Last week I was in Fargo at my friend Kelly Bates-Felany's mom's memorial service. Connie Bates courageously battled ovarian cancer for 6 1/2 years. She died at the age of 59. The service was a great tribute to a truly inspirational woman. I've only been around Connie a handful of times, but what I remember most about her was her beautiful smile, her warmth, and her amazing attitude.
Connie was an advocate for ovarian cancer education and research. At the service her family had printed placards with symptoms of the dreadful disease. I wanted to share this information with all of you:
Ovarian cancer is difficult to detect, especially in early stages. This is partly due to the fact that these two small, almond shaped organs are deep within the abdominal cavity, one on each side of the uterus.
These are some of the potential signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer:
*pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort
*vague, but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea, and indigestion
*frequency and/or urgency of urination in absence of an infection
*unexplained weight gain or loss
*pelvic and/or abdominal swelling, bloating and/or feeling of fullness
*ongoing unusual fatigue
*unexplained changes in bowel habits
A pap smear DOES NOT detect ovarian cancer!
Listen to your body. Be your own advocate. After all, no one cares for your body like you do.
And remember, a cancer free world will happen not because we wished for it, but because we worked for it!
http://www.ovarian.org
http://www.komen.org
http://americancancersociety.org
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