A County Down widower whose wife died one year ago from ovarian cancer has said the ongoing lack of awareness about symptoms among health professionals meant his wife received a late and terminal diagnosis. <\/p>\n
Stephen McCormick, whose wife Julie was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer said the disease shouldn’t be ruled out until a final diagnosis is confirmed when a when a woman is undergoing investigations. <\/p>\n
About 200 women every year in Northern Ireland are diagnosed with ovarian cancer.<\/p>\n
Stephen McCormick told BBC News NI he’s “passionate” about raising awareness of ovarian cancer and that he is “on a mission” to get a public awareness campaign up and running across Northern Ireland. <\/p>\n
That mission began exactly 12 months ago on the day Julie died – 23 June 2024 – when he sent a message on the social media platform X, formally known as Twitter. <\/p>\n
“When you are diagnosed late, the outcomes are much poorer and therefore if women can get to see their GP sooner, they have a better chance of being diagnosed and a better chance of survival,” Stephen said. <\/p>\n