Surviving cancer doesn’t mean that’s the end of your worries. Many people often have physical, emotional and financial challenges after completing their treatment.

That’s why June is marked as National Cancer Survivors Month — a time to honor those who survived their fight and celebrate those who are still fighting.

Kasey Bienkowski rings the bell at Novant Health to celebrate the end of her cancer treatment. (Courtesy Novant Health)

Kasey Bienkowski, a second grade teacher at Town Creek Elementary School in Brunswick County, recently completed her cancer treatment at Novant Health. She was even able to ring their bell to celebrate the accomplishment.

“Every time you go to chemo, you sit there and you look at the bell,” Bienkowski said. “And you say one day I’m gonna ring it.”

Last fall, she was experiencing abdominal pain and irregular periods. Although her symptoms weren’t concerning at first, doctors eventually found a 13-centimeter cyst on her ovary.

“So I got that removed and the pathology came back for low-grade serous carcinoma,” Bienkowski said. “Which is ovarian cancer.”

Bienkowski, who works with kids every day in the classroom, says she’s always wanted to be a mom. The thought of missing out on that future was devastating.

Kasey Bienkowski got through her cancer treatment with support from her students at Town Creek Elementary School in Brunswick County. (Spectrum News 1/Jonathan Powell)

“In my diagnosis that was the one thing that was hardest and still continues to be kind of hard for me,” Bienkowski said, “Is knowing that I’ll never be able to carry my own baby.”

But she didn’t let that stop her from fighting. In fact, it was kids who helped her through it.

“Being around my kids at school was what I needed to motivate me,” Bienkowski said. “They were my biggest motivators through this whole journey.”

Now, Bienkowski is hoping to help motivate others through their own journeys and to fight for their health like she did.

Kasey Bienkowski survived ovarian cancer. (Spectrum News 1/Jonathan Powell)

“If you’re feeling something's off, you need to go and get it checked out, because ovarian cancer is one of those types of cancers that the symptoms are very common,” Bienkowski said. “It’s bloating, it’s abdominal pain, it’s irregular periods, things that women deal with all the time, so it’s very hard to diagnose.”

According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women. Most of the women who are diagnosed are over the age of 63, which is why Bienkowski — who was diagnosed at 25 — was so shocked.

That’s why she says it’s important to know your body and to go to a doctor if you have any concerns.