A GROUP of Furness women, all battling cancer, have managed to raise more than £7,000 in six months.

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Lookin Good Feelin Great began as a small group of friends who were supporting each other as they dealt with their cancer diagnosis.

Within months the group grew and their aim to raise money for the oncology department at Furness General Hospital and Cancer Research became a reality.

Now with more than 20 members and £7,318 raised the group couldn't be stronger, nor more positive.

What started as a support group has become a strong group of friends, who not only keep each other going, but keep each other laughing.

Over the past six months the inspirational group has held cake stalls, received donations from local businesses and created a calendar.

Each month will feature a different member of the group and their story.

Their biggest aim is to raise awareness and to not ignore your gut instinct.

The calendar will go on sale in all Barrow Tescos early next month and all the proceeds will be donated to charity.

One of the members is Gill Tyson, she has been receiving treatment for breast cancer.

She said: "We are holding a charity fundraiser night, where the calendar will be officially launched, on September 26 at The Nines in Barrow and we are absolutely amazed to say that all 400 tickets have been sold.

"It's been amazing and every single person here has just been so enthusiastic."

The group will also be holding a children's fun day with a Halloween theme on November 1 at the Soccer Bar in Barrow.

'Get symptoms checked out'


June Connors June Connors, 67, from Barrow found out last year that she had squamous cell cancer of the anal canal.

She said: "I had some bleeding and I thought I had hemorrhoids so I left it for ages but last year I decided to get it checked out because I was planning on going to Australia to visit my family."

Mrs Connors was shocked when her doctor referred her to to FGH for a biopsie.

She said: "When they told me it was cancer, they told me straight away it was curable which was a relief.

"I then had chemotherapy and 28 rounds of radiotherapy."

Mrs Connors was more upset with herself for not getting it checked out sooner and that's the message she wants to get across.

She said: "No matter how inconsequential you think it is, any sign of bleeding or anything you think is unusual get it checked out. The type of cancer I have got is quite rare but there is another lady in this group that has been diagnosed with it recently.

"When I was going through my treatment I didn't have anyone to talk who who knew what I was going through so it's really nice to be in this group now and support others."

Mrs Connors received the all clear in January.

'They are a lifeline to us'


Janice Anderson Janice Anderson, 41, from Barrow was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma in December last year.

This is blood cancer and Mrs Anderson has been told it is incurable but treatable.

Mrs Anderson, originally from Glasgow, only moved to Barrow a month before she was taken ill.

She said: "I ended up in hospital with a serious kidney infection which then turned into sepsis and I ended up in intensive care.

"Further scans revealed the cancer. They found it behind my kidneys and it has now moved to my groin area."

One of the nurses on the oncology unit who knew about Lookin Good Feelin Great put her in touch with the group.

She said: "This group has been so important to me because I didn't have any friends here when I got ill.

"They brought me into their circle and support me through good days and bad days. 

"They are a life line to me and I don't think I would have been able to even get out of bed if it wasn't for them."

'The support is second to none'


Wendy Smith Wendy Smith, 51, from Barrow has been diagnosed with a tumour in her main bronchial air way in her left lung.

She was originally diagnosed with asthma after a persistent bad cough wouldn't budge.

After two years of the asthma medication not working doctors finally discovered the cancer.

She said: "It's a slow growing type of cancer, it can spread but mine is isolated.

"I have had three operations on it, regular scans and a procedure called de-bulking.

"This is where they cut back the tumour to prevent it blocking my airway - they aren't able to remove it all because of where it is.

"My advice to people is if you have a persistent cough and it won't shift keep pushing. This is the kind of cancer that if they don't suspect it they don't look for it.

"It's easy to get misdiagnosed when having it."

Through it all Mrs Smith has found Lookin Good Feelin Great to be a real help.

She said: "This group has been absolutely fantastic, the support from the girls is second to none and there is always someone there for you.

"When you get diagnosed with cancer you feel very alone because you don't know who to turn to, you hear the word cancer and you think you're going to die - but that isn't true anymore."

'Group gave me purpose'


Beryl Cox Beryl Cox, 66, from Barrow is in remission from bowel cancer.

She had visited the doctor's complaining of feeling bloated and was send for an ultra-sound scan on her ovaries.

The scan came back clear.

She then returned to the doctor's as her symptoms were getting worse and she was taken for a colonoscopy. It was then that bowel cancer was diagnosed.

Mrs Cox had surgery and went through eight cycles of chemotherapy.

She said: "It upsets me that I could have been diagnosed a lot earlier. I didn't have a support group when I was diagnosed and had my down days.

"It would have made a huge difference but what's important is that I have these girls in my life now.

"At the time I felt very isolated and I didn't tell many people what I was going through. This group is brilliant - its given me a purpose."