Ovarian cancer: Tauranga single mother’s fight to survive for her children

Tauranga mother Celia Farnworth believes she has been given a “second chance” after surviving ovarian cancer. Chemotherapy left her unable to eat and get out of bed, and an operation removed several organs where the cancer had spread. As she approaches her one-year anniversary of being cancer-free, Farnworth focuses on making “special family memories” with her children.

Celia Farnworth’s three young children were the “fuel” that helped her battle ovarian cancer.

“There were so many times I just wanted to give up – and I didn’t because of my kids,” she told the Bay of Plenty Times.

The 38-year-old single mother was diagnosed with Stage 3C metastasic ovarian cancer in April 2023 – an “extremely aggressive and fast-growing” form of cancer that had spread “everywhere”.

Telling her children - Maya, 9, Indie, 7, and Hunter, 4 – was probably the most difficult thing she has ever done, she said.

“I felt like my entire future had been taken from me ... I was worried I wouldn’t see my kids growing up.”

Farnworth is sharing her story ahead of the Dry July campaign – an annual challenge where participants give up alcohol for a month while raising funds for non-medical services for cancer patients in New Zealand, including Pinc and Steel which has supported Farnworth with physiotherapy rehabilitation.

Last year, more than 7500 Kiwis raised more than $1.2 million for New Zealanders affected by cancer, as the Dry July NZ Trust calls for more people to register this year.

‘In an absolute state of shock’

In February 2023, Farnworth noticed her menstrual cycle had become “a bit strange” which her doctor attributed to perimenopause.

In March, she started getting severe lower back pain and in April, it became so bad it was difficult to get out of bed.

Her stomach became bloated, which a second GP attributed to a gastric ulcer.

A few days later, she went to a third doctor after feeling “tennis ball lumps” in her stomach.

The doctor referred her to Tauranga Hospital to get a CT scan, suspecting she may have a problem relating to her appendix.

Celia Farnworth was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in April 2023. Pictured with her children Maya (9), Hunter (4) and Indie (7) Farnworth. Photo / Alex Cairns

She recalled waiting alone in the Emergency Department when the doctor came to discuss the scan results.

“[He] wanted to know if I would like him to tell me or if I wanted to wait for my family to get there.”

She thought she may need to have her appendix removed.

Instead, she was told she had a large tumour on her ovary. Multiple tumours had spread throughout her abdomen and to her liver.

“I just went cold ... Everything just exploded and I just was in an absolute state of shock.

“I wasn’t that sick before I got diagnosed. I was working full-time, I had my kids as a single mum ... I’d done a half marathon four weeks before.”

Cancer was ‘everywhere’

Farnworth was admitted to the hospital and soon started three months of “really intensive” chemotherapy which made her very sick.

“I actually felt like I was going to die.”

She lost her hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows, was vomiting all the time, unable to get out of bed, and developed such bad ulcers she could not eat, drink, or talk.

Celia Farnworth was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at Tauranga Hospital. Photo / Mead Norton

Farnworth said the chemotherapy helped shrink the cancer.

In August 2023, she had an operation where her ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, cervix, some of her diaphragm, omentum and part of her peritoneum were removed.

Cancer was also scraped off her liver, bladder and bowel, she said.

“It was really everywhere.”

‘Debilitating’ fear of the cancer returning

Farnworth said the surgery was a success and in September, “I got told I had no evidence of disease”.

But Farnworth has struggled more mentally post-surgery than during her treatment.

“Now I have to deal with this fear of, ‘What if it comes back?’ It’s debilitating.”

Farnworth said she was “extremely grateful” for her result but sometimes wondered why she was “the lucky one”.

Her oncologist recommended seeing physiotherapist Shannon Fisken and a psychologist who “turned my life around”.

Farnworth said having cancer meant she had lost trust and confidence in her body but doing step classes and paddleboarding with Fisken helped restore that.

“It was good to get me up and out and moving and back into life.”

The programme connected her with other female cancer patients which made her feel “a little bit less alone”.

‘My second chance’

Farnworth – who is checked every month – said the symptoms of ovarian cancer were “so small” and “explainable” .

In retrospect, she lost her appetite a month before she was diagnosed, which she put down to being “a busy mum”. Another was always feeling hot which she attributed to it being summer.

Farnworth returned to work full-time in April but still struggles with side effects from chemotherapy – peripheral neuropathy and Raynaud’s.

She described peripheral neuropathy as having “shards of glass in my fingertips” and Raynaud’s caused blisters on her hands.

Now, she wanted to focus on making more “special family memories”.

“When they told me all of this and every time I’ve ended up in hospital ... the only thing you have at that time is all of the memories of all of the things that you’ve done.

“Now that I’ve got my mental and my physical health back ... I feel like I have my opportunity for that future and I feel like it’s my second chance.”

Funds a ‘gamechanger’ for cancer rehab services

Pinc and Steel senior cancer rehabilitation physiotherapist Shannon Fisken, who works at Body in Motion, said Dry July’s “gamechanger” funds helped fund group cancer rehabilitation.

Fisken said it relied on charitable funding because there was no government funding for cancer rehabilitation.

All funds donated to Bay of Plenty Cancer Rehab would go towards Bay of Plenty cancer patients, she said.

A Dry July New Zealand Trust media release said funds raised would support three cancer charities - Look Good Feel Better, Prostate Cancer Foundation New Zealand and Pinc and Steel Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation.

Since 2012, the Dry July NZ Trust has raised more than $9m for cancer organisations across New Zealand.

The Trust was stressing the high demand for cancer support with more Kiwis developing cancer, due to the population increasing and people living longer.

Pinc and Steel founder and general manager Lou James said the organisation was grateful for the impact of Dry July funds, enabling them to reach more cancer patients.

“Cancer can be an isolating experience, but we see the life-changing effects our group sessions have on people first-hand.”

People can register for Dry July on its website.

About ovarian cancer

• Symptoms may include: An increase in tummy size or bloating, abdominal, pelvic or back pain, increased or more urgent urination, bowel habit changes, eating less and feeling more full, fatigue, indigestion, painful intercourse, abnormal bleeding from the vagina, unexplained weight change.
• Although these symptoms are usually caused by conditions other than cancer, if any last for two weeks or longer (particularly if the symptoms are new, unusual or getting worse), get them checked as soon as possible.
• Risk factors include: Being older, never being pregnant or having a first child after age 35, starting a period before 12, menopause after 55, use of hormone therapy after menopause, obesity, family history of ovarian cancer or personal history of breast cancer.
• Having one or more risk factors does not mean you will develop ovarian cancer. Even those with no risk factors can develop ovarian cancer.

Source: Te Aho o Te Kahu Cancer Control Agency.

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.