Ovarian Cancer

This has been a dificult weekend for me as I was back in Fargo at my dear friend Kelly's mom's memorial service. Connie Bates battled ovarian cancer for a courageous 61/2 years. The service was a beautiful tribute to an amazing woman. Connie was an advocate for ovarian cancer education and research. At the service her family had printed placards with symptoms of the dreadful disease. I wanted to share this information with all of you.

Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer:
Ovarian cancer is difficult to detect, especially in early stages. This is partly due to the fact that these two small, almond shaped organs are deep within the abdominal cavity, one on each side of the uterus. These are some of the potential signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer:
*pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort
*vague, but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea, and indigestion
*frequency and/or urgency of urination in absence of an infection
*unexplained weight gain or loss
*pelvic and/or abdominal swelling, bloating and/or feeling of fullness
*ongoing unusual fatigue
*unexplained changes in bowel habits
A pap smear DOES NOT detect ovarian cancer!

Listen to your body. Be your own advocate. After all, no one cares for your body like you do.

And remember, a cancer free world will happen not because we wished for it, but because we worked for it!
http://www.ovarian.org/
http://www.komen.org
http://americancancersociety.org/docroot/home/index.asp