Patricia Sayers - “Have Hope”

Patricia Sayers, Apex, NC

When Patricia Sayers' spot on her lung did not go away, her family physician sent her to a pulmonologist who ordered a PET scan of the area. What they found was a mass in her lower abdomen.

She was referred to Dr. Wesley Fowler at UNC Lineberger, and a diagnosis of ovarian cancer was confirmed. "I didn't have pronounced symptoms other than feeling more tired and a bit constipated," she explained, "so the cancer diagnosis was a surprise."

She underwent surgery in December of 2004 followed by chemotherapy - taxol and carboplatin followed by additional taxol - which she finished in September of 2005.

"Other than being out for my surgery, and one hospitalization for low white-cell counts, I have worked every day since my diagnosis," Sayers said. "It was important to me to work. If I was working, I wasn't sick." Sayers works at Carolina Medical Sales, a distributor of blood test supplies for diabetic patients.

She describes her care at UNC as "fantastic" citing the "staff who let you know they care and that you are important to them. What you say, how you react, how you feel, it was important to them."

Sayers lives in Apex with her husband, Michael. They moved to Apex in 2000 from Cincinnati. Her hobbies include cross stitch and reading. She credits the strong support of her husband as key to her healing.

Her advice for those newly diagnosed with cancer? "Have hope."