Ovarian Cancer Survivor Raises Awareness with Frozen Yogurt

For almost all women in Gulfport, Mississippi, it’s business as usual. The daily, weekly, and monthly concerns of most women are occasionally interrupted by concerns about their bodies, but over a lifetime of navigating womanhood, it seldom crosses their minds past the immediate moment. The same is true for men, and for human beings in general. Unless something is immediately presenting a problem, time goes on, business as usual.

But for Lisa Hubbard, who lives in Harrison County’s city of Pass Christian, business as usual has taken on a totally different meaning as of late. Hubbard is an ovarian cancer survivor, but she believes that the narrative of her life could have easily ended with her cancer. Throughout the month of September and beyond, she has taken the story of her battle with cancer and decided to paint the town teal: the color of ovarian cancer awareness.

Those who went about town encountered her putting up banners, decorations, and almost literally painting the town teal as she worked hard to convince women to be proactive against ovarian cancer, instead of waiting for someone else to catch it. She went so far as to host her own event at 32 Degree Yogurt in Gulfport, where she greeted and informed individuals while encouraging them to donate to the Ovarian Cancer Awareness Project. Though she managed to put the cancer behind her, a more immediate threat to her fellow women drives her forward today.

Something isn't right

When Hubbard began to feel dizzy and unwell, she decided that it was time to go to the doctor’s. She was having difficulty making bowel movements, and was experiencing a plethora of other symptoms. The first doctor that she went to told her that she was dehydrated, and that the constipation was the result of dehydration. She went home with instructions to drink water and wait it out.

After she failed to get better, she went in for a second opinion. The second doctor told her the same thing, and she went home again without any concrete solution for her problems. The problems persisted and she went in a third time, being told once again that the problem was a gastric issue, and once again she was turned away. Her worry turned to panic, and she could not help but feel that something was terribly wrong.

Finally, upon seeing a fourth doctor, she discovered the truth behind what was going on with her body. On September 15, 2005, she was told that her problem was not constipation. It was a 3-inch mass in her right ovary, with further masses all along her colon and esophagus. The doctor who finally uncovered the truth told her that at that point in time, if she did not start chemotherapy immediately, she would die within two weeks.

Stunned, Hubbard found that she had no choice but to begin chemotherapy. She went through 18 full rounds of chemotherapy over the next few years, eventually beating the cancer back and finally being deemed cancer-free. Throughout the entire process, she could not help but think about all the women who were not fortunate enough to catch the cancer before it killed them, and thought about how easily it could have gone misdiagnosed in others. If it took her four doctors to finally find and treat the disease, how many others missed the signs?

Knowing the signs

The ovaries are two very small, almond-shaped organs that sit on either side of the uterus, located deep within the abdominal cavity. Because of their location and size, cancers that originate in the ovaries can be difficult to diagnose early. As little as 19% of ovarian cancers are caught and diagnosed in the early stages, and oftentimes these cases are marked by an obvious or extreme symptom that causes early and obvious concern. The vast majority go unnoticed or misdiagnosed until the cancer has spread and become a system-wide problem.

The vast majority of ovarian cancer cases present with four common symptoms. According to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, most women are diagnosed after reporting bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, trouble eating or feeling full quickly, or feeling the need to urinate urgently or often. Other women have reported fatigue, upset stomach, heartburn, back pain, pain during sex, or like Hubbard: constipation or menstrual changes.

The path to diagnosis can include several wrong turns along the way, as was the case for Hubbard. These symptoms are also common for bladder infections, urinary tract infections, and kidney infections to name a few. The symptoms are called “vague” or “silent” symptoms because of how easily they can be misinterpreted for something else. It is not uncommon for a woman to initially be treated with normal interventions such as dietary change, prescribed exercise, laxatives, or other low-intensive treatment options.

The key in diagnosing ovarian cancer earlier rather than later is in noticing when symptoms persist. Any ongoing symptoms that do not resolve through normal interventions are considered serious cause for concern. Unfortunately, the presence of these symptoms is often an indicator of advanced stage cancer. Any additional time that a person might wait could be significantly decreasing their chances of survival. This was the case with Hubbard; another week or two of going without a diagnosis could have easily been fatal.

Testing for ovarian cancer

Another factor contributing to the later diagnosis of ovarian cancer is the general lack of consistently available and reliable screening tests. Women are able to opt into pelvic exams, and can ask their doctors about the availability of such exams from as early as the age of 18. Physicians are able to examine for abnormal swelling or masses, and can detect tenderness that may be an indication of internal complications

Beyond the pelvic exam, women can be screened with either a transvaginal sonography, or with a CA-125 test. The transvaginal sonography involves a small instrument placed inside the vagina, which then performs an ultrasound. This is particularly useful for women who are known to be at high risk of ovarian cancer, or for those with abnormal pelvic exams. The CA-125 test is a blood test that detects a protein produced by ovarian cancer cells. Unfortunately, this test is not always conclusive, as non-cancerous diseases that affect the ovaries can also cause the production of CA-125.

While these options do exist for women who may be at normal or higher risk of ovarian cancer, the only way to absolutely confirm cancer is to biopsy an existing tumor. When time does not permit this test, doctors may issue a CT scan and evaluate the test results. For cases such as Hubbard’s, the results will be clear enough that immediate action can be taken. Hopefully, it does not reach that point, and this is the mission that Hubbard has set herself on. Simply knowing the signs and going in persistently can be the difference in winning or losing the fight.

Hubbard continues to take to the streets to raise awareness for ovarian cancer. Her actions have attracted both those who are at risk, and those who have lost loved ones to ovarian cancer. She says: “if we think a symptom’s been there one or two weeks, it’s probably been a month or longer. Time just flies, and cancer doesn’t wait for it.” She urges women to pay attention to any new or persistent symptoms, and that simple message may have already saved lives in the ongoing fight against cancer.

References

https://wxxv25.com/2016/08/30/ovarian-cancer-survivors-raise-awareness/

http://ovarian.org/about-ovarian-cancer/how-am-i-diagnosed

http://ovarian.org/about-ovarian-cancer/what-are-the-signs-a-symptoms

http://www.wlox.com/story/36282326/ovarian-cancer-survivor-uses-frozen-yogurt-to-raise-awareness