Battling mum joins ovarian cancer campaign

A battling mum-of-two who has ovarian cancer has joined a new regional campaign to raise awareness of the condition.

Former health visitor and midwife, Gill Thomson, was diagnosed with the cancer in 2011 after beginning to suffer from abdominal pain and feeling unusually full after eating.

Gill, who has worked in east Berkshire for more than 30 years, continues to fight the disease through regular sessions of chemotherapy.

The 53-year-old wants others to be able to spot the symptoms early enough, which would help save lives.

"It is a very aggressive cancer and it could have been much better with earlier diagnosis," said Gill, from Alwyn Road, Maidenhead.

"It is a silent killer. It was in there doing its destruction and I was not aware of it at all."

The two-month campaign began on Monday and has been launched by the Thames Valley Cancer Network.

Adverts highlighting the symptoms will appear in the media and will be backed up by a team of health activists, who will be working with women to overcome their concerns and ensure they get any symptoms checked out.

Women warned over symptoms of ovarian cancer