Breaking the Silence
LOCAL TWO TIME OVARIAN CANCER SURVIVOR
By Karli Morello
To be able to say "I am an ovarian cancer survivor" is the greatest feat of
someone's life that has experienced this wretched disease. Ovarian cancer is
nicknamed the "Silent Killer" and is called that because that's exactly what it
does. It sneaks up on you and you don't even know it's lurking until it's almost
too far gone. That's what happened to two-time ovarian cancer survivor, Sandy
Eubank of Riverside, NJ.
Eubank was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2006 and was in stage four. In
other words, her chances of surviving weren't optimal. After weeks of
chemotherapy treatments for 7-8 hours at a time, Eubank was placed in remission
in March of 2007. For someone to be in remission means they can proudly and
strongly say that they beat cancer. But it doesn't mean it's gone forever.
Ovarian cancer cells will always be in Eubank's body, but will not necessarily
be active. Those cells were stabilized and did not turn back up on any CAT scans
until November of 2008.
Back in chemotherapy, Eubank was furious with the all too familiar situation
she was in. She fought hard to beat it once again and with a clear scan in March
of 2009, she did. "When someone tells you that you have ovarian cancer your
heart drops. It's the complete opposite feeling when someone tells you that you
don't anymore. The weight on your shoulders is gone." said Eubank.
This September, Eubank will be participating in the National Ovarian Cancer
Coalition's Walk to Break the Silence. On September 12th in Fairmount Park in
Philadelphia, hundreds of people will donate the funds they raised to support
ovarian cancer research and walk in memory or in honor of someone they love. All
survivors wear a turquoise shirt and all family and friends wear white. In a sea
of white shirts, Eubank says she "feels like the luckiest person in the world"
to be wearing that turquoise shirt.
Ovarian cancer does not get the recognition it needs in order to be cured or
prevented. By the time someone is tested for the disease, they are usually in
the same boat as Eubank and don't have many options or much time. They can only
hope for good luck. In Eubank's case, her doctors at Pennsylvania Hospital were
phenomenal and made sure she didn't leave before she was ready. In other cases,
victims aren't as lucky. Help the NOCC make all ovarian cancer patients become
survivors. You can visit Eubank's donation page at Nocc.kintera.org/delval,
click sponsor participant then search Sandy Eubank. Donate what you can to help
more people become able to say, "I am a survivor."
Without funding there is no medical research and without medical research
there is no path to a cure. Speak louder than ovarian cancer and help break the
silence.
Karli Morello is a local freelance writer.
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