We all know women who have inspired us in one way or another. One such woman, JoAnn Tattersall, has encouraged hundreds of people who watched her handle a devastating medical blow and triumph through it with impeccable grace and courage.
Tattersall is a wife, mother of three and a top-producing Realtor who owns her own company. In April 2005, Tattersall received some disturbing news that changed her life and the lives of those around her in a dynamic way, demonstrating the immovable truth that miracles can and do still happen.
“I noticed that I was experiencing a considerable amount of bloating,” said Tattersall, “but I thought it was simply due to mid-life issues.” She began an aggressive workout program, but there was a growth that kept growing. “When I felt a sharp pain in my belly button is when I knew something was wrong,” she said.
Tattersall underwent a few tests such as the MRI and the CA125, a blood test used as the most common tumor marker in ovarian cancer. Numbers in normal range are between 20 & 35; hers were 40. But just one year later in the spring of 2006, her number increased from 40 to 2300. At that point, a myriad of tests were instantly ordered and within two weeks, Tattersall was scheduled for surgery. She had stage three ovarian cancer.
To help with the anxiety, she called people she knew who had similar cancer experiences to seek guidance and information, which she found tremendously helpful. Tattersall, who has a strong faith in God, said the most difficult part of her initial experience was waiting for those test results. “I just had no peace. I didn’t know if I was going to be okay, or if I would be dead in a year, so there was a lot of negotiating with God.
“When my doctor finally called me to give me the bad news that I had stage three ovarian cancer,” she said, “is when my anxiety turned to faith, because I was able to finally trust God and know that no matter what, I’d be okay.”
Ovarian cancer forms in the tissue of the ovary. According to the American Cancer Society a woman’s risk of getting ovarian cancer is about 1 in 67; it is estimated that about 22,430 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in 2007. Ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women.
Of course, after the diagnosis Tattersall’s doctors were all unanimously aggressive. She began chemotherapy treatments, lost her hair and endured horrendous side effects. But she attributes her ability to make it through to her supportive family and friends, and her unwavering faith. Naturally, she grappled with the idea that all she has built over her lifetime with regard to her family and her work would be destroyed. “I was raw from the surgery, nervous about the chemo and I was in incredible pain,” she said, “but I was also shot up with lots of steroids so I got lots of stuff done and ate quite a bit!”
She endured treatment for six long months.
Her doctors all told her she didn’t have long to live. She knew she should believe them. But she is also a woman committed to God and the countless people whom she considers gifts in her life from Him. She said she had to trust that no matter the outcome, she would have peace.
In December 2006, Tatersall had a “second look” surgery, and after 35 biopsies, all of which came back clear, there was no ovarian cancer detected.
Since then, she has undergone the Braca test, a measurement that indicates susceptibility to cancer. Unfortunately, that test revealed her chance of having breast cancer is 87% by age 70. She plans to undergo a full mastectomy in 2008, which will reduce her chances to 5%.
But even that news doesn’t break her spirit. And she recalls the past several months of struggling with ovarian cancer with positivity. “I will look back at this time as a blessing for our family,” she said. “We all bonded so closely, my friends were so loving and devoted, and I really felt the prayers that were made on my behalf.”
Her advice to those who are facing the same challenge? “You must be proactive: join support groups and find Web sites that can help make sense of the confusion you’ll experience,” she said.
“I found that I extracted tremendous comfort from the other chemo patients as we all sat together attached to our IVs,” she said. “There always seemed to be someone worse than me.”
Tattersall is on the road to recovery after fighting ovarian cancer. Never tempted to cave into discouragement or defeat, Tattersall exemplifies how faith and courage can bring one through the most horrendous experiences that life can throw at us. For now, Tattersall is back to work: “It makes me feel normal again,” she said. “My energy level is low, but I get better and better every day.”