“You can’t look at the statistics because it’s one by one, and I’ve met I can’t tell you how many women on Facebook or in person who have survived ovarian cancer for 15 [or] 20 years; it does happen,” says ovarian cancer survivor Connie Wood, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s an important message about which many of us in the survivor community feel strongly.
While visiting an oncologist, Wood was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer, and then went through the steps needed in order to undergo surgery. First, Wood visited a gynecologic oncologist who specialized in ovarian cancer to learn more information about the disease and the treatment options available.
Read More “I think that made a world of difference,” Wood says. “The doctor I met was up to date on the latest techniques with the IP chemo (Intraperitoneal chemotherapy), they had just built a new facility with a couple of rooms just for ovarian cancer patients.” Following chemotherapy, Wood still was feeling fatigued and under the weather during her treatment, and when she checked-in with her doctor a month later she discovered that her white blood cell counts were extremely low and she had to have a blood transfusion. That experience made Wood more vigilant in recognizing when she should contact her doctor if something feels off. “Don’t ever just assume you’re supposed to feel bad,” Wood says. “Don’t be afraid to call the doctor and say ‘hey I’m still feeling like this, is this normal?'”
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.