For today's blog entry, we are honored to share the writing of Heather David. Her story picks up roughly one year out from this featured article by Corewell Health's HealthBeat.

Hello MIOCA Teal Community,

My name is Heather David. I am now 29 years old and coming up on my 5 year diagnosis date in August.  My story started in August 2017 at 23 years old, when we lost our first son Deklan at 35 weeks along as a stillborn. His loss motivated my husband and I to become the healthiest version of ourselves, as we knew we wanted to have another baby and our first one earth side. We worked out, ate much healthier, and to our surprise about 7 months later we found out we were pregnant with our 2nd son, Axel. He was the rainbow baby that we were so excited and yet so nervous to welcome home.

In late June 2018, I was feeling more sick than normal and having some pains on my right side of my abdomen. I suffered from HG during pregnancy, but this sickness felt worse. I spoke to local doctors, but they attributed it to “you’re just pregnant. You will just have to push through.” I even had a dr tell me I was being a hypochondriac because of my previous loss. I luckily had an ultrasound at Grand Rapids Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum) MFM a couple weeks later. This was the big anatomy scan where we were SO excited to find out the gender of our rainbow baby. To our biggest surprise, our appointment went scary real fast when they found a large mass. It was located on my right ovary. They wasted no time and got me in for an MRI to confirm, it was in fact Ovarian Cancer.  I was sent in shortly after on August 17th, 2018 to have my large tumor removed while about 23 weeks pregnant. I was officially diagnosed with Small Cell Ovarian Cancer the Hypercalcemic type, which is one of the most rare diagnoses of Ovarian Cancer around to date. Axel and I both survived and then I went on to deliver him by c section at 28 weeks along. He stayed in the Helen Devos NICU while I then began chemotherapy just 11 days later. I took on 6 rounds of an incredibly hard chemo regimen that took a major toll on my body. I finished chemotherapy in February of 2019. I was blessed to be able to continue my passion of coaching high school cheer at Mona Shores High School throughout my entire journey. The Sailor Community fought right along side me the entire time, and it honestly was a huge motivator to keep the fight going.

Fast forward to May 2023, I am now just about 4 years NED (No evidence of disease). I had a miracle 3rd baby boy in June of 2021, whose name is Walker. We were told no more kids after Axel as my body was in menopause from my chemotherapy damage. Axel is now going to be 5 in October and is thriving in all areas despite being a micropreemie. He begins preschool this year. Walker will be 2 in June, and is also thriving in all areas. My husband and I will celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary in September. We have battled SO many hardships in our 6 years of marriage, but he has stood strong through it all to be the best husband, father, caregiver, and overall human being of all time. I could not imagine where I would be without him by my side through this entire 6 year journey.

I am currently the General Manager of The Frosty Cove ice cream shop in Muskegon, MI. I love meeting new people and serving up ice cream all summer long along the beautiful Michigan lakeshore. I am also entering my 10th year coaching for Mona Shores Cheer, and I am so blessed to be able to live out my dream and passion every season with incredible kids and coaches. 

I have had two big cancer scares since finishing chemotherapy in 2019, one of which I am currently going through. I have a larger mass showing up on my one remaining ovary that is being carefully monitored. Later in May we will confirm if it is benign, or if we will be taking on this battle again. If it is benign, then I get to officially celebrate 4 strong years of being NED and fighting hard to beat this teal beast. Every scan day that takes place still feels like the first one. Scanxiety is very real and can be debilitating. I thank the teal community and friends I have met on this journey for keeping me level headed and grounded, as each scan day passes. Our lives will never be ‘normal’ again, but I am forever thankful for the life lessons and humbling experiences cancer has taught me. 

My biggest advice for all who have to experience this journey is to find the positives in EVERY day. It is SO easy to find and dwell on negatives, but if you truly sit and think on the good of each day your life will forever be changed. Some days getting up and walking down the hallway was the biggest positive of my day, and now I am strong enough to get out and run the MIOCA Mother’s Day Time to Teal 5k this month! Mindset is everything in this journey. Find your tribe and keep them close. With the right support system, a positive outlook on life, and a strong warrior mentality all hope is possible in the Ovarian Cancer battle! Together we fight, TEAL there’s a CURE!