'Surgeons removed FIVE of my organs and now I'm free of cancer'
The 51-year-old, who grew up in Pollok, continues to receive regular check-ups but latest scans show no evidence of cancer.
Jennifer Ogilvie (Image: CRUK)
Jennifer vividly recalls spending her birthday in Glasgow Royal Infirmary in February 2023, just days after the operation.
'The surgery was complex and incredibly skilled,' says Jennifer. 'I am forever grateful to surgeons Professor Nigel Jamieson, Professor Campbell Roxburgh and Dr Rhona Lindsay who joined forces to operate on me.
'I truly believe I would not be here without them. I'm fortunate to live near a hospital with such medical excellence.'
She adds, smiling: 'It wasn't the best way to celebrate a birthday, but I've made up for it since.'
Jennifer in hospital during her treatment (Image: CRUK)
Jennifer is preparing to be guest of honour for Cancer Research UK's Shine Night Walk in Glasgow. She has been chosen as guest of honour to sound the horn and send more than 1000 people on the 10k on Saturday, August 30.
'I have a new appreciation of and zest for life,' admits Jennifer.
'I know I am one of the lucky ones. Given everything I've been through, I consider myself fortunate that I'm here and I'm well.
'I'm living my best life thanks to a team of wonderful doctors and surgeons and fantastic advances in cancer research.
'Sometimes I look back over the last few years and ask, did all of this actually happen to me or to somebody else? It's a privilege to have the chance to share my story to help provide hope and spread awareness.'
Jennifer in Malta (Image: CRUK)
Jennifer was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in July 2022 after experiencing unexpected bleeding, which she initially attributed to perimenopause.
After visiting her GP, she had a CA125 blood test, which is sometimes used for people with possible symptoms of ovarian cancer. It revealed her CA125 count was higher than 9000, compared to a normal level of around 35. She was referred for more tests.
'Perhaps the scariest thing was that I didn't feel unwell,' says Jennifer. 'If it wasn't for the bleeding, I wouldn't have contacted my GP.
'The symptoms of ovarian cancer can be quite vague. It's important people feel empowered to talk to their GP if they notice anything that doesn't feel right for them. The earlier cancer is detected the better."
She adds: 'Right at the start I was told by the doctors that whatever they find, there will be a treatment plan to deal with it. I just had to trust them.'
Jennifer's treatment included six chemotherapy sessions at the West of Scotland Beatson Cancer Centre in Glasgow. Blood tests also showed that Jennifer carried an inherited fault in the BRIP1 gene, making her more likely to have developed ovarian cancer than those without the fault.
Jennifer now takes daily tablets of Olaparib, a type of targeted cancer treatment partly developed thanks to Cancer Research UK-funded scientists. The drug, which is known as a PARP inhibitor, helps prevent cancer cells from multiplying.
She has also been fitted with a stoma, where a section of bowel is brought out through an opening on the stomach, and waste is collected in a bag attached to the skin.
'At first I hated having a stoma but I now embrace it as I know it helped saved my life,' she says. 'I've called it Charlie and I'm proud to say it is now part of me.'
(Image: CRUK)
Jennifer, who now lives in Helensburgh, is aiming to complete the 10k at the Shine Night Walk Glasgow. Supported by her husband, Stuart, and family and friends, she has already raised more than £2000 for CRUK (having even taking part in Race for Life Glasgow just three months after surgery.)
'I am stubborn, and through this journey have often wanted to do things on my own,' she says. 'But I have a fantastic support network including my husband, my bedrock through it all, offering unconditional love.'
Shine Night Walk Glasgow starts at the SEC at 8pm, and the route passes famous landmarks including Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, the Mitchell Library, the Duke of Wellington statue and the Gallery of Modern Art.
Cancer Research UK's Scotland spokesperson Lisa Adams, says: 'Our scientists have helped to double cancer survival in the UK in the last 50 years, but with nearly one in two people set to be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime, we can't stop there. So, we're grateful to Jennifer for helping to raise vital awareness.'
Anyone who signs up for Shine Night Walk before September 1 can claim 30 percent off the entry fee by using the code SNWAUG25.
To enter or volunteer visit shinewalk.org
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
17 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
'Surgeons removed FIVE of my organs and now I'm free of cancer'
Two and a half years ago, a team of three surgeons worked for 12 hours to remove her ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, gall bladder, spleen, part of her pancreas and part of her bowel, in a bid to eliminate all signs of the disease, which had already spread. The 51-year-old, who grew up in Pollok, continues to receive regular check-ups but latest scans show no evidence of cancer. Jennifer Ogilvie (Image: CRUK) Jennifer vividly recalls spending her birthday in Glasgow Royal Infirmary in February 2023, just days after the operation. 'The surgery was complex and incredibly skilled,' says Jennifer. 'I am forever grateful to surgeons Professor Nigel Jamieson, Professor Campbell Roxburgh and Dr Rhona Lindsay who joined forces to operate on me. 'I truly believe I would not be here without them. I'm fortunate to live near a hospital with such medical excellence.' She adds, smiling: 'It wasn't the best way to celebrate a birthday, but I've made up for it since.' Jennifer in hospital during her treatment (Image: CRUK) Jennifer is preparing to be guest of honour for Cancer Research UK's Shine Night Walk in Glasgow. She has been chosen as guest of honour to sound the horn and send more than 1000 people on the 10k on Saturday, August 30. 'I have a new appreciation of and zest for life,' admits Jennifer. 'I know I am one of the lucky ones. Given everything I've been through, I consider myself fortunate that I'm here and I'm well. 'I'm living my best life thanks to a team of wonderful doctors and surgeons and fantastic advances in cancer research. 'Sometimes I look back over the last few years and ask, did all of this actually happen to me or to somebody else? It's a privilege to have the chance to share my story to help provide hope and spread awareness.' Jennifer in Malta (Image: CRUK) Jennifer was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in July 2022 after experiencing unexpected bleeding, which she initially attributed to perimenopause. After visiting her GP, she had a CA125 blood test, which is sometimes used for people with possible symptoms of ovarian cancer. It revealed her CA125 count was higher than 9000, compared to a normal level of around 35. She was referred for more tests. 'Perhaps the scariest thing was that I didn't feel unwell,' says Jennifer. 'If it wasn't for the bleeding, I wouldn't have contacted my GP. 'The symptoms of ovarian cancer can be quite vague. It's important people feel empowered to talk to their GP if they notice anything that doesn't feel right for them. The earlier cancer is detected the better." She adds: 'Right at the start I was told by the doctors that whatever they find, there will be a treatment plan to deal with it. I just had to trust them.' Jennifer's treatment included six chemotherapy sessions at the West of Scotland Beatson Cancer Centre in Glasgow. Blood tests also showed that Jennifer carried an inherited fault in the BRIP1 gene, making her more likely to have developed ovarian cancer than those without the fault. Jennifer now takes daily tablets of Olaparib, a type of targeted cancer treatment partly developed thanks to Cancer Research UK-funded scientists. The drug, which is known as a PARP inhibitor, helps prevent cancer cells from multiplying. She has also been fitted with a stoma, where a section of bowel is brought out through an opening on the stomach, and waste is collected in a bag attached to the skin. 'At first I hated having a stoma but I now embrace it as I know it helped saved my life,' she says. 'I've called it Charlie and I'm proud to say it is now part of me.' (Image: CRUK) Jennifer, who now lives in Helensburgh, is aiming to complete the 10k at the Shine Night Walk Glasgow. Supported by her husband, Stuart, and family and friends, she has already raised more than £2000 for CRUK (having even taking part in Race for Life Glasgow just three months after surgery.) 'I am stubborn, and through this journey have often wanted to do things on my own,' she says. 'But I have a fantastic support network including my husband, my bedrock through it all, offering unconditional love.' Shine Night Walk Glasgow starts at the SEC at 8pm, and the route passes famous landmarks including Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, the Mitchell Library, the Duke of Wellington statue and the Gallery of Modern Art. Cancer Research UK's Scotland spokesperson Lisa Adams, says: 'Our scientists have helped to double cancer survival in the UK in the last 50 years, but with nearly one in two people set to be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime, we can't stop there. So, we're grateful to Jennifer for helping to raise vital awareness.' Anyone who signs up for Shine Night Walk before September 1 can claim 30 percent off the entry fee by using the code SNWAUG25. To enter or volunteer visit
Scotsman
19 hours ago
- Scotsman
Glow-in-the-dark charity night walk returns to Edinburgh
The walk tours the capital's iconic landmarks Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Thousands of walkers will parade through Edinburgh's city centre with glowsticks and glitter next month, as Cancer Research UK's annual night time fundraiser returns to Scotland's capital. The Shine Night Walk is taking place in Edinburgh this year on Saturday, September 27, with entries open now. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The annual walk through the city's streets is 10k in distance - roughly the same as walking around a football pitch nearly 29 times - and participants are encouraged to wear glow-in-the-dark accessories. People taking part can choose to raise money for a specific type of cancer closest to their hearts, such as prostate, bowel, lung or breast cancer – or raise funds for areas of research where the need is greatest. The Cancer Research UK Shine Night Walk is an annual event and takes place in different cities across the UK | Cancer Research UK Cancer Research UK spokeswoman for Scotland, Lisa Adams, said: 'There's always an amazing atmosphere at Shine Night Walk with thousands united in their determination to save more lives creating a powerful parade of neon-glowing light and hope. 'We've helped to double cancer survival in the UK in the last 50 years but, with around 34,600 people diagnosed with cancer in Scotland each year we can't stop there. That's why we need as many supporters as possible to step up and sign up now. September 27 is Edinburgh's moment to shine and help beat cancer one stride at a time.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A Shine Night Walk is also taking place in Glasgow on August 30, following a route round Kelvingrove Park, past the Duke of Wellington Statue and over the Millennium Bridge. Here's everything you need to know about the Edinburgh event. What's the route? It takes around 1.5 to 3 hours to walk 10k – which is just over 6 miles. The event starts at the Scottish National Gallery on The Mound at 7pm, then passes famous landmarks including Holyrood Palace, the Scottish Parliament, Arthur's Seat and Edinburgh Castle. You can find a full route map on the Cancer Research UK website here. Participates are encouraged to walk at their own pace. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Who can take part? Shine Night Walk 10k events are open to everyone aged 11 and over, however participants aged 11-17 must be accompanied by an adult. If you don't fancy the walk, event organisers are also looking for volunteers to help set up the course to guide participants around the city. Participants can take part by themselves, or enter with a group of family members or friends. You can enter up to 10 people at once via the online entry form. Participants are encouraged to dress up for the fundraiser | Lesley Martin/ Cancer Research UK Anyone who signs up between August 18 and September 1 can claim 30 per cent off the entry fee by using the code SNWAUG25. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How much money do I need to raise? Cancer Research encourages people to raise as much money through fundraising efforts as possible, and provides an online fundraising page on their website. It suggests 10k walkers aim to raise at least £100 ahead of the event. On the entry form, participants can choose to raise money for a particular cancer type or area of work. There is also an entry fee for the event, which costs £17.49 per person. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What should I wear? Participants are being encouraged to wear flashing and glow-in-the-dark accessories to light up the city's streets. That could include glowsticks, reflective wristbands or light-up head accessories.
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Junk food flooding young people's social media feeds, says study
Scrolling through social media with the images of burgers, milkshakes and sweets can often make people hungry, but does it have a negative effect as well? A health charity is warning that the constant stream of high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) content is a big health concern. A poll by Cancer Research UK suggests that children and teenagers are often exposed to unhealthy food content online, with young people interacting more with the content when it is shared by charity is calling on the government to do more to protect children and young people from "harmful marketing". The charity surveyed more than 4,000 young people aged 11 to found around half saw unhealthy food or drink products on social media posted by businesses or influencers in the last four in ten (39%) said they interacted with these posts by liking, commenting or number was higher for influencer content than it was for adverts from part of the study, 43 young people also took part in discussions around the topic and reported that seeing certain foods would make them particularly hungry."At least every two minutes that I'm on Instagram I'd see at least one food-related post," said one 15-year-old participant. Another, aged 11, said:"[There] is a giant cookie bowl that also keeps showing up," she said. "When I see it, I feel like ordering a dessert and I feel really hungry." High saturated fat, sugary and salty foods (such as cakes, biscuits, chocolate, crisps) can be eaten occasionally. The problem is eating too much of these foods can have big health impacts. The charity says that eating too much of these foods increases the likelihood of children becoming overweight which can lead to further health problems. In January 2026, new laws are to be bought in by the government to ban paid-for online advertising of specific high in fat, salt and sugar products, including on social media, alongside new rules for junk food ads on TV. Cancer Research UK says these changes have already faced delays."Advertising can shape what children eat, so the UK Government must help create an online environment that empowers, rather than undermines, healthy changes," Liv Cheek, prevention policy manager for the charity said.
