CLEVELAND -- Ovarian cancer is one of the most frightening cancers a woman can face, and it is almost never caught in the early stages when the cancer is easier to beat.

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Jackie's Story

NewsChannel5's Alicia Booth reported that one local woman is hoping to change that through keeping a promise she made to her dying sister.

Jackie Dobransky (pictured, left) died of breast cancer at the age of 33. Years later, her sister, Laurie Dobransky, said she remembers her sister's strength.

"They were telling her she was terminal and didn't have long to live, and she called me back and she didn't even shed a tear. She was the strongest person I know," said Laurie Dobransky.

Five days before Jackie died, she made her older sister Laurie promise she'd do everything she could to take care of herself.

So years after Jackie's death, Laurie decided to get tested for the breast and ovarian cancer gene -- those who have it are practically guaranteed they'll get cancer, and Laurie found out that she has it.

She said doctors gave her a 94 percent chance of getting breast cancer and a 70 percent chance of getting ovarian cancer.

Laurie decided to have a complete hysterectomy and both her breasts removed.

"This is all I could do. There was no magic pill that I could take, so this is what I did," said Laurie.

She also joined a clinical trial for women at high risk for ovarian cancer.

Gynecologic oncologist Rob DeBernardo, with University Hospitals of Cleveland's Ireland Cancer Center, says the women in the study can either have their ovaries removed or they can get regular blood tests and ultra sounds to screen for the cancer.

This two-pronged approach should help doctors find the best way to catch ovarian cancer early. Right now, there is no reliable way, reported Booth.

"So the frustrating thing is taking care of women with advanced ovarian cancer to see what these poor women go through, what they suffer to get into remission," said Debernardo.

Though Jackie spent two years suffering through her cancer, because of her promise, Laurie will commit many more years to a study that could one day help save the life of her daughter, Kristen.

Kristen will have to decide when she's older whether she wants to see if she has the breast and ovarian cancer gene.

You don't have to have the gene to be in this study, you just have to be considered high-risk.

If you want more information about the ovarian cancer trial, call University Hospitals at (800) 641-2422.

For more information on Gynecologic Cancer, click here.