Catherine Noonan portrait - young blond woman with ovarian cancer

Catherine’s Story

In Blog, Our Stories by karineumeyer

Catherine Noonan of Limerick, Ireland, was diagnosed with stage 4 low-grade serous ovarian cancer in 2021 at the age of 42.

“I was very active and healthy,” she said. “However, looking back I did have the signs.”

Her doctors didn’t take her concerns seriously, she said. “I had an ovarian cyst that wrapped around my left ovary that caused extreme pain. That’s when my diagnosis was confirmed.”

Catherine’s cancer is currently being treated with hormone therapy which reduces the availability of estrogen to the cancer.

“I’m extremely grateful for my life and don’t take things for granted anymore,“ she said. “I want to make people more aware that ovarian cancer can happen to anyone. It needs funding and research.”

Catherine hopes that additional research will lead to a longer life expectancy, allowing her to be here for her kids.