Sally: "It never crossed my mind that I had cancer, I just knew something wasn’t right."
Sally’s life was saved by a bath. It triggered pain so severe, an ambulance had to be called, before she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in A&E. She’d struggled with symptoms in the months before but she was consistently been misdiagnosed.
Sally has now been given the all-clear, but she shares she wants women to be listened to and to trust their knowledge of their own bodies.
This Gynae Cancer Awareness Month, we’re done being told we are overreacting. Here Sally-Anne tells us her ovarian cancer story.
I first started to feel unwell in April 2024 and thought it was probably a tummy bug. I now know it was something far more serious.
Life was busy, my job was stressful, and I was always on the go – so I ended up being a bit too carefree when it came to my health.
Honestly, I thought it would just pass, but then I could feel myself getting more and more bloated. By May, my stomach was so enlarged that my clothes didn’t fit! I assumed I must have been putting on weight, so I started walking regularly and doing home exercises - but nothing was changing.
Off to the doctor’s I went, but they told me it was food poisoning and that I would feel better in a few days. I knew it didn’t make sense since I was eating the same food as my husband, and I told them this, but they said it was nothing to worry about.
By June, I wasn’t really eating. I’d cook dinner, have one or two mouthfuls, and then be too full to eat any more. At the same time, my stomach became so bloated that I ended up looking 9 months pregnant. I also needed to pee constantly, so I took myself back to the doctors to figure out what was going on. This time, they diagnosed me with a contracting bladder and gave me medication.
I wish I’d known more about ovarian cancer then, because I can see clearly now that I had the symptoms. It never even crossed my mind that I had cancer; I just knew something wasn’t right.
By July, my symptoms were getting worse. I was very emotional about it all, and then I began to experience diarrhoea.
On 22 July – I remember the date so well – I was feeling rubbish, and so I decided to take a bath. That bath saved my life. The pain became so horrendous that I knew I was going into shock.
I called my husband, who thankfully was only 5 minutes from home, and told him he needed to call an ambulance right away.
999 took 45 minutes to call my husband back and told him it would be 21 hours before an ambulance would arrive. Luckily, my husband drives, and we have access to a car, so the operator recommended we get there ourselves. It was a nightmare.
When we arrived at A&E, the nurse checking my ops took one look at me and knew something was wrong. She had me in a bed and a bay within minutes, and I can’t thank her enough. At this point they suspected I had appendicitis.
I was in A&E for around 10 hours whilst they did various scans, and then a porter came to take me to the Gynaecology department.
Sally
I was in A&E for around 10 hours whilst they did various scans, and then a porter came to take me to the Gynaecology department.
I was in the hospital for around 10 days as they did different tests, and it took a while to get my pain under control. The first consultant I saw told me I had a twisted ovary, but I knew something was up when they told me I was moving to a different consultant.
When the new consultant came to see me, she asked if I had had my results explained to me. I told her I had, thinking it was about the twisted ovary, and that’s when she told me I had a lump and that they thought it was ovarian cancer.
I was so surprised. It’s something I never thought I’d go through, but I had an amazing support group around me.
I was diagnosed at stage 1c2, and I feel extremely lucky that I didn’t have to have chemotherapy. But I did have surgery to remove the left ovary, as well as a womb washing.
I was then monitored through blood tests and scans and had an appointment booked with a consultant for 6 months’ time. At that appointment, they discussed my options around being monitored or having a full hysterectomy.
I chose the hysterectomy because I didn’t want to feel like there was a cloud hanging over me. I’m so glad I did because during the hysterectomy, they found another tumour on my right ovary that was also a 1c2.
I’ll continue to be monitored, but I feel much better in myself. In May 2025, I was incredibly grateful to get the all clear.
If I notice any changes in myself or anything unusual, then I have to contact the gynaecology team straight away. My consultants were amazing, and it’s a relief that I can contact them directly rather than go through the doctors.
Truthfully, I’ve lost faith in my GP, which is hard. I now feel wary after not being listened to for months before.
Sally with her husband, Andy
I’ve started a new job as I wanted a change of pace, and I’ve learnt to appreciate the little things in life and slow down a bit more.
I love spending time with my husband Andy and our two cats Crumble and Chip. Now I can get back to doing things I did before my diagnosis, like spending time with my wonderful nephews and nieces and playing bingo.
I read a quote that’s stuck with me. “People say we only live once, when actually you only die once. You live every day.” So that's my new outlook on life.
Women need to be listened to. We know our own bodies and know when things aren't right If telling my story can help one person, then that would be amazing.
Sally’s story is a powerful reminder that listening to your body and speaking up for yourself matters. Ovarian cancer can be difficult to spot, but knowing the symptoms – and pushing for answers if something doesn’t feel right – can make all the difference.
This Gynae Cancer Awareness Month, we’re asking everyone to take a moment to learn the signs, trust their instincts, and advocate for themselves and their loved ones. Together, we can change the story for women facing ovarian cancer.
Find out more about the symptoms and our Gynae Cancer Awareness campaign.
