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- She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 33. Here are 3 signs she almost ignored. (businessinsider.com)
Olympic Champion Shannon Miller Urges Women: Don’t Ignore Ovarian Cancer Warning Signs
Local News Desk
Olympic gymnastics legend Shannon Miller, a seven-time medalist, is using her platform to shed light on a critical health issue: the often-missed early signs of ovarian cancer. Diagnosed in her early 30s, Miller says that even a decade later, women are still overlooking key symptoms and delaying crucial conversations with their doctors.
At the peak of her athletic career, Miller was intimately familiar with her body’s every nuance. “My job as an elite athlete was to know everything that’s going on in my body at all times.
You don’t fly around 15 feet in the air and not know,” Miller shared. Yet, years later, a routine gynecological appointment revealed a baseball-sized cyst – a rare form of ovarian cancer.
Miller, then 33 with a young son and plans for another child, confessed she nearly postponed the appointment, as nothing felt out of the ordinary. Despite a busy schedule advocating for health and wellness post-gymnastics, she admits, “I completely missed the signs and symptoms. I could find a logical reason for all of them.”
Now 48, Miller emphasizes that many women continue to miss or dismiss the subtle but significant red flags of ovarian cancer. Partnering with pharmaceutical company AbbVie, she’s on a mission to raise awareness, urging individuals to take symptoms like unexplained weight loss, persistent bloating, and ongoing stomach aches seriously. “I’m very aware that cancer doesn’t care who you are or how many gold medals you have,” she stated.
Don’t Dismiss Persistent Stomach Aches
Miller recalled experiencing frequent stomach pain, which she initially attributed to indigestion or stress. “What woman’s stomach doesn’t hurt at least a couple times a month?”
she questioned, highlighting the common tendency to normalize such discomfort. The pain, though not constant, was persistent.
It was this recurring discomfort, however, that she mentioned to her doctor, prompting an ultrasound that ultimately led to her diagnosis. Miller believes that not postponing her appointment and not minimizing her symptoms may have been life-saving.
Unexplained Weight Loss: A Red Flag
Another symptom Miller experienced was abrupt weight loss, which she initially dismissed as “losing the baby weight” after the birth of her first child. For young individuals diagnosed with early-onset cancers, critical decisions about future fertility often arise quickly. Miller opted for aggressive treatment, including chemotherapy and surgery to remove her left ovary, but was later able to have another child naturally.
Bloating Can Be a Subtle Indicator
Miller also nearly overlooked another crucial sign: bloating. A swollen belly, a persistent feeling of fullness, or the appearance of weight gain even when the scale doesn’t reflect it, can be indicators of various cancers, including ovarian.
Throughout her cancer journey, Miller credits her athletic mindset for helping her cope. “I mentally reverted back to that competitive mentality that I learned through sport of goal setting, teamwork, keeping a positive mindset,” she explained.
“It wasn’t training for a gold medal. It was, can I get up, get dressed and walk two times around the dining room table?
And if I could do that on some of my tougher days, then that was a win.”
With no routine screening test for ovarian cancer, Miller stresses the importance of proactive health management and listening to your body. Evolving diagnostic options, such as personalized biomarker testing, combined with increased symptom awareness, offer hope for earlier detection. “We have to listen to our bodies,” she concluded.
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- She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 33. Here are 3 signs she almost ignored. (businessinsider.com)