A CAMPAIGN to BEAT ovarian cancer in local women has been launched – in seven languages.

Charity Ovacome, which has recently opened a hub in Dudley, want to raise awareness of the disease among women of all ethnic groups.

A campaign involving leaflets, social media and local Press aimed to reach 40,000 women across the region and is based around the acronym BEAT.

• B is for bloating that doesn’t come and go;

• E is for eating difficulty and feeling full more quickly;

• A is for abdominal and pelvic pain you feel most days

• T is for toilet changes, in urination or bowel habits.

The four-week campaign, running from this Wednesday is aimed at people from diverse communities.

Leaflets will start appearing in medical centres and other public spaces across the region in Arabic, Bengali, Gujarati, Polish, Punjabi, Urdu and English.

Phone lines manned by people speaking all these languages have also been set up.

If you have the BEAT symptoms chances are that you will not have ovarian cancer, but it is worth getting checked out by your GP if they are new and persistent.

The campaign is possible thanks to an £86,485 grant from the Government’s Coronavirus Community Support Fund - when the pandemic is causing many people to delay getting symptoms checked out.

The campaign has been welcomed by Ameena Muflihi, community officer of the Yemeni Community Association in Sandwell, who helped Ovacome put together the film and leaflet in Arabic.

The support line telephone numbers ask callers to leave their name and contact details and information of what support they need and Ovacome will arrange to return their call with an interpreter.

The numbers are:

  • Arabic - 0121 647 6630
  • Bengali - 0121 647 6631
  • Gujarati - 0121 647 6632
  • Polish - 0121 647 6633
  • Punjabi - 0121 647 6634
  • Urdu - 0121 647 6635