Love Johnson: I love the fresh air. I try to breathe deep and walk fast. I'm not quite back to walking what I used to walk, but I'm working on it.

You feel fine until it's really almost too late. I guess that's why they call it the silent killer.

Ovarian cancer -- stage 3-C. They told me I had a 30-percent chance to live.

Jennifer Matthews: Like more than 25,000 women a year, Love Johnson was blindsided by ovarian cancer. Doctors say the symptoms are often vague.

Dr. Rebecca Sutphen: People always refer to it as being a disease that whispers.

Jennifer Matthews: Doctor Rebecca Sutphen's research tested a marker in the blood for ovarian cancer called LPA. In 93 percent of the cases, high levels of LPA accurately predict ovarian cancer. It's the first step toward a blood test to diagnose this disease.

Dr. Rebecca Sutphen: There is no reason why we should not be able to develop a blood test that, by using a combination of markers, will allow us to be close to 100 percent accurate.

Jennifer Matthews: An earlier diagnosis could save lives -- 9 out of 10 women survive when diagnosed at stage one. At stage three, only 3 out of 10 women survive.

Dr. Rebecca Sutphen: Even though it's not the most common, more women die of it every year than any other gynecologic cancer, and the reason is that it's usually discovered at a late stage.

Jennifer Matthews: Love endured surgery and chemotherapy but says it was the support of her family and faith that helped her beat the odds and return to the beach. This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.