‘Ovarian cancer awareness may have saved Gill’

8:59am Wednesday 23rd March 2011

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A GRIEVING husband, who lost his wife to ovarian cancer, has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the disease.

Geoff Fisher will embark on a leaflet and poster drop across Bolton and will email more than 100 people in a bid to make sure women, and their families, know the symptoms — and are diagnosed quickly.

mr Fisher, aged 64, from Westhoughton watched his wife, Gill, battle ovarian cancer for six years before she lost her fight.

she died, aged 63, in July last year.

Since her death mr Fisher has been determined to spread the word to try to help other women.

he said: “Gill was a lovely, warm, smiling woman who touched more lives then she ever realised.

“We miss her so much and, since her death, have tried to spread the word about ovarian cancer.

Awareness is the key to survival.”

Mrs Fisher was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in March 2004, 10 weeks after displaying classic symptoms, including feeling bloated and full.

by then she had a cyst the size of a football, needed a hysterectomy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which she had again in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

In January last year the mother of Helen, aged 33, and Ian, aged 34, developed an infection and was never well enough to continue with her treatment.

she passed away at Bolton Hospice on July 9.

mr Fisher, who has also raised more than £5,000 for Ovarian Cancer Action, said: “Gill was classed as a survivor, living over five years after diagnosis but, if we had known about ovarian cancer, she might have been diagnosed sooner and that could have made all the difference.

“Any woman experiencing symptoms on most days should ask their doctor to consider ovarian cancer.”

Symptoms include persistent pelvic or stomach pain, increased stomach size, persistent bloating, difficulty eating and feeling full quickly. To find out more or to donate visit lovewomen.

tributefunds.com/ fund/Gill+Fisher or ovar ian.org.uk

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