Pay attention to what your body is telling you… This is the message today's guest, Alvina Nadeem wishes to shout to the world. At just 36 years of age, Alvina is currently undergoing chemotherapy after a 16cm cancerous mass on her left ovary was removed, along with a full hysterectomy. After the surgery and a full biopsy Alvina was diagnosed with a High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer, the most aggressive form of ovarian cancer. Ovarian Cancer is rare but is nicknamed the silent killer in the cancer world. This is because it has very elusive, non-specific symptoms, which means most women aren’t detected until stage III or stage IV. It also usually presents in post-menopausal women, which unfortunately speaks volumes on how often women’s health concerns are dismissed and not taken seriously. The stats aren’t good… 😔 Most cases of Ovarian Cancer have a 5-year survival rate of only 40-50%. 👍 BUT this number improves drastically IF detected early - now we’re talking about a 90% survival rate! 😔 Sadly, currently only 15% of cases are detected early, meaning a whopping 85% of women with ovarian cancer are in the 40-50% bucket. These are not just statistics. These are people. Mothers, sisters, daughters, grandmothers, and in some cases women that will never get to experience motherhood because of this disease. This is unacceptable. Fortunately, Alvina’s case was miraculously detected early, at stage one, which gives her a great prognosis we talk about her journey including: 🍁 Her signs and symptoms 🍁 Tests leading to her diagnosis 🍁 Importance of communication with her medical team 🍁 Dealing with instant surgical menopause This cancer may be silent, but Alvina refuses to be. She is committed to being super loud and vocal to raise awareness and shine a light on Ovarian Cancer. 👉 More awareness 👉 More funds 👉 More cases of early detection 👉 More research Alvina’s message for everyone… You know your body better than anyone else, so always listen to what your body is saying and trust your instincts. You’re also the best advocate for your own health. If you are not comfortable with your doctor’s diagnosis or you are still concerned about unexplained persistent symptoms, you should always seek a second opinion. I hope you enjoyed today's episode… with the link below or subscribe on your favourite podcast platform!