By: Ruth D. Merz
As I been reminded repeatedly, “You do know you are past your expiration date, don’t you?” With a Stage 2B and Grade III diagnosis in 2009, and a relapse in 2012, my chances for a normal … Read more
Call it luck — or a medical miracle. During clinical trials for experimental cancer drugs, some patients simply respond better than others. And a tiny fraction of patients see dramatic results, responding so well to treatment that they survive forms … Read more
With cancer, there are generally two scenarios – you either have it or you don’t. But I am somewhere in the middle, stuck inside a vortex. I don’t have cancer, but as a notable breast surgeon told me, “For you, … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
Many factors contribute to ovarian cancer being such a difficult disease both to diagnose and to control. First, unlike breast cancer where mammograms can detect fully contained tumor, no specific test can detect the presence of ovarian … Read more
On Monday, the devastating news broke that screen icon and comedy trailblazer Gene Wilder has passed away. He was 83. Wilder’s nephew Jordan Walker-Pearlman confirmed to Variety that he died due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. As we pay tribute … Read more
When Sherry Pollex was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer at age 35, one doctor suggested she wouldn’t live more than a couple of years. But two years later, after beating that prognosis, she celebrated by launching SherryStrong.org — a … Read more
Buried in the fine print of many marketplace health plan documents is language that allows them to refuse to cover a range of services that are used more often by women, a study finds. It’s unclear if these exclusions have … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
Nemesis is defined as, “the inescapable agent of someone’s or something’s downfall.” This word seems perfect to characterize neuropathy as for many people with post chemo neuropathy, the condition literally causes us to take numerous, unwanted falls.… Read more
With the number of cancer survivors growing every day, the question of what to eat after a cancer diagnosis is quickly becoming a hot topic. Some survivors believe it is of little importance: they have already been through cancer, so … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
“Resilience presents a challenge for psychologists. Whether you can be said to have it or not largely depends not on any particular psychological test but on the way your life unfolds. If you are lucky enough to … Read more
You’ve probably heard the adage that you are more likely to regret the things you didn’t do than the things you did. Maybe there’s a long lost love that got away, a career you wish you had pursued, a trip
… Read moreBy: Annette McElhiney
I’ve mentioned frequently, I’m not a medical doctor or a scientific researcher. I’m simply a former nurse, retired college English and Womens Studies Professor, and an 8-year survivor of IIIC ovarian cancer who wants to improve my … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
All my life women have surrounded me— so I am very comfortable in their presence. However, when I received my diagnosis of III C Ovarian Cancer in 2008, I felt like a lone rigid pillar of ice. … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
Most of us are aware of how animals can affect our state of mind both physically and psychologically. For years I taught in an inner city urban college made quite accessible to people who were differently abled. … Read more
Early detection saves lives. If you didn’t go to the grocery store in October or somehow managed to avoid the marketing genius of the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, then this might be news to you. So here it is once … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
Having been reared on a farm in the Midwest, I’ve always thought of April as a time of new awakenings. The leaves emerge, the grass turns green, the gentle warm rains sprinkle down, animals are born, and … Read more
When you’re diagnosed with cancer, there are so many feelings to experience that it’s difficult to put a name to them all. A regular listing of emotions stretches from upset, shocked and dismayed to scared and anxious.
After being told … Read more
Jack and Connie were married for 38 years. “We were living the dream,” he says. But the shock of Connie’s diagnosis was like “going 100 miles an hour, only to stop on a dime.”
He describes his wife as the … Read more
You have cancer. Treatment is taking a toll on you physically, emotionally, and mentally. On any given day, you may be nauseous, tired, anxious, or scared. You would like to hide from the world, but you have children who need … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
For 20 years teaching Literature and Women’s Studies courses in college, I recognized March as Women’s History month and African American History month. Having watched some of the 2016 presidential debates, I’ve been repulsed by the Xenophobic … Read more
Starting
January 1, 2025,
Clearity is joining
Ovarian Cancer
Research Alliance
(OCRA) and this website
will be redirected to
www.ocrahope.org
OCRA and Clearity are committed to serving the ovarian cancer community and providing the education, information, and support people need.
