Ovarian Cancer New Zealand.
Support. Awareness. Advocacy.
Our Stories
Stories from real and brave kiwi women.
Amanda, aged 33, diagnosed 2017 aged 32.
January 30, 2018
My story starts in August 2017 when I had surgery for Crohn’s, all went well although the surgeons mentioned briefly that I had cysts on my ovaries however they drained them during surgery and I didn’t bother to think or worry about it again.
Anna, diagnosed aged 25.
February 7, 2018
Saturday morning, 3am. I was woken by crippling abdominal pain. I’d had a sore tummy all week, similar to the pain I’d had previous years and been to my doctor about. I’d been given multiple diagnoses – appendicitis and gallstones to name a few.
Leondra, aged 45,diagnosed 2017
February 7, 2018
My name is Leondra Roberts I am 45 years old and I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer on the 10th of October 2017. This is my story. So where do I start? With the tragic death of my mother that took place on July the 13th 2017...
Triona, aged 64, diagnosed aged 62.
February 5, 2018
My diagnosis came as a complete surprise. Until a few weeks before, I
was symptomless. I thought I was constipated and a bit bloated. It
turned out I had a massive ascites, (fluid sac), in my abdomen. Within
weeks, I looked nine months pregnant and could barely move.
Susan, diagnosed 2016.
February 9, 2018
Hi my name is Susan and my journey started in April 2016. Pneumonia and a hospital stay. They drained liquid off the left lung, it was tested and had small cell cancer cells in it. May 10th I was called into hospital and told it was hormonal cancer cells,
Triona, aged 64, diagnosed aged 62.
February 5, 2018
My diagnosis came as a complete surprise. Until a few weeks before, I
was symptomless. I thought I was constipated and a bit bloated. It
turned out I had a massive ascites, (fluid sac), in my abdomen. Within
weeks, I looked nine months pregnant and could barely move.
Triona, aged 64, diagnosed aged 62.
February 5, 2018
My diagnosis came as a complete surprise. Until a few weeks before, I
was symptomless. I thought I was constipated and a bit bloated. It
turned out I had a massive ascites, (fluid sac), in my abdomen. Within
weeks, I looked nine months pregnant and could barely move.
Susan, diagnosed 2016.
February 9, 2018
Hi my name is Susan and my journey started in April 2016. Pneumonia and a hospital stay. They drained liquid off the left lung, it was tested and had small cell cancer cells in it. May 10th I was called into hospital and told it was hormonal cancer cells,
Sara,diagnosed
aged 41.
March 1, 2018
I’m a feisty, independent, single mum and at 41 I found myself with an out of the blue stage 3C
Ovarian Cancer diagnosis and a terrible prognosis. How was this even possible? I looked after myself. I dated. I went to Zumba class, kayaked, and hiked. My children were my everything and the thought of not being around to see them grow up, even having to switch focus,
from them to my health, was unbearable.
Jacqui, diagnosed aged 48.
March 6, 2018
In April 2016 I had ovarian cancer. It was an incidental finding. This is my story.
It was found when I had a hysterectomy and removal of one ovary for what had appeared to be a haemorrhagic ovarian cyst. They are associated with endometriosis. I had never had any symptoms of endometriosis until I started to experience heavy, frequent and prolonged periods at age 48.
Donna, diagnosed 2017.
March 1, 2018
When I think about it now there were many alarm bells ringing but I didn’t actually take notice until I started fatiguing. I was super fit and yet fatiguing. I knew something wasn’t right. I started to closely monitor my menstrual cycle, diet and exercise and requested weekly bloods. After 4 weeks nothing showed and fatiguing was increasing. I knew something was wrong. Back to the doctors.
Mary, diagnosed 2017, aged 59
March 10, 2018
I need to start this tale with….I’ve always been really healthy. I ate real food, exercised, watched my
weight, and meditated regularly. Although Im in my late 50’s, I didn’t even have a relationship with a
GP since it was a very rare occasion I would need to see one. But in 2016, I started to suffer with
reflux. This took me off my beloved red wine, white wine, coffee and black tea.