Liz McInnes becomes Teal Hero for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

Liz McInnes MP Teal Hero

Liz McInnes, Member of Parliament for Heywood and Middleton, was a teal hero for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month at a special event hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ovarian Cancer at the Houses of Parliament.

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month takes place every March, and parliamentarians including Ms McInnes dressed as teal heroes - the designated colour for ovarian cancer is teal -  learned more about the symptoms of ovarian cancer, and committed to helping raise awareness.

Ms McInnes said: “11 women die every day from ovarian cancer. Early diagnosis saves lives, and raising awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer is crucial.

"Being a ‘teal hero’ was a great opportunity to take action and raise awareness of ovarian cancer. Although there was a fun element to the event, ensuring women know the symptoms of this disease is extremely serious and I plan on continuing to be a teal hero in the future, working to ensure more women are diagnosed sooner.”  

The symptoms of ovarian cancer include persistent bloating rather than bloating that comes and goes; feeling full quickly and/or loss of appetite; pelvic or abdominal pain; and urinary symptoms, for example needing to wee more urgently or more often than usual. Other symptoms can include unexpected weight loss, change in bowel habits, and extreme fatigue.

If you regularly experience any of these symptoms, which are not normal for you, it is important that you see your GP. It is unlikely that your symptoms are caused by a serious problem, but it is important to be checked out.