Ania stepien biography definition

While other journalists might be on the hunt for a cushy job, Ania Stepien is on a different mission—she’s searching for a Cushing’s job.

Cushing’s disease is a rare condition that can take years to identify.

Even after the tumour was surgically removed she suffered another cruel blow and was paralysed from adrenal insufficiency as her body wasn't producing enough cortisol.

She was fit, healthy and active but at 31 started experiencing strange symptoms that seemingly appeared 'overnight'.

She suffered from open wounds on her face that wouldn't heal, excessive and rapid weight gain, facial changes and extreme fatigue.

Now Ania is fighting for more funding for Australia's only research group dedicated to pituitary tumours.

'You know your body the best so always get second, third, or fourth opinion. Her face swelled so much that she was unrecognisable. This hormone is well-know for its role in stress, but also assists in the day-to-day running of organs. There are a variety of treatment options that include a second surgery, pituitary radiation and targeted medical therapy to control hypercortisolism.

Looking back, Ania is devastated that wasn't able to start a family or meet the man of her dreams because she was sick for years.

From Brisbane, Queensland, Craig has participated in many school drama performances, including 1945 — The Musical and A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was there that doctors finally start taking her seriously.

She met with doctor and researcher for pituitary tumours, endocrinologist Associate Professor Ann McCormack, who diagnosed her on the spot.

'She took one look at me and said "I think you might have Cushing's".

Instead, she suggested Ania get a second opinion – but feeling this might just be a flex on behalf of the doctor and not wanting to question her authority, Ania refused.

However, experiencing relentless symptoms and after months of fruitless testing, she secured an appointment with Associate Professor Ann McCormack, a specialist in pituitary diseases (and senior staff specialist at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital, head of the Hormones and Cancer Group at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, chair of the St Vincent’s Campus pituitary multidisciplinary team, founder of the Sydney Pituitary Collaborative Group, co-chair of the Australia and New Zealand Pituitary Alliance, and a board member of the International Pituitary Society.)

Faced with Ania’s folders of results, A/Prof McCormack diagnosed Ania with Cushing’s disease on the spot and immediately booked surgery to remove the pituitary tumour.

The stressful hormone

The surgery was a success – in some ways.

'I'm currently going through a reoccurrence so just gained 15 kilos (again) within a month but it is not yet "bad",' she said. A good GP is essential to have on your side, and be wary of alternative medicine practitioners promising to know more than Western medicine. He has worked as safety supervisor and assistant stunt coordinator on feature films such as Crocodile Dundee In L.A., Pitch Black, and Yolgnu Boy.

He also worked in safety and stunts throughout the complete Ocean Girl series.

Ric has played character roles in several television series including Space, The Elite and Hamilton's Quest.

Peter Mochrie as Rick Fontaine

Peter plays Rick Fontaine — the father of Kat, and River City's finest tabloid journalist.

Halfway through the series the three of these combine forces, but Cybergirl naturally wins in the end. Start by believing patients, and try to see the bigger picture.

She has similarly strong advice for patients: you are your own best advocate, and the more you know about your own condition the better. She went on fasting retreats, accepting blessings from holy figures, and was prescribed hundreds of dollars of herbal tea.

Eventually, Ania found it difficult to walk and breathe.

For patients, the path to a diagnosis is often less of a hero’s journey and more like a Christopher Nolan adaptation of a Kafka novel.

After spending her 30s in a quagmire of maddening misdiagnoses, debilitating symptoms, and disastrous side-effects, Ania is now a postgraduate researcher in journalism aiming to change Australia’s healthcare system for the better.

The ups and downs of cortisol levels

The inside of Ania’s head was remarkable even before the pituitary tumour.

This lead to severe symptoms including paralysis, extreme nausea, vomiting, and an 'inability to function' day to day.

'With Cushing's I could still move, but with the adrenal insufficiency I was in bed all day, my brain didn't function properly, I couldn't drive, I felt like I lost everything,' she said.

'I'm terrified of having another operation now.' 

The symptoms continued until one day her pituitary gland 'woke up' and she sprung out of bed with energy.