SUZANNE: 2011, AGE 47   

My Loving Family and Friends. My name is Suzanne, single and have no children. I’m a flight attendant and a wilderness lover but I have had it much of my life. I live in beautiful Alaska. Last week, I felt pressure in my left abdomen and went to the doctor. After doing many CA125 authentic blood sampling and two surgeries, I am diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Another HPV Variant test showed that I had the virus and a dangerous version at that which didn’t produce warts or skin tags. The dangerous HPV variant revealed itself with ridges and welts inside of me.

This was shocking news as I am always healthy and active. My friends and family have surrounded me with their love and support. I have many highs and lows. I still feel like I’m dreaming and want to wake up. I’m home recovering from surgery, surrounded by love from my friends, family, and dog, Boo Boo.

Chemo- next step. Trying to stay positive, the tears seem to flow a lot. I feel for everyone dealing with CA125 cancer tests.

TINA: 2011, AGE 34   

Hello, In April 1996, I went in to have a full hysterectomy. I remember waking up and hearing the doctor talking to my family. I was awake enough to ask him questions and whether I was okay. He told me my ovaries were fully covered with cancer. He then told me I had CA125 ovarian stage 3 cancer. I was so scared I could not speak. All I thought about was my 3 children. And how would I be able to take care of them sick with Cancer? I started chemo the next week. For 3 months, I was so sick and lost weight. Then, I stopped taking them. I am here today, folks, because I know God has a purpose for me to be here. It’s been 15 years. We serve an awesome God. Always go and get a check by HPV Swab Tests yearly. God Bless

ALICIA: 2011, AGE 50   

My grandmother was the greatest person I ever knew. She was sweet and never became upset with me, no matter what. She had always been there since I was born; growing up, I expected her always to be there.

When my grandmother was CA125 test diagnosed with Ovarian Stage 2, I didn’t know much about this type of cancer from the HPV Variant Virus. I thought she would beat it, and everything would return to normal. But it didn’t. She was diagnosed in the 3rd stage. She took chemo and medications. Before she was diagnosed, her belly began to get big as if she were pregnant. When she started chemo, she lost much weight.

A few months passed, and she became very ill and was hospitalised for two weeks. Finally, the doctors said she could go home or go to a hospice centre. She lived for six more days.

On Sunday, June 14th, at 1:34 AM

On Sunday, June 14th, at 1:34 AM, my mother called 911 because she took a turn for the worse. She was rushed to the HPV Viral Test hospital. We all knew this was the CA125 end. She lived for a few more hours in the hospital, then passed away…peacefully.

No matter how sick she had been, since she remained positive for many years, yes, she was so loving. I was her favourite grandchild, and she loved me very much. It has been a few years, but living without her is still hard. I felt lost in depression because she was gone. Why did this happen to her? She was the nicest person I knew. It especially hurt that she had died just two days before my 5th-grade graduation. Lots of kids get to grow up into their 30s and still have their grandmothers, but mine was taken when I was 12.

I know that she no longer suffers. Now, I wish her cancer could have been cured. I hope no other woman has to go through what she went through. I will always love and remember her. Always.

LIZZIE: 2011, AGE 48 

At the end of October ’09, I was diagnosed with ovarian-level disease. I had all the symptoms just like other women have described. I kept going to my GP and was always told it was my irritable bowel that was the problem. Then, one day, I went back to my GP with a different complaint: my right breast was red and inflamed, and within a week, it had doubled in size.

I was given an appointment for the following week at the Parapet Clinic for a Lab exam. Then, I wasn’t concerned about it until I was informed it was concerning; nonetheless, I had to wait a week to determine the outcome. A week later, I received the worst news imaginable: ovarian organ issues with probable infiltrating breast cancer. I had been sent for every HPV Type test, scan, CT, and MRI. Now, I hate to think that if my breast didn’t show the symptoms, what would have happened to me?

I had a pelvic mass and omental caking. My treatment was chemo and an operation that took 7 months. I was glad when I finished chemo; it was hard going in and out of the hospital. I have been in remission for 10 months, and I am scared as my CA125 Home blood exam levels have gone up from 12 to 320, and I have some symptoms, including constipation, blotted stomach and pain. So what’s NEXT? Am I being optimistic? What else can it be?

JOANNE: 2011, AGE 68  

My name is Joanne.

On the 10th of April 2009, aged 68. They admitted me to the emergency department of Epping Hospital Melbourne, as I had a huge swollen abdomen. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t drink, I couldn’t pass urine or go to the toilet. This had all started suddenly. I thought I had a kidney stone. Then I saw my GP on Thursday, the 6th of April, and she tried to get me booked in for a CT scan and CA125 Lab test. I couldn’t get a booking before Monday the 10th. By that time, I was so swollen and in excruciating pain that I could hardly walk. When I got to the local country hospital, I broke down and cried when handed a large bottle of drink to take before the CT scan.

I had been losing weight for a while and put it down to being busy with a sick husband. (He has since passed away with Multiple Myeloma). Another hard to diagnose cancer. We were both healthy people.

When the radiologist took the scan, he had to stop suddenly as I was so ill. He then asked me if I would go to Epping Hospital. I would have gone to the moon. I had 7.3 litres of fluid removed.

A few days later…

A few days later, they diagnosed me with advanced ovarian-type tumours. I had three tumours: one over my left ovary, one near my navel and one near my appendix. The surgeon told me there was no cure as soon as he met my eyes. He gave me the rundown on the chemo and his expectations, but he left me in charge of my variant type. Then he said, “Let’s see how long we can keep you on the planet”. He repeated this the next time I saw Him. After four treatments of chemo, they booked me in for an operation to remove the bony tumours. Four months had passed by this time, and I was doing all right on the chemo. My Lab tumour markers had gone down significantly.

A couple of days after the operation, the surgeon came in to talk with me. He said he had removed the shrunken tumours and taken out my appendix, but when he got to the pelvis, he discovered live cancer in my bowel.

This is my story

He didn’t want to remove my bowel as I would have had to have a bag, and he was aiming for quality of life. I then had to start the chemo all over again. The whole process took from the 10th of April to the 27th of November. I have been gaining strength, and for the last few months, I feel as if I’m getting on top of it. This week, I attended my three monthly HPV clinic test appointments, and my oncologist told me that my CA125 tumour markers had decreased to seven.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share part of my HPV story. I hope it helps others. You do have to take charge of your own life. I have learnt so much during this time. Also, I knew my time was not over on this earth. I believe God has something for me to do. Now, I look after a five-acre property. I pace myself and don’t worry about the things that used to bother me. More, I try to stay healthy. I eat fruit and vegetables, especially those recommended by the Cancer Council. I take my dog walking around the property and exercise. It is good to be alive, and one thing I know. I will never be afraid of cancer again.