MEMBERS of a South Craven Women's Institute are getting tough on the causes of cancer by volunteering their services for trials into a strain of the disease which kills thousands each year.

Several members of Cononley WI have agreed to put themselves forward to help with the trials into ovarian cancer -- the "hidden killer" -- being conducted by experts at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London.

Every year around 6,000 women in the UK are diagnosed as having the disease, but at the moment there is no national screening process as there are with other forms of cancer.

Cononley WI's support for the trials comes in a week when the group was discussing the resolutions being put forward by the National Federation of Women's Institutes.

They include urging the Government to support the current research into ovarian cancer, with the aim of being able to introduce a widespread screening service.

"Some of the members thought that they might like to put their names forward for the trials," said Cononley WI president Beryl Brocklebank. "I suppose if you've had it in the family you're more alert to these things."

Mrs Brocklebank will be representing the village at the WI's Intermediate General Meeting at the Royal Albert Hall in London at the beginning of June.

Ovarian cancer is known as the hidden killer because its symptoms are often confused with other conditions, leaving it difficult to treat.

Volunteers of post-menopausal women are needed for the trials being carried out at St Bartholomew's.

Alexandra Whaites, from support group Overcome, told the Herald there was only a 15 to 20 per cent chance of anyone with ovarian cancer living five years after the disease was first diagnosed.

"Because there are very vague symptoms most of the time it is not diagnosed until it has spread to other parts of the body," she said.

"It usually affects post-menopausal women, but we do have an alarming number of younger women on our records."

Overcome believes there is no major screening programme because the older women it affects do not have a loud enough voice when it comes to such medical issues.

"There is also lack of awareness because we have people telephone us who didn't know you could get cancer of the ovaries," added Alexandra.

"It would be wonderful to get a screening programme up and running, but we still have a long way to go to encourage the Government that it would be worthwhile to fund it and that's why these trials are so important."

Cononley WI is also supporting moves to halt the decline in the agriculture industry and the call for a five year halt in the introduction of genetically modified foods.

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