I am a 14 year ovarian and uterine cancer survivor. I am alive today because of early detection by my family doctor. Cancer can be beaten with early detection and although the radiation was unpleasant, I made a full recovery with the help of my family. Cancer teaches you to live each day to the fullest. In the 14 years since my recovery, my son has graduated from University, married a lovely lady and they had our first grandson six weeks ago. My husband and I also celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary this year. I am blessed!

The surgeon said that I was stuck between a rock and a hard place and that she was as well because of a chemo test being non-responsive. She said we would have to wait and watch. This is supposed to be the normal treatment for stage 1 grade c ovarian cancer. I was sick for a few years before anyone would listen to me and almost died before it was taken care of. I just thank God that I didn't. I am only 44 years old and my surgery was one year ago. Make someone listen to you, especially those of you without some kind of insurance.

I was at my daughter's home for her baby shower. The next day I woke up in intense pain and went to the ER where a CT scan showed a large mass in my pelvis the size of a grapefruit. The ER doctor saved my life by doing a scan and not dismissing my symptoms as gastrointestinal, etc. I had no symptoms other than feeling full quickly while eating, but I was caring for my elderly mother and thought it was stress. By the time I had surgery two weeks later the tumor had grown to the size of a cantaloupe. Stage 1c/LMP, surgery, no treatments. Five year surveillance. I am lucky.

I had been having severe back pain to be told it was arthritis and sciatica. I kept asking for an X-ray.the doctor referred me reluctantly to a clinic for an assessment. I had an MRI and two large cysts were found. I had a full hysterectomy and the cysts removed, but they were borderline so I have six monthly checks as there is a possibility they could return as malignant. I had no symptoms to make me suspicious other than a bloating feeling and weight gain which I thought was due to the menopause.

My treatment for ovarian cancer was that I was given eight rounds of chemotherapy consisting of Cisplatin, Taxol, 38 hours in time each. A three to four day stay in the hospital per treatment.