MURRAY HARBOUR, P.E.I. - When Margaret Brady laces up her sneakers for the Walk of Hope at Victoria Park in Charlottetown on Saturday, she has one purpose in mind.
She wants to bring awareness about the most fatal of women’s cancer in Canada to Prince Edward Islanders.
“Because ovarian cancer is so silent and there’s no definitive test for it, it’s important not to ignore symptoms like gas, changes in bowel habits and loss of weight,” says the ovarian cancer survivor, who lives in Murray Harbour.
But women should also be aware that symptoms may mimic other illnesses.
For example, when Brady started having pains in her stomach in 2016, she attributed the discomfort to a hernia.
“I put it down to hurting myself gardening because I had been hauling bags of mulch around.”
Another time she thought it was diverticulitis because of where the pain was located.
That’s when Brady, who was living in Caledon, Ont., at the time, made an appointment at a clinic where a hernia was ruled out.
Shortly after, running a fever and feeling even more miserable, she convinced her husband to drive her to the Orangeville Hospital.
After undergoing a scan, an ultrasound and some bloodwork, she trembled as she listened to the doctor tell her that she had a mass in her abdomen.
“That was scary because I was convinced it was diverticulitis.”
He also sent her for an MRI because all he could see was the mass.
When the gynecologist finally got the test results back, he was so concerned that he sent her to Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. That’s where she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
“There was fear, shock. You just think that cancer is something that happens to other people, not you,” says Brady who had surgery last September.
Three weeks later, she started chemotherapy.
Now disease-free, she has been recovering and telling others about her cancer journey.
“I’m in the walk because I’m still here and I want to help raise funds to stop this disease,” says Brady, who is pleased to be participating in the second annual event.
The walk was started last year by Jillian Forbes and her sister, Jennifer Bowness, in honour of their mother, Cheryl Clark, who died of ovarian cancer.
“Last year, our goal was $3,000 and we exceeded that four times, by raising $12,000. This year, we’re hoping to raise $12,000 again,” says Forbes, who is excited about Saturday’s event.
Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. with live musical entertainment on the stage of the pavilion, face painting and bouncy castles. The walk starts at 11 a.m.
Anyone wishing to register for the walk or make a donation can go to Ovariancancer.org.
Fast facts
2,800 Canadian women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year.
One out of every two women diagnosed with this disease isn’t expected to live to see another five years.
Women concerned about their risk for ovarian cancer, should speak with their doctor.
Common symptoms of ovarian cancer include bloating, difficulty eating, abdominal discomfort and change in urinary habits.
Women should speak to their doctor if they notice new symptoms that persist for three weeks or longer.
Source: Ovarian Cancer Canada
