Annie was 40 years old when she started ex periencing stomach and gynecologic issues. When the symptoms persisted for nine months, she knew something was not right. She reported some of her symptoms to her primary care physician and her “female problems" to her gynecologist. At the time, no one suggested that she might have cancer.
One of Annie’s doctors found a mass thought to be a fibroid. In six weeks, the “fibroid” grew from the size of an orange to the size of a cantaloupe. After exploratory surgery, Annie was diagnosed with stage 2 ovarian cancer in 2004. Her grandmother and an aunt had been diagnosed with breast cancer, but they had been much older, and knowing about their diagnoses did not make her own diagnosis any easier to handle.
After her initial cancer diagnosis, Annie decided to make lifestyle changes. She began exercising more regularly, found ways to keep stress levels down, and made some dietary changes. She has found that perfection is unrealistic and now lives with an 80/20 rule: 80% of the time she will eat nutritional foods, and the other 20% of the time she will eat chocolate and whatever else her heart desires. “Life is sweet. And I think the point of surviving is to live it, to live your life, to help others if you can.”
In 2022, Annie marked 15 years and counting since her last ovarian cancer recurrence. Today, she is a cancer research advocate and provides peer support to those going through recurrence(s). She aims to create a world where cancer patients don’t have to decide between survival and quality of life. She works with survivors to support them through their pain, trauma, and triumphs. She is a consistent reminder to others that while cancer is a difficult and challenging journey, there are resources and people in the world to support you.
