Ashleigh Roser was 33 years old when she was told that becoming a mother wasn’t something she could do.
The Hunter Valley resident was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 2019 after experiencing heavy and prolonged periods.
Ms. Roser was given the option of either having a full hysterectomy to beat cancer, rendering her infertile, or undergoing treatments to fight cancer and hope that one day she would give birth to a child.
“The scary part wasn’t the initial diagnosis; it was the fear and trauma that came secondary — every little ache and pain suddenly made you think of cancer, wondering if it had spread,” she said.
“My current husband proposed a few months before my diagnosis, and I had always planned to try for a baby from the time we got married.
“When my gynae-oncologist approved me to undergo a fertility-sparing treatment, I was incredibly focused on beating cancer long enough to try for a baby – there was nothing else in my life that mattered so much, and I was laser focused.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so determined for anything.”
Camera IconAshleigh Roser was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 2019 after experiencing heavy and prolonged periods. Credit provided: NCA NewsWire
After 12 months of treatment, Mrs. Roser’s cancer appeared to have disappeared, but after a few weeks, it returned.
It was then that she decided to have her uterus removed.
“‘Take it out’ were the hardest three words I’ve ever said. After I said it, it was the only time in the process that I was physically there but didn’t take anything.
“After (the procedure), it was a long time of mourning such a huge loss, the loss of potential babies, the loss of the image of what life should have been like
“I don’t regret being so focused on my goal. I needed to know that I had exhausted all my options before accepting the alternative of never carrying a baby. I needed to know that I had done everything humanly possible.”
Camera icon The Sydney resident had to undergo a full hysterectomy to beat cancer, which left her infertile. Credit provided: NCA NewsWire
Ms. Roser encouraged people to seek medical advice if they had an unusual symptom or thought something was wrong, as it could save their lives.
“Life can change so quickly. I am incredibly lucky compared to many others diagnosed with cancer, but I am more aware of the blessings and fragility of life,” she said.
“Cancer is a very traumatic experience. A high vigilance comes with that, so it’s learning not to panic at every little ache and pain.”
Ms. Roser is one of the faces of Cure Cancer’s Big Hug Box campaign, which gathers Australians to help women with cancer by donating or donating the ultimate care package to help them through treatment.
All funds raised will go to early-career cancer researchers fighting to cure cancer in women.
Camera icon Ms. Roser said undergoing the procedure was the hardest thing she’d done, and she went through a long grieving process. Credit provided: NCA NewsWire
Ms. Roser is one of over 70,400 Australian women diagnosed with cancer yearly.
Every day, about 12 women discover gynecological cancer, including cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancer, and four die from it.
Cure Cancer funds research into all types of cancer and is the genealogy of the financing researcher Shafique Syed to find a cure for endometrial cancer.
He identified the cells of origin for uterine cancer during his Ph.D.
Dr. Syed and his team at the University of Newcastle are working to understand how the cells are kept in good numbers during normal functioning and looking at various factors and processes, such as diet and metabolism, that disrupt their normal functioning and result in diseases such as cancer.
To donate, visit the Cure Cancer website.