Karol's Legacy of Strength

I was diagnosed in September 2023 with stage 2 ovarian cancer (endometrioid). Prior to my diagnosis, I had been experiencing signs of a urinary tract infection (UTI). I went on two rounds of antibiotics. During the second round, I was up all night in pain. I took myself to the emergency department, where an ultrasound and CT scan found what they thought were fibroids. I was referred to a gynecologist. A repeat ultrasound was performed and the gynecologist quickly ordered a CA-125 blood test and referred me to an oncologist. Things moved fast after that.

After my surgery in September, I had six rounds of chemotherapy. I also learned I have a BRCA1 gene mutation. I am now taking Lynparza (olaparib).

In terms of BRCA: I had always been told that my maternal grandmother died of uterine cancer. Once I learned of my BRCA mutation, I started talking to other family members. I quickly discovered my grandmother actually died of ovarian cancer. From there, I knew the mutation was on my mom’s side. My mom and two sisters were all tested. All came back positive. While other family members began getting tested, my mom and sisters were scheduled for preventive surgery. The surgeries all went fine… but my mom’s pathology came back showing cancer. Her doctor was just as surprised as we all were. Thankfully, it was caught early—stage 1.

Needless to say, it has been a wild few years.