0:00:12 > 0:00:15'My wife Polly and I were married
0:00:15 > 0:00:16'for 15 years.'
0:00:18 > 0:00:22In 2,000, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
0:00:26 > 0:00:27After a four-year battle,
0:00:27 > 0:00:29sadly, Polly died.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Her cancer had been discovered too late.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35So I know exactly how life-shattering
0:00:35 > 0:00:41a gynaecological cancer can be for everyone affected.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46This is Sophie.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50Three years ago, she felt happy, fit and healthy.
0:00:50 > 0:00:51Then, one evening,
0:00:51 > 0:00:55whilst on holiday, she felt a small lump in her abdomen.
0:00:55 > 0:00:56'It wasn't painful.'
0:00:56 > 0:00:59It just felt like I was really full and it was very uncomfortable.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03'And that didn't frighten me. It was more the unknown'
0:01:03 > 0:01:05that frightened me.
0:01:05 > 0:01:06Sophie began to worry,
0:01:06 > 0:01:10as she felt the lump getting bigger, and rushed to A&E.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Doctors told her there was a growing tumour on one of her ovaries,
0:01:14 > 0:01:16which needed to be removed immediately.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22When someone tells you it's a tumour, it's just like the bottom
0:01:22 > 0:01:23of your world falls out.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26I remember, it was like the room went on "silent" for me.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29I just couldn't believe what I was being told.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Worse news was to follow.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Doctors discovered she had ovarian cancer.
0:01:34 > 0:01:35Terrifying.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38I thought I was never going to be able to have children.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42At just 34, feeling lost and frightened,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Sophie feared her dream of having a family was over.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51I didn't know anything about it,
0:01:51 > 0:01:55and I was really young and I just was very frightened, I suppose.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Sorry.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03There are five gynaecological cancers - cervical, ovarian,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06womb, vaginal and vulval.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08And, every day, 50 women in the UK
0:02:08 > 0:02:10are diagnosed with one of these cancers.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13That's why I'm supporting The Eve Appeal -
0:02:13 > 0:02:16a charity dedicated to improving the prevention,
0:02:16 > 0:02:20detection and treatment for gynaecological cancers.
0:02:23 > 0:02:2744-year-old Jacqui was a busy working mum,
0:02:27 > 0:02:29with a high-pressure job.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34She felt she was too busy to fit in her routine smear test.
0:02:34 > 0:02:35'I would get the correspondence'
0:02:35 > 0:02:39from the doctor, saying, "Please come and see me."
0:02:39 > 0:02:41I never did, because I'd think, "Yeah, I'll book that in.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45"Don't particularly like going for it, but I'll be all right."
0:02:45 > 0:02:50But then Jacqui started to develop worrying symptoms.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53'My stomach was becoming quite bloated, my periods'
0:02:53 > 0:02:56kept bleeding longer and longer and longer.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58Back pain...
0:02:58 > 0:03:02and I kind of knew that maybe something a little untoward was going on.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Jacqui finally went to the doctor, where she was told
0:03:05 > 0:03:09she had to have an urgent hysterectomy.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11She hoped that would put an end to her symptoms.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16Instead, doctors informed her that she had cervical cancer.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19I, kind of, sat down, burst into tears.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21Kind of quite bewildered, actually,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24because I thought, "Well, no, what do you mean?
0:03:24 > 0:03:26"What do you actually mean, I've got cancer?"
0:03:26 > 0:03:32Jacqui began an intensive course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy,
0:03:32 > 0:03:34bringing her life to a standstill.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37With the treatment, it was the taste,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40it was the smell...
0:03:40 > 0:03:43it was the sickness.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47And, I suppose, the not knowing.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51The fear for me was, I think, not being able to think,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54"Right, I'm not going to be able to see my children grow up, I'm going to miss out
0:03:54 > 0:03:56"on certain parts of their lives."
0:03:56 > 0:03:59It was a very, very, very difficult time.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03'But there is a charity working to help women like Jacqui.'
0:04:05 > 0:04:06The Eve Appeal
0:04:06 > 0:04:07is the only UK charity that funds
0:04:07 > 0:04:11vital research into all five gynaecological cancers.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Through their work, the charity aims for a future in which
0:04:14 > 0:04:19fewer women develop these cancers and more women will survive them.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24A key part of the charity's work
0:04:24 > 0:04:26is looking at ways to detect
0:04:26 > 0:04:30and treat gynaecological cancers earlier and more effectively.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34Here, at the University College Hospital, London,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Dr Adeola Olaitan
0:04:36 > 0:04:40is a cancer consultant and medical advisor to The Eve Appeal.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44Currently, cervical cancer is the only gynaecological cancer
0:04:44 > 0:04:47which has a screening programme.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51Cervical screening has really worked and, since it was introduced,
0:04:51 > 0:04:52cervical cancer has become
0:04:52 > 0:04:54relatively uncommon.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56It saves about 5,000 lives a year.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00The test is painless and it's very effective.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03Cervical cancer screening is a great example of how successful
0:05:03 > 0:05:06early detection can be.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09It's important to realise it's a not a cancer test,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11it's a test to prevent cancer.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15And now, thanks to work by The Eve Appeal,
0:05:15 > 0:05:17there is hope for screening
0:05:17 > 0:05:20for all the other gynaecological cancers, too.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Detecting cancer early, when it's curable,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24has the potential to save thousands of lives.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27It has the potential to cure the cancer,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29so that women no longer have to live with cancer.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33The Eve Appeal is currently helping to fund the world's largest trial
0:05:33 > 0:05:37into an ovarian cancer screening programme.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42Involving over 200,000 women, the trial aims to find a successful way
0:05:42 > 0:05:44of preventing this cancer early enough,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46so that more lives are saved.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50The Eve Appeal is making a real difference to women's lives.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53They are helping women to recognise and understand
0:05:53 > 0:05:58the signs, symptoms and risk factors of gynaecological cancer,
0:05:58 > 0:06:02and providing hope and support when they need it the most.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07After a gruelling course of chemotherapy,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Sophie started the road to recovery.
0:06:10 > 0:06:11She knows that she's been lucky.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16I would never have thought, myself, "I've got ovarian cancer."
0:06:16 > 0:06:19I was just really grateful to be alive, basically.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21And to her surprise,
0:06:21 > 0:06:25she's been able start the family she's always wanted.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Her little baby girl, Flora, arrived in April.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32I'm going to make you laugh.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34'I think raising awareness'
0:06:34 > 0:06:36of these cancers is really important,
0:06:36 > 0:06:40because there are a lot of people who don't know what the symptoms are.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45'People need to be aware of these things,'
0:06:45 > 0:06:47to actually go and do something about it.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50And not be frightened to do something about it.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55THEY LAUGH
0:06:55 > 0:06:59Jacqui finished her treatment in 2010, and has been free of cancer
0:06:59 > 0:07:00for nearly two years.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05For me, having cancer'
0:07:05 > 0:07:07has actually turned my life around,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10and made me appreciate what I've got
0:07:10 > 0:07:13and to certainly re-evaluate my life.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19It's so, so important to have your screening and for, basically,
0:07:19 > 0:07:27five minutes of...unpleasantness that could save your life.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Every year, nearly 8,000 women die
0:07:30 > 0:07:33of a gynaecological cancer in the UK.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37The Eve Appeal is determined to change this.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39And with your support,
0:07:39 > 0:07:44they can continue to find new ways to help prevent these cancers.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48Please go to the website - bbc.co.uk/lifeline,
0:07:48 > 0:07:52where you can donate. If you don't have access to the internet,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55then call 0800 011 011.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59And if you can't get through, please, please keep trying.
0:07:59 > 0:08:05You can also donate £10 by texting 'SUPPORT' to 70121.
0:08:05 > 0:08:10Texts cost £10, plus your standard network message charge,
0:08:10 > 0:08:12and the whole £10 goes to The Eve Appeal.
0:08:12 > 0:08:18Full terms and conditions can be found at bbc.co.uk/lifeline.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21Telephone calls are free from most landlines.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Some networks and mobile operators will charge for these calls.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Or if you'd like to post a donation,
0:08:27 > 0:08:28please make your cheque payable
0:08:28 > 0:08:32to The Eve Appeal, and send it to Freepost, BBC Lifeline Appeal,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36writing "The Eve Appeal" on the back of the envelope.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Remember, if you're a UK taxpayer,
0:08:38 > 0:08:43the charity can collect Gift Aid on your donation, worth another 25%.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45Just send in a note, to say you want your donation
0:08:45 > 0:08:47to be subject to Gift Aid,
0:08:47 > 0:08:51and include the date, your full name and address.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Thank you.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd