One woman has taken to Facebook to warn others about the symptoms of ovarian cancer.
Erin Barrett was overjoyed when she gave birth to a baby girl back in September but at the same time doctors removed her left ovary, fallopian tube and a 6lb tumour.
She was later diagnosed with stage 1c, grade 1 ovarian cancer and is now undergoing chemotherapy after which she will have to have radiotherapy.
Thankfully they caught the illness in its early stages but it is for this reason that she is trying to spread more awareness about this “silent killer.”
She wrote: “I’ve debated long and hard about posting anything here about my health. This feels like a very personal journey, yet, at the same time, one I want to make sure as many women as possible can avoid. So, with raising awareness in mind, I’ve decided to share what’s going on with me and my ovaries. Actually, ovary. Singular.”
She continued: “People have asked me what they can do to help. This is something I have struggled with as I have been so well looked after. My decision is to ask you all to help me raise awareness.
“They call ovarian cancer the silent killer. This is because the symptoms are so subtle that it is often caught too late. Currently, the odds of getting ovarian cancer are 1 in 58 (compared to 1 in 7 for breast cancer).”
Erin went on to list some of the symptoms which include persistent stomach pain; persistent bloating; back pain; changes in bowel habits; and fatigue.
Check out her full post below. We have to say she is one brave and inspirational lady.
