Dr Ronny Drapkin, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania says,
“One of the things I tell women is that nobody knows your body as well as you do. If you feel something isn’t right, somethings probably not right.”
This is the sentiment that finally encouraged Zowie Gallagher to make an appointment with her doctor after she noticed some weird coloring near her belly button. Ultimately, the trip led to her ovarian cancer diagnosis.
The Journey to Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis
Gallagher was physically fit, and internally feeling the healthiest she ever had. She’d made the gym a part of her daily routine and dropped from a size 14 to a size 10. She felt strong, toned, and confident. But, when her belly button started to turn purple and eventually started to swell, she knew something was wrong.
The mother of two was sent to a cancer specialist after an ultrasound and a CT scan caused doctors concern.
She was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer. After undergoing an eight-hour surgery in February 2018 (two weeks after her original diagnosis) Gallagher’s diagnosis was reclassified to stage 4B due to the size of the 14cm tumor on her pelvis.
She began aggressive chemotherapy in April 2018 but eventually stopped due to the terrible side effects and pain it caused her. Gallagher felt that the chemo and its side effects were affecting her ability to be a mom to her children which, to her, was the most important and most wonderful thing in the world. She’s now being carefully monitored to make sure the cancer doesn’t come back undetected.
Gallagher’s Goals
Gallagher, at only 29 years old, wants to spread awareness about ovarian cancer and the fact that it can sneak up on people who are so young (even otherwise healthy feeling people). Ovarian cancer is one of the illnesses that is often diagnosed in its later stages. This is because its symptoms can be easily dismissed as normal gastrointestinal discomfort or digestive issues caused by recent diet changes. In reality, this pain is caused by the cancerous tumor pressing upward, hence why Gallagher felt and saw changes in her abdomen, as opposed to her pelvis where the cancer started.
While we can’t decide not to get cancer, we can be preemptive about unusual discomfort we’re experiencing. If you feel like something’s off, something’s probably off. While Gallagher felt healthy in every other sense of the world, her story is proof of the fact that something can still be amiss.
Gallagher says she’s grateful she had her two children as young as she did, as her surgery included the removal of her womb, ovaries, omentum, and part of her bowel. She absolutely adores being a mom, and she feels thankful she had her first child at 18.
You can read Gallagher’s full story here and see the pictures she’s shared throughout her journey! By sharing the good, the bad, and the not so pretty, Gallagher hopes to normalize her diagnosis and let others know that they’re not alone.
Ultimately that’s one of the most incredible things that can come out of illness- the sense of community you can build with others who have had similar experiences.
Additionally, Gallagher hopes to spread awareness of ovarian cancer. Ultimately, awareness can help increase the speed of diagnosis, which can be life-changing for patients.
