JESSICA Grabaskey was 28 when she first noticed persistent bloating.
It didn’t seem like anything serious - just the kind of weight gain many people put down to everyday life.
But within months, while on holiday, the symptoms worsened to the point she couldn’t finish a meal.
That was the moment she realised something wasn’t right.
Jessica, now 35, booked an appointment with her GP as soon as she returned home.
“I’m very lucky that the doctor was amazing,” the Widnes mum-of-one said.
“I had never met her before, but she was so understanding and thorough.
“A lot of women have it passed off as IBS, but my doctor sent me for scans straight away, which I’m eternally grateful for.”
Jessica, who works for United Utilities, then underwent an intensive course of treatment for ovarian cancer.
She had multiple stomach drains due to a condition called Ascites, which is the abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
Her stomach was drained three times before her main treatment, with the first drain removing 10 litres of fluid.
After laparoscopic surgery to take biopsies from her ovaries, Jessica was diagnosed with a blood clot in her left jugular vein, and as a result had to have an Inferior Vena Cava filter – a small, cage-like metal device in the large vein – fitted, to trap blood clots.
“I then had a total abdominal hysterectomy, with a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy,” she explained.
“In simple terms – a full hysterectomy, including both ovaries.”
The emotional toll of her illness was difficult to deal with.
“My son was nine, and we didn’t want to worry him, but finding out you have cancer at 28 and you can have no further children was heartbreaking,” she said.
“This is something I still struggle with today, nearly seven years on, and I think I always will.”
The impact of the surgery meant Jessica had to take time off work.
She was then made redundant during the COVID pandemic, and had to balance both recovery and finding a new job.
Jessica credits her strong support network as a major part of her healing journey.
“My son, even though he didn’t know how ill I was, was my reason to continue to fight and be strong even when I felt weak,” she explained.
“My mum was amazing with me – so supportive, and there every step of the way.
“My partner was my rock throughout; he came to every appointment and supported me through the whole journey and still does today as I battle through menopause.
“I am also lucky to have the best friends a girl could ask for – they were with me throughout the entire process, from helping me move into my new house before surgery, to my best friend coming to dry and straighten my hair in the hospital afterwards.
“It really did show me just how lucky and blessed I was.”
Now, seven years on, Jessica is cancer-free and wants to use her experience to help others.
March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and currently, only three in 10 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer live beyond 10 years.
With 7,500 women receiving a diagnosis in the UK each year, charity Ovarian Cancer Action created the awareness month in 2005 to empower women and change the future for those diagnosed.
“Ensure that you know your body, and understand the symptoms,” added Jessica.
“If you experience persistent bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, feeling full quickly after eating, or an urgent need to urinate, make sure you go to the doctor.
“If you are not satisfied, seek a second opinion – fight for yourself, and be heard!”
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