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“The recurrence did some positive things for me,” artist and filmmaker, Lucia Mauro, reflects on her second bout of ovarian cancer. “It made me live my life with a great sense of urgency because I didn’t know when it would come back. It made me do all of the things that I wanted to do and do them urgently, like my films. Something that I would put off or take my time with, I dove right in.”
In this episode, Lucia Mauro walks us through the ovarian cancer diagnosis. She candidly discusses the events with her gynecologist, ER admission and gynecological oncologist. She talks about her hysterectomy and other surgeries, and also the recurrence of her cancer. Through it all, she never gave up hope and has gone on to write and direct films that inspire others.
About Lucia Mauro
Before telling stories through film, Lucia Mauro was a longtime theater/dance critic, arts journalist, author, radio commentator, educator and photographer. After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012, she transitioned into filmmaking – and continued through two recent recurrences. Lucia is the writer-director of the 2016 feature, One Year Later, about an American woman who travels to Italy after completing cancer treatment. It was nominated for Best Original Score at the Visions of the World Film & Music Festival, and is shown throughout the medical community for cancer support groups. Lucia also created In My Brother’s Shoes (2015), a short film, and Frances Xavier Cabrini: The People’s Saint (2017), a poetic documentary. Her work explores the idea of healing, resilience and human connection. She also loves to travel (especially to Italy), cook and take long walks with her husband Joe.
Films by Lucia Mauro
One Year Later (2016) feature film for cancer support groupsLucia Speaking on Cancer
Episode Details
- About Lucia Mauro
- Early signs and symptoms go undetected
- How a public ad campaign on the side of a bus may have saved her life
- How her gynecologist reluctance to screen for ovarian cancer led to an ER diagnosis
- Meeting the gynecological oncologist that would save her life
- How to advocate for yourself
- Ovarian cancer returns
- Cancer continues to come back
- How Lucia is doing today
- One Year Later film
- Our Way Forward