2 weeks Ago By Harry Funk
In September, she took a trip to Texas. In November, she’ll be in the Big Apple. “Last year, I went to Arizona,” Desolina Postreich said as she approached her 14th birthday.
“That was my first time ever flying alone.” While she enjoys her opportunities to travel around the country at a relatively young age, the Pine resident is even more excited to meet folks and tell them about herself. “There have been a lot of people who have found a lot of help through my story,” she said.
“It’s convinced them to get checked out sooner rather than later.” Desolina was just 5 years old when she underwent surgery for the removal of a tumor that had developed on one of her ovaries and a fallopian tube. Today, leaders of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition frequently invite her to speak at events to help promote the importance of early detection.
“It’s very possible to get it, but when you do, you’re 30 and older,” she said, referencing more of a standard age range for the disease. “So no one ever expects a teenager, let alone a little kid, to get it.” Last month, Desolina shared her story at the coalition’s Together in TEAL (Tell Every Amazing Lady) Run/Walk fundraisers in both Pittsburg and Dallas, and she’s heading to the New York City Marathon on Nov.
3 to cheer for distance runners on NOCC Team Teal. In 2023, she spoke at an Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game as part of her continuing fight against ovarian cancer. “I really love going to all these events and helping support people,” Desolina said.
“It’s a reassurance that they can get through it, and it gives them a better mindset, which is one of the reasons I really, really like advocating.” ‘Lot of sleepless nights’ Back home, most of her Pine-Richland Middle School classmates are familiar with what she’s experienced. “I will get questions about it, and I’ll make sure to answer them,” she said.
“They’re wondering if they could get it, too, which there is obviously a possibility.” Her mother, Katie, is a physician assistant and was somewhat aware of the possibility when Desolina started displaying symptoms at age 4, including early signs of puberty. “There were physical changes that were concerning, and then from there, it kind of progressed and she had some stomach pain, so we had lots of workup,” Katie said about the diagnostic process.
“And eventually, the workup showed that there was a big tumor, about 14 centimeters.” The medical term is a Stage 1a juvenile granulosa cell tumor, indicating that it was detected and treated before a potential spread of the cancer. Desolina’s dad, Ron, compared the growth’s size to a Nerf ball.
“Both Katie and I, we had a lot of sleepless nights,” he said. “I remember waking up and she’s wide awake, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I just took a little nap.’ That’s what we were living on for a few weeks.
” The surgery took place Nov. 30, 2015. “We had to basically cancel Thanksgiving that year, because we were hosting it here,” Ron recalled.
‘No evidence of disease’ Desolina eventually received what’s called “no evidence of disease,” according to her mother. “Five years ago, she got released from her oncologist, and now she just follows up with her pediatrician yearly. Catching it at Stage 1a with any of them,” Katie said about various cancers, “is the most ideal that you can get.
As far as recovery rate, that’s the best.” Soon after she and Ron learned about the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, they got Desolina involved. Each member of the family regularly participates in the Pittsburgh run/walk, son Preston and daughter Adalyn included.
“That’s always a thing I look forward to, because some of her friends come who are also my friends,” Adalyn said about her older sister. “It’s a fun thing to do every year.” She was 3 when Desolina became ill and doesn’t recall much about the ordeal.
Preston, now a Pine-Richland High School sophomore, had somewhat of a notion. “I don’t think I really understood it enough to be too worried about it,” he said. “I do remember one time we were visiting her and she was in her hospital bed, and they had iPads outside of the room.
We were playing Angry Birds.” These days, the Postreichs can look back and smile at such anecdotes, especially considering Desolina’s relative healthiness and her pursuit of typical teenage activities. For example, she is rehearsing to play the title character in “Beetlejuice Jr.
,” to be presented Jan. 10-12 at Perform! Pittsburgh Theater and Talent School in Adams Township. “I have influenced a lot of my friends to go into the musical with me, and we’ve been having a lot of fun,” she said.
“It’s like a big family with everybody who is there.” Desolina’s talents extend to dancing, singing and playing baritone horn, and of course, to promoting awareness about ovarian cancer and helping raise money for the battle against it. Have story, will travel.
For more information about the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, visit ovarian.org ..
