Ariarne Titmus, the 23-year-old Olympic swimming gold medalist, underwent surgery to remove benign tumors from her ovary.
What happened?
On September 15, 2023, Titmus shared a picture from her hospital bed, revealing her terrifying ordeal on Instagram.
She had been managing an ongoing hip injury and underwent an MRI three weeks prior, which revealed a large growth on her right ovary.
Why it matters for Ariarne Titmus
The growth was found to be 8.5×7cm in size and contained two benign tumors called dermoids, both 4cm in size.
Titmus expressed her relief that the tumors were removed safely and that she is feeling well.
What comes next?
Titmus will take a couple of weeks to rest and recover before returning to training, with her sights set on the Paris Games next year.
She is a four-time world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, having won gold medals in the 200m and 400m events at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Aussie swimming legend Steph Rice commented on Titmus' post, expressing her support and gladness that Titmus is feeling better.
Former swimming star turned TV host Johanna Griggs also posted a message, thanking Titmus for sharing her experience and vulnerability.
Titmus' ordeal serves as a reminder that even athletes can face real-life health problems, and she feels blessed to have found the tumors before they caused any further complications.
The Australian government's Healthdirect website states that ovarian dermoid cysts are common and not cancerous, but can have ramifications such as causing the ovary to twist on itself.
However, dermoid cysts are not associated with infertility, and Titmus is grateful that her desire to have children one day will not be affected.
Titmus' experience has taught her more about her body and what it is capable of, and she is thankful for the support of her family and the amazing doctors who took care of her.
She ended her post by expressing her love and appreciation for her supporters, saying "Time to rest up and recover for a couple of weeks before we go again. Love you all.