On Tuesday 28th February, I was very privileged to attend the Eve Appeal’s launch of their March 2017 campaign: ‘Make Time for Tea.’ It was held at the House of Commons and I went along with my dad for a very special afternoon tea.
From the moment I walked into the room, I got a sense of how important this event was going to be. The room was filled with: ovarian cancer survivors, patients who are still undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer, families who have lost loved ones to the terrible disease, and MPs and celebrities who are in support the Eve Appeal and their efforts to raise awareness of, not just ovarian cancer, but all gynaecological cancers. The focus for this event was ovarian cancer because March is ovarian cancer awareness month.
Athena Laminios, Chief Executive of the Eve Appeal,was one of the first people to speak. Her talk focused on the importance of us all talking more about gynaecological cancers to raise awareness. We as women can often end up avoiding conversations about our bodies, and especially our vaginas, because we end up feeling embarrassed about it. Athena highlighted how we must all try to not shy away from talking about these issues just because it can sometimes feel uncomfortable. It highlighted for me just how important it is to allow these conversations to happen, not just between us, but also in our wider society.
We were also honoured to hear from some inspiring women about their personal experiences of ovarian cancer. Alison, who is an incredibly special woman and a huge inspiration to me, spoke about raising awareness of BRCA mutations and ovarian cancer. She has been, and continues to be, there for me since my diagnosis, and was one of the first people I spoke to when I was diagnosed. She immediately understood what I was feeling without me even having to say much. It was humbling to hear her talk about her personal cancer journey and determination to raise awareness about this important topic. I am so thankful to have such support, guidance and love from Alison and her family.
I spoke with other women like Alison who have lived with ovarian cancer. One woman I met told me how for many years, she lived in fear of cancer, but now over time, feels free from this fear. It was so reassuring to hear from her; like all of the women I have met, hearing about her experience gave me hope and encouragement.
I also met a number of celebrity supporters of the charity, including Dr Christian Spencer Jessen and Lesley Joseph, as well as a number of MPs. It felt so special to talk with these people about my personal journey as well as the wider issues relevant to ovarian cancer.
I wanted to write a bit more about what Athena mentioned in her talk; the importance of us talking about our bodies and gynaecological symptoms. I identified so much with this when think back to my own experience. Back in May 2016, I got terrible tummy cramps, which seemed strange to me because I had already had my period that month. I remember noticing other new symptoms after this and initially, the only reason I kept asking my GP about whether it was to do with my ovaries was because of where the pain was, not because I suspected it was cancer. Back then, I had no idea about the symptoms of ovarian cancer. However, as the symptoms and pain continued, and I started to search the internet, I began feeling more uneasy about what the health professionals were telling me and so I kept going back. This is one of the reasons I decided to start blogging; I truly believe that knowing the symptoms means that you can be more aware of when things don’t feel right in your body. If I have learnt anything from my experience of diagnosis, it is that you know your body the best. I also feel strongly about raising awareness of ovarian cancer amongst women of all ages. I stress ‘all ages’ because although rare, ovarian cancer can still occur in younger women, like it did with me.
So the take home message for me from the event was for us all to try and be more comfortable with talking about our bodies, our vaginas and gynaecological symptoms. If we can try to have these conversations more openly, then we can continue to make it normal for women too talk about when things don’t feel quite right and subsequently get things checked. One of the most terrifying facts about ovarian cancer is that it is often diagnosed in its latter stages, and usually once the disease has spread. The symptoms are often the same as conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or pre-menstrual syndrome. You can read more about this on the Eve Appeal website.
In aid of ovarian cancer awareness month, the Eve Appeal is asking everyone, women and men, to sit down for tea and start having these vital conversations about ovarian cancer, whilst also raising money for the cause. Have a look at the link below for more information.
So put the kettle on, slice the cake and let’s start talking!
Links and info:
- Information about the Make time for tea campaign https://eveappeal.org.uk/supporting-us/take-part-in-an-event/make-time-for-tea/
- Read more about Ovarian Cancer and the work that the Eve Appeal do https://eveappeal.org.uk/gynaecological-cancers/ovarian-cancer/
- Click here to read more about the Tea at the house of Commons event https://eveappeal.org.uk/blog/mps-celebrities-come-together-make-time-tea-house-commons/
- Oliver Bonas have teamed up with the Eve Appeal and for the next two years, will be supporting The Eve Appeal through the sale of a number of products. All their profit will go to the charity, including all the in store carrier bag sales. https://www.oliverbonas.com/about-us/charity
Finding Cyril 