Downham Market woman raises ovarian cancer awareness

A woman is raising awareness about ovarian cancer following her own diagnosis which she found out about at the same time as her husband Paul's bowel cancer diagnosis.

Diane Boothby from Downham has travelled to London, to encourage a national campaign, handing over an open letter with some 21,762 signatures

She is aiming to help two charities, one is Target Ovarian Cancer and the other is called Ovacome.

Diane said: "We went to the door of number 10 Downing Street with our open letter.

"So many ladies have no idea of the symptoms and if diagnosed early it is curable.

"Target Ovarian Cancer, based in London, did a survey and discovered 40 per cent of women did not know that the cervical smear did not cover ovarian cancer.

"Most doctors surgeries don't say anything about it, we need awareness on it.

"I did pay for a private scan as I knew the symptoms and I was diagnosed with ovarian cysts.

"I went to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for further tests before Christmas.

"I had a bi-lateral removal of my ovaries and fallopian tube as a deferment to cancer which she was diagnosed with earlier in the year.

"I was in critical care at the Norwich and Norfolk hospitals as it was such a big operation."

Diane wants to bring more awareness to ovarian cancer and symptoms to look out for and is planning to hold a stall at the market square in Downham, with the council's official permission, where she will have collection buckets.

She has also organised T-shirts for the Dereham Ladies cricket team to wear at a match with Target Ovarian Cancer written on them.

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