The Dianne Oxberry Trust is appealing for local people willing to actively fundraise to help raise awareness of ovarian cancer symptoms in the North West.
The charity, which was formed following the death of the popular BBC broadcaster Dianne Oxberry, is challenging people in our region to set themselves a walking or running challenge and pledge to raise £60 in sponsorship.
Jo Rosenberg, chair of the charity and friend of Dianne, explained: “£60 is hopefully a really manageable amount for people to try and raise but it’s a figure that could help us reach a massive 1,000 people about the symptoms of ovarian cancer.
“Whether people want to gather a group of friends for a one-off run, set themselves a target of a number of steps, kilometres or miles, walk the dog, or reach the next stage of Couch to 5k, it’s up to them. Any running or walking challenge goes, and we’re hoping people will really put their heart (and sole!) into it.
“With latest statistics showing that one person dies of ovarian cancer every two hours, and that prevalence is up to 22 per cent higher in some parts of our region than the rest of the country, the time for raising awareness of the symptoms to look out for has never been more important.
“Striding out for DOT and pledging to raise just £60 really will make such a difference as we try and reach as many people as possible locally with our Spread the Word campaign.
“If diagnosed in its earliest stages, more than 90 per cent of women will survive for at least five years, so it’s incredibly important that we continue to shout from the rooftops to ensure people know what to look out for and when to see their GP. But we can only do that with the help and kindness of local people.
“Please sign up to take part this summer at a time that suits you. It will make such a difference – even a challenge that takes just an hour or two could literally save someone’s life. That’s certainly motivation to get up and try.”
To find out more, visit www.dianneoxberrytrust.org/stride or simply:
- Choose what you’d like to do for your challenge (a one-off run or walk, a number of steps, kilometres or miles, the next stage of Couch to 5k, a dog walk, or anything else you’d like to try!)
- Set a date
- And visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/stridefordot to start raising £60.