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| Jane's Original Marker |
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| Joy in the Cemetery |
It
was during my cemetery wanderings last year that I discovered the grave, and
the incredible story, of Jane Todd Crawford. She was the first woman, the first
person actually, to undergo and survive abdominal surgery. Jane underwent this operation
for the removal of an ovarian tumor – a 22-pound ovarian tumor – in 1809.
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| Dr. Ephraim McDowell's House |
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| First Abdominal Surgery |
I
wrote a blog post about her courage to be the first to undergo ovarian surgery
last September. Jane’s story has
stayed with me throughout the following year. Last autumn, I visited the house in Kentucky where the
surgery took place. The more I’ve learned about Jane and
her story, the more I've felt that something must be done to make her legacy
more prominent and lasting.
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| Jane Todd Crawford |
It’s
December 1809, Jane’s ‘pregnancy’ has gone beyond nine months - well
beyond. A country doctor diagnosis’s her with an ovarian tumor, a death
sentence. But he thinks he can operate and, maybe, save her. He
tells Jane that this surgery has never been done. But Jane has no other
options; she agrees to take this chance.
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| Preparing to Operate |
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| Jane Arrives for Surgery |
Jane
travels 60 miles on horseback, resting the tumor on the saddle pommel. The
journey takes several days, during a snowy December, to reach the doctor’s
house. Anesthesia doesn’t yet exist; Jane agrees to be held down by
several strong arms. Outside, the cries of an angry mob can be heard as
they await word that Jane has died. They plan to lynch the doctor for
having the nerve to 'play God.' The operation takes 25 grueling minutes.
In the end, the country doctor, who thinks he can pull this off - does, and Jane
has a second chance at life!
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| McDowell Statue |
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| Dr Ephraim McDowell |
Dr.
Ephraim McDowell became famous as the pioneer of abdominal surgical techniques. He
performed the same operation on two more women, and published his report “Three
Cases of Extirpation of Diseased Ovaria” in 1817. He continued practicing medicine until his death,
ironically, from an apparent appendicitis on June 25, 1830. His home in Danville is now a museum
and a National Historic Landmark.
The Medical Society of Kentucky in Danville erected a statue in his
honor in 1879.
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| Jane Todd Crawford Trail |
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| Jane's Monument |
Jane
Todd Crawford is remembered with a large marker at her grave, put in place in
1940. There is also a small marker
located in the backyard of the McDowell House and Museum. And, Jane also has a country road named
after her…
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| Crawford Cabin in Kentucky |
The
book I’m writing will look at Jane’s life, at a woman’s life, at the
beginning of the nineteenth century in Kentucky and Indiana. The risks, the
fears, the hardships endured when you have only your family, your faith, and
your wits to sustain you. In the Kentucky backwoods, in 1809, Jane risked
it all – and won! And thanks to her courage, ovarian (and abdominal) surgery
became accepted, and survivable.
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| Ovarian Cancer Stats |
September is National Ovarian Cancer Month. It’s been over 200 years since Jane
underwent that fateful surgery, but ovarian cancer remains a horrifying and
silent killer. Its now the fifth
leading cause of cancer-related death among women, and is the deadliest of
gynecologic cancers. And the odds are still terrible: A woman’s lifetime risk
of developing invasive ovarian cancer is 1 in 71.
A woman’s lifetime risk of
dying from invasive ovarian cancer is 1 in 95. Ovarian cancer survival rates are still much lower than other
cancers that affect women.
I appreciate any assistance you can give, be it a mention or share
on Facebook or Twitter, a visit to the Jane Todd Crawford group page, watching
the video that explains what I’m planning to accomplish in the next year, even a donation, in any amount, will
help to move this project along.
I feel passionately about this project and believe that with your help, we can revive Jane's story of
incredible courage, and help move the effort to eliminate ovarian cancer to new
heights.
Thank you for anything
you can do to help!
~ Joy
I appreciate any assistance you can give, be it a mention or share
on Facebook or Twitter, a visit to the Jane Todd Crawford group page, watching
the video that explains what I’m planning to accomplish in the next year, even a donation, in any amount, will
help to move this project along.
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