We Asked . . . Veronica Walsh

Editor's note: September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Mount Pleasant's Veronica Walsh has battled the disease since 2003 and wants women to become vigilant at listening to their bodies. Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate of all cancers of the female reproductive system, according to the National Cancer Institute. An estimated 21,500 new cases will be diagnosed this year.

Q How did you find out you had ovarian cancer?

A: Very long story, short: I was told I had a fibroid and tried to feel it through my abdomen but found a large mass instead. I went on to be misdiagnosed with a pulled muscle, which was comical based on my figure at the time.

Q: How has the disease changed your life?

A: I really no longer sweat the small stuff, which drives my husband nuts.

Q: What has been the most difficult part of the experience?

A: Having my children see me so sick that I could not move and crying in pain.

Q: Has anything positive come from your battle with ovarian cancer?

A: Too many things to list. But most importantly, I have been given a gift of the future through cancer. We are all going to die, I may have to deal with it sooner rather then later -- make it count.

Q: Where or how have you found the strength to fight?

A: God, my family, my friends, my colleagues, my pets and perfect strangers.

Q: What would you like more people to know about the disease?

A: My goal is to make the ovaries the new boobs. Ovarian is the single most deadly gynecological cancer -- meaning it kills more women then all the others. There is no diagnostic test that accurately allows doctors to diagnose this disease in the early stages when survival is at the highest. We need to become vigilant at listening to our bodies and letting our doctors know that if something is wrong they will need to listen to us and not make us feel we are crazy.

Q: You also own an international event-planning business, Planning the Globe, and are an independent consultant for Cookie Lee Jewelry. You're a wife and mother of two teenagers. What do you do to relieve stress?

A: Holy Yoga at Christ Church (my church) keeps me grounded and relaxed, reading, and I admit it -- good old-fashioned television watching.

Q: What is your favorite way to spend time with your family?

A: Traveling. We love to travel all over: short trips to Florida to see our cousins or big trips to other countries. Also, both my children play sports, and I love to watch them compete in swimming and ice hockey.

Q: You mentioned you scrapbook. Is it the act of scrapbooking you like or having the finished scrapbooks?

A: Ha, funny you should mention finished scrapbooks because I have none. My daughter swears I will never finish her scrapbook since I am still on her first Christmas and she is 17. My son sweetly pointed out that I have a little issue with finishing things. Oh, well. Such is life.

Q: If you could be famous for anything, what would it be?

A: HOPE

Helping

Other women

Passionately

Embrace life

Helping find a cure for ovarian cancer. ... Being a kind person.

Q: Best book you've ever read?

A: The Bible and "Flashbang: How I Got Over Myself" by Mark Steele.

Q: What is your No. 1 goal for the coming year, personally or professionally?

A: To write every editor of every women's magazine to let them know I was sad that not one of them thought ovarian cancer was important enough to make the cover or the inside of their magazines. I want teal (the color associated with ovarian cancer awareness) covers next year and articles in every magazine -- nothing less will do.

Continue to plan meetings all over the world.

Earn my Mercedes convertible with Cookie Lee.

Change women's lives forever and for the better!

For more information about ovarian cancer:

--Ovarian Cancer National Alliance: ovariancancer.org, 1-866-399-6262

--National Cancer Institute: cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/ovarian, 1-800-4-CANCER

--South Carolina Ovarian Cancer Foundation: scovariancancer.org, 864-373-6306

- Kristen Hankla