Noosa woman Jo Yates shares her battle with deadly ‘silent killer’ cancer

A Noosa woman is hoping to raise awareness about the common and overlooked symptoms of a deadly cancer her doctor picked up in a routine screening test.

Noosa woman, Jo Yates, discovered she had ovarian cancer at age 42.

The first time Noosa woman, Jo Yates, heard of ovarian cancer was when she learned both her ovaries would need to be removed. Now she’s on a mission to raise more awareness about the symptoms with young women.

Ms Yates was an active 42-year-old when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer during a routine pap smear, which revealed both her ovaries were riddled with tumours and needed to be removed immediately.

For Ms Yates the discovery was “devastating”.

“I hadn’t planned on having kids but knowing that option was taken from me was devastating,” Ms Yates said.

Ovarian cancer, often referred to as the ‘silent killer’, is the most deadly gynaecological cancer and currently has no screening test available.

Jo Yates and friend Ale Rose.

Ms Yates said she dismissed a range of symptoms, not realising what the signs of ovarian cancer were until after she was diagnosed.

“Until I had it I didn’t even know it was a thing, obviously I had heard of cervical cancer and smear tests but I had never really heard of ovarian cancer until I was about to have my ovaries chopped out,” Ms Yates said.

“I experienced pain after sex, bloating, felt full too quickly, and was going to the bathroom more often, but I had put it down to other things. When you look at it all together, they’re all symptoms of ovarian cancer.”

Noosa woman, Jo Yates, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer during a routine pap smear when she was 42.

Ms Yates said she would like to see more funding contributed to women’s health in the future, as well as more public discussions to break the “taboo”.

“It’s bizarre that ovarian cancer is not as funded or talked about (as other cancers such as breast cancer) maybe because it is taboo. But it shouldn’t be that way,” Ms Yates said.

“Women’s health is generally unfunded, compared to men’s health, our pain is often dismissed so I think that forms a part of it too.”

Jo Yates.

Cancer researcher, Caroline Ford, said work was currently underway to develop a much-needed early-detection test for ovarian cancer to improve the outcomes of women diagnosed.

“The majority of ovarian cancer patients are diagnosed when the cancer has already spread to other organs, making surgery and treatment difficult,” Ms Ford said.

“We’re aiming to develop a sensitive and specific test to detect ovarian cancer at the very earliest stage, when curative surgery is possible.”

Following her own health battle Ms Yates has since created an online space designed to help younger women recognise the symptoms and seek treatment.