21,000 women are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer every year in the UK. That’s more than 400 women – our friends, sisters, mothers and daughters – every week.

But if you had the symptoms of a gynaecological cancer, would you recognise them?

There are five gynaecological cancers: Cervical cancer, vulval cancer, vaginal cancer, womb cancer and ovarian cancer.

Each has its own symptoms, frequency among women and characteristics. Ovarian cancer, for example, affects 7,400 women in the UK a year and, after treatment, it often returns resistant to chemotherapy. Vaginal cancer affects just 250 women in the UK annually – and is so rare that it is even more under-researched.

But they all have one thing in common: The earlier each is detected and treated, the greater chance a woman has of surviving.

This is why Wellbeing of Women invests in pioneering research so that experts can pave the way to finding new ways of detecting, diagnosing and treating the five gynaecological cancers.

It is also why being aware of the symptoms is so important.

For Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month 2020, we are going to dedicate a portion of the month to each gynaecological cancer.

We will share the stories of incredible women whose lives have been devastated by these cruel diseases, as well as those of the researchers who are working hard to find new ways of detecting them early.

We’ll also highlight the symptoms that every woman should look out for and information about testing and self-examining.

Follow our campaign on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn this September, and help us safeguard the future of women’s health by donating here.