In the week of International Women’s Day we are sharing the stories of just some of our colleagues who inspire us. Katy Stephenson tells how she had no choice but to put her career on hold to battle ovarian cancer during lockdown.
I am a residential negotiator with the Savills team in Suffolk but in January last year, I called a temporary halt to the job I love.
Cancer treatment is hardly the career break anyone envisages.
But for all the shock, distress, and the additional challenges of the pandemic, my diagnosis was actually a lucky fluke. Now I am determined to spread the word to anyone who may not be so fortunate.
I’d been admitted to hospital with appendicitis a month earlier and while there a CT scan showed up fibroid, cyst and cell changes in my ovary and fallopian tube. The test results came back. Stage one ovarian cancer. I was 46.
I was told that I would never have had symptoms at such an early stage – but I did. Six months earlier I went to my GP with bloating, getting up at night needing to wee more often and feeling full quickly when eating. I was told it was probably IBS or that I was premenopausal. Most women are diagnosed at stage three or four. Like countless women, I had no idea these symptoms, along with abdominal pain, could also indicate ovarian cancer.
My appendicitis enabled doctors to catch it early. If that hadn’t happened, the cancer would probably have spread and I hate to think what might have been. For one in five women, the diagnosis will come too late for treatment. As it is, I had surgery, chemotherapy and have been given the all clear.
I set out to raise money (more than £11,000 thanks to amazing support and generosity) as well as awareness. And now thankfully back at my Savills desk, I have continued to work with Target Ovarian Cancer which campaigns to improve early diagnosis, funds life-saving research and supports women living with cancer.
In recent weeks I’ve been telling my story on radio, in the newspapers and online as part of the charity’s national awareness drive. What have I learned? Know the symptoms, be aware of your own body, speak to your GP and be firm and persistent if necessary and ask for a CA 125 blood test which can identify if you have the disease.
Read more in our series of blogs for International Women's Day:
- You have to speak up to be heard
- How an International Women’s Day blog changed my working life
- Be realistic: don't set yourself up to fail
- Maternity leave, lockdown and a little miracle
- Creating space for the women who come next
- Take ownership and never give up
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