Teal Winged Awareness

So it has begun. September. Changing of the seasons, the coming of winter. I honestly can't say that I'm going to miss Summer. I mean what's not to love with hot temperatures, exceedingly painful migraines, and no rain? I'm looking forward to the next 6 months because they are truly the most beneficial to me. September-November bring a lot of celebrations, and then December-February bring a lot of memories to sift through and cherish. 

This month is a very important month to me. September 1st marks the start of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. This month is so vital to the Ovarian Cancer community because it raises awareness for a disease that doesn't really get noticed that much because of its sister Breast Cancer. So lets change that! On average, the 10-year rate of someone with Breast Cancer is 83%, and the 15-year rate is 78%. If the cancer is located only in the breast, the 5-year relative survival rate of people with breast cancer is 99%. Sixty-one percent (61%) of cases are diagnosed at this stage. If the cancer has spread to the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year survival rate is 85%. Those are pretty great odds to me. In fact, they are amazing when compared to Ovarian Cancer which is only 45% after five years. 

So why is that rate so low? Isn't there something that can be done to make it higher? Well, the answer is YES. You can listen to your body and know the signs and symptoms of this silent disease. The problem is, is they present themselves much like the flu. 

The most common ones are :

• Bloating
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Trouble eating or feeling full quickly
• Urinary symptoms such as urgency (always feeling like you have to go) or frequency (having to go often) 

Now for me, that's common PMS signs. So what can you do? Well you can go to your doctor and have screenings done (like I do). But the problem is, there is no actual screening test for Ovarian Cancer. Sure, you can have ultrasounds and blood tests, but even then it is very hard to catch until it is at a more deadly stage.  

Now, the main piece of advice I can pass down to you came from my oncologist (yes, I do have one for preventative screenings), is to LISTEN TO YOUR BODIES. Who knows your body better than you? If something feels wrong, listen to your instinct and go in to see your doctor. 

Please don't put off your annual check-ups either. A month can make a difference with an illness. So, know the facts. And know your risk.