8 May, 2024
Each year on May 8th, women living with ovarian cancer, their families and supporters, along with patient advocacy organisations from around the world, come together to raise awareness about ovarian cancer. World Ovarian Cancer Day (WOCD) is the one day of the year we all raise our voices in solidarity across the world in the fight against this disease and highlight the most common BEAT symptoms. Research from the INGO has found that 4 in 5 women are not confident to recognise the symptoms of ovarian cancer.
The BEAT symptoms are:
• 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
• Talk to your GP about your symptoms
New research from the INGO has found that one in five women would not attend their doctor with possible symptoms because they are worried about what it might unearth, and one in five would not attend because they are ‘too busy’. Unfortunately, more than three quarters of patients with ovarian cancer are diagnosed when the disease is at a late stage. This is partly due to the vagueness of symptoms and similarity with other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, and in some cases, symptoms may not always be obvious or present at all.
There is no standard screening test to pick up ovarian cancer in women who don’t have symptoms. Early diagnosis can significantly improve survival – 88% of patients diagnosed with stage one ovarian cancer are alive five years after diagnosis compared to 17% with stage four ovarian cancer.
The campaign also seeks to dispel the myth that cervical screening detects ovarian cancer. The research showed that one in three mistakenly believe that CervicalCheck Screening Programme checks for all five gynaecological cancers (ovarian, cervical, uterine, vulva and vaginal). It is important for women to understand that cervical screening only checks whether a woman is at risk of having cervical cancer and no other cancer type.
Dr. Sharon O’Toole, Trinity St James’s Cancer Institute and Coordinator of the World Ovarian Cancer Day campaign at INGO, said: “It is worrying to see the projection of ovarian cancer incidence increasing by 80% in Ireland by 2045. We are urging everyone to tackle this problem and join us in spreading awareness of the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer – whether through sharing our message on social media, in our local communities or advocating at a national level, our collective involvement can make a world of difference”.
For more information please see:
https://www.stjames.ie/cancer/typesofcancer/ovarianfallopiantubecancer/
https://www.cancer.ie/cancer-information-and-support/cancer-types/ovarian-cancer
https://thisisgo.ie/
World Ovarian Cancer Day Activities
• As part of World Ovarian Cancer Day activities OvaCare, an ovarian cancer support charity will be hosting a coffee and chat event in the Radisson Hotel, Letterkenny from 11am to 1pm on Sat 11th May 2024. Please visit https://ovacare.ie/events/event-registration/ to register.
• On Monday 6th May, Aideen McCabe completed a 10km charity swim at Leisure World in Bishopstown with proceeds going to OvaCare and Look Good Feel Better.
• Buildings will also be lighting up teal on the 8th of May including; Ballinasloe Monument, Cavan Courthouse, City Hall Cork, Convention Centre Dublin, Coombe Hospital, Daly's Shakey Bridge Cork, East Galway and Midlands Cancer Support Centre, Laois County Council, Leinster House, Limerick City & County Council Corporate Headquarters, Limerick City & County Council, Mansion House Dublin, Rock of Cashel, St. James’s Hospital, Titanic Belfast, UCD Water Tower.
The Irish Network for Gynaecological Oncology (INGO) Members
The Irish Network for Gynaecological Oncology is a voluntary coordination body and consists of thirty of Ireland’s foremost gynaecological cancer campaigners, researchers, and patient advocates, listed below. The aim of the group is to raise awareness of gynaecological cancers across the island of Ireland. The group participates in two major international events annually: World Ovarian Cancer Day on May 8th and World Gynaecological Cancer Day on September 20th.
ARC Cancer Support Centres, Dublin; Answers for Cancer Podcast team; Breakthrough Cancer Research; Cancer Care West; Cancer Trials Ireland; CERVIVA; Circle of Friends Cancer Support Centre; Coombe Hospital, Dublin; Cork ARC Cancer Support; Cork Cancer Care Centre; East Galway and Midlands Cancer Support Centre; Emer Casey Foundation; Irish Cancer Society; Irish Society of Gynaecological Oncology; Karen Fenton Ovarian Cancer Fund; Lynch Syndrome Ireland; Marie Keating Foundation; Mater Hospital Dublin; National Cancer Control Programme; National Immunisation Office; National Women’s Council of Ireland; OvaCare; Hive Cancer Support, Derry; Purple House Cancer Support; Queens, Belfast; Sláinte an Chláir; Sligo Cancer Support; SOCK; Swell Fermanagh Cancer Survivorship Group; St. James’s Hospital Foundation (GynaeCancerCare); Trinity College Dublin; Trinity St. James’s Cancer Institute; University College Dublin School of Medicine; University College Dublin Gynaecological Oncology Group and 221+ CervicalCheck Patient Support Group.
World Ovarian Cancer Day
World Ovarian Cancer Day was established in 2013 and is the flagship awareness day of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition. It is a global movement bringing women living with ovarian cancer, their families and supporters, patient advocacy organisations, medical practitioners, and researchers together each year on the 8th May to raise awareness of ovarian cancer.