Kate Ping initially attributed her abdominal bloating to stress from managing two family businesses and worrying about her son ahead of his open-heart surgery. Two months after her son’s successful operation, the 69-year-old sought medical attention as her abdomen remained bloated and tender. Although she expected a colonoscopy, the nurse practitioner instead ordered a CT scan. The imaging revealed Stage 4 ovarian cancer that had spread throughout her body. According to the American Cancer Society, patients with Stage 4 ovarian cancer face roughly a 30% five-year survival rate. Ping connected with Dr. Premal Thaker, an oncologist at the Washington University School of Medicine. Thaker described ovarian cancer as insidious due to subtle symptoms that mimic menopause or mild conditions, noting there is no routine screening test and it stands as the fifth-leading cause of cancer death for U.S. women, per Johns Hopkins. Warning signs include abdominal bloating, rapid fullness while eating, and changes in bowel habits or urination. Because of the advanced stage, Thaker recommended chemotherapy followed by surgery. Despite facing hair loss, nausea, and fatigue, Ping’s tumor markers steadily improved with each cycle, sustained by positive updates from Thaker. During her treatment, Ping discovered that the nurse practitioner who ordered her CT scan did so because a close friend had died from undetected ovarian cancer, prompting the nurse to act on Ping’s symptoms. Ping later told the nurse that she believed the decision saved her life. Following chemotherapy, Ping underwent a successful hysterectomy and comprehensive internal organ check in February 2025. After a six-week recovery, she resumed chemotherapy, followed by immunotherapy infusions, and finished her final infusion in the spring. She now takes a daily chemotherapy pill to lower the chance of recurrence, as the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance notes that about 70% of patients experience a return of the disease. Now back to work at her restaurants alongside her son, Ping focuses on raising awareness of ovarian cancer symptoms and sharing a message of hope with customers who discuss their own cancer journeys.
Source: cbsnews.com
