Walcha businesswoman, and mother of two, Bev Betts was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in September 2017 shortly after she won a long battle with cancer of the thyroid gland. However, as what appears to be the case quite often with ovarian cancer, it wasn't a straightforward diagnosis.

Mrs Betts was seeing her Sydney gynaecologist on a six-monthly basis following a prolapsed uterus and thyroid cancer treatment. In September last year, she called the gynaecologist and complained of unexplained bleeding.

"She booked me into the Randwick Hospital and examined me under a general anaesthetic and told me everything was OK," said Mrs Betts.

"So I went home and had the same symptoms, and then I got  more symptoms of bloating when I was in Sydney with my husband for his shoulder operation."

Mrs Betts says she blamed an allergy for the bloating.

"I took wheat and milk out of my diet, got frail and then in April 2018 I went back to the gynaecologist, and she examined me in her surgery and said everything is OK, you have bowel or abdominal trouble you should see your local GP, " she said.

"Then when I came home I had the grandchildren one weekend and found I was slow with my breath and I said to my husband that's unusual, so I booked an appointment with my doctor."

 Mrs Betts went to her general practitioner in Armidale, and he sent her for an ultrasound.

"When I was told to come back to see the results he said to me 'bring the family with you'," Mrs Betts said.

"I was told I had level four cancer in the bowel, abdomen, ovaries and liver."

To quickly fix her breathing Mrs Betts went to Coffs Harbour with her husband where nurses in the pathology department removed two litres of fluid from her lungs.

"The fluid build up in my tummy from ovarian cancer had caused the problem, and I had just been putting it down to overeating and allergy," Mrs Betts said.

Following six lots of chemotherapy, surgery, and an incredibly positive outlook, Mrs Betts is now in remission and undergoing a fortnightly maintenance treatment program. 

"The community support I have received is wonderful, and I feel privileged to now be able to put my energy into raising awareness in our town," she said. 

"It is so important for women, particularly those aged between 30 and 40 with young children, to be aware and get tested if they have any unexplained symptoms."

Symptoms of ovarian cancer

According to the Ovarian Cancer Australia website there is no early detection test for ovarian cancer, so all women need to be aware of the symptoms. The most commonly reported symptoms for ovarian cancer are:

Additional Symptoms

It is important to remember all the symptoms mentioned can be caused by other, less serious medical conditions according to Ovarian Cancer Australia. However, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, which are persistent and troublesome, they strongly encourage you to see your doctor. Your doctor will be able to examine you and if necessary, do further tests to find the cause of your problems.

If you are not comfortable with your doctor’s diagnosis or you are still concerned about unexplained persistent symptoms, you should seek a second opinion.

Finally, the Ovarian Cancer Australia website states that you know your body better than anyone else, so always listen to what your body is saying and trust your instincts.