World medallist Piper Gilles reveals ovarian cancer battle
The Canadian ice dancer says she had an appendectomy – which resulted in her and Paul Poirier missing this year's Four Continents Championships – as a precautionary measure due to her stage 1 cancer.
Figure Skating
Canadian two-time World Figure Skating Championships medallist Piper Gilles says she was treated for stage one ovarian cancer, which led to her and partner Paul Poirier missing part of last season.
Ice dancers Gilles and Poirier won the Grand Prix Final in Turin, Italy, in December, but were then absent from both the Canadian national championships in January and the subsequent ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in February, with what was at the time described as appendicitis for Gilles.
However, the 31-year-old Gilles now says she was actually undergoing precautionary surgery due to a tumour in her left ovary.
"Back in December, January, I was actually diagnosed with stage one ovarian cancer. So when I went in for surgery, I actually did have to get my appendix out as a precaution because we weren't sure what type of tumour was inside of me on my left ovary," Gilles clarified in a video posted on Instagram.
Piper Gilles: We wanted to "protect myself" by not revealing cancer
Of the decision to describe her illness as appendicitis earlier in the season instead of revealing the cancer then, Gilles explained: "Our team basically wanted to protect myself and protect Paul so that when we did return to the ice, we didn't have to have that extra pressure of talking about my situation because it was really difficult – and I feel even now I'm still digesting everything.
"That word cancer, it's frightening, and my mother passed away from cancer, so hearing that was a lot to digest. It was really just to kind of protect myself and let myself focus on what I wanted to do, and that was finishing the season off strong and medalling at Worlds."
Gilles and Poirier returned to the ice at the World Championships in Saitama, Japan, where the duo did indeed win a medal. The Canadians skated to bronze – their second as a team, following on from bronze in 2021.
"For myself, and I know for Paul, it really feels like we we won gold because of just everything that we had been through just to even be there and perform it," Gilles said. They subsequently competed for Canada in the season-ending World Team Trophy in Tokyo, placing third in both their segments.
Gilles is now on the mend following her surgery, and will perform in ice shows in the coming months.
"I'm just so incredibly thankful that I've had all of you guys reach out and wish me a speedy recovery. I'm so incredibly grateful that I'm still able to do what I get to do every single day.
"And I'm so excited to be on tour with Stars on Ice and perform for all of you guys."