Survivor Lives in Gratitude Despite Ovarian Cancer

When second grade teacher Brenda Kowalski experienced abdominal issues over the summer of 2020 that eventually landed her in the emergency room, doctors had two words for her that she never expected to hear: ‘ovarian cancer.’

Despite her stage 1 diagnosis, Kowalski maintained her positive outlook and her sense of humor through surgery and treatment, even ending the summer with a socially distanced head shaving party. This week on the CURE® Talks Cancer podcast, Kowalski shares her story after being declared cancer free earlier this year, and hopes that others will listen to their bodies and be their own best advocates, too.

“I don't know much, after 44 years, to be true in this world,” Kowalski says. “But I do know that if you try to live in gratitude and be thankful that for the things that you do have, even when you get bad news like this, if you can remember what's important… cancer can't take those away.”

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