Liv Curtis' initial fear when her tummy began expanding was an unplanned pregnancy and she stressed about how the family was going to afford it.
The 35-year-old mum-of-three got an IUD after her third child with husband Kevin,and also thought that the abdominal pain she was experiencing might be related to that.
The constant tiredness,loss of appetite,and bloated belly made her seek advice,and the diagnosis rocked her to the core.
A 3kg cancerous tumour was discovered,and so began a cycle of surgeries and therapy that few could withstand.
Speaking to Femail,Liv said she brushed off other symptoms including pain during sex,frequent urination,and exhaustion to simply being a busy mum.
'I had typical uterine pains,kind of just like a bad period. I had my third child in 2016 and had an IUD inserted. So when I started feeling off three years later,I assumed the niggling pains had to do with that.
'I thought maybe it had moved or embedded itself somewhere it shouldn't have - but I went to a doctor,had a pap smear,and everything appeared fine.'
The worrying symptoms persisted and she began to get increasingly tired,so she had an ultrasound which found a small cyst on one of her ovaries - which was normal for her age.
Liv said that her friends were her 'village' during her diagnosis and treatment
When Liv was first told she had cancer,she chose to involve all her friends and family rather than fight it alone,and discovered just how much people cared..
'I told everybody. I sent out messages and said I was either going to get better and I need their help getting there.
'Or,I said I wasn't going to get better and that I'd need them to look after my babies and Kevin.'
Then began the avalanche of flowers,hampers,chocolate,donuts,and more.
'We were in lockdown so they couldn't come visit,but they did things to life my spirits all the time. A friend of mine just arrived with three pizzas for our family at dinner time once.
'I felt incredibly well supported. People were showing up to pick my kids up and them to their sports trainings and to school,and dropping off groceries for us. The whole community got together for us.'
Liv was using her experience to help other women with ovarian cancer,particularly in pushing for the best possible treatment rather than accepting what seemed inevitable.
'The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) doesn't have the prominence of the Pink Ribbon,so I just want women to look out for their symptoms,and I want them to advocate for themselves. There is not the same level of care everywhere you go.
'If you're told you're inoperable,get a second or third opinion. If you feel like you're not being taken seriously,you need to get tougher and advocate for yourself.
'I was very lucky with every stage of my care,but I've spoken to many,many women who haven't had the same experience.'
Sydney
