A Chicago woman had her life turned upside down when she decided to freeze her eggs at the age of 34
Little did she know that this decision would lead to the discovery of an aggressive form of early-stage ovarian cancer. Now, at the age of 40, Morgan Bellock is in remission and pursuing her dream of starting a family.
When Morgan went in for an ultrasound to ensure her body was ready for the egg freezing process, doctors found a large cyst on one of her ovaries. This unexpected finding shocked Morgan, who had no idea it was there. Concerned that the medication used to stimulate her ovaries could worsen the cyst, doctors decided to perform surgery to remove it. During the surgery, they also discovered a small mass underneath the cyst, which turned out to be an early-stage tumor.
Morgan described the situation as “crazy and weird,” but also a stroke of luck
Catching the cancer at such an early stage meant that it could be treated effectively. Without this accidental discovery, the cancer might have progressed and become life-threatening. Despite not experiencing any symptoms, Morgan’s doctors confirmed that the cancer could have been fatal if left undetected.
Due to the cancer, Morgan had to put her egg freezing plans on hold and even went through a breakup with her long-distance boyfriend. However, in 2018, she was finally able to freeze 10 eggs, motivated by the fact that she now only had one ovary. This journey became even more meaningful when she met someone new and got married in 2021. Thanks to the frozen eggs, Morgan and her husband can now pursue in vitro fertilization (IVF) to fulfill their dream of having children.
While Morgan is now in remission, she still struggles with the emotional toll of her experience. Nevertheless, she encourages others to trust their instincts and advocate for themselves, as her decision to freeze her eggs ultimately led her down a path she is incredibly grateful for.
Learn more about egg freezing:
