A 68-year-old woman treated for ovarian cancer at the Royal United Hospital in Bath is urging others not to ignore changes in their health after her own diagnosis followed what first appeared to be more routine symptoms.
The main entrance of the Royal United Hospital in Bath | Photo © RUH
Christine Grant, from Trowbridge, said she initially went to her GP because she needed to get up frequently in the night to urinate.
At first, the problem was thought to be linked to her age and an oversensitive bladder.
She later began struggling to go to the toilet and suspected she might have cystitis, but her GP advised her to have an ultrasound scan instead.
That scan revealed a mass in her pelvis, and a biopsy later confirmed she had ovarian cancer.
Speaking during Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Christine said the diagnosis was devastating, although she had already feared that might be the outcome.
Christine Grant, who has been treated at the RUH | Photo provided
She said: “The news that it was cancer was devastating, but I already had a bad feeling that was what it would be. My daughter is a medic and she had done her best to prepare me for the news.
“I got the diagnosis in the summer and really thought I might not make it to Christmas.
“But once I met with the consultant at the RUH I felt much more positive. She was fantastic – she spoke very honestly with me but gave me a lot of hope too.”
Christine began chemotherapy straight away and later underwent surgery for a full hysterectomy. She then joined a research trial at the RUH, where she received immunotherapy infusions every three weeks.
Now in remission, she has spoken about the importance of getting checked if something does not feel right.
She said: “It has been very tough at times, but I’m in remission now which is just fantastic.
“The care and support I received at the RUH was excellent – everyone has been so caring.
“My message to women is to make sure you get checked as soon as something doesn’t feel right. It might be nothing, but it’s always better to know and finding a problem early means it’s more treatable.”
Around 7,400 women in the UK are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year.
The disease affects the ovaries and is more common in women over 50, although it can affect anyone who has ovaries.
Symptoms can include a swollen tummy or bloating, pain or tenderness in the tummy or the area between the hips, loss of appetite or feeling full quickly after eating, and needing to pee more urgently or more often.
You can find more information and advice, as well as where to go for help and support, on the NHS website at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ovarian-cancer/
