Not wanting to take any chances, Gray enthusiastically scheduled an appendectomy to have her appendix removed. During the procedure, no issues were found with her appendix, but the surgeon discovered internal bleeding near her ovaries.
A gynecologist was brought in, and they were concerned by the presence of small implants, or clumps of tissue, often consistent with endometriosis. A biopsy was performed and found to be cancerous. Gray was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer.
“When I came out of surgery and they gave me the news, I was floored,” said Gray. “That changed the entire trajectory of my life.”
She started a 4-month chemotherapy regimen in January 2020. Two months later, the COVID-19 pandemic placed unprecedented strain on the health care industry.
“When COVID-19 hit, Kaiser Permanente never missed a beat with regard to my treatment,” Gray recalled. “While I had to go to the remainder of my appointments alone, the pandemic never disrupted my treatment plan. I know that wasn’t the case for some cancer patients at other hospitals.”
Living life to the fullest
On April 20, 2020, Gray finished her last round of chemotherapy. She was then put on a PARP inhibitor, a class of drug that can prevent cancer cells from repairing damage to their DNA. Regular CT scans and colonoscopies have confirmed that she remains in the clear.
As of early 2025, Gray is approaching 5 years of being cancer-free, a major milestone for all cancer survivors. In that time, she has been intentional about making the most of all that life has to offer.
She took a trip to Greece with her husband. She attended both of her children’s college graduation ceremonies. She helped her daughter plan her wedding and saw her get married. She watched her son become an officer in the United States Marine Corps, head off to flight school, and get engaged.
Her advice to others dealing with cancer is straightforward: “Ask questions of your doctors. Trust the process. Don’t get too far ahead of yourself. Focus on one round of treatment at a time.”
Learn more about cancer care at Kaiser Permanente.
