Claire O’Shea founded Claire’s Campaign to raise awareness about gynaecological cancers and empower women in Wales to share their experiences along the pathway to diagnosis
Claire O’Shea has died following a long battle with cancer(Image: Tenovus Cancer Care)
Inspirational cancer campaigner, Claire O’Shea has died aged 42. A moving tribute to the woman “who inspired hundreds” was released by Tenovus Cancer Care on Monday afternoon.
Claire, from Cardiff, had been going back and forth to her GP for almost two years before her diagnosis was confirmed. The charity worker, who had received a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome from the GP, said: “I knew it wasn’t IBS.” But it was not until she went on holiday to Istanbul with friends and visited a hammam – a Turkish bath where you can get a massage – that she started to get answers.
Eventually Claire was diagnosed with a rare cancer called uterine leiomyosarcoma. Her cancer was at stage four and had spread to her liver, lungs, and bones.
Claire used her experience to help hundreds of women(Image: Senedd)
The late diagnosis lead to her sharing her story with an inquiry by the Senedd’s health and social care committee because she wanted to raise awareness of how, too often, the NHS is giving women with gynaecological cancer a false diagnosis.
She also founded Claire’s Campaign to raise awareness about gynaecological cancers and empower women in Wales to share their experiences along the pathway to diagnosis
Sharing the sad news of her death, a spokesperson for Tenovus said: “We are devastated by the death of Claire O’Shea, who has passed away from gynaecological cancer at the age of 42.
“Our thoughts are with Claire’s loved ones, as well as all the women she touched through Claire’s Campaign. Working alongside Claire has been a great honour for us as a charity.”
The charity added: “Her strength, warmth, and determination inspired hundreds of women to share their experiences and helped drive real change in how gynaecological cancers are understood, talked about, and addressed across Wales.
“Claire’s untimely death is a powerful reminder of why this campaign matters so much. We remain fiercely committed to continuing this work, in partnership with Claire’s family and our friends at Cavendish Cymru, to make sure her legacy lives on.
“Thank you, Claire, for ever.”
MS Julie Morgan was one of the first to pay tribute saying: “Such devastating news. My thoughts go out to Claire’s friends and family at this very sad time.
“Claire turned her negative experience of getting her cancer diagnosis into a positive, forceful campaign to ensure that no other woman goes through the same thing. She will be missed.”
After Claire gave evidence, a Senedd committee published a report about gynaecological cancer care in Wales.
It contains 26 recommendations to the Welsh Government about how women’s health services should be better supported and how to stamp out “a dangerous bias which is putting lives at risk”. You can read more about it here.
The committee says it heard from women who were “left dealing with the life-changing consequences when their concerns were repeatedly dismissed by healthcare professionals”.
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