A READING repair man who has foregone his earnings from fixing appliances to benefit a charity who supported his late sister as she was treated for ovarian cancer, has smashed his £50,000 target.

Dion Stallwood from Caversham has been taking a card machine reader to jobs since January 2019 so his clients can donate directly to the ovarian cancer support charity Ovacome rather than paying him for his labour.

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He lost his older sister Fiona to the disease, aged 55 in November 2018, after she had been diagnosed with late stage 4 ovarian cancer less than three years before, having initially dismissed her symptoms of bloating and feeling fuller quicker.

Dion said: “Fiona had enjoyed her food and would usually have seconds.

“Over four or five weeks I noticed that she was not topping up her plate and then not even finishing what she had initially been given.”

At first Dion thought she might be dieting but he urged her to see her GP when Fiona revealed that she also had a swollen abdomen.

The charity said Fiona’s symptoms were classic for ovarian cancer, as well as abdominal pain and changes in toilet habits both with the bowel and bladder.

Women not realising the seriousness of their condition and seeking help when it is difficult to treat is also common, says Ovacome’s chief executive Victoria Clare.

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“Bloating is one of the most common symptoms of ovarian cancer and we know from research that it is often dismissed or overlooked,” she said.

“While for many women bloating that comes and goes is a normal part of life, if it is persistent and doesn’t go away then they should visit their doctor who can give them a CA125 blood test to help identify whether further investigations are needed into the possibility of ovarian cancer,” she added.

Dion hopes his fundraising will help raise awareness of the disease.

He said: “It’s something that I promised Fiona I would do when she was in the hospice.

“There is a lack of awareness with ovarian cancer, including women mistakenly thinking that a smear test will pick it up.”

Dion said before Fiona’s diagnosis he was preparing to retire from a 29-year career as a repair man.

Instead he has raised £50,189.50 from completing more than 1,000 jobs.

He said: “I was very close to my sister - living with her for 30 years, first in the family home, and then at hers caring for her in her final years.

“She was the embodiment of stoicism in her final months, making me proud to say that I was her brother and so I wanted to do something significant in her memory.”

He continued: “I don’t need the money myself.

“Material things aren’t important to me, I have an old banger of a car, spend around £100 on new clothes a year and don’t have a smartphone. This way the money is being put to good use.”

Ms Clare said that she cannot thank Dion enough for his generosity.

She said: “We are so grateful to Dion who has sacrificed so much in not only raising invaluable funds for Ovacome, but also in helping raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of the disease.

“His kindness will make a big difference to so many people affected by ovarian cancer and I am sure that Fiona would have been so proud of what he has achieved.”

Dion says that he might now take semi-retirement, continuing to do odd jobs for another worthy causes.

To donate visit www.ovacome.org.uk/inmemoryof/fiona-stallwood.

Ovarian cancer symptoms are often dismissed, and a smear test will not pick up the disease, says Ovacome which has come up with the easy to remember B.E.A.T. acronym to help people remember what they should look out for:

B is for bloating that does not come and go;

E is for eating difficulties and feeling fuller;

A is for abdominal and pelvic pain you feel most days, and

T is for toilet changes, in urination or bowel habits.

If you have any of these symptoms, which are persistent and unusual for you, while it is unlikely you have ovarian cancer, it is worth getting checked by your GP, says the charity.

If you are concerned about ovarian cancer call Ovacome’s Freephone support line on 0800 008 7054 or visit www.ovacome.org.uk.