22,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year, and less than 50% will survive more than 5 years. It’s time we recognize the ovarian cancer warriors who have SURVIVED this disease, while remembering those who lost their fights too soon.
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Survivor Story: Pam Waters
My story begins like most; with my parents and the beliefs they instilled in me as a child. My mother is a chiropractor and with a PhD. in biophysics, my father was an aeronautical engineer. With a PhD. in international business, my father taught me to always question authority because...
Survivor Story: Adam Callei
Last month, I had a colonoscopy because of my family history with Colon Cancer, and I am in the preop area and the nurse comes to my bedside and says, “Want to hear something really funny?” Of course, I replied with a yes and she says, “I was looking at your...
Survivor Story: Michele Payne
My name is Michele. I am a survivor of low grade endometrioid carcinoma. My story started like many others with complaints of bloating, weight gain, feeling very full quickly, excessive bleeding and back pain. My uterus was removed for fibroid tumors in June of 2014. My ovaries were left in. I...
Survivor Story: Debra H.
My Story begins with my husband and I trying to conceive a child. We went to see an infertility specialist and was told that I had a tumor on my left ovary and that once removed, the whole process would be easier. I went through that surgery and come out...
Survivor Story: Rebecca Gyles-Johnson
My survivor story started a long time ago when I was 15 years old, in 1976. As it was so long ago, and since I was a child, the memories are not crystal clear, and I only know the basics. Of course, it is from a child’s viewpoint too. My...
Survivor Story: Heather Franz
My mom noticed that I was getting a protruding belly and she became concerned since none of us had health insurance. She made an appointment for all 3 of us to go to Volunteers in Medicine. I was 26 at the time. The appointments were scheduled for the end of...
Survivor Story: Delia Athey
On February 9th, 2005 I was diagnosed with stage 1C Ovarian Cancer during surgery to remove two ovarian cysts. All the cancer that could be seen was removed. I was fortunate that my symptoms directly led to a diagnosis. I was fortunate that I was referred to a surgeon who...
Survivor Story: Jill Bach
Tuesday April 10, 2007 I visited my internist complaining of a cough that had lasted approximately six weeks and exhaustion. I imagined that I would be told that I had bronchitis and would be out the door with an antibiotic. He did not hear anything abnormal in my chest but luckily felt...
Survivor Story: Julie Shrell
My journey with ovarian cancer began when I was 40. Because my dad’s mom had breast cancer twice, once around age 50 and again at age 82, I was always worried about getting breast cancer. I decided to go to a breast surgeon to discuss my chance of having the...
Survivor Story: Linda Bezner
In the summer of 2003 I was helping my oldest child get ready to leave for college 850 miles away from home. On and off all summer I would notice these twitches in my stomach, where my ovaries would have been. I had had a complete hysterectomy 10 years prior....
Survivor Story: Lynn Lentscher
Life is a Journey, So Fasten Your Seatbelts. It was November 4, 1998. I saw the freshly starched white coat approach the side of my bed and as he introduced himself as my gynecologist/oncologist, I suspected that life as I knew it would probably never be the same. He said...
Survivor Story: Barbara Kawalsky
I expected life to present me with a linear path. I grew up in South Africa, got married and had three beautiful children. Life was good and satisfying — all was going according to plan. Twenty years ago my family and I immigrated to Dallas, Texas. The move was...
Survivor Story: Jennifer Mendez
My cancer survivor is my daughter. She didn't have ovarian cancer but she had a very rare form of uterine cancer! She is very in tune with her body and knew something was wrong. She was having unusual bleeding in between periods and at times extremely heavy (to the point...
Survivor Story: Lisa Dorfmeister
My name is Lisa Dorfmeister and I am an Ovarian Cancer Survivor. I have been happily married to my husband Steve for over 20 years and have two wonderful, handsome boys, Jacob and Josh. This is my story: In September of 2006, on a routine visit to my OB/GYN my doctor...
Survivor Story: Sheryl Overton
The end of 2015 was as busy as any normal holiday season, and then our home sold with a closing date of December 4th. Mike (my beloved husband) and I had moved to Florida in April so this would be somewhat inconvenient between Thanksgiving and Christmas plans. We moved ourselves....
Survivor Story: Dianne Blankenstein
August 11, 2017, marks the 14th anniversary my diagnosis of Ovarian Cancer. It is a time to be extremely thankful for my health as well as a time to reflect on all of my cancer friends I’ve known and those I’ve lost. My life and my purpose in life have changed over these...
Survivor Story: Lauren Shecht
As many of my friends and family know, I am not one to share my personal stories on social media. However, in light of the recent events and the tremendous amount of love, support, and well wishes I have been receiving, I feel it is best to share my...
Survivor Story: Kathy Drescher
My entire life changed on March 2, 2016. I knew absolutely nothing about ovarian cancer until this unforgettable day. This is the day I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and my life drastically changed. I had surgery on March 9, 2016, and it was after this surgery that I was...
Survivor Story: Deborah Pomeranz
Why are we so fascinated by other’s memoirs and autobiographies? To paraphrase the late author, poet and very wise woman, Dr. Maya Angelou, she said, it is because--‘my story is your story and in that way we are all connected.’ My hope is that my story will increase your...
Survivor Story: Holly Tomlin
On June 30, 2015, Holly went into surgery for a pelvic mass that was found on an ultrasound just the day before. During the surgery, the tumor was successfully removed and Holly thought all was well. The initial pathology showed that the tumor was not cancerous, but on July...
Survivor Story: Misty Worrell
In July of 2015 I was at work on a Saturday afternoon at the Freedom Over Texas event in Houston. I'm a 26 year paramedic who decided five years ago to get off the ambulance and move "behind a desk". I followed my dream and wound up working in Emergency...