Break The Silence

Normally I can bang out a blog in a short period of time without too much thought being put into it.  Yes, that is my secret - not thinking - seems to work every time!  This one is a little bit different.  Not that I don't know a lot about the subject; quite the contrary, possibly too much.  I had never even heard of the subject before 2003 when it came, uninvited, into our lives.

Ovarian cancer.  Just the sound of those words can make one cringe.  When you hear of a friend or an acquaintance that has cancer your first thought is "oh, that is too bad".  But when it invades your life, or your spouse's life, the angst level is off the charts.  My wife Madonna was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in August of 2003.  She had all of the "classic symptoms": bloating (in her case appearing to be 9 months pregnant), stomach pain, frequent urination, and a few more.  Who knew what the symptoms of ovarian cancer were?  Certainly not us.  Most of the symptoms mirror things many women experience on a monthly basis; this is how insidious this disease is.  It used to be known as the "silent killer" however now we know that it is not - it whispers.  If the symptoms persist for more than two weeks, or if a symptom is unusual for you, see a doctor.  Chances are good that it is not ovarian cancer.  But if it is (about 22,000 women are diagnosed each year) and you catch it early you have a 90% chance of survival.  Unfortunately many women aren't diagnosed early and about 15,000 women will die each year.

Getting back to our journey, my wife had an operation that removed a 17 centimeter tumor in her ovary, and without going into too much medical jargon she had everything removed.  Six sessions of chemotherapy followed over the next four months, complete with total hair loss and feeling like a Mack truck had run her over.  That was nine years ago, and our journey since that time has been many check-ups with good news each time.  Not that we did not have a few scares along the way, thinking that the disease had recurred, which it does quite frequently.  I think about those times and they may have been more scary than the original diagnosis.

Knowledge is the key for ovarian cancer.  It can be beat, and it is being beaten every day.  The major problem is that there is no definitive screening test that can be done so women need to be in tune with their bodies and advocate for themselves.  And men, you too need to be aware as well.  Had I known the symptoms back in 2003 I would have insisted that my wife get checked out earlier than what she actually did.  That is why the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) states that ovarian cancer is "more than a woman's disease".  I can certainly vouch for that as it affects everyone in the family.

The mission of the NOCC is to raise awareness and promote education about ovarian cancer.  They are committed to improving the survival rate and quality of life for women with ovarian cancer.  Being a non-profit organization they rely primarily on donations.  September is ovarian cancer awareness month and the Connecticut Chapter of the NOCC is sponsoring their 3rd Annual Run/Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer on Saturday September 22, 2012 at Hammonasset Beach State Park beginning at 8 AM.  Not only is it a fundraiser but it is also a celebration of survivors and the memories of those lost to the disease.  It is an event complete with entertainment, vendors of all kinds, food, etc.  The comradery that is felt there cannot be explained; it has to be experienced.  It is a beautiful celebration.  For more information please go to www.ovarian.org, click on find a chapter and click on Connecticut.  You can register the morning of the walk.  If you have any questions or need any other information feel free to email me at tkonline1@sbcglobal.net.