When singer Nat Ripepi found out she had ovarian cancer she said her first reaction was total disbelief.
“It’s hard to describe, my first reaction was disbelief. You say to yourself, ‘No, I’m healthy, I do all the right things.’ I just thought to myself, ‘it can’t be.’
Ripepi said once the doctors had completed a range of tests she began to accept the diagnosis.
Now the singer is five years on from the devastating news she said it had been a life changing experience.
At the time of her diagnosis doctors told Ripepi that she had a 45% chance of making it to the five year mark, and if she made it to five years her prospects would be good. Now cancer free, the singer looks back on the moment her world was turned upside down.
“I had been focusing on living a healthy life.” Ripepi told OUTinPerth, “I’d been diagnosed with endometriosis, and that’s what the Doctors all thought were causing my symptoms. Nobody realised I had cancer until it was too late, the symptoms are pretty much the same.”
Ripepi said her illness made her look at herself both psychologically and physically and said she’d learn to be more positive and and that she no longer worried about the small things.
The journey put Ripepi’s creative life on hold for a period.
“I was physically too ill and the surgery was so major, I couldn’t even pick up the guitar, let alone hold it and play it.
“It took me a while to get physically fit enough, the chemotherapy affected my voice so singing wasn’t easy.” Ripepi said.
Once she able to get back to songwriting the first thing Ripepi did was write a song about the experience.
“I wrote a song called The Gift which was about that journey, through all the pain and emotions, it felt like a gift at the end because I looked at life very differently.
“I felt so close to a lot of people, and it showed me just how lucky and loved I am. I felt really blessed, I felt like it was a good thing about it.”
The song will be part of Ripepi’s set when she performs at A Night on the Swan this week.
The  fundraiser organised by the St John of God Foundation, will take place at Acqua Viva on the Swan in Nedlands and raises essential funds for research into Ovarian cancer.
Alongside Ripepi’s performance the event will also feature an art exhibition showcasing works by John McIntosh, Shannon Hamilton and Pippin Drysdale.
The party will also feature an auction that will see ticket holders have a chance to take home a signature Smales diamond bracelet and a limited edition 946 Emporio Armani Vespa.
Information can be found at the event’s website.Â
OIP Staff
