Lucy Trahair was young, healthy and living her best life when her world took an unexpected, painful turn in September.
The young mother from South Australia started experiencing mild stomach pain, bloating, fatigue and subtle changes in her bowel movements earlier this year.
She described her complaints as ‘vague’. She didn’t think much of them because they were few and far between.
But Lucy eventually went to a GP after realizing something was not quite right with her body when her stomach cramps became unbearable.
Then, at age 25, she received the devastating diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
‘I was surprisingly calm and level-headed when the doctor first told me. It was probably a coping mechanism or a state of shock, but I tried to take everything as it came and not let the fear take over,” Lucy tells FEMAIL.
“Of course, afterwards I had overwhelming feelings of ‘this is so unfair’ and worried about what my future might look like from here.”
She never thought anything was wrong because she had done everything she could to stay on top of her health, including having her first Pap smear as soon as she turned 25.
Lucy Trahair was young, seemingly healthy, and living her best life when her world unexpectedly took a painful turn
“I’m only 25 so I got my first one this year, but it definitely came back,” says Lucy.
‘Unfortunately, Pap smears detect abnormalities of the cervix, not the ovaries – a common misconception, even among me.’
A Pap smear does not detect ovarian cancer; it is only used to screen for cervical cancer.
Before her shock diagnosis, Lucy led a seemingly normal life.
“I had a relatively healthy diet and actively went to the gym,” she says.
“I had literally just quit my job to become a stay-at-home mom with my two-year-old daughter and, ironically, ‘live my best life.’”
She did not know that the cancer was growing ‘unknowingly’ in her body.
Over the course of three weeks, she felt tired and bloated and developed abdominal pain, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
“I was on holiday in South Australia and noticed something wasn’t quite right,” she recalls.
‘The only thing that really prompted me to go to the doctor at the time were stomach cramps.’
The mother (in the photo with her two-year-old daughter) was diagnosed with ovarian cancer
She initially assumed her symptoms were related to endometriosis as they were similar to the condition, which affects one in nine women in Australia.
“A few of my friends have endometriosis, and what I described sounded like their stories,” she says.
‘I think when it comes to women’s health, especially reproductive health, it’s easy to dismiss things as symptoms of our menstrual cycle.’
Lucy was sent away for CT scans, ultrasounds, biopsies and blood tests.
“Nothing was very clear from those tests,” she explains.
A few days later she received a call from her doctor saying there was an abnormal looking cyst, so she was booked for surgery to have it removed.
‘Doctors knew something was abnormal. But they still didn’t know if the tumors were cancerous or not,” she says.
After the procedure, Lucy was diagnosed with stage three low-grade ovarian cancer at the age of 25.
Ovarian cancer can occur at any age, but in Australia it most commonly occurs in women who have gone through menopause, with the average age at diagnosis being 64 years.
According to Rare Cancers Australia, low-grade serous carcinomas are rare, with tumor cells appearing mildly or moderately abnormal. This indicates a low-grade tumor, which are cancers that grow slowly and are generally less aggressive.
Early warning signs
Her diagnosis came after she missed the early warning signs of cancer.
“Looking back, I had some symptoms that I looked past just because they were so vague, like fatigue, bowel movements, painful periods and bloating,” she said.
Lucy underwent a complete hysterectomy and had her appendix removed due to the spread of the cancer
The 25-year-old is in hospital with her partner after receiving a shock diagnosis
During the operation, Lucy underwent a full hysterectomy, which meant she could no longer become pregnant in the future.
“I won’t be able to have children anymore,” she explains.
During the same procedure, her appendix and omentum (a thin tissue that lines the abdomen) were also removed due to the spread of the cancer.
“I’m about to start chemotherapy to try to remove the last bits they couldn’t remove during surgery,” she says.
‘However, it is known that low-grade serous carcinoma is not overly reactive with chemo.’
One of her biggest challenges was recovering from surgery, especially while caring for her toddler daughter.
“My mother’s guilt takes the cake, especially when I haven’t been able to pick her up, drive her, or be 100 percent present for her,” she says.
“I’m so lucky that we have a village of support.”
With her condition currently unknown, Lucy believes the best she can do now is to stay positive
‘This is just the beginning’
With her condition currently unknown, Lucy believes the best she can do now is to stay positive.
“Unfortunately, this is just the beginning of my journey,” she says.
‘But mentally I’m in a good situation and I’m taking everything as it comes.’
She hopes her story can encourage everyone to get tested, no matter how minor the symptoms.
“Any abnormal change in your body or health is so important to get checked,” she says.
‘Common warning signs of ovarian cancer include changes in bowel habits, frequent urination, bloating, pelvic/back cramps or even filling up quickly.’
By speaking out, she hopes to remind women to always listen to their bodies
By speaking out, Lucy – whoever that is at the moment fundraising for ovarian cancer research – hopes to remind women to always listen to their bodies.
‘I think we put up with pain too often because it is so normalized for us. For example, severe menstrual pain,” she says.
‘It’s important to remember that cancer knows no boundaries. It can produce the youngest and/or healthiest people.”
According to the Cancer Council, the only way to confirm the diagnosis of ovarian cancer is to remove a tissue sample from the tumor, or to drain fluid from the abdomen or chest if fluid is present.
“Right now, surgery is the only way to get a proper diagnosis,” she says.
‘I would like people to understand that there is no early detection test for ovarian cancer and that we really need to raise awareness of this cancer to get the funding needed for better prevention.’
You’re not alone
For those who have cancer, Lucy says, “You’re not alone.”
“Take each day as it comes because it can be overwhelming,” she explains.
‘Ask your healthcare provider as many questions as you want, no question is silly. And most importantly, reach out to your loved ones for support.”