Teacher’s appeal after ovarian cancer shock
ARUFFORD teacher has shared her own life-changing experience in the hope of saving the lives of other women.
Paula Cann, 46, was diagnosed with stage two ovarian cancer last year.
The diagnosis came after she was experiencing symptoms of ovarian cancer but was diagnosed with a cyst that was only removed because of its size.
Two weeks after the cyst removal, the Pinehurst Primary School teacher was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Reflecting on the experience, she said: “I’d started needing to wee more often and more urgently.
“Most evenings I walk the same route around my local woods, but I could no longer make it around without desperately needing the loo.
“Then I felt a lump in my stomach when I was lying down. I wasn’t too worried as I felt really well, apart from some tiredness, which I put down to my hectic job as a primary school teacher.
“Even though I wasn’t in pain, I thought it best to visit my GP, who wasn’t overly concerned and thought it was an ovarian cyst which would be best to remove as it was quite large.”
“Thank goodness my cyst was too big to ignore, as two weeks later I was diagnosed with stage two ovarian cancer.
“I was told that if I’d left it another month it may have been a different story.
“Ovarian cancer has symptoms: tiredness, needing to wee more frequently, persistent bloating and stomach pain are all signs.
“It’s so important to catch it early, to have the best chances of survival. If like me, you are experiencing these frequently, please, visit your GP.”
After undergoing chemotherapy, the mother of two is now cancer free – but will have quarterly check-ups every for the next two years.
But not everyone has such a positive outcome.
Research charity Ovarian Cancer Action has found that almost a third of women with ovarian cancer in the North West are being diagnosed too late.
Early diagnosis is key to fighting ovarian cancer.
Currently in the UK, only 46% of women live beyond five years after being diagnosed with the disease, with survival length significantly dropping the later diagnoses are made.
For example, women have a 90% chance of survival when diagnosed with ovarian cancer at stage one, which drops to just 4% when diagnosed at stage four.
Katherine Taylor, the chief executive of Ovarian Cancer Action, said: “Ovarian cancer kills more women than the other four gynaecological cancers combined.
“We work closely with health professionals, including GPs, to identify the signs of ovarian cancer, which are often misunderstood.
“As women, we also need to listen to our bodies.”