Whispers of Hope
How I got my nickname, Lucky. My name is Andrea Annese Como and this is my experience as an Ovarian Cancer survivor. Here’s a little background: I spent a long time taking infertility drugs and was never able to conceive a child. I would soon learn that this increases the risks of Ovarian Cancer. In July of 2006, I was turning 40 and decided to challenge myself. Exercise and healthy eating had always been an important part of my life and so I decided to begin sprint training. Soon after, I started to notice a few symptoms that were unusual for me. This is when the first whispers began.
frequent urination when exercising… fatigue… spotting between periods… mild pain on my left side... After an exam and several other tests, I was told that there was nothing to be concerned about at that time. A few weeks later while my family and I were vacationing in Florida, the whispers began again. They faded for a few weeks and naturally faded from my mind as well. Little did I know that another whisper was right around the corner… I will never forget that unusually warm day, March 12th, 2007. I picked up our children, Nathaniel and Nicolette, from school and we were stopping at the track on the way home to run. I was on my final sprint when the pain started. Alarmed by its severity, I called my husband, Dave. Within the hour, we were at the emergency room. It was determined that I had two large cysts pressing against my left ovary which I was given medication for to ease the pain. That following morning, I met with my gynecologist, Dr. Clements, who determined that immediate surgery would be required.
My heart told me something was not right, but my faith told me that everything was going to be fine. I received the diagnosis of Stage 2 Ovarian Cancer. Dr. Kredentser, a Gynecological Oncologist who performed my surgery, later informed me that if I did not experience the pain from the cysts, my diagnosis would have remained undetected and the cancer would have progressed onto Stage 4 very quickly.
Life is a journey and sometimes the greatest obstacles rock your world and clarify your purpose.
I was later relieved when Dr. Aghajanian, Chief of Oncology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, told me that chemotherapy would not be necessary. Instead, she recommended three radiation treatments. Dr. Savage was my radiologist at St. Peters Hospital, and I can honestly say that he and all of the nurses that cared for me were incredible as they helped to make a frightening situation as comfortable as possible for me. I am always asked how cancer has changed my life, and my answer is simply this; in many ways, cancer was a gift.
It forced me to think about who I am and who I want to be. It has given me clarity of purpose, and that is to raise my beautiful children, Nathaniel and Nicolette. It has given me clarity of conscience, to have the best attitude each and every day.
In the beginning I remember thinking, please God, just give me a break! But after time passed, I realized that God did give me quite a few breaks. I went through infertility so I would be blessed with adopting Nathaniel and Nicolette. I went through enough pain to go to the emergency room, which led me to surgery. And then, my big break, my diagnosis was detected early. I am so grateful to say that I recently celebrated five years of being cancer free. I believe everything happens for a reason. In return for all of the breaks I have received, I am hoping that I can share my own experience with as many women as I can. I encourage you to share this story with all of the special women in your life, and remember: Ovarian Cancer whispers, so listen! Thank you for listening to my story. Andrea
My
Purpose&Passion
I
am a Board Member for Caring Together, a local support group educating local colleges. Their mission is to provide support, education, and advocacy for women with Ovarian Cancer as well as support research efforts aimed at finding an early detection test and a cure.
Through the organization, I have had the fortunate opportunity to speak at numerous events; some of which have included, Albany Medical College, Russell Sage College, Bassett Hospital, and Herkimer Community College. It is my passion in life to educate as many women as I can about the importance of early detection! In November of 2010, I began to plan local events in my local area of Albany, NY, to educate the community. I have organized yoga classes at Estudio, spin classes at Gold’s Gym
and The Revolution, and boxing events for Pugnacious Promotions. So far, my efforts have raised $7,500 with 100% of all proceeds donated to Caring Together. I have also been part of the Survivors Teaching Students Program of NYS for the last two years. Myself, along with several other Ovarian Cancer survivors share our stories with medical and nursing students at Albany Medical College, Russell Sage College, and The College of St. Rose. The students get the opportunity to hear our stories and compare how the doctors, disease, and medications have changed over the years. I feel so very blessed and grateful that my story has a happy ending and I have made it my life’s mission to be an advocate and resource for as many women as I can possibly reach.
To order, please (518) 369-3742.
Wrist in Wrist. Hand in Hand.
I teamed up with Connelly’s Diamond Gallery to create this unique piece of jewelry (featured below) to support the Ovarian Cancer cause. The bracelet is made of Austrian crystals baked into 10 mm clay beads and threaded in nylon cord. The bracelets retail for $50.00. $25 of every sale will be donated to Caring Together! The bracelets operate with a manual slide and comes in one-size-fits-all.
Show your support in style.
e contact me at: .
To order an Ovarian Cancer bracelet visit: www.sparkleforhope.com
Pictured above: Frieda Weeks (founder of Hope for Heather) and I at the annual Charity Fashion Show & Brunch in Syracuse, NY Pictured Top and Right: Magazine shoot for HealthyLife Pictured Below: My story in Syracuse Woman Magazine
Telling My Story I have been lucky enough to have had my story published in some high profile magazines in an attempt to educate as many women as possible on the importance of early detection. Such publications include: Syracuse Woman Magazine Her Life Magazine Times Union HealthyLife Magazine CNY Woman Magazine If you are interested in reading any of these articles, contact me!
Painting the Town Teal SUPER SATURDAY! I attended Super Saturday for the first time in 2011 and the experience was so emotional because it was a dream to be there and help. I know someday there wil be a cure or an early detection test for Ovarian Cancer. I will smile knowing I did my little part in painting the town teal and educating women. It was amazing to see hundreds of people come together to make this event possible. The event ended up raising $3.5 million!
What is Super Saturday? The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund’s (OCRF) Annual Super Saturday Event was co-hosted in 2011 by Donna Karan, Kelly Ripa, and Ariel Foxman of InStyle. OCRF is the largest independent organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to funding Ovarian Cancer research and finding a cure. OCRF has invested nearly $40 million towards developing innovative strategies for early detection, identifying new and better targets for treatment, and determining how to super charge a woman’s immune response to better fight Ovarian Cancer. The exclusive sale, was featured on QVC households, allowing shoppers throughout the country to get designer styles at approximately half the manufacturer’s retail price. Kelly Ripa (pictured with me below!) a longtime supporter of OCRF, has hosted Super Saturday for the past seven years.
bloating
mild pain cancer mild pain spotting cramps frequent urination
ovarian
disease
early detection bloating Listen
fatigue
listen to the cramps bloating
cramps check-up
whispers h
spotting p cramps
disease
cancer
fatigue
abdominal pain
cramps cramps spotting ovarian bloating spotting difficulty eating
frequent urination
early arly detection listen early detection prevention p ti
...the silent disease
Risk Factors Peri or post-menopause
Historically, Ovarian Cancer has been called the “silent killer” because symptoms were not thought to develop until the chance of cure was poor. However, recent studies have shown this term is untrue and that the symptoms (see box to the left) are much more likely to occur in women with Ovarian Cancer than women in the general population. Women with Ovarian Cancer report that symptoms are persistent and represent a change from normal for their bodies.
The frequency and/or number of such symptoms are key factors in the diagnosis of Ovarian Cancer. Several studies show that even early stage Ovarian Cancer can produce these symptoms. As women, we know our bodies, and we know when something is different. It is crucial that we pay attention to these symptoms should they arise, however insignicant we may think they are. Early detection is key to saving lives!
s e 22k s o n g dia deaths 14k
Risk Factors
Uninterrupted ovulation (no pregnancies and or prior use of oral contraceptives) Peri or post-menopause Family or personal history Uninterrupted ovulation (no of breast/ovarian cancer pregnancies and or prior use of oral contraceptives) Presence of BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene mutations Family or personal history of breast/ovarian cancer Use of oral contraceptives for 5+ Presence of BRCA 1 or BRCA years 2 gene mutations Multiple pregnancies, breast feeding
Don’t be a
e a statistic, be a story story... ... Signs & Symptoms Vague but persistent and unexplained gastrointestinal complaints Pelvic and/or abdominal swelling or pain, bloating and/or feeling of fullness Unexplained change in bowel habits Frequency and/or urgency of urination Unexplained weight gain or loss New and unexplained abnormal post menopausal vaginal bleeding
Ovarian Cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecological cancers in the United States. In 2011, an estimated 22,000 women were diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer and 14,000 women lost their lives to Ovarian Cancer. The most effective way a woman can protect herself against Ovarian Cancer is to become educated. Learn the signs and symptoms. Listen to your body. If these symptoms persist and they are unusual for you, see a health care professional to rule out the possibility of Ovarian Cancer.
Currently there is no accurate test for Ovarian Cancer as the PAP test does not detect it. If any of these signs and symptoms are persistent and unusual for you, speak to your gynecologist immediately and ask them to: “Prove to me that I am not at risk for Ovarian Cancer.” (Information provided by the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund – www.ocrf.org)
r o v i
business owner
v r su
mother friend
daughter
wife sister wo
ma
n
Let’s Paint the Town Teal If you have an idea or opportunity to spread the word about Ovarian Cancer, contact me! Andrea Annese Como 518-369-3742 cell acomo@annese.com email
advocate