Users of Sportspark, based at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, have made a donation of £694 to the charity Target Ovarian Cancer.
March was Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month which has helped to raise awareness of ovarian cancer whilst raising vital funds for Target Ovarian Cancer.
Through Sportspark’s Charity Spinner scheme, which was re-launched earlier this year, Sportspark customers have the chance to offer small donations in return for a copy of the Eastern Daily Press or Norwich Evening News. Every charity that benefits from the monthly appeal is chosen by Sportspark customers and members of the community.
Target Ovarian Cancer is the national ovarian cancer charity working to save lives and help women diagnosed live their lives to the full, wherever they are in the UK. This donation will help the charity to improve early diagnosis, find new treatments as well as providing support for women with ovarian cancer.
There is an urgent need to secure progress. 7,000 women in the UK are diagnosed each year. 4,300 women lose their lives each year. 32% of women are diagnosed after visiting A&E. The UK has amongst the lowest survival rates in Europe. There have been no new life-extending treatments in over 20 years. If we were able to achieve what has been achieved in breast cancer in the last twenty years, over 3,000 women would survive each year.
Research has shown that the key symptoms to be aware of are:
- Persistent pelvic or abdominal pain (that’s your tummy and below)
- Increased abdominal size/persistent bloating – not bloating that comes and goes
- Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
- Urinary symptoms (needing to wee more urgently or often than usual)
Occasionally there can be other symptoms such as
- Changes in bowel habit
- Extreme fatigue (feeling very tired)
- Unexplained weight loss
Amy Cartlidge, Fundraising Manager says, “We are delighted with the amount that has been raised by Sportspark throughout Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in March and would like to thank all those who donated so generously. The money raised will support our work to improve diagnosis and treatment of this disease. We are grateful to Sportspark for raising awareness locally of ovarian cancer and its symptoms.
Sportspark Director, Phil Steele, said: “The support and donations from our customers have been brilliant, and we’re delighted that they’ve been able to help us raise money for such an important charity where awareness isn’t as widely acknowledged as other forms of cancer. Thank you to all those that have donated”.
Find out more at www.targetovariancancer.org.uk or 020 7923 5470.
