Senior Year: McGaffigan trying to raise awareness about cancer

Molly McGaffigan looks like a typical high school student-athlete.

The Bishop Guertin High School senior just finished her final season on the girls soccer team, and in the spring, she’ll try to help the girls lacrosse team defend its first championship.

But there’s more to know about her, something that isn’t apparent on first, or even second and third, glance.

McGaffigan is a cancer survivor.

A little more than two years ago, McGaffigan, then going into her sophomore year, went in for a regular checkup, one that’s required for all athletes to participate in high school sports. During the exam, her doctor found something – ovarian cancer.

“My doctor was feeling my stomach and definitely thought there was something in there,” McGaffigan said. “Most people get diagnosed with ovarian cancer when they’re in their 50s and 60s. It was definitely surprising.”

About a week or two later, McGaffigan had surgery to remove what turned out to be a tumor that weighed 10 pounds and was a foot long. It wasn’t long after that she was working her way back onto the playing field.

“I wasn’t able to do anything for three weeks,” she said. “There was no chemo or anything. It was definitely (a relief).”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, 90 percent of women who get ovarian cancer are over the age of 40. In 2006, the most recent year numbers are available, 19,994 women were diagnosed with the disease; 14,857 died from it.

Since her own diagnosis and recovery, McGaffigan has been involved with different programs to try to create awareness.

“We do an annual lacrosse game at the school raising awareness and money for it,” she said. “I do a lot of work with Ovations for the Cure, which is for raising awareness. I try to focus on the younger girls because they don’t know a lot about the disease. If they know about it, they can check for it.”

Surprise is the most common reaction McGaffigan gets when she tells someone that she is an ovarian cancer survivor. She feels fortunate not only that it was discovered in time, but also that there has been no sign of remission.

“I go back every six months for a checkup,” she said. “I’m very lucky. Mine was found in Stage 1. A lot of people don’t make it like I did.

“I know a lot of people who have cancer that’s found in the later stages. Just know the symptoms. Men can know them, too. If they have a wife or daughter, they can notice symptoms, too, and go to the doctor.”