and say we're grand. This is the problem, it keeps going and I don't know any woman who was diagnosed at stage 1 or 2.

"If there is some woman running to school or at work not feeling right, please go and do something about it. Ladies, especially in Ireland, are so resilient and think they can get on with it and say I'll be grand. We need to get them in a little earlier. If I could stand up and shout this I would," said Ingrid.

Around 400 cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed in Ireland each year. The Irish Network for Gynaecological Oncology (INGO) campaign aims to communicate the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer to a larger audience and highlight the lack of awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer and the misperception that a cervical screening detects ovarian cancer.

Read Ingrid's full story about her symptoms, diagnosis and treatment and how she wants to share her story in the hope that it will create awareness about the symptoms of the disease in this week's Meath Chronicle out Tuesday evening.