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Minnesota cancer sisters help save life after speaking up
A pair of sisters who learned they were both diagnosed with ovarian cancer helped save another life after sharing their story last year. FOX 9's Leah Beno has the update.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Two sisters with ovarian cancer are being credited with saving a FOX 9 viewer's life. And now they're working together to promote awareness and raise funds to help more women.
3 women bonded for life
The backstory:
A long awaited first meeting, Jean, Julie and now Joan are bonded for life.
"I think they literally saved my life," says Joan.
A year ago, FOX 9 told you about sisters, Jean and Julie, who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer just a few months apart.
"We keep saying are we ever going to have a conversation that doesn’t involve our GI issues," the sisters said, laughing about it in September 2024.
Joan was watching FOX 9 and realized she was experiencing similar stomach issues that would come and go, similar to the sisters. A few doctor referrals later she was diagnosed with Stage 1 ovarian cancer.
"So I had surgery, and there was some cancer, so I had a hysterectomy. But when the cancer results came in, it was Stage 1. No lymph nodes were included. So I'm told that it's a miracle because ovarian cancer — it's never discovered that early," says Joan.
"We're really, really hoping that research will find the key to the early detection because what they have now is not much," says Jean.
Walk to raise money for research
That is why these sisters, just as they did last year, will once again walk in the MOCA HOM Teal Strides for Ovarian Cancer walk/run on Saturday, Sept. 13 and help raise money for critical research.
"To have something that almost always is diagnosed at Stage 4 is just unthinkable at this point," says MOCA executive director Mary Uran. "So let's keep pushing for a cure and better screening tools."
Why they are sharing their story
What they're saying:
Uran points out this year the American Cancer Society estimates nearly 21,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the United States, and nearly 13,000 women will die from this disease in 2025 alone.
That is why Joan plans to join the walk this year and raise money for more research Why Julie is still part of a clinical trial. Why Jean recently had a recurrence and is going through more treatment and continues to share her story through her health struggles.
If they can get even one woman watching to pay close attention to her body, and get to the doctor if needed, that is in some ways the best medicine of all.
"That was so uplifting. It was such a boost to our spirits to know that we helped someone," says Jean, "I mean it was amazing so thank you."
For more information on ovarian cancer, here's the Mayo Clinic's webpage on it.