After experiencing what was believed to be urinary tract infections, Sarah Nally is now preparing for a major surgery to remove a mass the size of a baby's head from her ovary.
The 26-year-old, originally from Monaghan but living in Portstewart, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in October, a conversation which sent shock-waves throughout her and her family's worlds.
But despite the trauma and turmoil of the devastating diagnosis, Sarah is fighting to raise awareness for ovarian cancer in the hope that other women can feel empowered to be confident when asking for medical help.
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Speaking to Belfast Live, Sarah explained how she was experiencing symptoms similar to that of a UTI, however these would get progressively worse, having huge impact on her daily life.
Before her diagnosis, Sarah had been doing a PHD which was funded by Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke - alongside this, she was worked as a lecturer in the University of Limerick.
"Over the past year, I have been suffering with ongoing, what I thought was UTIs," she said.
"These can occur really from a lot of different things. When I got a UTI they were getting progressively worse and I got a pain in my back and my kidneys were affected. I would have had sore heads and different things, alongside the UTI and would have treated them with the usual antibiotics.
"From January 2022, I had about three UTIs and then a fourth in May when I was in Portugal on holidays. There I had to get emergency antibiotics. They were always bad but they were becoming worse. I had a smear test booked for June and told the doctor that there was something wrong with my body.
"I had excruciating pain around my period, particularly with PMS. Unfortunately, I feel like I was completely let down. Even though this was my third or fourth time giving out about my period, my GP insisted that there was nothing that could be done, other than put me back on the contraceptive pill or over the counter pain medication.
"I had refused the pill because I had been on it for years and I don't agree with it. I felt really frustrated and that my voice wasn't heard. There was nothing that could be done for me. I was told to come back in a couple of months and it was left at that.
"In September I had an awful lot of pressure on me in terms of workload and my PHD. There was a lot of different stress factors. The first three weeks, what I thought was a UTI was really giving me bother to the point where during the last week I went to a doctor in Limerick.
"I had terrible back pain and tiredness. I couldn't lift my head or work to the best of my ability. I was feeling extremely nausea too, as if I needed to be sick but I couldn't. On the Sunday I went to the doctor on call and described my symptoms and the doctor wrote me a referral letter to A&E.
"I went to A&E and had tests done which all came back clear. They done an ultrasound and of course, during that, they picked up that I had pain around my pelvic area. It was passed on and in the space of three days, I was given ever scan possible. On the Wednesday, I was told that they found a mass the size of a babies head in me.
"I started screaming. I knew it wasn't good news. I just knew."
Sarah says once she was admitted to hospital, the care she received was "unbelievable". Within five days, she knew she had stage three ovarian cancer.
"To be going in to hospital with a UTI and coming out with cancer, it rocked my entire world.
" It was very hard to take but I would say the most traumatic thing isn't to have found out I had cancer, it was to see my mum and dad finding out I had cancer. It was heartbreaking. That is something I felt I was putting on them. I find that incredibly hard to deal with.
"I was diagnosed on the 7th of October and have had one surgery since then, to remove excess fluid from my abdomen and to look at the tumours. At the minute, every day is different - I feel so blessed to have caught it but extremely sore. My major surgery is on December 2. It is huge and any woman knows how daunting the thought of a huge part of your womanhood removed. I am not scared of the surgery but coming out of it, I am terrified.
"Every morning when I wake up, I feel so grateful. I thought before, that I was fighting for my life, but now I know I will get through this. I know that this is juts a bump in the road and I know that I need to speak up because there are so many people with no idea what ovarian cancer is and so many GPs who are dismissing women of their symptoms and when they hear of any problems linked to the menstrual cycle, they go straight to the contraceptive pill."
Sarah continued: "There is a lack of education. If you were to ask any of my friends, not one would know the symptoms of ovarian cancer. I want every woman to not take no for an answer. Women know their own bodies. I had no idea before I was diagnosed. It is a huge and silent killer.
"I don't want what has happened to me, to happened to anyone else. If I can help at least one other woman, by speaking out, then my job is done. The awareness needs to be created.
"When I went public on this, there was such kindness but at the same time I had a lot of messages from people worried about their own symptoms, and giving out about their own GPs - it was a mixed bag. I would say that people are grateful that I have spoken up and they are not afraid to talk about the topic. It has also given em strength because I am helping others.
"My DMs are always open, but I would advise anyone nervous about symptoms they have, to go to their GP and if they can't get answers to ask to be referred on. Don't take no for an answer. This has reshaped my way of thinking in terms of life.
"If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, for two or more weeks, please seek medical advice - persistent stomach pain, persistent bloating, difficulty eating/feeling full more quickly or needing to wee more frequently.
"Other symptoms, such as back pain, fatigue, weight fluctuation and pain during sex may also be present. In my case my symptoms were feeling nauseous, extreme fatigue, back and pelvic pain. You know your body - so if in doubt, get checked out."
Find out more about ovarian cancer symptoms and support through here.
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