Radical cystectomy to recovery: Angela’s courageous bladder cancer journey

In the third video of the series “5 Women, 5 Experiences,” we meet Angela, a 42-year-old from Niverville, Canada who shares her journey with bladder cancer. Diagnosed in 2020 after noticing blood in her urine, Angela’s initial treatment for a suspected Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) proved ineffective, leading to further investigations. A cystoscopy and subsequent biopsy confirmed the bladder cancer diagnosis.

Despite undergoing multiple treatments including several cycles of Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor (TURBT) and intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy, Angela’s cancer progressed to muscle-invasive bladder cancer by the end of 2020. The following year, she faced 12 weeks of chemotherapy and a radical cystectomy surgery, resulting in the removal of her urinary bladder and surrounding organs. Angela now lives with a urostomy bag she calls “Peeatrice”, symbolising her strength and resilience.

By sharing Angela’s story of hope, we highlight the wider challenges women face with bladder cancer. This effort seeks to support and empower women facing bladder cancer.

Together, we are advocating for increased awareness and action on issues women encounter when faced with a bladder cancer diagnosis and fostering a world where every woman’s health journey is acknowledged and supported.

We invite you to learn more about our “5 women, 5 experiences” campaign here.

If you want to learn more about bladder cancer, visit our bladder cancer information pages or contact our member organisations closest to you.