LCOAL council buildings were lit up Teal on Tuesday evening in support of the campaign for Ovarian Cancer Awareness.
165 women in the North of Ireland are diagnosed with the condition each year, more commonly women who have gone through the menopause, but a number of cases are also being detected in younger women, and diagnosis can be difficult.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Alderman Graham Warke, said he hoped Tuesday evening’s gesture would help to remind people of the importance of educating women of all ages about the signs and symptoms of the disease.
“Ovarian Cancer is often called the silent killer as it can go undetected due to lack of awareness and lack of screening,” he explained.
“I wanted to show my support for this vital campaign by helping to raise awareness of this condition that affects our grandmothers, mothers, sisters and friends, and also calling for our health service to improve its own capacity to deliver early diagnosis and support local patients.
“More resources should be channelled into educating our GPs, raising awareness among women of all ages to recognise the symptoms and improving screening so that earlier interventions are possible.
“I want to urge any woman who is experiencing any changes or symptoms which might be causing them concern – please don’t ignore them, go to your GP, it could save your life.”
For further information about Ovarian Cancer Awareness month and available support go to: https://www.ovacome.org.uk/
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