Karyn's story
May 29, 2026
Karyn’s story is why research matters
When Karyn first noticed something wasn’t right, it didn’t seem too serious.
She was constantly bloated. Eating became difficult. She was running to the bathroom more often. Her doctor put it down to food intolerance. Then hormones. Then menopause.
It took six months — and more than six litres of fluid building up in her abdomen — before she was finally diagnosed with stage 3C high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
An all-too-common story
Karyn’s experience is not unusual for someone with ovarian cancer. The average time from first GP visit to diagnosis is 31 weeks. Ovarian cancer symptoms are often vague, and with no early detection test, many women are diagnosed late — when the disease is much harder to treat.
And while survival rates for many cancers have improved dramatically over the past few decades, ovarian cancer has not seen the same progress. Average five-year survival is just 49%, and for those with advanced disease, it’s only 31%.
That’s not because progress isn’t possible. It’s because research investment is inadequate - and has been for a long time.
For women like Karyn, that neglect has real consequences.
Her treatment was extensive and exhausting — a 12-hour surgery, 18 weeks of chemotherapy and a long recovery. Most of the drugs she was given have been around for decades and take a heavy toll.
Although initial scans showed no visible cancer, it returned just weeks later.
Now, Karyn is undergoing a clinical trial for a targeted treatment. It’s difficult and uncertain, but she continues — hoping it works – for herself, for her husband and children, and for the women who will face this disease in the future.
That’s the future the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation is working towards.
Help us move faster
Your donation can help us ensure a healthy vital future for all those affected by ovarian cancer.
Please give as generously as you can before 30 June.
Get the latest news, stories & updates.
