Cath's Story

Catherine (Cath), a 64-year-old Registered Nurse from Sydney and a proud Parramatta Eels supporter, sat down to write a letter to the Chairman of the NRL, Peter V'landys, who she respects for his ability to “get things done”. 

Out of frustration and passion after a recurrence scare in December 2023, she wrote the letter the following month before Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Never expecting anything to happen, Cath declared, "I am not a person that is vocal about things, but I just get so upset as I feel so much more could be done to help the cause that is Ovarian Cancer".  

This letter sparked a significant initiative between Ovarian Cancer Australia and the NRL. The NRL is using its platform this Harvey Norman Women In League Round to get vocal for progress against Australia's deadliest female cancer - ovarian cancer. 

As a nurse working in urology, Cath has always stressed the importance of regular health checks to her female patients. Although aware of ovarian cancer, she never imagined she would face it herself, describing the diagnosis as "a bomb going off in your life". 

In early 2019, during an early birthday lunch with her daughter, Cath experienced a sudden, stabbing pain in her stomach. Assuming it was the same stomach bug floating around work, she initially dismissed it. However, her pain persisted while her colleagues' symptoms cleared up. 

Trusting her instincts, Cath visited her GP, leading to an internal ultrasound that didn’t reveal anything and then a CT scan that revealed the harsh truth: she had cancer. She was thankful her GP was on the ball. On March 16th, 2019, she was diagnosed with stage 3 high-grade serous ovarian cancer, a term unfamiliar to her despite her medical background. 

"I was completely blindsided having had no noticeable symptoms,” she recalls. The uncertainty of whether it was bowel or ovarian cancer was agonising. She consulted with three surgeons and tried to maintain normalcy. On April 11th, she underwent debulking surgery, preparing for the possibility of a colostomy bag, which she ultimately didn’t need. 

Her treatment journey was challenging. Cath faced severe side effects from a drug that affected her heart. She began chemotherapy but suffered an anaphylactic reaction, requiring a lower dose. A subsequent bowel obstruction led to a three-week hospital stay. Despite these setbacks, she persevered and completed chemotherapy. 

In January 2020, Cath joined a clinical trial but suffered another severe reaction to an immunotherapy drug, resulting in colitis. She continued treatments throughout the tumultuous year during the peak of COVID, which was difficult for many. By 2021, she started to see improvements, however a PET scan in May revealed concerns of a recurrence. A biopsy and radiation followed which confirmed her cancer had unfortunately returned. 

Cath was not aware of Ovarian Cancer Australia’s support services until after this recurrence at the end of 2021, when she came across them online. She reached out to the Helpline and was connected with her Teal Support Nurse, Catherine, who she describes as a "godsend" and a nurturing figure. 

The complexities of her initial diagnosis and recurrence took a mental toll on her. While supporting her family through other significant personal matters and COVID, she was referred to OCA’s psychosocial support team of counselors and psychologists. Alongside the support of her Teal Support Nurse, Catherine, the specialist psychosocial team provided Cath with tailored, expert advice to address her emotional concerns. This is a service we know many people around the country need but can't access. 

Despite immense challenges and the scare that happened in December last year, Cath feels fortunate. She cherishes her career, personal life, and amazing support network of friends and family, particularly her adult children and grandchildren, who are her rock. 

Reflecting on her the last five years, Cath stressed that ovarian cancer predominantly affects women in mid-life, “the time of life, the sandwich years of responsibilities”, who are often too busy juggling work, relationships, elderly parents, grandchildren, and much more, that focusing on yourself and your health often gets put to the side. 

“Listen and trust your own body... Advocate for yourself – If you’re not getting better, ask for a second opinion.” She underscored the necessity of getting timely information and results, knowing firsthand how critical this can be. 

Through it all, Cath remains grateful for the support she has received and the resilience she discovered within herself. Cath encourages seeking multiple opinions if unsure about health issues and advocating for better education of medical professionals about ovarian cancer. 

“Every day there’s more women starting off where I was. Still, there’s not much out there about ovarian cancer and women are often diagnosed at later stages, it affects so many families. Physically and mentally, you carry a monkey on your shoulder. You’re only as good as your last PET scan and it affects your quality of life – things will never be the same”. 

She acknowledges her initial hesitation in writing the letter, recognising the risks some face when speaking out, and honours advocates like the late ABC Broadcaster and Ovarian Cancer Australia ambassador, Jill Emberson.  

Cath's determination to raise awareness and support for ovarian cancer comes from a deep understanding of the importance of improving quality of life, now and in the future. In her letter, she mentioned not being one to “get vocal,” but this firsthand represents how each voice can amplify and support the cause for many.