Susanna, Australia

It all began in early 2019. I had not had a menstrual period for over 12 months, and despite raising this repeatedly, my GP at the time reassured me that it was stress-related and possibly due to perimenopause, as I was around 42 years old.

One day, while at work, I became acutely unwell and attended my local medical clinic. On this occasion, I saw a different GP who was immediately concerned that I may have a urinary tract infection. Unlike my previous consultations, she reviewed my medical history and past blood results thoroughly and identified clear abnormalities that had been previously overlooked.

She referred me for an internal ultrasound, which revealed abnormalities on my ovaries. This led to further investigations, including a biopsy, which ultimately confirmed a diagnosis of stage 4 ovarian cancer.

I want to share an update regarding my health and provide some context around the challenges I’ve experienced over the past few years.

Since my initial diagnosis, my cancer has unfortunately recurred multiple times. During my first treatment, I underwent chemotherapy and a hysterectomy. While this was confronting, I continued to work throughout that period with the support of my family and friends.

The second recurrence occurred approximately four and a half years later, in late 2023. This round of chemotherapy and treatment was significantly more difficult, and I was unable to work for three months. During that time, I relied entirely on my accrued annual and sick leave. The post-COVID healthcare environment, including in the private system, was extremely challenging, with understaffing and limited resources adding further strain during treatment.

A further recurrence followed the year after. While I was able to continue working on a part-time basis, I required a week off after each treatment cycle to recover, which was unpaid. During this period, I did not receive additional support at work, and expectations and budgets were set at full-time levels despite my reduced hours. This created considerable stress at an already difficult time.

Most recently, my cancer has recurred again. Since this diagnosis, I have been on a significant physical and emotional rollercoaster as I process both the medical reality and the cumulative impact of repeated treatment, recovery, and reduced support.

I wanted to provide this background to explain the context of my current situation and the toll these experiences have taken over time. I appreciate your understanding and consideration as I continue to navigate treatment and recovery.

My family is everything to me—my parents, my sister and her husband, and my super cute nephews, 5 and 3. I honestly can’t imagine being away from them. I’ve also got a few friends I know I can always rely on. Traveling overseas has been great too—it’s helped me grow in so many ways, both physically and emotionally.

The healthcare system in Australia has been deeply disappointing, and it seems to be getting worse under the current government. Despite being a private patient throughout my treatment, I have experienced significant inefficiencies that could have been avoided.

My most recent cancer recurrence occurred late last year. Given that the cancer is very small, my oncologist recommended that I participate in a clinical trial at Peter Mac. Pre-screening for the trial began in late December 2025, and the research team initially expressed confidence that everything would proceed smoothly. They even provided a detailed predicted schedule for upcoming treatments and assessments, which was quite intense and left no room for flexibility.

In early January, I completed the final pre-screening assessment—an ophthalmology assessment. During this period, another trial opportunity arose at Cabrini Hospital. However, my oncologist advised that Peter Mac would be clinically better for me.

To cut a long story short, on 13 January 2026, I was informed that I was not eligible for the Peter Mac trial due to a medication I have been taking for the past eight years—information that had been fully disclosed from the outset. The research team failed to conduct proper due diligence, which was extremely frustrating and disappointing. As a result, I also missed the opportunity to participate in the Cabrini trial.

My oncologist has since received approval for a new drug that has recently come off trial, and we are waiting for it to be shipped from Germany. Unfortunately, there is a delay due to the courier, which is again incredibly frustrating. This is not an online order for socks—it is a matter of life and death, yet accountability seems lacking.

Meanwhile, my cancer has progressed to the pleura, resulting in a pleural effusion that required drainage. The delays, lack of diligence, and mismanagement have had very real consequences on my health.

Do your research! You need to manage everyone, from specialists, GPS, research assistants to nurses.
Find yourself a good network.
Keep yourself busy or distracted if you can either through work, hobbies, travel etc.
Expect for some of your family and friends to fade away. Especially the ones that you thought would stick around.
Look after yourself and don't sweat the small stuff!