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#GETLIPPY
Feel the cancer fear, check your body and speak up to break down taboos and save lives, says comedian Helen Lederer
FEEL the fear, and do it anyway.
Comedian and actress Helen Lederer isn't afraid to say what she thinks.
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And today, the 63-year-old Ab Fab star is taking the jist of her upcoming Edinburgh Fringe show, I Might As Well Say It, and applying it to a poignant, life-saving message.
Helen is an ambassador for The Eve Appeal, the charity behind today's #GetLippy call to action.
And her message is simple, yes you might be scared of cancer but don't let that stop you checking your body for the signs and symptoms of the killer.
"I want every woman to understand the importance of checking her body," she told The Sun.
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"It's not hard and you shouldn't be embarrassed - that's the big message and why I'm getting lippy today.
"Don't be shy, it could cost you your life."
Cancer doesn't discriminate
Helen, like almost every person across the UK, has been affected by cancer.
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She lost her aunt to the disease, and then her cousin was diagnosed with stomach cancer, dying just six weeks later.
"It just hits home how rapid these things can be," she reflected.
You shouldn’t be embarrassed – that’s the big message and why I’m getting lippy today. Don’t be shy, it could cost you your life
Helen Lederer, comedian and Eve Appeal ambassador
"And it really highlights just how important it is to keep regularly checking your body.
"Make the time to check yourself, it literally can save lives.
"This could happen to me, any of us, no one is immune from cancer.
"It doesn't discriminate, it doesn't care who you are, how successful you are, none of that matters."
1 in 3 women IGNORE deadly signs of gynae cancers
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The Eve Appeal is the only charity in the UK that focuses on all five gynaecological cancers.
Ovarian, cervical and womb cancer are all forms of the disease most women have heard about.
But the charity also shines the spotlight on the lesser known vaginal and vulval cancers.
A recent piece of research showed one in three women ignore the deadly signs of ovarian, cervical, womb, vaginal and vulval cancer.
In the UK, 58 women are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer each day, that's 21,000 women a year.
And of those, around 21 women lose their lives every day.
Ten women have shared their story of choosing to have their breasts removed to prevent cancer after testing positive for a BRCA gene mutation.
'I won't stop banging on about the silent killers'
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That's why Helen is so passionate about "banging on about it".
As the mum of a 28-year-old daughter, Hannah, she is adamant this is a conversation every woman needs to feel comfortable starting.
HOW YOU CAN #GETLIPPY
YOU can support the Eve Appeal's #GetLippy campaign in a number of ways.
- Buy a lipstick from a participating retailer or brand, including Tesco, Lipstick Queen, Vaseline, Oliver Bonas and Hourglass
- Share your best "pout and shout" selfie on social media with the #GetLippy
- Nominate a friend to donate £3 to life-saving research, or donate yourself by texting LIPPY to 70660
- Get your colleagues and friends together to take part in Get Lippy Day on May 25
To get involved you can visit the
"The conversation about breast cancer is very profound," she said.
"The conversation about gynaecological cancer is less apparent in terms of quantity but nevertheless as important.
"Gynae health is less spoken about, there is a taboo about it.
"These are hidden organs, if you like, but it means the symptoms are also hidden - and that's the really critical thing for me."
Don't die cos you're shy
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Helen told The Sun it's important women don't feel shy and value their lives, "to go, well it's not going to be a waste of time".
"If I'm peeing more, check it out," she said. "If my stomach's bloated, check it out.
"For me Getting Lippy is about checking oneself, we talk about checking our breasts, which is very valid.
"But we should talk about checking any mystifying symptoms around the vagina, stomach, bladder - all those areas too."
'Spread the message, pass it on'
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In order to raise awareness of these cancers, Helen said it's important women begin to speak out, and spread the message to their friends and family.
"Awareness is so important," she said.
"Helping get people diagnosed earlier means they can get treatment easier and faster. It really does save lives."
But we all have a part to play, the stand-up comedian warned.
"It's all our responsibilities," she said. "We have to take responsibility for our own health, but also encourage our friends, daughters and mums to do the same.
GET LIPPY TO HELP BREAK TABOOS, SAY CHARITY BOSS
CEO of The Eve Appeal, Athena Lamnisos said the aim of launching the Get Lippy campaign this May was to break down the taboos around the five gynaecological cancers.
"We want to make these cancers and their signs and symptoms as easy to talk about as breast cancer," she told The Sun.
"As a charity we know how important it is to reach out to everyone with important health messages.
"We need to raise awareness and help people spot the signs and symptoms when something is going wrong.
"Having campaign ambassadors who will talk openly about their own health stories and share information – without embarrassment – is vital.
"Many of the gynae cancers are diagnosed in women who are post menopausal.
"It’s so important for women at every age to own their health and get to know what’s normal for them so that they can spot when something isn’t normal and they need to seek medical advice."
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"Having these difficult conversations can prevent people dying.
"It's important we all keep banging on about it too, the fourth or fifth time of hearing it a friend might actually do something about it.
"The key is to normalise the conversation about gynae cancers, to make it normal for all women to be open about them.
"It's all too easy to bury our heads in the sand.
"I am at the age where I might as well just say it, I'm not afraid to say what I want.
MORE ON WOMEN'S HEALTH
"It's all about how you feel so much better when you've conquered something you're scared of.
"It's the best present to yourself, looking after your health. Your health is a gift that we should all treasure.
"It is OK to be anxious, but feel the fear and do it anyway.
"Check your body, life is precious.
"Gynaecological cancer is known to be a silent killer, we are so aware of that now, so I want you all to Get Lippy and put it way high on the agenda."
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