Tameside woman urges others to spot the signs of ovarian cancer

A Tameside woman is urging others to listen to their bodies and seek medical advice if something doesn’t feel right, after discovering she had ovarian cancer following months of bloating and feeling unusually full.

Catherine, 73, from Tameside, is sharing her experience as part of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month this March. Now recovering from treatment for stage 3 ovarian cancer, Catherine says she is doing well and attends regular check-ups — but wants her story to help others catch the disease sooner.

Just a few years ago, Catherine was active and fit, regularly going to the gym twice a week and walking four miles a day. But she began noticing that her energy levels were dropping, and her stomach was becoming increasingly bloated.

“I started finding the exercises I’d done before very challenging, and I couldn’t walk as far,” she said. “I just thought I’d got a bit unfit. But then I also noticed I was feeling full quickly. If I ate lunch, I couldn’t manage dinner in the evening — even when I made my portion sizes smaller. And despite eating less, my stomach was becoming more and more bloated.”

At first, Catherine put her symptoms down to other causes. “I blamed my asthma for making me tired and breathless, I blamed COVID,” she said. “But then one day I felt really poorly. I was in a lot of pain and barely able to walk. I called NHS 111 in the middle of the night. They told me to book an appointment with my GP first thing that morning.”

Her GP examined her and sent her to Tameside Hospital the same day with suspected appendicitis. Scans there revealed the real cause: ovarian cancer. Catherine was referred to The Christie for urgent treatment.

While waiting to start chemotherapy, her condition deteriorated and she was admitted as an inpatient. She underwent chemotherapy, surgery to remove the cancer, and a full hysterectomy, followed by further chemotherapy.

Catherine describes her journey as “an extreme roller coaster ride with many ups and downs, twists and turns,” but says the support she received made a huge difference.

“My brother made me laugh when I was feeling down, and my medical team — including my clinical specialist nurse Michelle, my ‘angel’ from Tameside Hospital — and everyone at The Christie were amazing. I was really well looked after. Michelle was brilliant, always at the end of a phone providing me with advice and whatever I needed while I waited for my appointment at The Christie.”

She hopes her story will encourage more women to be aware of the signs.

“One of the problems with ovarian cancer is it sneaks up on you,” she said. “Looking back, there were signs with my energy levels going down and my stomach swelling up. I want other people to know these signs so they can get help sooner than I did and get treatment.”

Dr Helena O’Flynn, from Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, echoed the importance of awareness.

“Just 1 in 5 women know that persistent bloating can be a symptom of ovarian cancer,” she said. “Knowing the symptoms could save a life. If you’re experiencing symptoms like bloating, feeling full quickly, tummy pain or needing to wee more frequently  — and these are persistent, frequent, and new for you — don’t delay in making an appointment with your GP.”

Common symptoms of ovarian cancer include:

• Persistent bloating
• Tummy pain
• Feeling full quickly or loss of appetite
• Needing to wee more often

Other possible symptoms may include:

• Changes in bowel habits or new onset IBS
• Indigestion, heartburn, or nausea
• Unexplained weight loss
• Unexplained tiredness

You may also have a higher risk if:

• There’s a family history of ovarian, breast, or prostate cancer
• You are aged 50 or above

Anyone concerned about symptoms should contact their GP.