Ovarian Cancer; what you need to know. (Dee Flannelly’s Story)

How do you react when you are told that you have Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer?

Dee Flannelly was understandably devastated. She was shocked because she had symptoms, but had not been aware that they MIGHT be signs of Ovarian Cancer.

So now she is making it her mission to increase women’s awareness of the possible signs of ovarian cancer.

A mother of 3 and grandmother of 9, she and her husband Pat, a recently retired Aer Lingus Captain, had just begun pouring foundations for their dream home (below). Then, a shock diagnosis of Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer sent her into a tailspin.

HEALTH AT THE TIME

Dee was always proactive about her health. She had a number of abnormal smears and had been sent for a colposcopy. It had come back clear. Urinary Tract Infections had been treated with antibiotics.

A tightness in her chest 6 months pre-diagnosis had been treated by her GP with a nasal spray. This she learned (later) was a swollen lymph node.

Then she found herself in A&E with an excruciating pain in her stomach. Because of a previous history with kidney stones, she was sent for an MRI. And then they did a CA-125 cancer marker blood test for Ovarian Cancer.

“I’m so sorry you have cancer”, “admitting you immediately”, “removal of fallopian tube for biopsy”…words blurred into each other as she sat alone in a cubicle due to Covid restrictions.

TREATMENT FOR OVARIAN CANCER

Her treatment began soon after her diagnosis. It began with 9 weekly sessions of chemotherapy.

Then surgery, which included a full hysterectomy, appendectomy, plus omentum removal.

She also had radical HIPEC. Not every patient is suitable for this as you have to meet certain criteria. It is a powerful dose of heated chemotherapy given on the operating table.

Once she had recovered from surgery, she had 9 more weeks of chemotherapy.

This was followed by a year of immunotherapy infusions every three weeks.

Twenty months later, treatment was completed and in July last year there was no evidence of disease.  Dee will have a scan every six months, going forward.

They are living in their dream home and Pat is currently finishing the main bathroom.

 

OVARIAN CANCER SYMPTOMS

 

DEE’S MESSAGE TO ANYONE WITH OVARIES

• There is no early detection test for ovarian cancer
• Most women are given a late stage diagnosis by the time it is detected.
• Ovarian Cancer has the highest mortality rate of all the gynaecological cancers.
• Women need to educate and advocate for themselves if they think something is wrong. Our lives are at stake.  This disease is overlooked, awareness is low, and women aren’t being diagnosed early enough.
• A cervical smear check does NOT detect ovarian cancer; unfortunately, many women believe it does.
• Dee wants information on gynaecological cancers to be distributed along with cervical checks.

 

FINALLY… 

Dee  considers herself lucky to be alive, (above at their son’s wedding on New Year’s Eve 2023) but works hard every day to suppress the fear of a recurrence, as initially she was told there was a 75% chance of it. She does not know what normal is anymore. While she was concerned for her friend who had a terminal diagnosis of ovarian cancer, she did not realise her bloated tummy was a symptom and not a reason to join Weight Watchers.

Determined to get awareness out there, Dee was asked  by the Irish Ovarian Cancer Community  – www.ovacare.ie – to talk at a conference in Belfast and tell her story. Ovarian Cancer may be a silent killer; Dee Flannelly will not stay silent.

Thank you Dee for sharing your story with us. Please share this post and this information with everyone you know. 

It is World Cancer Day tomorrow Februray 4th. It is a global initiative dedicated to raise awareness about cancer, promoting prevention and advocating for improved treatment and care.

Five years ago I shared Marie Carbery’s story. You can read it HERE

Love Hilda x