Aida
In my case, HPV infections were formed between the time I went to live abroad. The pandemic and the delay in CA125 test appointments. I went 5 years without setting foot in my HPV gynaecologist’s office. And I have paid very badly for it. In these years, I developed a “benign” disease and endometriosis.
To make matters worse, it formed an ovarian Ca125-related tumour that grew and grew and became malignant. Now, in the middle of chemotherapy after surgery and with my life a little adrift (I couldn’t freeze my eggs, and if the endometriosis hasn’t made me sterile, the chemotherapy will), I have to be thankful that I’m still alive and very happy. Good prognosis.
My name is Aida. I am 33 years old, and in August 2021, I was diagnosed with ovarian HPV diseases and with cancer. I have decided to share this here to raise awareness among other young girls. Age does not make us immune to suffering from cancer, even one as rare as ovarian tumours.
Girls, you must go to the HPV test gynaecologist every 6 months or yearly. I am not going to blame myself because it is not my fault that I have cancer. Check-ups are essential for early detection and, consequently, improving prognosis. I have been incredibly lucky with the bad luck of having cancer. On top of that, at such a young age. Others, unfortunately, cannot say the same.
A hug, and take care of yourselves.
Alba’s testimony
My name is Alba, and I am 17 years old. Six days ago, I lost my mother to ovarian CA125 tumours after an 11-and-a-half-year battle. Complications arose when she was diagnosed with liver metastases and, a few months ago, with lung metastases. She underwent various chemotherapy treatments, experiencing four years of remission without issues or HPV viral treatment. Unfortunately, the cancer returned with a vengeance. The CA125 doctors administered radiotherapy, further weakening her. She prepared to enter a clinical trial a few months back, but it fell through. They attempted another type of chemotherapy, but she developed an allergy, forcing them to discontinue it.
Three weeks ago, my mother became very weak. During a visit to the emergency room, we discovered that she had suffered a heart attack due to the chemotherapy. Her already poor circulatory system couldn’t handle the medication, leading to a blocked artery and further decline in her health.
I am immensely proud of my decision to keep my mother at home. This allowed me to care for her, express my feelings, and show my gratitude for the life she gave me and for shaping me into who I am today. I ensured she knew how proud I was of her relentless fight to stay with my father and me. One of her early remarks when she first fell ill was, “I couldn’t die with such a small daughter.” She lived up to her words, enduring until I was almost 18 years old. Though my mother ultimately succumbed to her illness, she succeeded in moulding me into the woman she envisioned. Her strength and love have left an indelible mark on me, and I will carry her legacy forward with pride.
Isabel
Hello, my name is Isabel, and I am a CA125 patient with stage 3 ovarian cancer. It all started on May 20, 2024. After dinner that day, I started with horrible pain in my abdomen. Thinking about appendicitis, I went to the HPV emergency room at my health testing centre. After evaluating me, the doctor took me by ambulance to the hospital, where they did some CA125 blood tests and admitted me to the internal medicine ward; they continued doing tests, and after 10 days of admission, the big news came: I had ovarian cancer, and I have to have surgery.
They sent me home, and after ten days, I went into the CA125 operating room. It is a complicated surgery that lasts 8 hours in which they remove my ovaries, tubes, appendix, uterus, as well as para-aortic pelvic lymph nodes and clean the omentum. I spent 10 days in the hospital, and a month later, I began 6 sessions of chemotherapy. I won’t lie to you; they were horrible, with many side effects: vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, constipation, and worst, the unfortunate loss of my hair and eyebrows. Everything is fine now. My hair and eyebrows have grown, and I am on the road to recovery.
In December, I started taking chemo pills, and it seems that they are having an effect since the HPV tumour values are low and the CT scans are normal. Tell them that when they give you this news, your world falls apart, but you have to be positive, and with the help of your family, anything is possible; I believe in that. Many greetings and encouragement to all.