Centennial Woman Joins Johnson & Johnson Lawsuit Following Cancer Battle
CENTENNIAL, Colo. (CBS4) - After 17 years of living in her Centennial apartment apartment, Nancy Wright is packing it all up.
"I can't afford to stay here anymore. I'm moving in with a friend," she said.
Wright can't pay rent because she lost her job after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in April of 2017. She was surprised when a doctor told her because she says cancer does not run in her family, she doesn't drink or smoke, or live what she calls a promiscuous lifestyle.
Regardless, she had a tumor on one of her ovaries that needed to be immediately removed.
"However, when he got in there, he could see that I had tumors everywhere throughout my abdomen," said Wright.
She needed much more surgery than expected, plus six weeks of chemotherapy. That's when she received some disturbing news.
"During that time, I received the pathology report in the mail which indicated some unusual fibers or debris in my ovarian tissue which I later learned were consistent with those found in the women who developed ovarian cancer from using the baby powder."
It turns out Wright isn't alone. She is now one of 9,000 women suing Johnson & Johnson claiming that using their baby powder for feminine hygiene led to ovarian cancer.
"The pathologist pretty much confirmed that this fiber that was seen in my ovarian tissue was not normal."
In St. Louis, a jury awarded billions of dollars in damages to 22 women who also sued Johnson & Johnson for giving them cancer. Johnson & Johnson said they remain confident that their products do not contain asbestos and do not cause ovarian cancer. They plan to appeal the court's decision.
Wright says she never saw this coming.
"It never would have dawned on me that this would be what changed my life" she said.
Now she wants other women to be aware.
"If a pathologist and a surgeon both concur that this was caused by this product then I just want other women to think about this and be careful."
Thankfully Wright is now cancer free and is looking to rebuild her life. She's set up a GoFundMe page to raise money.
Michael Abeyta is a 4th generation Coloradan and a Multimedia Journalist for CBS4. His stories can be seen on CBS4 News at 5 & 6. He is on Twitter! Follow him @AbeytaCBS4.