When two-time ovarian cancer survivor Mary Beebe was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she was only 31 years old. “I didn’t have a family, didn’t have children, but wanted to be able to leave those options open,” Beebe told SurvivorNet. That’s why, right in the middle of her treatment, Beebe decided to take a break to assess her fertility preservation options. For many women, ovarian cancer treatment can affect fertility, and Beebe knew that if she wanted to preserve her ability to have a biological child, she would need to do so before proceeding with treatment.
“I said, ‘let me go deal with my fertility and retrieving some eggs,'” Beebe remembers. “And not knowing if I was going to get any eggs while knowing that I had this disease that was probably going to kill me if I didn’t take care of it… it was really bizarre.”
What to Know About Fertility Preservation and Cancer Treatment
Beebe also shared how her cancer journey was tough on her relationship.
“I think going through cancer is very hard on partners and family and friends,” she said. But in the case of Beebe and her fiance, she was grateful that individually, the two of them both had solid support systems. “I know he has his friends and family, so if we’re just not on the same page in a given day regarding cancer or anything for that matter, it’s nice to know that we have really large support systems that we can turn to and talk through those things if we can’t necessarily talk to each other on that given day.”
Beebe is also grateful for the treatment and support she received in Portland. “Portland really is a great place,” she said. “The gynecologic oncology community is really wonderful.”
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