Updated
Updated · Stratford-Upon-Avon Herald · Jun 8
Lydia Hickin Fronts London Billboard After Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis
Updated
Updated · Stratford-Upon-Avon Herald · Jun 8

Lydia Hickin Fronts London Billboard After Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis

1 articles · Updated · Stratford-Upon-Avon Herald · Jun 8

Summary

  • Piccadilly Circus displayed Lydia Hickin’s image for World Ovarian Cancer Day, turning her stage 4 diagnosis into a public warning about symptoms often dismissed in younger women.
  • Ten GP visits preceded her 2023 diagnosis after stomach pain, skin spots and lumps were repeatedly downplayed; a different doctor finally ordered blood tests, scans and a biopsy.
  • A week after learning she had low grade serous ovarian cancer, Hickin married her partner, then underwent an eight-hour operation and five rounds of chemotherapy; she is now in remission with regular monitoring.
  • LGSOC is a rare ovarian cancer that mainly affects younger women, and 70% are not diagnosed until stage 3, helping explain Hickin’s call for women to push for checks if symptoms persist.

Insights

Can new blood tests and imaging tech finally unmask ovarian cancer while it's still a 'silent disease' and curable?
A mother's cancer was dismissed ten times. Can a new ultrasound test and national policy finally fix a broken system?