Ovarian cancer made Tottenham girl look pregnant (From Haringey Independent)

Ovarian cancer made Tottenham girl look pregnant

12:17pm Wednesday 2nd March 2011 in Health By Elizabeth Pears

A 25-YEAR-OLD woman from Tottenham who dismissed a bloated stomach which turned out to be a symptom of ovarian cancer is now campaigning to raise awareness.

PHD student Elizabeth Harrison, of West Green Road, noticed she was gaining weight around her middle but thought nothing of it.

After being pressured by her sister to get it checked out by a doctor, she was told there was a large growth on her right ovary.

She said: "My sister asked me if I was pregnant because my stomach was so distended. She was concerned I had put on so much weight around my stomach and nowhere else. My abdomen had even turned hard."

The 23.5cm tumour, the entire ovary and her appendix was removed in good time and Elizabeth is now in good health and should be able to conceive naturally in the future.

"Who knows what would have happened if it had not been for my sister," said Elizabeth.

"With breast cancer everyone knows that they need to check for lumps. But ovarian cancer is much more subtle – it does give out signs, but they can be easily dismissed as something else.

"Women need to be made aware of all of the symptoms so that they can get to know them really well and be prepared."

She added: "I'd gone from being somebody who hardly ever got unwell, being careful what I ate and drank and not smoking to having a potentially life threatening disease."

Elizabeth is asking the women of London to wear teal-coloured nail varnish – the colour for ovarian cancer – during the month of March to help raise awareness for the disease and its symptoms which include bloating, eating less but feeling full or constant abdominal pain.

She is also taking part in a sponsored 50-mile walk along the Thames Path to raise money for ovarian cancer charity Ovacome for a second year.

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/alondonstroll