I am an ovarian cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with Stage 3c ovarian cancer Jan. 22, 2022 & at the time I was in the best physical shape of my life, due to my love of running. I was a newlywed; my kids were thriving in college & at their jobs. I had everything I could possibly want, and basking in happiness. Then in the span of 1 week everything changed.
Lori and Kenneth
I noticed some mild abdominal distention first & chalked this up to being a newlywed (happiness pounds). Then, I just wasn’t eating as much as usual, which I attributed to the decreased mileage I was running. Even as my appetite remained the same, the amount of food I was eating was about half of my norm. I thought “good, maybe I will lose some of this belly fat.” In retrospect, these subtle symptoms started a few weeks before anything else.
Then I began to feel low pelvic pain, mild at first so I ignored it, thinking I pulled a muscle while running. This was a Saturday. Over the course of the following week, my abdominal distention increased almost daily & by Wednesday I was having to take ibuprofen at least three times a day to be able to walk & stay on my feet at work. My appetite did not change but the amount of food that made me feel full was decreasing by the day.
By the following Saturday I met friends for our weekly morning run followed by breakfast. I was able to run but felt the pelvic pain with each foot fall. One of my friends asked if we could cut the run short, she was just not feeling it, and I happily agreed ready for the jarring pain with each step to stop.
I am a nurse and so are my friends, so I finally spoke up & told them all the symptoms I’d been experiencing. They encouraged me to go have it checked out. My doctor is open on Saturday day mornings, so I went to see her. The following Monday I was at the local hospital having an ultrasound. I knew the results would be bad because ultrasounds don’t normally last 45 minutes unless there is something to see.
At 3 pm the same day, my world was turned upside down. I cannot begin to find the words to describe what I felt as the results of the ultrasound were given to me over the phone. I was home alone, & I honestly do not remember what I did next.
The days that followed were full of oncology appointments, biopsies, CT scans and port placements. I was swept along in a current of urgency & shock. Nine weeks of chemo, a 7 hour open abdominal surgery, then 6 more weeks of chemo later, I made a decision to do something with my survival: Raise awareness, so that one day, no other woman will have to endure what I did.
This year, I am running a 50 mile ultra marathon as fundraising event for NOCC TEAM TEAL because I want to raise awareness and funding for National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. My support will help improve the lives of women, families & communities touched by ovarian cancer & I need your help. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today in support of my fundraising efforts.
Me! Doing what I love...My first half marathon post cancer!
In this year of great challenges, one even greater challenge remains, saving more lives from ovarian cancer. Dollars raised for the NOCC support national programs and local market initiatives to heighten awareness of the subtle signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, assist newly-diagnosed patients throughout the country, provide ongoing support to caregivers, and advocate for the advancement of ovarian cancer research.
Help me connect with my community and show my passion for saving lives and ending ovarian cancer.
Thank you for being part on my journey to make a difference with my miles!
Will you please join me to help save lives by donating today? Any amount - big or small will make a difference!