Dr. Fitzgibbon is seen on one of her many professional photography trips to raise money for ovarian cancer research at the University of Pennsylvania.

by Len Lear

Relatives and friends filled Holy Cross Church, 140 East Mt. Airy Ave., on Saturday morning, July 14,   for a Memorial Service to pay tribute to a most remarkable humanitarian. Dr. Ellen Elizabeth Fitzgibbon, 49, of Mt. Airy, passed away on Friday, June 8, after a brave four-year battle with stage three ovarian cancer. “Strong, smart, independent and adventurous, Dr. Fitzgibbon lived a beautiful life, followed her passions and provided compassionate care to her patients,” according to her family.

Born April 13, 1969, in Trenton, NJ, to John Gerald and Nancy Fitzgibbon, Ellen was the eldest of three daughters. Dr. Fitzgibbon graduated from Smith College in 1991 with a major in Music and a minor in Biology. After college, she taught high school Biology for four years in northwestern New Jersey. Dr. Fitzgibbon received her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1999 and began working at VCA Old Marple Veterinary Hospital in Delaware County in June of 2000.

“I never imagined I had cancer,” Dr. Fitzgibbon had written on the internet. “I was 45 years old with no history of cancer in my family. I was working full-time as a veterinarian, traveling and taking loads of photographs. But there were nagging abdominal pains, fatigue and an urgency to urinate that became increasingly hard to ignore. In July of 2014, after palpating a mass in my abdomen, I was diagnosed with Stage 3C ovarian cancer.

“I underwent major abdominal surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center to remove my ovaries, uterus, part of my colon and lymph nodes resulting in a successful ‘debulking.’ After six rounds of intensive chemotherapy, I was in remission. Unfortunately, a year later the disease recurred, and I continue to be treated today.”

According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women ages 35-74. There are about 200,000 cases a year in the U.S. Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until it has spread within the pelvis and belly. At stage 3, ovarian cancer is more difficult to treat and can be fatal. Ovarian cancer often has no symptoms in the early stages. Later stages are associated with symptoms, but they can be non-specific, such as loss of appetite and weight loss.

“After my diagnosis,” Dr. Fitzgibbon wrote, “photography, which had been a hobby, became a passion. Although there were days when I was too tired to lift my camera, photography was the only activity that could distract me from thinking about my diagnosis. Sharing pictures online kept me socially engaged, and editing photos of all the beautiful places I've been so fortunate to have explored inspired me to keep fighting.”

Ellen loved nature, world travel, and photography — and, of course, had a passion for animals. Dr. Fitzgibbon, who was as talented at photography as she was at treating sick animals, established a nonprofit organization, “Shooting for a Cure,” to give a face to ovarian cancer, educate women about its symptoms and raise funds for an early detection test through the sale of her photographs. Fifty percent of her print sales were donated to Drapkin Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania.

On Legacy.com on July 12, a typical (unsigned) comment from one of her patients read: “I'm so sorry to hear of Dr. Fitzgibbon's passing. She was such a caring person and took wonderful care of our dogs.”

Dr. Fitzgibbon is survived by her mother, Nancy Fitzgibbon; sisters, Anne Fitzgibbon and Kate Callihan; brother-in-law, Patrick Callihan; niece, Meghan Callihan, and partner, Neil Dobson. Ellen was pre-deceased by her father. Contributions in memory of Dr. Fitzgibbon can be made to support ovarian cancer research at the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Checks should be made payable to “Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania” and mailed to Penn Medicine Development, Attn.: Carolyn Brown, 3535 Market St., Suite 750, Philadelphia, PA 19104.