Walking with hope at Oakes Park
Participants fundraising for ovarian cancer research
Kelly Nelson was shocked when she was told she had Stage 3 ovarian cancer.
The Niagara woman had always been very health conscious and regularly underwent all the available proactive medical screenings for various forms of cancer.
But there is no reliable screening test for ovarian cancer and it is often only detected in its late stages when the cancer has spread significantly.
Unbeknownst to Nelson, a tumour was slowly growing near her bowel.
By the time it was detected in 2016, the tumour was larger than a grapefruit.
Nelson underwent surgery to remove the tumour and endured eight rounds of chemotherapy.
She credits her family and friends, and help from organizations such as Wellspring Niagara and Ovarian Cancer Canada with helping her along her journey of recovery.
“I was astounded in how ignorant I was in my awareness of this fifth most common and most fatal women’s cancer in Canada,” she said Sunday during the Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope at Oakes Park in Niagara Falls.
Unlike other cancers, survival rates for women with this disease haven’t seen significant improvement in 50 years.
“The funding shortfalls in research has stalled scientific progress against this diseases to the extent that outcomes have not improved,” Nelson said.
Despite that, Nelson has beaten the odds.
And so had a number of women who participated the charity walk — each wearing teal-coloured T-shirts - including Pam Yasko.
The Fort Erie woman’s fundraising team, called the Glam Gals, was made up of 15 friends and family.
“I was diagnosed last year but, today, everything is good,” said the mother of three and grandmother to seven.
The Canada-wide walk is held every September in more than 35 communities to raise funds to provide support, raise awareness and fund research.
Since starting in 2002, the event has raised more than $25-million.