Cancer survivor’s praise for group

STEFAN JAJECZNYK

AMUM diagnosed and treated for ovarian cancer at a young age has praised a support group which has allowed her to meet other women affected by gynaecological cancers.

Julie Haworth, 49, who lives in Haslingden, was 44 when she underwent a hysterectomy after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

When Julie was attending her appointments at East Lancashire Hospitals, she was given some information about the Gyn and Tonic support group which meets once a month.

Teaching assistant Julie, who is married to Ian, 51, and has two daughters, Lucy, 22 and Sophie, 20, says she preferred to wait until the end of her treatment to go along to the group. She said: “I just went along on a whim one night and met Tracy Bracewell, staff nurse in gynaecology and a few other women. The group is more a social thing and we chat and go out for meals. It is a really nice group. The women who come to the group have all been through gynaecological cancers but that’s not really the first thing we speak about.”

Julie says the group is a great way of sharing advice with those who have similar experiences.

She added: “After having my hysterectomy, I started with the menopause and went through hot flushes, mood swings and not sleeping. I didn’t know anyone who had been through the menopause overnight like me but I did when I went to the group. It was good to get other people’s perspective on that. I think Gyn and Tonic provides invaluable support and would encourage more women who have been through gynaecological cancers to use it.

“Going to this group is one of the real positives that has come from the cancer.”

After having surgery in 2013 it was discovered that the cancer had been caught at an early stage and she did not not need further treatment although she continues to have regular check-ups.

As she has two daughters, Julie went to Manchester for genetic testing in July 2015 but fortunately, she did not carry any of the faulty genes.

She said: “I was 44 when I was diagnosed, which is very young for ovarian cancer. I never expected to be having a hysterectomy at that age.

“When the surgeons removed it [the cancer], they told me the size of a Gala melon had been taken out of me.”

‘Gyn and Tonic’ meets on the second Tuesday of every month at the Coal Clough Lane Community Centre in Burnley from 7pm to 9pm. ●● Julie and Ian Haworth with daughter, Lucy