A Friend’s Fight Becomes Her Own: Becky Drexler’s Battle with Ovarian Cancer

When Becky Drexler first heard that her longtime friend Connie Dahl had stage 4 ovarian cancer back in 2015, she was there in the hospital, holding a hand and promising to be there through the tough months ahead. Connie, then 51, fought bravely, but the disease claimed her life in September 2017.

During those difficult years Becky didn’t stay idle. She began volunteering with the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance (MOCA), learning the ropes of advocacy and support while watching Connie’s health decline. After Connie’s passing, Becky thought the worst was over and started looking forward to retirement – gardening, traveling, and more time with family.

That optimism was shattered in July 2018, when the same, ominous symptoms that had haunted her friend – frequent urination, bloating, constipation and a nagging hip ache – resurfaced for Becky. She brushed them off as “just getting older,” delaying a doctor’s visit.

On her 57th birthday, a routine CT scan revealed masses on both ovaries. A frantic call from her physician set the wheels in motion: within four days she was in the operating room. The diagnosis? Stage 3B high‑grade serous ovarian cancer.

Becky recalls a strange, almost comforting sign that nudged her to act. “Dragonflies kept appearing in my garden that afternoon,” she wrote in an essay. “It felt like Connie was trying to tell me to go to the doctor. I told her, ‘Okay, I’ll go.’”

From September 2018 to January 2019 she endured six rounds of carboplatin and taxol chemotherapy. Those months were “hard,” she says, “but they were also filled with love, laughter, and the unwavering support of family, friends, my care team, and the MOCA community.”

Even in the darkest moments, Connie’s words guided her: “Be positive, live, laugh and love to the fullest every day.” Those reminders, plus the camaraderie of MOCA support groups, helped Becky stay afloat.

In August 2020 the cancer returned, prompting another surgery to excise a pelvic tumor. After careful discussion with her oncologist – weighing standard chemo, radiation, and a watch‑and‑wait approach – Becky chose targeted radiation, keeping chemo as a backup.

The radiation finished in January 2021, and for the first time since her diagnosis she was declared “no evidence of disease” (NED). She also started Lynparza, a PARP‑inhibitor maintenance therapy that wasn’t even an option when Connie fought her battle.

From 2021 through early 2026, Lynparza kept the cancer at bay, though Becky admits the fear of recurrence never fully left her mind. That fear became reality again in the winter of 2026 when stomach issues led to a PET scan showing a tumor near her small intestine.

After a successful surgery confirmed a recurrence, Becky began an 18‑week regimen in May 2026 of carboplatin, taxol and Avastin. A mid‑treatment PET scan in late July showed the lesions disappearing – a promising sign she shared with a relieved smile.

Looking ahead, she may transition to an antibody‑drug conjugate (ADC) maintenance therapy, a brand‑new targeted option that has shown “exceptional results” in recent trials.

Through every twist, Becky has stayed deeply involved with MOCA – serving on its board, helping committees, and reviewing research grants. Her story is a testament to how personal loss can fuel a lifelong commitment to advocacy, and how modern treatments can give hope even after multiple recurrences.