- 1
- 2
- next
- | single page
Alice Voight
Living with ovarian cancer for four years, she’s already beat the odds of a disease once called the Silent Killer.
Alice Vogt lives in Bedford County with her husband Owen. At 63, she is retired from Carilion, where she worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist doing psychotherapy and counseling from 1999 to 2010. She chose to retire in July 2010, when the cancer that has become easier to treat but still has no cure made a repeat visit.
“I’m in remission now and I hope and pray I stay there, but ovarian cancer is a chronic illness. As with any chronic illness, it is known to reoccur and sometimes can no longer be treated,” Alice says.
Alice was first diagnosed in July 2008 and has already been through two intense rounds of chemotherapy, so she knows what she’s up against. Her positive attitude and involvement in an ovarian cancer support group, Whispering Hope through the Carilion Clinic office of Dr. Janet Osborne, MD, keep her going and allow her to spread the message she thinks every woman should hear.
“Take heart, know your body, and spread the word,” says Alice.
She is hand-stitching a “Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer” quilt to convey this message. Teal hearts create a clover shape surrounded by the teal ribbons of ovarian cancer awareness to create a masterful handiwork that tells of Alice’s journey. She explains that “break the silence” is a double entendre.
A fan of the literary device, the savvy woman says there is more than one way to break the silence on ovarian cancer. First, women need to know their own bodies and speak to their doctors about any concerns. Second, women need to be aware of possible symptoms and speak out to educate healthcare providers, friends, and family members.
Dr. Osborne, a gynecological oncologist with Carilion Clinic, agrees that women and healthcare providers need more information and education about ovarian cancer.
“Awareness is improving, but it’s not anywhere near where it needs to be yet,” she says.
Symptoms of ovarian cancer often resemble symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders, like irritable bowel syndrome or acid reflux. If doctors don’t add ovarian cancer to the list of possible causes for symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full, and urinary urgency or frequency, then they will never be able to make the diagnosis.
According to Dr. Osborne, since the symptoms often misrepresent a gynecological problem and there is no screening test for ovarian cancer, over 75 percent of women are already in the third or fourth stage by the time they’re diagnosed.
“Women need to understand that some of the symptoms of ovarian cancer are very subtle and they themselves need to be the ones who raise the questions to their doctor,” the cancer specialist continues.
Alice first noticed irregular symptoms in July 2008 when she was 58-years-old. Though menopausal, she experienced symptoms similar to menstruation like bloating, cramping and pelvic pain. Alice followed her intuition and first saw a nurse practitioner and then a gynecological oncologist for further testing.
A CA-125 blood test, or tumor marker, determined that she had elevated levels of the protein found in most ovarian cancer cells and alerted her healthcare providers to her condition. After an initial surgery, Alice learned the cancer was in both of her ovaries and had also spread outside of them.
“I had these unusual symptoms and it’s a good thing I followed up on them because in a week, they went away,” Alice says.
By September, she had a port to begin chemotherapy treatment.
Her husband, Owen, had one of the hardest jobs during chemo, Alice says. He had to help her keep her head shaved, which he didn’t like doing to her, but she chose to shave her head and purchase a wig once she noticed the first clump of hair falling out in the shower.
The care and support she received from Dr. Osborne’s office helped her know what to expect during chemo and how to prepare for some of the dangerous side effects like nausea and weight loss.
“The nurses and doctors directed me to keep an anti-nausea medicine on board for the days after chemo because if I got nauseous, then I wouldn’t eat, and if I didn’t eat, I would lose weight,” Alice explains.
