In 2018 I ran as a part of the NOCC team teal in the Philadelphia half marathon in honor of my cousin Lora who had ovarian cancer. Little did I know that I was giving to an organization that would ultimately give back to me. I am 23 years old and I am a stage 3A ovarian cancer survivor. No…

Our 13-year-old daughter, Kirsten, was living the normal life of a seventh-grade student. Before an annual doctor visit, she asked her mother if she should mention that her menstrual cycle stopped for about six months. Our pediatrician was concerned and ordered several tests. Several experts recognized an increase in her hormone level based on the test results, but it seemed…

By the Mayan Calendar, December 21, 2012, was supposed to be the end of the world. The world didn't end, but life as I knew it would. Robin, my wife, and best friend was diagnosed with Stage 3C ovarian cancer. I am a maintenance man for the county government and my job is to fix things. Throughout our marriage, my…

This past July 2019, I was enjoying my summer vacation: lacrosse tournaments with my son's travel team trips to the beach, fruity drinks with friends...livin' the teacher life! This was going to be a great summer with my family and friends. I went in for my yearly physical like I do every summer. I told the doctor that I had…

Though I was diagnosed with stage 3c ovarian cancer in August of 2018, I believe my journey with ovarian cancer began when I tested positive for the BRCA 1 genetic mutation in 2015. Learning then that I was high risk for certain cancers, ovarian being one, shook my world upside down and inside out. When a genetic counselor sat down…

My husband and I had been trying to have a baby since the birth of our son in 1999. By 2002 I had already had three miscarriages, and in February of 2003, we learned that I was pregnant again. During the years leading up to this pregnancy, I suffered from consistent, painful, large ovarian cysts on both ovaries. Each cyst…