A 51-YEAR-OLD Doon woman is urging women to be wary of ovarian cancer ahead of World Ovarian Cancer Day on May 8.
Jewellery shop owner Paula Maher, who is currently battling the disease, has appealed to women to consult a GP if they have symptoms echoing those of ovarian cancer.
She said: “Ovarian cancer is a silent killer. There is no screening for it and it’s often not diagnosed until stage four. It’s a rotten, lousy disease and I think it has a survival rate of only 30 per cent. That’s why, on May 8, I’ll be wearing teal for World Ovarian Cancer Day.
“If even one woman who knows my story and has similar symptoms went to her GP instead of going on Google, that would be amazing.”
Paula had noticed a swelling in her stomach last summer and, in September, doctors at St James’ Hospital in Dublin informed her that she had ovarian cancer.
Thankfully they were able to operate on her and she has since been undergoing chemotherapy, to which she has been responding very positively. She went for a successful operation in February and she continues to recover well.
For more information on ovarian cancer, visit www.ovacare.com
