A 35-year-old from Stafford is raising awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms so that others have a chance of getting diagnosed earlier.
Adam Jones wanted to raise awareness following his mother’s diagnosis in 2012.
She was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer, and was told she had just 18 months to live.
Remarkably, Jackie spent another seven years with her family thanks to their unwavering support and access to new treatments.
Adam said: “Mum was 52 when she was diagnosed. She was such a caring and selfless person, who always looked after us.
“During her treatment I moved nearby to look after her and spend more time together.
“It worked well initially, and mum responded well to chemotherapy, but being diagnosed at such a late stage made it harder to treat.”
As March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Adam is using it as an opportunity to call for people to learn more about ovarian cancer and to take time to familiarise themselves with the symptoms.
He said: “For any chance of it being diagnosed earlier, there needs to be more done to promote awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms.
“My mum wasn’t aware of the symptoms and ended up being misdiagnosed – ultimately delaying her starting treatment.
“It’s important to talk to others about it. Hopefully this can help someone recognise these symptoms in themselves or someone they love and get checked early.”
Symptoms of ovarian cancer include persistent bloating (not bloating that comes and goes), feeling full quickly and/or loss of appetite, pelvic or abdominal pain and needing to wee more urgently or more often than usual.
Adam says he found solace in running after losing his mother and has since taken on several extreme challenges – including The Marathon des Sables – to raise over £10,000 for charity.
He said: “My mum continues to inspire me. Although they can never come close to what she went through, these challenges help me fund awareness and research to find a cure for this disease so that everyone has their loved ones with them for longer.”
Symptoms of ovarian cancer
What are the symptoms?
- Persistent bloating – not bloating that comes and goes
- Feeling full quickly and/or loss of appetite
- Pelvic or abdominal pain (that’s your tummy and below)
- Urinary symptoms (needing to wee more urgently or more often than usual)
Occasionally there can be other symptoms:
- Changes in bowel habit (eg diarrhoea or constipation)
- Extreme fatigue (feeling very tired)
- Unexplained weight loss
Any bleeding after the menopause should always be investigated by a GP.
Symptoms will be:
- Frequent – they usually happen more than 12 times a month
- Persistent – they don’t go away
- New – they are not normal for you
