For some cancer survivors, a single message of support from the right person can make a big difference. One special fan of the Bravo network received an avalanche of them.
The fan, Kathryn Wright, who was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer, is part of the Bravo Network’s Facebook fan club, Bravo Junkies. The 28-year-old wrote in to the group to share her diagnosis, as first reported by Showbiz CheatSheet. (She also posted the news on her blog, “Death Row Delights,” where she often posts updates about her illness.)
Read MoreSending a message of love and support to #KathrynWright, from your Bravo family. â¤ï¸#KathrynStrong pic.twitter.com/tEgYvqPacG
Bravo (@BravoTV) December 16, 2019
Bethenny Frankel from “The Real Housewives of New York City,” a cancer survivor, chef Ben Robinson from “Below Deck,” and the comedy team from “Watch What Crappens” were among those who sent her individual videos on the group page.
João Franco from “Below Deck Mediterranean” posted a video reading one of Wright's blog posts, and Colin Macy-O'Toole from the same show rapped for her.
Even Andy Cohen recorded a video for Wright, saying, “I have been inundated with comments about how wonderful you are, and what an amazing person you are, and I just wanted you to know, I'm sending you so much love.”
Ben and Ronnie from Bravo’s “Watch What Crappens” podcast, also posted their video on Instagram: “We hope you’re doing okay,” and “we love you!” When they turned the camera, a huge crowd was waiting to send their love, too.
The best part of all: Once Bravolebrities began posting in the group, Bravo made a montage with even more celebrities sending Wright good wishes and support.
Staging Ovarian Cancer
While medical professionals use the staging of ovarian cancer to analyze how serious the illness is, how best to treat it and to provide a discussion about survival statistics, Dr. Beth Karlan, director of the Women's Cancer Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center observes, "The staging of cancers is really to help us with a dialogue, and the honesty of our outcome."
If you detect any symptoms of ovarian cancer, and a visit to your doctor confirms the diagnosis, then the next step would be discussing what stage you are at in your illness.
Dr. Beth Karlan, Gynecologic Oncologist at UCLA Medical Center on staging ovarian cancer
Three factors are used to stage ovarian cancer:
- The size of the tumor (whether it has spread outside of the ovary or fallopian tubes)
- Evidence of spread to nearby lymph nodes in the pelvis or around the aorta
- Evidence of spread to distant sites in the body (metastasis)
As a general rule, the lower the ovarian cancer, the less the cancer has spread.
Stage 1 ovarian cancer is limited to one or both ovaries, and is considered a confined form of the cancer; it has not spread to distant sites in the body. Stage 2 ovarian cancer has spread from one or both ovaries to other organs in the pelvis, which can include the side walls of the pelvis, one or both fallopian tubes, the back of the uterus and the rectum or sigmoid colon.
In stage 3, ovarian cancer is in one or both ovaries, and has spread beyond the pelvis area to the upper abdomen. It may have spread to the omentum (a fatty apron that stretches over the abdomen), or other surfaces within the abdomen, such as along the diaphragm, the surface of the liver or the spleen, or possibly, nearby lymph nodes.
Finally, stage 4 ovarian cancer has spread beyond the abdominal cavity to “distant sites,” such as inside the liver (not just on the surface), inside the spleen, in and around the lungs or other organs outside the abdomen and pelvic region, and possibly to the bones.
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