::healthy women BY CARMEN E. ZAFAR I PHOTO BY RICK POLICASTRO
Cancer is not prejudice. It doesn’t care if you’re male or female, or if you’re young or old. You can also feel like you’re in the best shape of your life and appear healthy on the outside when your physician breaks the news to you. With non-threatening symptoms and unknown causes, ovarian cancer tiptoed into Andrea Como’s life less than five years ago. Since Andrea had endured years of reproductive complications, the “supposed symptoms” she experienced were overlooked. During the summer of 2006, Andrea not only turned 40, but she also turned toward a healthier lifestyle that included eating healthy and running. During this lifestyle change she was keeping a journal. Andrea made note of all her training experiences and was sure to include how she felt during her running workouts. More and more through the beginning of the following year, Andrea noticed constant spotting between periods, frequent urination and a pain on the left side of her abdomen. Although she saw her gynecologist in January 2007, she wasn’t advised to look further into it. However, the symptoms whispered again in February while she was vacationing in Florida with her sisters. She called her doctor and made another appointment following her return. Andrea was still unaware of what was ahead. “In a couple weeks it seemed everything was fine,” she said. “Little did I know everything was about to change.” During a routine run on the track with her kids in Clifton Park, Andrea started experiencing an unbearable pain in abdomen, again. She cut the workout off and rushed home with her two children to only rush to the emergency room with her husband, Dave, of 16 years. A CAT scan revealed cysts pressed up against one of her ovaries. She was given enough medication to subdue the pain temporarily so she could be moved to St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany for her surgery. “[On the way to St. Peter’s] I told my husband we should sign a release so they could remove anything in case they found cancer.” Although Dave was pushing to stay optimistic, the release was signed prior to surgery. Andrea had Stage 2 cancer in two places, which is unheard of. “It’s rare for [ovarian cancer] to be detected that early.” Her gynecologist-oncologist later told her that if she didn’t have pain from the cysts, her cancer would have went undetected and would have been more likely to progress quickly to Stage 4. “Ovarian cancer whispers, so listen. They’re tiny little whispers that add up to a loud yell.” Andrea underwent a full hysterectomy because of this diagnosis. “If you met any of my family or friends, they would all joke that I wear rose-colored glasses,” she said. “No matter the situation, I always see the good of it. Everyone was around me crying and I said, ‘Stop!’ I am going to find my purpose.” She had a feeling everything was going to be OK. Andrea has indeed found her purpose. She now speaks at Russell Sage College (her alma mater) medical students on a regular basis along with a few fellow survivors. In April, she spoke at the Breakfast at Tiffany Fashion Show to support Hope for Heather at the Crowne Plaza in Syracuse. She also advocates for ovarian cancer awareness and research fundraising. Since January of this year alone, she has raised more than $6,000 for research. “I feel like bad things happen every day and I wanted to be a voice and truly make a difference. If it ends up that I educate one person and save one person then I guess that was my purpose.” Andrea resides in Clifton Park with her husband and two adopted children, Nathaniel, 15, and Nicolette, 14. She is a member of the advisory board for Caring Together, an organization that provides support, education and advocacy for women with ovarian cancer as well as support research efforts aimed at finding an early detection test and cure. Andrea works closely with Frieda Weeks, the founder 38 july/august 2011 :: syracuseWomanMag.com of Hope for Heather.
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