FOR Dorinda Leeder, Mother’s Day means so much more than a stack of presents and a fancy lunch.
This Sunday she will spend the day with her family and not in hospital having operations for ovarian cancer.
The Caroline Springs resident, 42, was diagnosed with the disease in November 2005, aged 35.
Like many women she was initially misdiagnosed, with doctors telling her she had appendicitis after discovering a lump in her abdomen.
Mrs Leeder was eventually told she had a rare form of germ cell carcinoma.
She endured 12 months of chemotherapy and six operations to remove tumours after the cancer spread to her liver, bowl and bladder.
She says she counts Mother’s Day as an achievement as it represents another year of life.
She plans to go out for lunch at a Caroline Springs restaurant with her mother and two daughters.
“I still get check-ups every three months, but for now I’m in the clear,” Mrs Leeder says.
“I look at cancer as a gift as it made me wake up and appreciate everything I have.
“I celebrate every birthday and occasion and I want to be a grandmother one day.”
The former nurse certainly hasn’t backed down since being diagnosed.
In July last year she made a career change and joined a telecommunications company to work in customer service. Within a few months she was made manager and was recently selected as the company’s manager of the year.
She also works as an ambassador with Ovarian Cancer Australia.
“Being diagnosed with cancer changes your attitude and thought process,” she says.
“I want to do my bit to ensure that ovarian cancer is no longer going to be a silent killer.”
Mrs Leeder regularly speaks at community events to raise awareness of the symptoms.
“I speak to general practitioners because many of them struggle to detect early signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer.
”I had all the signs, but it was not detected by my doctor and it was only months later that my gynaecologist picked it up.”
Details: ovariancancer.net.au
