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Normal Topic The Silent Killer - Ovarian Cancer (Read 9,458 times)
Dave Lowry
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The Silent Killer - Ovarian Cancer
09.05.2010 at 14:57:26
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Hi All

Some of you may or may not know that Elenore has been suffering from Ovarian Cancer for two or more years. Currently, she is in the middle of her fifth session of chemotherapy. Typical of her, she is still well and truly 'on the go' and thinking and working for others. Our two daughters, Hannah and Emma, have been doing the Manchester run for a few years for charity but have decided to do something different this year rather than ask for the usual donations.

The following is a copy of an e-mail they have sent to their friends. I think it is self-explanatory:

    Quote:
    Painful Pelvis, Bloated Belly, Stuffed Stomach...? It could be a symptom...


    Some of you will know that my sister and I are running the Manchester 10k next week.

    We’re not asking for sponsorship ... we do not want your money... ...but we WOULD like you to help us to raise awareness of the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer.

    Our mother is currently doing battle with this cancer. It is a disease with good survival rates if it is caught early. Sadly though, most women are diagnosed too late, because the symptoms are vague ... because, after all, doesn’t everyone get a bit bloated now and then?

    Knowing the symptoms can mean the difference between surviving or not... It would make a huge difference to us if you could support us by:

      learning these 3 symptoms yourself:

        1    Bloated Belly – permanent, not bloating that comes and goes

        2    Stuffed Stomach - feeling full, difficulty eating

        3    Painful Pelvis – a persistent pain, that is there most days


      and send this message to 3 friends who you care about


    We are hoping that if every one of our friends sends this message to 3 of their friends (more if you like) and each of them sends it to 3 of their friends, that this message might reach someone in time to make a difference.

    And for all you blokes out there with big bellies ...please don’t worry you won’t have ovarian cancer...

    If you see us running on the 16th, please give us a cheer and shout ‘Beat Cancer’... your support will keep us going...

    Many thanks

    Hannah and Emma Lowry

    For more information please see the NHS Choices Website

    Our health professional friends might like to look at: www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_1...


From our own experience, Elenore and I would like to add the following:

Ovarian Cancer is known as the ‘Silent Killer’ because the symptoms are so easy to pass-off as something else. Many GPs and Consultants fail to make the correct diagnosis early as they lose much valuable time chasing other perfectly reasonable possibilities before coming to the correct conclusion. Early diagnosis, or elimination, is vital for increasing the chances of survival and can be achieved through early tests and a scan. If you have any doubts, make yourself a bl---y nuisance to the medics. After all, it is their job to assist you. You are the customer and pay their wages. Notwithstanding my comments and Elenore’s rather late diagnosis, we have had excellent care and attention from many in the medical world.

Please do not think you should only pass this information on to female friends etc. We blokes have wives, sisters, mothers, girlfriends, partners etc. Often it is the person at a slight distance who can see the ‘wood for the trees’. Similarly, it is not only the older female who is at risk. An acquaintance of Elenore’s contracted the disease as a young university student. Fortunately, an early diagnosis was achieved and she now works for a cancer charity.

If we can save one life through passing on this little 'bit' of knowledge, it will have been very, very worthwhile. The target is in contacting at least 5,000 people.

My thanks for your patience and attention and, hopefully, your help in passing on this important information.

Rgds

Dave Lowry

P.S.  For those of you who have kindly enquired at FCA events after my two 'little girls'. Hannah and Emma have grown a bit since you saw them last !! We are both immensely proud of them.
  
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Dave Lowry
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Re: The Silent Killer - Ovarian Cancer
Reply #1 - 15.05.2010 at 07:18:37
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Just a quick reminder for those who have kindly passed on the warnings and information about Ovarian Cancer (it could be a life saver), the Manchester Run takes place tomorrow, Sunday 16 May. Sometimes it's on the TV, either live or on the News.

Many thanks for your help, it is much appreciated.

Dave, Elenore, Hannah and Emma Lowry
  
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Dave Lowry
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Re: The Silent Killer - Ovarian Cancer
Reply #2 - 18.05.2010 at 14:42:04
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The Manchester 10Km Run went off very successfully. There were 29,000 runners supporting many charities and many more spectators. The atmosphere was great and good humoured. It was a very enjoyable event. The City was impressive as ever in both architecture and cleanliness. Despite the numbers litter was virtually absent and the streets pristine almost immediately afterwards. It is a pity some other cities cannot learn from the good practice.

Both Hannah and Emma completed the run in 1Hr 3Mins 47 Seconds running as a pair. They wore 'T" Shirts with the symptoms on back and front to help raise awareness. In the crowd, Elenore and I, and Grandson Ethan wore identical 'T' Shirts resulting in interest and enquiries.

It was Emma's 3rd Manchester Run and Hannah's 5th but the first trying to support awareness of Ovarian Cancer. Both would like thank all who have forwarded the information on the symptoms, the problems and vital need for early diagnosis. It will be impossible to know where the information has spread but from our own efforts we know it is in Australia circulating the Oil Industry, in the USA circulating the Chemical Industry, in Eire, in Northern Ireland and in France in addition to much of the UK Mainland. If it helps only one person it has been well worthwhile.

For myself, as a pure bred Scouser, I find it difficult to praise Manchester as we are normally required to wash out our mouths if we even mention the word. They did, however, run a well organised and enjoyable event.

Again, many thanks to you all.

Dave Lowry

  
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Tony Pleasant
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Re: The Silent Killer - Ovarian Cancer
Reply #3 - 19.05.2010 at 09:53:48
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Can a "Scouser" be pure bred???
  
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Dave Lowry
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Re: The Silent Killer - Ovarian Cancer
Reply #4 - 19.05.2010 at 10:44:05
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Good question Tony. I'm as pure bred as any Scouser can be. About 50% Northern Irish, 25% Welsh and 25% Non-descript which includes possibly more Welsh, Irish and maybe even English. Add to this a little Spanish. A seafaring ancestor brought a young lady home a few generations ago.

As Elenore is from Dublin, as yet, I haven't tried to work out the composition of our two daughters !!!!

Hope you are well.

Dave
  
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Alastair Wood
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Re: The Silent Killer - Ovarian Cancer
Reply #5 - 27.05.2010 at 18:55:30
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Hi Dave

I will be happy to pass this on through my Rotary contacts...even for a scouser. I have a family of Liverpool supporters (Not a word Plez).
  
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Dave Lowry
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Re: The Silent Killer - Ovarian Cancer
Reply #6 - 31.05.2010 at 15:27:24
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Hi Alastair

Many thanks, your help is much appreciated and the Girls are very grateful. It is not possible to know how many people have seen the information but the Girl's target of 5,000 must have been exceeded considerably.

Having Liverpool Supporters in your Family has put you way up in my 'esteem' league table.

Rgds from a grateful Scouser.
  
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Dave Lowry
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Re: The Silent Killer - Ovarian Cancer
Reply #7 - 23.03.2011 at 14:50:39
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You may remember last year our two Daughters, Hannah and Emma, ran in the 10Km Manchester Fun Run, not to raise sponsorship but simply to increase awareness of the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer. It is known as the Silent Killer because the symptoms are often missed by the sufferer and the busy GP. They can easily be passed off as something less dangerous, need to diet, need for more exercise, time of life, women’s problems etc, etc. Late diagnosis is more often the case with drastic results. The Girl’s objective was to save lives by getting people to query their GPs if they had any doubts and badger for tests.

Elenore, my wife and the Girl’s Mamma, and I, cheered the Girls on last year. Sadly, Elenore died last September, a victim of the cancer. At her request, her ashes were scattered by the New Brighton RNLI in Liverpool Bay on a full ebb tide. She now rests between her two homes, Eire and UK, missed forever.

The Girls are repeating the Run on 15 May this year with the same objectives but in memory of Elenore. The Daily Mirror has interviewed them and published a short article on 3 March. With Jan’s assistance, I have attached a scan of the article to this post. I will be missing the AGM etc, my best wishes to all.

Knowledge of the symptoms is important not only for the ladies, but also for husbands, partners and family. It is often they who can see the wood for the trees. With twenty-twenty  hindsight, we now realise Elenore had the evil disease for a year or two before a correct diagnosis was made.

Hannah is a manager in the NHS working with teams of GPs. They support what the Girls are doing and say it will be much more effective than raising money. For those who may remember our ‘two little girls’, they are now in their Thirties. Emma is an interim manager, currently managing Avon Cosmetic’s Web Marketing Team. I am retired, but as you can see, a boringly proud father. In the picture, Hannah is on the left and Emma on the right.

More detailed symptoms are listed earlier in this thread but if anyone cannot access them, please send me an e-mail.

Please spread the awareness, if the Girls save one life, it’s all very worthwhile.

Many thanks

Dave Lowry
  

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Dave Lowry
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Re: The Silent Killer - Ovarian Cancer
Reply #8 - 20.05.2011 at 12:01:56
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Hannah and Emma, together with their friend Madge, successfully completed the Manchester 10Km Fun Run on Sunday last, 15 May. Their time was 61mins 20secs, their best time to date. They didn't quite match the international winners, Haile Gebresalassie and Helen Clitheroe but I'm sure they had them worried. In total, there were 38,000 runners. The atmosphere was fantastic. As a Scouser it hurts to praise Manchester but I have to admit, they do a great job of organisation.

The Girls have now increased awareness of the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer widely, from Finland to Australia, including the Americas.
  
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