Ovarian Cancer: Alma's Patient Story
This ovarian cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Sex
- female
What happened, in summary
Alma Faz was a college freshman when she was diagnosed with both ovarian cancer and bone cancer. The two cancers were treated during the same period, and her right leg was amputated below the knee. Because the story does not separate which cancer led to specific treatment decisions, the amputation is not attributed to her ovarian cancer treatment.
Alma survived both cancers and remained determined to stay active. She tried cardio kickboxing, skiing, weightlifting, spinning, and cycling with a prosthesis, but running was the activity she most wanted to regain. In 2010, 12 years after her amputation, she had her first running prosthetic made and began the process of finding equipment that fit well enough for training.
More than 15 years after the amputation and after over 3 years of marathon training, Alma completed the Chevron Houston Marathon. Running helped her rebuild confidence and feel less defined by the amputation. She described it as a form of therapy and as a way to honor people who were unable to continue their own cancer journeys.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by MD Anderson. Read the original in full
How we source and attribute stories Accuracy and limitations
These are lay summaries of published cancer stories, for information only. No two cancers behave the same way, and nothing here predicts your own diagnosis or replaces advice from your oncology team. Read the full disclaimer