Katie's Corner Helps Women Facing Ovarian Cancer

The sister of a woman who died from ovarian cancer is helping others who are going through the hardest time in their lives.

Kristen Beal is a wig stylist at Katie's Corner, a wig studio within The Women's Health Boutique at Mercy Medical Center that is dedicated to her sister.

“I had this overwhelming feeling one day that the absolute coolest thing we could possibly do for every woman that comes through our doors is to name our studio after Katie and have her serve as a symbol of strength and resilience and determination for every woman that comes through our doors,” Beal said.

Katie was diagnosed with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) in 2015 at the age of 37. HGSOC is one of the most common and aggressive types of ovarian cancer. Katie’s doctors called her case Stage 3C.

“She had some butt pressure, and it was just unusual to have. It would come and go,” Beal said. “Then, the only other symptom, like looking back, was during the wintertime, and she was wearing tall boots and one leg was not swollen, but it was tighter on that leg.”

According to Panayotis (Peter) Ledakis, M.D. with Medical Oncology and Hematology at Mercy and Katie’s physician, for women diagnosed at Stage 1, the survival rate is 90% with surgery.

“The problem is we do not have effective screening strategies and early detection strategies for ovarian cancer like we have for breast cancer, colon cancer,” Dr. Ledakis said. 

Dr. Ledakis recommends women who have any persistent abdominal symptoms, discomfort, or pelvic discomfort that lasts for a few weeks to go to the doctor and push to get a CAT or CT scan.

After a decade-long battle, Katie died in December 2025, but her spirit lives on.

Beal is helping others who are going through the hardest time in their lives, offering Katie’s Corner as a place of positivity.

“Some women are ecstatic. Like, they put [the wig] on and they’re looking at themselves and they are like, ‘Oh my gosh, it looks amazing,’” Beal said. “Other women, it’s very emotional.”

Beal encourages everyone to always trust their gut and listen to their body.

The boutique is located inside the The Weinberg Center for Women's Health and Medicine and open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

View Mercy medical oncologist Dr. Panayotis (Peter) Ledakis’ interview regarding ovarian cancer.