CAMPAIGNING Margaret Andrews, pictured, is hoping to win a national screening service for ovarian cancer in memory of a close friend.

Mother-of-two Eileen Shore died two years ago of the cancer, which claims four thousand lives each year in the UK.

Ovarian cancer is known as the 'silent killer' because it has no obvious symptoms such as lumps or pain, and can be terminal by the time it is detected.

The death of Mrs Shore at the age of only 49 sparked Mrs Andrews into campaigning to help end the kind of suffering she had seen her friend endure.

That battle bore fruit at this year's Women's Institute National Assembly, when a resolution from Mrs Andrews on ovarian cancer was overwhelmingly supported by delegates.

Her resolution called on the WI to support clinical trials taking place at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London on devising a blood test to provide early detection of the cancer.

The hospital will now use the support of the WI in its grant bid to the British Medical Council for funding to pay for planned blood test trials involving 120,000 women volunteers.

Mrs Andrews comes from Padgbury Close, Congleton, and put her resolution forward to the national assembly as a member of Timbersbrook WI.

"Some 200 resolutions are submitted from across the country, and mine was one of only four to be voted on," said Mrs Andrews.

"I was sitting on the stage at the Albert Hall when the vote was announced, and had to smile discreetly, although I really wanted to wave my arms about I was so thrilled.

"There is a lot of ignorance about ovarian cancer, and I hope my resolution will help to find a test which can be used to detect the cancer, perhaps at the same time women are screened for breast cancer.

"I was determined to do something after Eileen's death. She had gone through such pain, and I wanted to stop others suffering the way she had."

The planned trials by St Bart's Hospital are due to involve taking samples of blood from women over 50 who still have their ovaries.

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