after seeking medical attention, she underwent surgery to remove an ovarian cyst, which was when ovarian cancer was discovered in her right fallopian tube.
since the initial shock of her diagnosis, lillas has learned to accept the changing circumstances of her life. after her ovarian cancer diagnosis in february 2019, hatala underwent chemotherapy, but she experienced a reoccurrence a year later.
“acceptance is a big thing. my hope has changed from medium-to-long term pleasure to even just today. how can i laugh more, love more, find more joy in the moment?” – lillas hatala, patient
advancements in ovarian cancer care are bringing hope to lillas and the thousands of canadian women who live with the disease. “it’s a godsend,” she says. “after my first recurrence, a new treatment option became available that i qualified for.”
lillas says her healing journey and cancer care have provided her with the inspiration she needs to live a fulfilling life. “it’s a process, so you know it’s ok to not feel ok sometimes and then there’ll be lots of times where you’re feeling many of the blessings and the journey.”
lisa toltl, medical director, oncology, gsk canada
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gsk is a global biopharma company with the ambition and purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together