We noted some of the especially acute problems associated with ovarian cancer in a recent blog post (August 19), noting that misdiagnosis by doctors is a common occurrence and that, if not discovered early and treated aggressively, ovarian cancer brings a fatal outcome to many women. In fact, the disease is the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers.

One California woman, who knows that all too well, survived ovarian cancer by undergoing months of chemotherapy, test drugs and multiple surgeries more than two decades ago. Her initial misdiagnosis, close call with death, battle through illness and eventual recovery inspired her to help other women and, today, 67-year-old Gayle McKenna of Studio City is a major fund raiser as well as the founder of the Ovarian Cancer Coalition of California.

"When I was first diagnosed, there was very little information about ovarian cancer and no support groups -- there was no one there," McKenna says.

Thanks largely to her, there is now a strong support group for newly diagnosed women throughout the state. McKenna's constant goal is to educate women on ovarian cancer symptoms, be an ally to them as they fight their battle with the disease, and raise money to fund research that will hopefully provide a cure for the illness in the future.

The coalition's biggest fundraiser is upcoming, with the 13th annual Walk/Run for Awareness & Hope scheduled for September 11 in Los Angeles. More than 2,000 people attended the event last year.

McKenna recommends the following for all newly diagnosed women: Get a second opinion, be proactive by learning and asking questions, join a support group and find a surgeon who is a gynecological oncologist.

Related Resource: Studio City Patch, "Gayle McKenna's Misdiagnosis Inspires Ovarian Cancer Coalition" Aug. 14, 2011