'I felt guilty after my cancer diagnosis'

A Preston woman, diagnosed with ovarian cancer when her first grandchild was only nine days old, has shared how she felt guilty for putting her family through such heartache.

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North West Cancer Research is urging people to listen to their bodies and be aware of the signs of ovarian cancer.

Its new campaign, Listen to Your Body, highlights common symptoms such as bloating, loss of appetite, and frequent urination.

According to the charity's research, ovarian cancer incidence in the North West is 17 per cent higher than the national average.

In some areas, the charity found, the rates are even higher than the regional average: Cumbria is 41 per cent above average, Merseyside 26 per cent, Lancashire 17 per cent, Cheshire 19 per cent and Greater Manchester two per cent.

Among those backing the latest campaign from North West Cancer Research is Katherine McBride, from Preston, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in July 2023.

Mum-of-three Katherine, 55, said: “I remember starting to feel tired a lot-it was a different type of tiredness to anything I had experienced before and I felt exhausted all the time.

“However, I brushed this off as a symptom of the menopause and, to be honest, felt a bit silly going to the doctor to say I was tired! After a series of blood tests and X-rays, they confirmed it was stage four ovarian cancerit didn't seem real.