On The Other Side, with Dr Shabnam Gujadhur

[approx. 3 minutes 30 second read]

Working as a junior medical doctor at Queensland hospital, Dr Shabnam Gujadhur did not expect to experience the health system from the other side so soon in her life and career.  

Earlier this year, at just 30 years of age, the OCRF ambassador was diagnosed with Stage 1, mixed dysgerminoma and gonadoblastoma – two types of ovarian cancer after what were three weeks of vague symptoms.  

Below, Dr Shabnam Gujadhur shares her incredible story for the 2022 Georg Jensen campaign in her own words. 

Shabnam in the 2022 Georg Jensen campaign.

I can remember having always been fascinated by the field of medicine since my earliest childhood as both my parents are actively practising medical doctors. So, it was no surprise I followed in my parents’ footsteps. At the age of 19 upon successful completion of my Cambridge A-levels, I moved to Australia to undertake my undergraduate degree in laboratory medicine from my home in Mauritius, a small island off the eastern coast of Madagascar. 

I graduated in 2021 with a Doctor of Medicine and started working as a junior doctor on the Gold Coast in early 2022.  

We often hear the saying that doctors are the worst patients. Maybe it’s because we attend to patients every day, we are so familiar with what it looks like to be sick, to be vulnerable, and to hear the fears of the ailing.  We also sometimes have unrealistic expectations of ourselves to be stronger. Sadly, I was one of them. 

Being a workaholic, my physical wellbeing had mostly been under-appreciated. Consequently, when I started having vague symptoms (which later was diagnosed as ovarian cancer) I brushed it off, telling myself to “just get over it”. Yet three weeks went by, and I was still experiencing cramps and inter-menstrual bleeding. I finally went to see my GP on one of my weekends off at the end of February 2022 and organised an ultrasound. Now, the series of events which unfolded after were quite fast, events which I did not foresee, and which prompted me to re-examine priorities in life. 

I still vividly remember walking out of the Emergency Department on Friday 4th March following an overnight shift and checking my phone to find out that I have been recalled by my GP for an “abnormal result”. In a matter of no time, I was referred to the gynecologist and was booked in for surgery on the 18th March for the removal of an ovarian cyst on my left ovary.  

On the 23rd March, I was given the diagnosis of endometriosis and ovarian cancer, the latter two words which completely changed my life. Now, I can’t really tell how it felt to hear those words, perhaps an initial lump in my throat whilst holding back tears, but it would be right to say that I cannot truly explain those intense feelings and emotions. That same day, I was seen by the gynae-oncologist and booked in for a staging surgery the following week to remove my left ovary and fallopian tube.  

On 30th March, I found myself being wheeled again into another operating theatre, with hope being my sole possession. Hair raising, heart-pounding, provoked by an endogenous adrenaline released, I closed my eyes to the hinted melody of the ventilation machine.  

In the midst of my lows, hope seemed far away. Nonetheless, I gradually felt uplifted by the ongoing love and support I received from my family and friends, from new friendships and individuals who have been in similar situations like me. I soon realised that I was not alone and found meaning from other people stories during this baffling time. It is taken for truism that the deepest disappointment come from close victories. 

It was only at the start of May 2022 that some light was shed on my final diagnosis, staging and future management. I was diagnosed with a stage 1 mixed dysgerminoma and gonadoblastoma – two types of ovarian cancer cells.  

While I consider myself as one of those ‘lucky ones’ since my cancer was picked at an early stage, the next twelve months for me is critical due to the high risk of recurrence (around 70% of ovarian cancer patients experience a recurrence in the first two years after remission). For now, I am being closely monitored with monthly blood tests, scans and follow-ups with my gynae-oncologist. In the case of a future recurrence, chemotherapy would be the next step. 

As I navigated my way through this ovarian cancer diagnosis, part of me had this fierce desire to do something. For me, that was to share my story, to not only help me heal and build self-acceptance but also to help others by spreading awareness about ovarian cancer – a silent killer and an ignored killer.  

As a doctor and as a woman with ovarian cancer, I wanted to use my voice more poignantly, to raise funds for future research for an early detection test and to enhance treatment options.  

I hope that generations to come will be able to benefit from an early detection test for ovarian cancer.