Helping Jaz Gray

Hi, I'm Jaz, I’m a 32 year old step mum to three awesome kids and have an amazing partner by my side. We live in a beautiful historic town in South Australia called Strathalbyn.

Diagnosed only a year and half after I met my partner Nick and his children. Our world changed so fast, and I was put on a roller coaster of surgeries and treatments so fast I can hardly remember. 

One thing that surprised me and kept me strong was Nick, he never left my side, my true knight in shining armour. He promised he was going to fight with me and that he did; A true love story, it kept me so strong throughout my journey, I really don’t think I would be here today if it wasn’t for him helping me fight this cancer journey every step.

In 2024, after 18 months of severe symptoms, I was finally diagnosed with (SCCOHT), meaning- Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary, Hypercalcemic Type. A very rare and aggressive form of Ovarian cancer and I have been fighting ever since.  Following removal of one of my ovaries, a biopsy showed that I had cancer, but because of the lack of testing for Ovarian Cancers, my symptoms were constantly misdiagnosed, and I was sent home from doctors and hospitals with no answers leaving me with a late diagnosis. But I never gave up, I always knew something wasn’t right. Back then I was diagnosed stage II after the removal of my cancerous ovary. 

As soon as I was diagnosed, I was rushed off for a full hysterectomy so I could commence Chemotherapy. I Had little time to think and not a lot of time to waste. After surgery recovery I took my next challenge head on, I did 7 months of high dose Chemotherapy (June – September 2024). 

We kickstarted everything, we started bringing our dreams and future plans forward, things were getting scary. In the middle of my chemotherapy we got notified we had to move out of our rental, there was nothing we could do to stay, we were crushed. So, we moved our plans forward of buying a home in the future to buying one asap. So, we put in for a home loan, we had some family help, had lots of luck on our side and we won the auction of our dream house! We moved into our home in the middle of my chemotherapy treatment, it all happened so fast. It was crazy but we made it happen; we had our dream house, and we had a comfortable space for me to recover. I am just glad we now have a permanent roof over our heads.

I then finished the rest of my chemotherapy and went on to having a Stem Cell Transplant (October 2024) staying in hospital for 3 weeks not being able to see my step kids and Nick only allowed to visit a few times because I was in protective isolation, I got out of hospital 1 week early which was a huge relief after being stuck in that room for 3 weeks. When I got out of hospital I was so overwhelmed with the daylight and green colours of nature; there was tears in my eyes that whole day. You never know how strong you are until you have been through something like that!

With positive results I was in remission for 3 months - before being told that my cancer had returned, stage 4 Cancer now. Wow what a shock, life was getting good enjoying our new house and renovating. Everything moved so fast, knowing how aggressive my cancer was, we were straight onto researching for the next plan of attack.

Today I live with 2 growing tumours, currently 6cm and 4.5cm in the abdomen, one which is on a lymph node. I have tried 1 trial which was unsuccessful, I also got accepted into another trial, but my blood work did not recover in time, the clock was ticking so we decided to stop, which was leaving me with a very expensive Immunotherapy treatment option which is unlikely to cure me but may provide me some extra time. I am always researching and have signed up to multiple bio banks for the research of my cancer, hoping one day they find something that works for the future woman with this rare cancer.

I hope they find a cure!

I have started self-funded immunotherapy treatment hoping this will give me positive results with tumour shrinkage and stop future growth. Unfortunately, the only immunotherapy with backed up research is not funded under the PBS Medicare at this stage and there are no current trials either. So that leaves me to self-fund privately for my own treatments which is at least $50,000 plus ongoing costs of around $7,000 every 3 weeks if this treatment proves to be effective.

I am truly thankful for all the support I have had so far from all my friends, Jaz’s Teal Warriors, my family and complete strangers, you guys are just truly amazing, lots of love! Jaz’s Teal Warriors are about to kickstart a bunch of fundraising, you guys are truly amazing!

This journey has helped me look on the bright side of life, appreciate the beauty nature has to offer and treat every day as a blessing. My friends will tell me just how proud they are, how I’ve faced this and how much I push myself to not waste a single moment.

Thank you, Rare Cancers Australia for your support.