Olympic Figure Skater Wins Medal Following Her ‘Frightening’ Ovarian Cancer Battle: ‘Keep Believing’

​​Piper Gilles achieved her dreams after beating cancer.

The Canadian skater, 34, clinched the bronze medal in ice dance with her partner, Paul Poirier, at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on February 11.

However, the Olympian had a harrowing journey with her health to reach that point.

“Three years ago, when I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, I don’t think I envisioned this moment,” the five-time Canadian national champion told Skate Canada in a recent interview. “I think that’s what’s so amazing about Paul and I. We are people first, athletes second and I think we’ve always led by that.”

“I think it’s a great example for anybody going through any sort of dark time, mental health or health issues, that you can do hard things no matter what,” she continued. “You can just get out of bed and keep believing in yourself and keep chasing your dreams, anything can happen.”

In an essay for Toronto Life published earlier this month ahead of the 2026 Olympic Games, the four-time World medalist shared more of her story.

“In October of 2022, heading into the first event of the season, I started to feel incredibly tired and nauseous. I thought it was normal competition jitters, but when it persisted and I started to feel a throbbing pain in my left side, I went to the doctor,” she recalled. “At the hospital, the doctors found a nine-centimetre cyst on my left ovary and a liquid-filled tumour attached.”

“My mind was spinning. I couldn’t stop thinking about whether it was cancer or whether I would still be able to compete,” she continued. “I was booked for surgery in December to remove the tumour, and on my 31st birthday, I learned that it had been Stage 1 ovarian cancer.”

After having time to process the news, Gilles eventually shared her cancer diagnosis with the world in May 2023 via an Instagram Reel telling her followers, “Even that word cancer, it’s frightening, you guys all know my mother passed away from cancer, so hearing that was a lot to digest.”

Gilles also noted in her Toronto Life essay that her “goal is to win a medal for Canada,” which she of course achieved.