Cancer given a run for money
Young doctor makes battle for health funds personal
A Gold Coast doctor diagnosed with a deadly disease that is killing more women every year is fighting to change the statistics, at this year’s Mother’s Day Classic (MDC) run.
In 2022, Gold Coast University Hospital’s Dr Shabnam Gujadhur was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer just after her 30th birthday.
At first the then junior doctor dismissed her symptoms of bloating and abdominal pain. But when they grew worse, she was told to see a gynaecologist.
“I remember the doctor was looking at me and I thought, I know that look – something bad is going to happen,” she said. “Then they told me I had cancer.
“I never thought I would be addressing my own mortality at the age of 30. It was very hard for me to accept being on the other side of the healthcare system.”
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynaecological cancer. In Australia, one woman dies of the disease every eight hours. It has a five-year survival rate of 49 per cent but in advanced cases, the rate drops to 29 per cent.
Currently, there is no early detection test.
“I was so angry towards (my cancer),” Dr Gujadhur said. “It’s unfair that we are losing so many women to this disease.
“There are no early detection tests and treatment for ovarian cancer hasn’t changed in the past 10 years.”
Dr Gujadhur said ovarian cancer was known as the “silent killer” because its “vague symptoms” are often misdiagnosed.
“When a doctor hears those symptoms, your first thought isn’t cancer,” she said.
“So many women end up waiting months and months just for a diagnosis.”
Within two weeks of diagnosis, Dr Gujadhur underwent two surgeries to remove her ovaries and fallopian tube, and has been cancer free since.
This year, she will take part in the MDC walk/run, which has partnered with the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation for the first time to raise “essential” funds.
MDC is the biggest donor to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, raising $44m over the past 26 years.
“More funding means we can invest in training programs for oncologists and research new treatment options so that survival rates are higher,” Dr Gujadhur said.
“Too many women’s lives have been ruled by this disease. I’ll be holding on to that when I do my walk, to honour all the women who have died.”
More than 70,000 people are expected to participate at events hosted across the country on Mother’s Day, May 12.
On the Gold Coast, teams will gather at Fisherman’s Lawn where they will compete to raise funds.