Ovarian Cancer: 63 Real Stories
63 stories match ovarian cancer. 49 of them mention chemotherapy.
Ovarian Cancer Survivor Story
At 43, this patient had a hysterectomy for fibroids. During the operation, the surgeon noticed an abnormal ovarian cyst and removed the ovary. The cyst was cancerous. One month later, in June 2009, the second ovary was removed with a lymph node dissection; 1…
Read this storyStage III Ovarian Cancer: Margaret’s Patient Story
Margaret Winchester was diagnosed with advanced Stage III ovarian cancer in 2008 after months of bloating, constipation, and menstrual changes were followed by sudden pain during Pilates. A CT scan found a mass. She began treatment with surgery to remove her…
Read this storyStage IV Ovarian Cancer: Carolyn’s Patient Story
Carolyn Ridge was diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer on June 1, 2012, at age 30. Along with the physical effects of cancer and early menopause, she experienced depression during treatment and found the emotional side of the diagnosis difficult to manage…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Faye’s Patient Story
While finishing radiation for an earlier breast cancer, Faye Belvin developed pain in her side. A blood test at a routine oncology visit raised concern, and follow-up scans and biopsies led to a diagnosis of ovarian cancer in February 2021. Faye began…
Read this storyStage III Ovarian Cancer: Karen’s Survivor Story
Karen Howley LaCamera was 57 when sharp abdominal pain sent her to the emergency room in February 2018. A scan for suspected gallbladder trouble also found an orange-sized ovarian tumor, and she was diagnosed with Stage III ovarian cancer. Within 2 weeks…
Read this storyBRCA1 Ovarian Cancer: Mary’s Patient Story
Three months after treatment for early-stage breast cancer, this nurse was preparing for a preventive hysterectomy because genetic testing had shown an inherited BRCA1 mutation. Preoperative testing instead revealed that she already had ovarian cancer…
Read this storyBRCA Ovarian Cancer: Christie’s Patient Story
Christie Siebel already knew she carried a BRCA mutation and had previously been treated for triple-negative breast cancer. She had been considering preventive gynecologic surgery when her care team found a complex ovarian cyst. In early March 2020, Christie…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Shelley’s Patient Story
Shelley O’Keefe had noticed bruising, fatigue, lower back pain, and an episode of severe abdominal pain over several years. Because she was an athlete, golf instructor, and busy parent, many of those symptoms were easy to explain away. Pain during intercourse…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Dana’s Patient Story
Dana Kivel was diagnosed in late 2011 with a rare ovarian cancer called a granulosa cell tumor. Over the next 10 years, the cancer recurred, with new tumors appearing in other parts of their body. Dana underwent four surgeries and received 5 months of…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Lauren’s Survivor Story
Lauren Wells was 25 when several days of hearing music and seagulls, feeling sticky skin, and becoming unable to speak normally led coworkers to seek urgent help. She was first admitted to a psychiatric unit, but repeated seizures prompted intensive care and…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Elle’s Patient Story
Elle Simone was living in New York City when she began having symptoms she initially thought were gastrointestinal problems, something she considered plausible as a chef. She sought gynecologic care, but felt that her pain and concerns were dismissed. An…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Yvette’s Patient Story
Yvette Jives was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2011 after years of working as a nurse and social worker. Even with her healthcare background, ovarian cancer was unfamiliar to her. She initially moved into practical mode, preparing for medical care while…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Kimberly’s Survivor Story
Kimberly Richardson was training for a marathon in 2013 when unusual fatigue and a small amount of bleeding after menopause prompted her to see a gynecologist. Ultrasound imaging suggested an ovarian cyst, and surgery was planned to remove it. Kimberly even…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Stacy’s Patient Story
Stacy Saravo went through chemotherapy for a rare form of ovarian cancer. During treatment, she experienced hair loss, a weakened immune system, and the discomfort of feeling visibly different, but she still tried to keep parts of daily life as normal as…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Jamie’s Patient Story
Jamie was 26 when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The diagnosis brought shock, fear, and a sense of isolation because her friends were not facing the same medical and life decisions. Within a year, she underwent two surgeries and often felt physically…
Read this storyStage III BRCA1 Ovarian Cancer: Patty’s Patient Story
Patty Klein was in her late 40s when severe pain in her side led to imaging and a diagnosis of Stage III ovarian cancer. The pain came from fluid building up in her abdomen. After diagnosis, she learned that she carried a BRCA1 mutation, which was also found…
Read this storyStage I Ovarian Cancer: Mary’s Survivor Story
Mary “Dicey” Jackson Scroggins spent about 2 years dealing with abdominal bloating, weight gain, frequent urination and heavy menstrual bleeding before ovarian cancer was discovered. In September 1996, at age 46, she underwent a hysterectomy for fibroids and…
Read this storyStage III Ovarian Cancer: Angela’s Survivor Story
This patient continued working while receiving chemotherapy for Stage III ovarian cancer. Her oncologist encouraged her to keep as much of her normal routine as possible, and she worked either from home or in the office except on infusion days. She chose not…
Read this storyStage III Ovarian Cancer: Angela’s Survivor Story
An MD Anderson employee was 32 when a routine well-woman exam led to the discovery of a 7-inch mass on her left ovary in 2018. She had noticed some bloating but had attributed it to a recent course of antibiotics. Ultrasound and MRI initially raised the…
Read this storySmall Cell Lung Cancer: Tabby’s Survivor Story
At age 26, Tabby Soignier developed bloating, pain and headaches while trying to get in shape for her brother's wedding. An ultrasound eventually showed a 15 cm tumor wrapped around her right ovary. She underwent urgent surgery to remove the tumor and ovary…
Read this storyBRCA Ovarian Cancer: Dena’s Patient Story
Dena Svoboda was 56 when severe acid reflux led to the discovery of a 25-pound ovarian tumor. She underwent surgery to remove it, followed by chemotherapy. Just over 1 year later, the ovarian cancer returned. During an 8.5-hour operation, surgeons removed…
Read this storyStage IV Ovarian Cancer: Janelle’s Patient Story
Janelle Kister faced a Stage IV ovarian cancer diagnosis but chose to move quickly into treatment. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy, then received a stem cell transplant in 2001 as part of a Phase II clinical trial. Her recovery was long, but she was…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Leslie’s Patient Story
After losing her husband Rocky to melanoma in 2008, this patient drew on his example when high-grade serous ovarian cancer returned in January 2017. It was her second ovarian cancer diagnosis, and it came while she was training for the April 2017 IRONMAN…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Leslie’s Survivor Story
This patient was diagnosed with high-grade serous ovarian cancer in August 2013 after weeks of diarrhea were followed by severe bloating. A CT scan showed large amounts of abdominal fluid, and further evaluation led her to MD Anderson. A laparoscopy showed…
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