Walk of Hope to raise funds for ovarian cancer
I feel blessed that I have time to do some soul searching and work through things with my family. For me, it makes me feel good to talk things through.
Fran Doering had a gut feeling she had limited time. Three weeks ago, her doctor confirmed that fear.
“I was told there is nothing more they can do for me,” Doering said.
Since 2013, the dark cloud of ovarian cancer has been hanging over the Regina woman’s head.
An ultrasound done in October of that year revealed an abdominal mass. Surgery six weeks later confirmed Doering had late Stage 3 ovarian cancer.
“That meant the cancer was outside of the ovaries and Fallopian tubes and into the abdomen,” she said.
The devastating diagnosis blindsided her. Months earlier, she’d had a complete physical and got a clean bill of health.
“I started getting indigestion and bloating, and it wasn’t relieved by the usual over-the-counter treatment,” Doering said. “It was coming on more frequently and getting more severe.”
There is no effective screening test to detect ovarian cancer early and the signs are vague and mimic other conditions.
The most common symptoms of ovarian cancer are bloating; pelvic or abdominal pain; difficulty eating or feeling full quickly and urinary issues.
Doering urges women experiencing these symptoms to seek immediate medical attention if they persist for three weeks or longer. When ovarian cancer is detected and treated early, the survival rate can be as high as 90 per cent.
Within three months of completing chemo, Doering’s cancer recurred.
“Unfortunately, that seems to happen to many ovarian cancer patients,” she said. “We know people here locally who have not survived four months (after the diagnosis), so I feel blessed that I have time to do some soul searching and work through things with my family. For me, it makes me feel good to talk things through and say those important things to each other.”
She also feels good being a part of the annual Ovarian Cancer Canada Regina Walk of Hope, which is being held Sunday at the Rick Hansen Park.
On-site registration for the 2.5 kilometre or five kilometre walk is from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The walk starts at 1 p.m.
A top priority for OCC, the only national charity in Canada dedicated solely to overcoming ovarian cancer, is funding pilot projects to detect the deadly disease early.
Doering is one of 17,000 women in Canada with ovarian cancer — the most serious gynecologic cancer, usually diagnosed at a late stage.
As a result, 70 per cent of women diagnosed with the disease die within five years.
Last year’s OCC Regina Walk of Hope raised more than $100,000 to help women beat the odds.
“This is our only fundraiser to raise money for research throughout the year,” Doering said. “They’re working collaboratively across Canada to do research in different areas and some are trying very hard to find a test for early detection. The money that is raised through the walk is vitally important.”
Despite deteriorating health, she does gentle stretches and walks daily.
“I want to keep my strength up so I can spend quality time with my family and my five grandchildren,” Doering said.
“I look forward to the walk every year. It’s my other family. They’re very near and dear to me because we see each other through very difficult times.”