Seeking help for cancer treatment, young patient implores persons to get regular checkups
It is now a year since 24-year-old Candacey Glen first saw the symptoms of ovarian cancer that she was diagnosed with.
Glen told the News Room that for several years she noticed her reproductive health was unusual. However, her doctor assured her that she was fine. She was at her sister’s baby shower in May 2021 when she fainted and reasoned that her health seemed to be worsening.
“I basically fainted; it was cause to go to the hospital and that’s when I found out about the tumour,” Glen said. She explained that after finding out about the tumour, she was told that she is also anemic. Glen had unusual periods but she did not undergo tests for any illnesses because her doctors told her contraceptive pills would regulate them.
But after finding out about the tumour in May, she ran several tests and by August she was diagnosed with anemia. Then, as her health continued to deteriorate she continued checkups. In October 2021 Glen was told she has ovarian cancer.
“Even when I heard the news I refused to believe it. And then I convinced myself that this is the case and I can’t let it get me down. So I have to try and go forward and figure out how I’m going to beat it,” she said.
She was immediately recommended to the Cancer Institute where she received one round of chemotherapy. Glen was already at stage four of her cancer and therefore she needed multiple sessions of chemotherapy.
Her body could not handle this much of the treatment. Glen said the first session made her body very weak. “Before doing chemotherapy, a lot of persons told me how bad it was going to be. But you can do so much preparation. When you’re in it, it’s totally different,” she explained.
“I really wasn’t [prepared for] the amount of pain and just overall suffering. I cannot stress enough how terrible chemotherapy is and knowing that people have to do it just to get better is just mind-boggling to me because I’ve gone through it.”
She encourages others not to procrastinate if they see health warnings.
“I think that we need to take more care with ourselves. Just don’t say, ‘Oh, it’s a headache” or, you know, just brush it off because you really don’t know and then sometimes one opinion isn’t enough,”
“If I had gone through and probably sought some more help from another place I probably would have figured it out a lot sooner. And it could have been dealt with in a better manner,” she said.
Before being diagnosed, Glen was working and studying. She said she enjoyed going to the gym and she was always active. Hence the diagnosis was shocking to both her and her family.
Glen explained that her body changed drastically but it was the impact that the treatment took on her that was most concerning. Glen has suffered hair loss and the tumour has grown and expanded to just below her stomach.
Due to having anemia, her body could not adjust to her chemotherapy and she has been referred to undergo surgery instead. Although surgery was recommended in the beginning, the doctors did not proceed with it. She said she is happy that they didn’t because at the time the cancer cells were not yet detected. This could’ve brought more harm than good.
She is now seeking further treatment in Cuba and needs to meet expenses that could range from US$20,000 to US$50,000. This is money she does not have.
She is asking for assistance from persons to finance further tests and treatment. Glen can be contacted on 592-656-1515 or 592-683-5270. She also has a local bank account opened for donations at Republic Bank Limited Guyana: Account holder name: Candacey Leanne Glen; Account number: 962352813780 or donations can be sent to MMG: 6177945.