IT 'S a cancer that 10,000 people are diagnosed with each year in the UK, affects people of all ages and genders and fifty per cent of sufferers don't survive.

Despite that, it only receives 0.6 per cent of dedicated research funding – the lowest spend of the 10 biggest cancers.

But one Stourbridge woman wants to change all of that and is trying to get her voice heard by shouting out about bladder cancer.

Annette Warriner, otherwise known as Snettie, is 61 years-old and was diagnosed with the disease four years ago.

"I thought it was normal cystitis flaring up at first as I didn't have any other symptoms," said the Junction Road grandmother.

"But in the end my daughter pushed me in to taking a sample of wee up to the doctor.

"I went to the clinic a couple of weeks later and I could see the cancerous area bleeding on the camera. There were four tumours.

"They decided I needed a six week treatment with intravascular Mitomycin chemotherapy.

"After that I had three all clears over a nine month period which was good, but I kept getting bladder infections and I still felt that something wasn't right."

Annette eventually had to have her bladder removed and replaced with a stoma – a surgically created opening which allows stool or urine to exit the body.

She said: "Having your bladder removed really changes the way you feel about yourself, especially at first.

"I still don't particularly like walking about with a bag of wee stuck to my stomach, but as time goes on you do forget about that and you just deal with it.

"I've seen someone die of bladder cancer, and seeing the alternative, I look on my stoma as something that has saved my life."

To raise awareness of the disease, Annette has joined the Shout Out About Bladder Cancer campaign, where she features alongside eight other sufferers in the campaign's national promotional material.

On a local level, she also hopes to set up a support group to help people from Stourbridge and the surrounding area who have been affected by the cancer.

Annette said: "Bladder cancer is just not promoted enough and no one is aware of it.

"I want bladder cancer to come to the top of the tree, otherwise one day this cancer will come up and slap everyone in the face.

"I want to get the message across that if you notice any signs or symptoms that you've got to make sure that your voice is heard and you are seen."

For more information on the Shout Out About Bladder Cancer campaign visit www.shoutoutaboutbladdercancer.org