We caught up with patient advocate and ovarian cancer survivor Malgorzata Kretowska following World Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day to talk about her association Stowarzyszenie Eurydyki in Bialystok, Poland, her experiences in the workplace following her cancer treatment, and her plans for World Gynecologic Oncology Day 2025 in September! In addition to her local advocacy work, Malgorzata serves on the ENGAGe Executive Group, helping raise the voices of cancer patients throughout Europe.
Read an excerpt of the interview transcript below (lightly edited for length and clarity), watch the full interview on our Facebook page, or catch clips in our Instagram Reels!
World Gynecologic Oncology Day
We're so happy to have your perspective! Malgorzata, could you tell us something about yourself?
Malgorzata Kretowska
I am from Poland. I work at the university, and also, eight years ago, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It was stage three ovarian cancer with diaphragm metastasis. So I am after radical operation, and also after chemotherapy. And after my disease, I started to work in my association to help other women in the same situation to encourage them to fight for themselves.
I work in Eurydyki Association in Bialystok in Poland. We are trying to help women who are during treatment, oncological treatment, chemotherapy. This is the first type of patients. And the second one is for all these women who are after treatment. So for example, they have problems with lymphedema or some other problems. So we try to meet together, to talk together, and just to have, for example, rehabilitation free for them. And also, the third areas of our activities is for healthy women who we want to protect against cancer. Gynecological cancer, other types of cancer. To raise awareness and to encourage them to visit the gynecologist, for example, at least once a year, right?
World Gynecologic Oncology Day
It's so important to do the screening! And do you think that screening is something that women in Poland widely know that they should do?
Malgorzata Kretowska
I think that in cities, or I don't know, in bigger cities, it's, it's rather obvious. Yes, so I think that the majority of women know this, yes, that that should visit gynecologist at least once a year.
But I think that the problem is more complicated in in smaller towns and villages when the access to a gynecologist is not so easy. They have to go somewhere, to other places, to visit the doctor. And also they think that it's not so important. That everything is okay. They do not feel pain, yes, so maybe it's not important to visit gynecologist.
We all know that is that this visit is not very comfortable for women, yes, but we are aware that it is important.
World Gynecologic Oncology Day
On May 8, we had World Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day, and one of the points that they always bring up in their great campaign is that the Pap smear at our gynecological screenings doesn't actually test for ovarian cancer. So that is, I think, a very widespread misconception too, that even if you are going to your gynecological checkups, those tests aren't the only thing you need to do. You also need to talk to the doctor if you notice symptoms. Right?
Malgorzata Kretowska
Of course, yes. Sometimes people think that there is only one type of gynae cancer, yes, and it's enough to make this Pap smear. But it's not true.
So you have to visit gynecologist and you have to do the ultrasonography, for example, to be sure that everything with you is okay.
World Gynecologic Oncology Day
Your awareness efforts in Poland also include World Gynecologic Oncology day. Last year you had some great campaigns for our awareness day on September 20. Could you tell us a little bit about that?
Malgorzata Kretowska
It was the fourth time last year. We invited doctors from different specializations to have a free consultation. So we invited all the people with different, I don't know, problems, just to come and to ask doctor about some issues.
There were almost 300 people and also, unfortunately, 16 of them were diagnosed with cancer, not only gynecological cancer, but also skin cancer and other cancers, but it was, I think, quite a big amount of people—16 during three hours.
World Gynecologic Oncology Day
What an amazing and useful event. So will you do something similar this year?
Malgorzata Kretowska
Yes, I think that similar to previous years, we also invite specialists from many, many types of cancers, just to have access to them, yes, without big queues. Access in Poland is a problem.
World Gynecologic Oncology Day
You’ve mentioned access a couple times now.
Malgorzata Kretowska
Access is very important, the specialist and also rehabilitation. In Poland, we have to wait for several weeks or even month. So we try to help these people solve their problems faster.