Friday is World Ovarian Cancer Day and this gives us the perfect opportunity to focus on a disease that gets very little attention.

In the UK, ovarian cancer is considered to be a rare cancer with 7,000 new cases diagnosed every year.  For those affected the statistics are unfairly bleak with only 43% of patients surviving for at least five years compared to 85% of breast cancer patients.  We can improve this by raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer and ensuring that women and healthcare professionals take quick action should they recognise the symptoms.

Increased awareness leads to more patients being diagnosed at an early stage and early diagnosis does save lives;  92% of women diagnosed at an early stage will go on to live beyond 5 years.

Black women are less likely to develop ovarian cancer than white women but data does suggest that black women are more likely to be diagnosed at a late stage so raising awareness in the black community is very important.

So, this World Ovarian Cancer Day join the global movement to raise awareness by pledging to tell five women about the symptoms of ovarian cancer.

To sign the pledge and get more information visit the World Ovarian Cancer Day website and for more information about ovarian cancer please visit Ovarian Cancer Action’s website.