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Sali's story
Sali, a mother of three young children from North Wales, never expected that trying to get back into fitness after having her twins would lead to an ovarian cancer diagnosis. She shares her experience of discovering a concerning pain that led to her successful, timely treatment at HCA Healthcare UK The Christie Private Care. Sali is now back to her active lifestyle, running and taking care of her young family, but she has an important message for other women.
“Whilst it was easy to dismiss my fatigue as simply part of looking after three young children, the pain I was getting while running couldn't be explained or ignored. Listening to that warning sign led me to my cancer diagnosis, when it was still at an early stage. That decision to see my doctor probably saved my life - I’m so thankful that I listened to my body.”
An unexpected symptom
"I have three young children – my oldest was five, and then I had twins who were just toddlers at the time. I was simply trying to get back into fitness after having the twins, running three times a week. But I kept getting a pain where my C-section scar was," Sali recalls.
"I knew that even though I wasn't an ‘ultra-fit’ person, I shouldn't be having pain that intense from just from running a few times a week. Something didn't feel right."
Sali decided to visit her GP, who ordered blood tests followed by an ultrasound at her local hospital. The results revealed a concerning mass that required further investigation.
Sali’s decision to act quickly
"When they told me they had found a mass, I was worried about waiting for the next tests. I wanted get to the bottom of what was wrong with me as soon as possible," Sali explains.
This decision led Sali to HCA Healthcare UK, where she met with Mr Mohammed Otify, consultant gynaecologist and gynaecological oncology surgeon at The Christie Private Care, for a consultation.
Further diagnostic tests, including an MRI and CT scan revealed troubling news. "Mr Otify told me it was cancer. In fact, the tumour was so large that chemotherapy wasn't an option – it needed to be surgically removed," Sali says.
Expert care without delay
Shortly after, Sali underwent surgery at The Christie Private Care. "I had a hysterectomy, but fortunately the cancer was contained to just one ovary. They were able to leave my other ovary to prevent me from going into menopause," she explains.
Because the cancer had been caught and treated early, it was contained to one ovary and had not spread. This good news meant Sali wouldn't need any further treatment at this stage and would have regular six-monthly check-ups.
"I'm very pleased with the results. The recovery was challenging at first, as the tumour was quite large, but I got there in time. I'm just grateful for the care I received and that I'm still here for my children, things could have been very different if I'd ignored that pain or put off seeing the doctor for a few more months," Sali reflects.
Mr Otify shares why an early diagnosis can be life-saving, "Catching ovarian cancer early can make all the difference. When it’s found at Stage 1, like in Sali’s case, the chances of successful treatment and long-term survival are very high – over 90%. Unfortunately, when it’s diagnosed at a later stage, those chances drop significantly. That’s why it’s so important to listen to your body and never ignore symptoms, even if they seem small or easy to explain away. Sali trusted her instincts and acted quickly – and that decision likely saved her life. We want every woman to feel empowered to seek help if something doesn’t feel right. You know your body best."
The importance of recognising symptoms
Looking back, Sali realises there were other warning signs.
"People would ask if I was tired, and I'd say 'Well, yes, but I have three young children!' I just put it down to looking after them. But looking back now, I was falling asleep on the sofa by half past seven or eight o'clock every night – that's not normal."
She also noticed physical changes: "My stomach was really bloated. I looked like I was six months pregnant by the time I had the operation. My stomach was flat before, and then within about three to four weeks, it was huge."
Recovery and moving forward
"After the operation, my activity was limited to just walking downstairs and back up to bed for the first three weeks. But I was determined to recover. I gradually extended my walks, and now I feel like I'm back to my normal self, doing everything I did before. I'm even back to running – I've ran four times this week!", Sali shares.
Sali’s message for others
Sali's story highlights the importance of not dismissing symptoms, even when there are seemingly logical explanations like post-pregnancy recovery, the fatigue of raising young children or even just having a busy job.
Reflecting on her own experience, Sali is keen to encourage any other women with unusual symptoms to see their doctor without delay, "As mothers and busy women, we often put everyone else first and explain away our own health concerns. But please, don't dismiss what your body is trying to tell you. That pain, that fatigue that won't go away, it deserves attention. You know your body better than anyone, so trust it, and speak up when something changes or doesn’t feel right.”