Louise Altese-Isidori: Speak Up and Speak Loud

Hearing the Ovarian Cancer Whisper

Turning Personal Battle into a Mission of Hope

When Louise Altese-Isidori was diagnosed with Stage 4B ovarian cancer on Christmas Eve last year, her life changed in an instant. Just weeks earlier, the 50-year-old wife and mother had been planning holiday meals, managing her family’s busy calendar, and supporting the launch of her husband Joe’s new restaurant, Arthur & Sons. There were no warning signs — no reason to suspect that cancer had silently overtaken much of her body. “I didn’t look sick. I didn’t feel sick,” Altese-Isidori says. “We had a big party in November for the restaurant opening. I was all over the place. Nobody saw this coming. I certainly didn’t.”

Today, less than eight months after a grueling 10-hour surgery and six rounds of chemotherapy, Altese-Isidori is in remission. Recently, she was the guest of honor at Speak Up and Speak Loud, a benefit luncheon she is hosting with the nonprofit Hearing the Ovarian Cancer Whisper (H.O.W.) at Arthur & Sons in Bridgehampton. The event aims to raise funds for research and patient support, while spreading awareness of a disease often called “the silent killer.”

“I needed this event as much as it needed me,” she says. “It’s something positive to focus on, and it gives me purpose—to speak out about what happened to me and help make sure it doesn’t happen to someone else.”

A Silent Disease, a Loud Message

The diagnosis came through a transvaginal ultrasound she requested, a test not commonly part of routine women’s health screenings. “It’s shocking how many women have never heard of it,” she says. “It’s not part of the usual checklist, but in my case, it saved my life. It found what other tests missed.”

Doctors discovered cancer throughout her chest, colon, liver, stomach lining, and reproductive organs. She underwent surgery to remove her spleen, appendix, gallbladder, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the entirety of her stomach lining. “I had a miracle-worker surgeon,” she says. “And I fought like hell. The Brooklyn girl in me came out swinging.”

After the surgery and chemotherapy, she began taking PARP inhibitors, a promising class of medication designed to reduce recurrence. Though the prognosis for ovarian cancer is often grim—over 75% of cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, and more than 13,000 women in the U.S. are expected to die from it this year—Altese-Isidori is determined to be the exception.

“I want to redefine what Stage 4 cancer looks like,” she says. “I’m living, I’m active, and I want people to see there’s a chance. There’s light at the end of the tunnel.”

From Patient to Advocate

Until recently, public speaking was not part of Altese-Isidori life. “Six months ago, I was a totally different person,” she says. “My husband and my sister used to do all the talking for me. But now I feel like my voice has to be heard. I didn’t have symptoms. And that’s what makes ovarian cancer so deadly.”

She credits H.O.W. with helping her not only survive but find strength. The organization offers financial and emotional support, funds cutting-edge research through its Jacquie Liggett Fellowship, and helps underserved women access genetic screening.

“I’m grateful for their support, but in truth, I probably needed them more than they needed me,” she says.

A Festive Fundraiser with a Purpose

Thursday’s luncheon will unfold on the Amalfi Terrace at Arthur & Sons, the newly opened Italian restaurant owned by Altese-Isidori’s husband. Guests will enjoy coastal-inspired cuisine, Pallini Limoncello cocktails, and a luxury trunk show from Italian fashion house PESERICO. A silent auction includes a dream trip to the Amalfi Coast, a stay at Gurney’s Montauk, and a round of golf in West Palm Beach.

Swag bags, a “forever jewelry” bar by Therapy Life & Style, and powerful survivor testimonials round out the day. Guests are encouraged to wear festive attire—and teal, the official color of ovarian cancer awareness.

“I want people to leave feeling uplifted and educated,” Altese-Isidori says. “We’re creating a beautiful afternoon, but it’s about more than that. It’s about saving lives.”

A Mission That Continues

Altese-Isidori knows the odds. But she also knows the power of community, optimism, and early detection. “The CA-125 blood test, the transvaginal ultrasound—these things can help. We just need to speak up and speak loud about them,” she says, echoing the event’s name.

She’s still learning, still healing—but already leading. “I didn’t miss a beat during chemo,” she recalls. “I got up every day with my son, never missed a party, a birthday, or a school day. I dressed up for the doctor like it was a night out. This is my life, and I’m living it.”

And now she’s giving that life a new purpose. “I want women to listen to their bodies—and to each other,” she says. “If even one person gets tested early because of this luncheon, then it’s all worth it.”