It was Christmas in 2018, and the family gathered round to celebrate the festivities together.
But beloved TV broadcaster Dianne Oxberry and her loved ones had no idea of the tragedy that would follow.
On New Year’s Eve, the much-loved BBC North West weather presenter received a worrying diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
Just 10 days later, Dianne was dead.
This year, the presenter’s family is asking the public to do one thing that will help save lives.
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The Dianne Oxberry Trust – the charity which was set up following the death of the broadcaster from ovarian cancer in January 2019 – has already raised thousands in her memory to support the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. The trust is run by Dianne’s loved ones, and is urging people in the north west who would have known Dianne as a nightly fixture on their TVs to do something lifesaving.
The charity is running its Merry Kiss-mas Christmas appeal, which it hopes will help raise much-needed funds whilst also helping to spread the word about the signs of ovarian cancer. The appeal will see people ‘pucker up’ to save lives this festive season.
Eamonn O’Neal, chair of the Dianne Oxberry Trust and friend and broadcasting colleague of Dianne, said: “This winter we’re asking people to say a big happy kiss-mas to the one they love. Whether that’s someone who knows you love them, someone you have loved and lost, or a mystery someone you would like to meet under the mistletoe this year.
“Whoever you’d like to send a happy kiss-mas to, it’s really simple. We have a special online Christmas tree where you can dedicate your kiss-mas bauble to the one you love.”
The money raised from the sale of the virtual baubles will fund vital campaigns to warn about the dangers of ovarian cancer.
BBC TV presenter Dianne Oxberry
(Image: Publicity Image)
“The most important part is that money raised from donations made as part of the appeal could mean we can kiss and tell…more people about the symptoms of ovarian cancer. So this Christmas it really is better to kiss than receive…” added Eamonn.
“Early diagnosis is vital in securing better outcomes as we know all too well. It was just 10 days between Dianne being diagnosed on New Year’s Eve and her tragic death. We want to continue shouting from the rooftops about the symptoms to look out for, so we can reach more people in the North West and hopefully help families have more Christmases together than Dianne’s has.”
According to figures from Ovarian Cancer Action, only three in 10 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer live beyond 10 years. Early diagnosis is an incredibly important factor in improving those figures – something Dianne’s friends and family who founded the charity in her name found out in the most devastating way.
Eamonn added: “Dianne was so cheeky and smiley with such an amazing sense of humour. Most of my memories of her are of us howling with laughter about one thing or another – often when we shouldn’t have been.
“She would love the cheeky side to this campaign and it would be brilliant to see lots of people in our region puckering up in her honour. Especially if Christmas preparations are peck-ing your head as much as the kissing puns I’ve been including.
“So go on, give us a kiss or two in Dianne’s honour.”
Spotting the symptoms
Speed of diagnosis is the single biggest factor in securing a positive outcome to an ovarian cancer diagnosis. Symptoms are often dismissed both by the individual and their GP, which means all too often diagnosis comes late – sometimes too late, says Dianne’s trust.
Symptoms can be known as the acronym WORD:
- Weeing more often
- Overly bloated feeling
- Reduced appetite
- Dull ache or pain in the pelvis or tummy
Other symptoms can include:
- Upset tummy
- Feeling really tired
- Losing weight
- Bleeding after menopause
Many of the early symptoms of ovarian cancer are easy to ignore, because they can be quite mild, says the Dianne Oxberry Trust.
“This is the danger with this disease. It starts quietly and very often people are unaware that there is a problem until it is too late. The key is to recognise the warning signs and to take action quickly.
“Make an appointment to see your GP if you notice any of the following symptoms 12 times or more in a month. Or put another way, 2 or 3 times a week or once every couple of days,” says the charity.
- Feeling that your tummy is bloated and swollen all the time
- Feeling full quickly or having a reduced appetite
- Pain or discomfort in the tummy or lower down in the pelvis
- Change in toilet habits
- Needing to pass urine more often or more urgently
- Diarrhoea or constipation that is new to you
There are also some other symptoms which may be experienced by some people, such as pain during sex, weight gain or weight loss or extreme and unexplained tiredness.
The charity says, please:
- Don’t assume your symptoms are all due to the menopause.
- Don’t assume your symptoms are due to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, especially if you are over 50 years old. It is very unusual for IBS to appear for the first time if you are over 50.
- Don’t assume your smear test will detect ovarian cancer – it will not. It will only find changes in the neck of your womb.
- Don’t put off seeing the GP because you are too busy and you don’t think you are poorly enough to justify an appointment.
- Listen to your body – you will know when something just doesn’t feel right – see your GP if you have any doubts at all.
Businesses and other organisations are also encouraged to say a big happy kiss-mas to their customers, perhaps by dedicating a kiss-mas bauble in lieu of Christmas cards or Secret Santas.
To send a Merry Kiss-mas wish to someone you love, click here.
To find out more about the Dianne Oxberry Trust and the symptoms of ovarian cancer, click here.