With a previous diagnosis of diverticulitis, a digestive condition, 68-year-old Georgina assumed her abdominal pain was just that. However, when symptoms changed she went to her GP. In March 2022, with a CA-125 level of 1,800 she was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer.
A missed opportunity?
I had an ovarian cyst which was known about. In July 2021 I had a scan to check the status of the cyst after one year had passed. Sadly, I feel that it wasn’t taken seriously and was performed by a sonographer who seemed disinterested throughout the appointment.
Looking back now I believe that if the specialist had taken due care and ordered a blood test at the same time, especially as I was over 65, the cancer would have been caught nine months earlier and it’s staging could have been different.
Different symptoms and diagnosis
I started having increased abdominal discomfort, but due to already having a diagnosis of diverticulitis I just assumed it was due to that and didn’t think much more of it.
As the weeks went by something just felt off and my symptoms felt different to previous diverticulitis discomfort. That was when I made an appointment with my GP.
He did a blood test just in case but didn’t think it would show anything. He certainly wasn’t thinking it was cancer. A week later my CA125 levels came back as 1,800.
With healthy levels being under 35 it was a huge indication that I had ovarian cancer. I was just in shock. I remember it was just before the Easter weekend, and we were going away with the family. I didn’t say anything as didn’t want to ruin it – I think I just went numb.
In March 2022 I was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer and was told that it had spread to my bowel. My gynaecologist was helpful and incredibly proactive, putting a rush on my debulking surgery - it was booked for May.
Cancelled surgery and complications
The day before the operation I used a bowel clearance product at home that I had been given to prepare for it. Early the next morning I woke up feeling sick with an upset stomach. I also had a raised temperature.
I called the hospital to let them know that I had a temperature, and they explained that my surgery would be postponed. I believe there were still restrictions in place with regards to Covid-19.
I continued to be unwell and thought I must have picked up a stomach bug. A local doctor came to visit me the day after and agreed it was mostly likely a bug but said if it continued and I felt unsure then to go to A&E. Another day went by and I didn’t improve, if anything I felt worse and something inside me said, ‘You should go’.
I was admitted into my local hospital with high infection levels, and they discovered that my bowel had perforated. I was rushed to emergency surgery.
Although it was a bowel surgeon, they were in touch with an ovarian cancer specialist and guided the team through removing my cancerous ovary at the same time. It wasn’t a full debulking, but the focus was on my bowel and a stoma was placed. Due to the level of infection in my body, I was placed in ICU to recover.
Six weeks later I was finally well enough to start my chemotherapy. After three sessions I had the full debulking operation where they removed all evidence of disease that they could see.
In September I had another blood test, and my CA125 level had dropped significantly to 60. My final three chemotherapy sessions finished in December 2022.
Advocating for myself – a confirmed recurrence
Unfortunately, just a month later I could feel pain when I sat down and was worried about what that meant. I told my oncologist but felt it was somewhat dismissed. I tried to get him and the surgeon to meet me, but as they couldn’t see anything on my most recent CT scan after finishing chemotherapy it was decided that there was nothing to review.
I tried every which way to get it looked at and eventually went private to my previous gynaecologist. She listened to me and believed that it could be a recurrence.
The surgeon and the oncologist didn’t really listen to her either, but she requested and successfully booked an MRI for me. Both the oncologist and the surgeon kept putting back my appointments because they were so sure there was no problem.
I didn’t want to be right, but I knew my body and something was wrong. The MRI showed the cancer and confirmed a recurrence. Shortly after that the pain increased tremendously. I lost confidence in my oncologist after that because he hadn’t believed me which left me feeling distressed.
Radiotherapy and living life to the full
Having just finished my first round of treatment, the team offered me targeted radiotherapy for my bottom area where the pain was concentrated. Quite miraculously this removed all pain after just five days, and I’ve had no pain since May 2023.
I still have check-up appointments every three months that involve a CT scan and a blood test. My markers have gone up slowly, but it’s begun to increase more recently. My last CA125 level was 1,330.
I was given a year to live after my recurrence was confirmed which I believe mentally shut me off from looking to the future. You’re just left waiting for when’s it going to happen.
Three years on, I know I'm blessed in that sense, and I wish I'd kept my mind open as now I feel more positive - like there's no longer a shut door in front of me.
I’m still very pragmatic about the reality of living with ovarian cancer but I’m in good physical health and still have no pain. There are limitations, I get tired more quickly, but I try and eat well, go for walks, do pilates and just enjoy my life as best I can!
In terms of next steps for treatment, regular pain is the indicator that my team and I have agreed on as to when we re-evaluate and make a new plan.
Getting involved with Target Ovarian Cancer’s Let’s Connect project
I think I might have looked Target Ovarian Cancer up almost two years after my diagnosis and used the nurse support line to chat through things with someone that understood.
I felt very on my own throughout my experience as there's not the emotional support readily available. There's a real need for a supportive space for women to come together and just have a sense of time to listen and support one another. That’s why one of the charity’s newest projects Let’s Connect is of interest to me.
I'd been hoping to set up a Peer support group for those affected by ovarian cancer in my local area. However, I’ve now got to restart chemotherapy in April 2026 and will need to limit socialising in public spaces to avoid infections.
The specificness of it being solely for those with experience of ovarian cancer makes it special and I’m hopeful that the project will continue to create spaces where women can come together to share knowledge, support one another and ultimately spark friendships.
If you’ve been affected by this story and would like to speak to a specialist nurse, you can call our dedicated support line on 0808 802 6000 or contact us: [email protected]. We're open from 9am until 5pm, Monday to Friday.
If reading this story has helped you, join the Ovarian Cancer Community to connect with more people affected by ovarian cancer
