Living with metastatic breast cancer for over nine years, I’m far too familiar with the lingo. Upon hearing the news for the first time, people often respond with “Put up a good fight!” or “Sorry to hear you’re battling this disease. ”I’m not at war. I’ve never been in the military, so stop using these terms like I can relate. I can’t. I think the automated response is to use these expressions because it’s what society has been using for years. It’s an accepted slogan on T-shirts, banners, mugs, even Hallmark cards. The truth is, these terms are crippling when the disease progresses in my metastatic world. It’s not “if” but “when” it will progress. It makes me feel that I have to put on a bold front daily or hide my underlying feelings of fear as it will be viewed as losing this said “battle”.

On Monday, August 4, 2014 at 2:10pm, I was diagnosed with Mets to Bone upon reading the results of an MRI. I had been complaining of hip pain for several months, already had X-rays, physical therapy, psoad massage, acupuncture and voluntarily put myself on crutches for 6 weeks, hoping it was only a stress fracture. I’ve been an athlete my entire life and had been heavily competing in triathlons that summer. The hip flexor pain became excruciating and unbearable. Ibuprofen stopped masking the pain after a while. The news was devastating. I’m a Holistic Nutritionist who was working as a college professor at the time. I was teaching Pharmacology. I was fluent in all the terminology being tossed my way, but it wasn’t making any sense. I’m a ball of energy that consumes primarily organic foods, I don’t own a microwave, use plastic containers and I work out every day. Healthy people don’t get cancer. I learned quickly that cancer doesn’t discriminate.

Since the news on that day was a bombshell, I was immediately admitted as emergency surgery was scheduled in two days to stabilize my femur that had a 9mm tumor and was fractured in three places. Mind you, I walked into this office without assistance, now I was in a wheelchair. As doctors scrambled to schedule multiple tests to determine where the cancer originated, I went numb. Time to process took a pause. Once it was finalized that it was metastatic breast cancer to bone, word spread like wildfire. Copious amounts of messages flooded my phone and social media. I quickly became irritated with the words “battle” or “fight”. I prefer to say I’m in a conversation with my cancer. Since it’s here to stay, I mind as well get used to it. I talk to it. Reassure it that I can take on what it throws my way. It’s simply a different road than I planned for my life.

I have always been a strong believer that what I throw out to the universe comes back to me. If I throw a punch (to fight), I run the risk of being punched back harder. I’m not interested in that lifestyle. I prefer dialogue with this disease. Advances in pharmacology, treatment options and managing symptoms have progressed in the past several years. I discuss options with my oncologist. I welcome the conversation and support of others in my breast cancer groups. If I put myself in “battle” mode, I can create stress that otherwise didn’t exist. It would create feeling of pressure before each scan. I walk into my CT scans now dressed to the nines and ask for my gluten-free cocktail for the party. Again, it’s my way of conversing with my cancer. I embrace it. I can sit on my couch and manifest symptoms or I can go out and live my life every day. I choose the latter.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to 

I’m Not “Fighting” My Cancer, I’m In A Conversation With It

Deborah Williams

My first encounter with Jacqueline Lewis, RN, BSN, OCN, was at Baptist Cancer Center in Memphis, Tennessee. I was there for my second chemo treatment for breast cancer, and she was my nurse. She told me to call her Jackie. Jackie made me feel so comfortable and as if she truly cared about me and my wellbeing.

Chemotherapy is a very scary experience, and Jackie gave me comfort. She talked to me like I was family and explained what to expect as I continued through treatment. She made me feel more comfortable about the changes in my appearance that I was about to encounter. I knew what to expect. Proper education is so essential, and that’s what she provided for me.

I think she goes above and beyond for her patients. I look so forward to talking to her and hope that she takes care of me when I come to the clinic for infusions. In the middle of going through treatment, I lost my mother to cancer in April. Jackie hugged me like a sister and gave me such comforting words of encouragement. I truly needed it because at this time, I felt like the bottom was falling out.

I truly believe the God places you in certain places so that you can meet the people that he wants for you at the times that you need them. Jackie has truly been one of those people! She’s a special person and a very special nurse. She is definitely an asset to Baptist.

I met Jaqueline Lewis, RN, BSN, OCN, in 2017 when I began my first job as an oncology nurse. The first thing I noticed about her was her dedication to the patients and a wealth of knowledge pertaining to oncology. Even though she wasn't my preceptor, she would always include me in learning opportunities.

She was very selfless and treated all the patients as if they were her family. The patients felt very comfortable and safe in Jackie's care, so much so that they would request her to care for them during each treatment. It wasn't possible for her to take every patient. She would always assure them that any of the nurses are capable of caring for them and also great at what we do. Even though she wasn't their primary nurse, she would check in on them to show her love and concern.

She helps patients both during and after treatment. She organizes and raises money for breast cancer awareness. Jackie is also active in the local Oncology Nursing Society chapter and serves on the board.

In addition to consistently expanding her oncology knowledge, she goes above and beyond for the patients. She helps the patients in any way that she can. Whether it be monetary or just simply showing up to important events in their lives, Jackie has always shown up for her patients. Most recently, she helped to provide Christmas gifts for the children of a patient that died.

Jacqueline Lewis, RN, BSN, OCN, is a dedicated oncology nurse at Baptist Cancer Center, known for her compassionate care and deep commitment to her patients. She provides emotional support and education, making patients feel like family during their chemotherapy treatments. Beyond her clinical duties, Jackie actively participates in breast cancer awareness initiatives and the local Oncology Nursing Society chapter. Her selflessness extends to personal gestures, such as organizing support for patients' families. Her actions and dedication make her an invaluable asset to the healthcare community.

A colleague and a patient with cancer each submitted nominating essays about an oncology nurse who made an impact in their lives.

Selfless Acts of Service in Cancer Care

Natosha Williams

We are going to move to the last piece here: thinking about how we can do better overall. Tim and Jamie, overall, what do you think? I know you think that we do great, but think about the overall world of cancer we live in. What do you think oncologists and the oncology team can improve in terms of managing patients, in terms of education, and in terms of treatment care? There are also a lot of financial implications, and we have not touched upon those. There is a whole hour that we could spend talking about that effect. Then, of course, how do we make sure that we end up meeting your needs? Any high-level thoughts about this?

It is all those things you just touched on. You worry about it. You always hear the scary stories of people who have exhausted their life savings to live two months longer, so that is something definite that we decided. I could have kept working, but my goal was to retire at age 55, so I stayed true to that. Keeping Jamie’s job and the insurance takes a bit of the burden off me as far as getting to the right providers. I did not have to change. We have gone through three insurance companies, and we have been able to stay with the same providers. That has helped a lot for consistency and everything.

You bring up a great question overall. Yes, we feel fortunate to have fallen into your hands, Dr. Bekaii-Saab, and Kelley’s, and that is great care. Looking more holistically, that is an important question. As great a job as you guys do, sometimes the pieces are not all connected. You guys do a great job, but then I get a bill from an insurance company saying that they are not going to pay for something. Sometimes it feels like the left hand does not talk to the right hand, and I have to fight with an insurance company. I have to get the paperwork that they need because they do not understand that a medication is not indicated for this, but it is still used that way in the oncology world. All those little pieces, sometimes from a holistic perspective, are out there floating around. I do not know what the answer is, but it feels overwhelming to try to keep all the pieces together. I often think about even older patients who might not have the ability to pull all those pieces together. How do they manage with all this? We are fortunate that we are in the field we are and that we have the resources we have. Even with all that, it can be overwhelming to fight with an insurance company or to try to get documentation when you just did that last month. Those are the pieces that, as a society, we could do better at.

Absolutely. Reese, what about financial resources or directing patients to financial resources and navigating that? In addition to having a diagnosis of cancer and having to fight through that, you now have to worry about the finances and financial support as well as fighting insurers and filing for bankruptcy for some patients. There are a lot more tragedies than the eye can see. What tools are you able to use to help with this, or what tools may be needed in your viewpoint—if they are not out there—to educate folks more?

 Fight CRC [colorectal cancer] does not provide financial support directly, and we generally point to our partners at Triage Cancer who are in tune with the legal battles patients and their families may face as well as insurance issues and finances. We have an established relationship with them, and we will do webinars every year or so to update our community on the different things that they might need to know. I would say that, even though we do not provide the financial support or necessarily the legal advice directly, we work with others to do so. From an oncological and a medical perspective, staying abreast of what advocacy organizations do and what types of resources they offer is extremely important to be able to point patients to the resources that exist, because there is a lot out there. Sometimes, it is not necessarily projected as much as it could be, but there are resources out there that are available, and advocacy organizations know about them and are able to point patients and their loved ones to those resources.

Kelley, you help oversee, manage and ensure that the patients are navigated safely through their journey, and it takes a big team. You have the pharmacist and the nurse working with you and others as well. If you have to give guidance or give advice to other health care providers, patients or caregivers about the model that—from your viewpoint—facilitates this level of care the most, what would you say to your peers?

You have to have a conversation with your patients regularly about what they need. A lot of times, patients do not want to bother us with stuff: “I am having this thing, but I did not want to tell you because I know you are busy.” We have to listen to what our patients are telling us, and we have to educate them about letting us know what they need. We at the Mayo Clinic are pretty fortunate in that we have a lot of resources that other facilities may not necessarily have. We have social workers who are fantastic, and we have pharmacists who are brilliant. If a family member, patient or colleague outside oncology recognizes something that is happening, all they have to do is let us know. We may not have the answer for it, but we may be able to do something to make things better.

We are certainly blessed to have that level of support for our patients. There are a lot of folks who work in the background: the finance person, the nurse, the technician, the pharmacist, the nurse practitioner, the physicians, from the chemotherapy nurse to the nurse who is focused on education, the navigator. It is a big team. The complexities of the system around how we care for our patients is immense, and we certainly hope to continue improving things with the support of organizations and advocacy groups with Reese’s work. Of course, we do all this for our patients, for you, Tim, and certainly for their families, Jamie and their son.

With that, I am going to thank all of you for this wonderful exchange. It was very educational, and it is great to be able to have this discussion with all of you. Thank you.

Improving Colorectal Cancer Management

Timothy Willson, Patient

Jamie Willson, Caregiver

I admit that I was putting off a colonoscopy, even though a special perk at my company is free colonoscopy, regardless of insurance coverage. The reason I put it off? Acid reflux. I just knew I would have a terrible time with all that liquid. I have Googled it since: “Physicians’ practices confirm that the prep is difficult for people with acid reflux.”

My gynecologist was the physician to provide a strong recommendation to get screened for colon cancer, and thankfully I heeded the advice, or I might have been too late.

Having heard from my colleague’s mantra that “the best test is the one the person is willing to take,” I chose to take a home-screening test in March 2023. The test came back positive, which I initially dismissed as a false positive, mostly because I didn’t have symptoms. I do not remember receiving any follow-up communication from the home-screening provider or my primary care doctor regarding this test result.

I finally had a colonoscopy in June 2023. I was 60 years old.

It wasn’t easy, but I managed the two bottles of the prep at two different intervals, then followed with 64 ounces of water and Gatorade. It was tough with all that liquid and no solids to keep it down due to the GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), but I was able to do it. The alternative was to have to cancel the appointment and go through the prep all over again. And no one wants to do that.

That test, unfortunately, revealed stage 3 rectal cancer. The pace of my care increased dramatically, and I was soon meeting with an oncologist, followed by a surgeon. I began a regimen of three days of chemotherapy every other week.

Once the tumor had shown sufficient shrinkage, I was scheduled for a December 2023 surgery, which involved a prep that was a bit easier on me. My surgeon likes to use Dulcolax and MiraLAX mixed with Gatorade and water. I found that a little easier to manage with my GERD.

The surgery was followed by a temporary ostomy, followed by five more rounds of chemotherapy.

The chemotherapy was tough. I experienced neuropathy in my toes and fingers from it. It went away in my fingers, but I still feel it a bit in my toes.

A month after finishing the chemotherapy rounds, I had a procedure to reverse the ostomy. My prognosis is now good, with follow-up scheduled for the next five years; right now, I see an oncologist every four months and get a CT scan every eight months.

I wish I hadn’t waited so long. I didn’t take it seriously enough, and I don’t have knowledge about my family health history because I’m adopted and have no connection with a birth family. But now I’m working to pass down the gift of genetic knowledge to my daughter and three grandchildren. I don’t seem to have the markers associated with colon cancer, but I did the genetic testing because that data is better in hand than not knowing at all. And I’m reminding my family to eat right, avoid a sedentary lifestyle and to talk to their doctors. If I had pressed my doctor for prep options less difficult for GERD patients, maybe I could have avoided this cancer experience.

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A patient delayed a colonoscopy due to concerns about acid reflux, opting for a home-screening test that returned a positive result. Despite initial dismissal, a subsequent colonoscopy revealed stage 3 rectal cancer. Treatment included chemotherapy, surgery, and a temporary ostomy, with ongoing follow-up care. The patient reflects on the importance of early screening, especially given the lack of family health history due to adoption. Genetic testing was pursued to provide valuable information for future generations, emphasizing lifestyle changes and proactive healthcare discussions within the family.

I initially put off a colonoscopy due to gastroesophageal reflux disease, but after a positive home screening test, I underwent the procedure and was diagnosed with stage 3 rectal cancer.

GERD Might Cause Colonoscopy Avoidance. But Don’t Let It

Kathleen Wiltraut

Expert oncologists offer closing thoughts on emerging therapeutic strategies, unmet needs, and the future of kidney cancer treatment.

Future Outlook of Kidney Cancer Treatment

How I envision kidney cancer in the future is, that kidney cancer, if you think about it, is a cancer that starts in the kidney. But everybody diagnosed with kidney cancer has a unique kidney cancer, even though it's called clear cell. The analogy I use to show you the heterogeneity or how variable kidney cancer is this; we all know about COVID-19. COVID-19 is a virus that goes into the air, goes into our lungs, and there are different variants.

So the original variant and the alpha,…the beta, and the delta. Each variant is different from the first one. So, everybody diagnosed with kidney cancer, cancer started in their own body. Based upon the DNA of the kidney there was transformation into a cancer stage. So everybody with kidney cancer, everybody [with] clear cell kidney cancer has a unique variant. So, we need to get better … at [coming up] with a personalized treatment. If 70,000 to 80,000 people get diagnosed with kidney cancer in America, that's 70,000 to 80,000 different variants of kidney cancer.

How do I envision going forward? There are some really good provocative studies where you check the biopsy of the kidney cancer and they do genetic signatures, whether it is DNA of each person’s specific cancer DNA in the kidney cancer or the mRNA. Which is what the messenger RNA is. Which is something that kidney cancer becomes, it becomes a protein. And they're actually checking that to see what would be the best treatment for that specific patient.

For instance, we were talking about some patients that we give immunotherapy [IO], i.e., nivolumab and ipilimumab. For some patients I give lenvatinib and pembrolizumab, others I give cabozantinib and nivolumab, and then for others I give pembrolizumab and malaita, or axitinib. So in the future, what they're doing is this study right now, Dr Brian I. Rini [, MD,] is leading and it's called the OPTOC RCC [NCT05361720]. They're actually checking the mRNA of these person-specific cancers and they're trying to figure out which treatment is best based on that person's unique, clear-cell kidney cancer.

That's where it's going. It's going towards precision treatment, personalized treatment, where instead of having 4 different FDA [the United States Food and Drug Administration]-approved treatments, now we'll know which of those 4, is the best. Based upon that person's unique mRNA signature based on their clear-cell kidney cancer.

The other thing is, and this is very promising,[in] 2019, you know, the Nobel Prize [in Physiology or Medicine] was awarded to, a group of scientists, most notably from Dana-Farber. And what they found is a gene called the Von Hippel-Lindau gene. They found out the pathway that led to clear-cell kidney cancer, so patients tend to have this Von Hippel-Lindau mutation, and if they do, they're at a higher risk of developing kidney cancer. By going through this pathway, they found that the mechanism or the path is kind of blocked by an area called the HIF-2 alpha transcription factor.

So we have medications that are in clinical studies right now. They're called HIF-2 alpha transcription factor inhibitors, [such as] busudanulfan. And the studies look very promising. So this treatment is going to go up the line of treatment. In fact, we had this clinical study in many centers as well, where you have pembrolizumab and lenvatinib and we also had this third medication called busudanulfan, this HIF-2 alpha transcription factor. And that's going to be emerging for another treatment for kidney cancer.

The other thing that's moving forward in terms of kidney cancer is going to be the imaging. For instance, we have different types of imaging for cancers. We're very familiar with something called a PET scan. When we do a PET scan, it's called positron emission tomography. They inject a positron-emitting medication called FDG [fludeoxyglucose] into the blood, which binds to areas that are very active, i.e., cancer cells. So we use FTG PET for lung cancer and lymphoma. Recently we have something called PSMA PET. PSMA is also a PET scan. But instead of FTG, they use PSMA and PSMA stands for prosthetic specific membrane antigen, so specific for prostate cancer. So in the future, they're going to have a PET scan specifically for kidney cancer. And there was some emerging data at the ASCO [the American Society of Clinical Oncology yearly meeting] recently here in 2023.

In the future, we will be able to pick up cancer of the kidney much faster. You might ask, well, when do we need that? Our patients, who had kidney cancer, had the cancer removed with radical nephrectomy or total nephrectomy. They take everything out. So we have an FDA medication called pembrolizumab. And pembrolizumab is used for adjuvant treatment. That means after you get the cancer out, you give immunotherapy [IO] for up to 1 year and try to prevent the cancer from coming back. The problem with IO is that some of these patients might already be cured and we might be over treating these patients. In fact, studies have shown up to 10%, 1 out of 10 people that we give IO, can create a permanent side effect, such as a thyroid condition. I've had patients diagnosed with diabetes. I've had patients diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency. So in the future, what's going to happen is they're going to have this PET scan specifically for kidney cancer after they have surgery, and this will be able to pick up cancer to see if they truly need IO after surgery.

I think some of the unmet needs that remain are now that we have effective treatment strategies in advanced or metastatic kidney cancer, how do we optimally sequence these therapies? So we are finding good candidates for each combination and giving patients combinations in a sequence of each treatment is life-extending.

But how can we sequence so that we're finding different treatment resistance mechanisms and also trying to tailor our sequential therapies to conquer those treatment resistance paradigms? Are there other emerging agent treatment strategies? Absolutely. There are many agents, an early clinical investigation includes cellular therapies like CAR T cells [chimeric antigen receptor T cells], as well as novel IO targets like LAG3 [lymphocyte activation gene 3] and TIGIT [T-cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and ITIM domain]. So a lot more to come, I think, for kidney cancer. And then finally, there is a whole HIF-2⍺ agent called busudanulfan, which is right around the corner in terms of its approval for advanced stages of kidney cancer. It's currently approved purely for patients with Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome. We're about to see a very large trial report out showing benefit in the refractory kidney cancer cohorts so I'm excited about that and about where it will bring busudanulfan in other stages of kidney cancer.

Thank you for joining me to learn about advanced kidney cancer. We hope you found this educated patient 

Transcript is AI-generated and edited for clarity and readability.

Tian Zhang, MD, MHS

Anica Bausch, B.S.N., RN, OCN, is an absolute treasure. She is the nurse navigator for our patients with rectal cancer and is an essential member of our team. She is the first person our patients interact with when they are referred to our institution for care, and she stays with patients throughout their long and often grueling multidisciplinary treatment. Although she excels at coordinating care and navigating patients through a complex health system, what really sets her apart is her extraordinary ability to connect with patients and make them feel seen, heard and cared for.

Rectal cancer is an overwhelming diagnosis for patients to receive. Anica’s calm and compassionate demeanor helps patients manage their anxiety and fears surrounding treatment and prognosis. She is well connected in our community and able to connect patients with resources and support. Her depth of knowledge regarding the management of common side effects of rectal cancer treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgical procedures, is enormous and unparalleled. Anica coordinates our weekly multidisciplinary tumor board and ensures all relevant staging information is readily available for review and that recommendations are communicated back to referring providers. She is organized and detail oriented and goes to great lengths to ensure nothing slips through the cracks of a busy academic medical center. 

Anica is an absolute delight to work with. She is a ray of sunshine in clinic every week, bringing joy to what can often feel like a stressful and overwhelming workplace. I am grateful every day to have her as a colleague.

Rectal cancer is an overwhelming diagnosis for patients to receive. Anica Bausch's, B.S.N., RN, OCN calm and compassionate demeanor helps patients manage their anxiety and fears surrounding treatment and prognosis. 

A Ray of Sunshine on the Oncology Ward

Dr. Elise Lawson

I had the pleasure of working with Mary Ellen Husted, OCN, for nearly two years as an infusion nurse at the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. I came to admire Mary Ellen almost immediately due to her extensive knowledge and skillset as an oncology nurse. More importantly, however, Mary Ellen's greatest attribute is — without a doubt — her bedside manner.

I can recall countless occurrences during which she was able to ease a worried patient with her tactful sense of humor or gain the trust of someone new with her impressive breadth of knowledge. She has a natural ease when interacting with others. She is able to forge strong bonds with her patients through her calming demeanor, her lighthearted spirit and her genuine concern.

I recall a specific patient with whom Mary Ellen formed an incredible relationship throughout her many years of treatment for breast cancer. As the patient's health began to decline, Mary Ellen was always there to offer support and provide her with safe, compassionate care. Mary Ellen always seemed to brighten this patient's worst days with a joke, a happy conversation and sometimes, when needed, a hug or shoulder to cry on.

Mary Ellen is everything one hopes to be as an oncology nurse — intelligent, intuitive, highly skilled, deeply caring and funny. It has been my honor to call Mary Ellen a colleague and a friend. She is most deserving of this recognition.

Editor’s Note: This is an essay submitted by Christina Klawitter, RN, M.S.N., OCN, for the 2021 Extraordinary Healer Award. 

 to read more about CURE®’s Extraordinary Healer® Award for Oncology Nursing event on April 30, 2021.

A colleague writes about an infusion nurse that has the bedside manner to make patients’ experiences with cancer a little calmer with her sense of humor and knowledge.

Easing Worried Patients During Difficult Times Throughout Cancer Treatment

Christina Klawitter, RN, M.S.N., OCN

For most of my adult life, I had thought that my 50th year would be my last. My Mother passed away at 50 when her cancer came back the second time. It was detected too late and it has metastasized to other parts of her body. Her sisters — my aunts — passed away the same year from breast cancer and, all within a few years of being 50. So, I wasn't too surprised when I received my cancer diagnosis when I was 49. I also did genetic testing when I was 40 and found that I have BRCA2, a genetic disposition that made me have a higher percentage of getting certain types of cancer.

My kids were 9 and 11 at that time. My son mentioned to me later that I've always kind of prepared them that I will not be around even before my cancer diagnosis. I didn't even realize that and felt bad about it. My mom's passing was really hard on our family and I subconsciously wanted them to prepare for the worst.

After the biopsy and lumpectomy, we found out that my breast cancer is the aggressive kind but my doctor said that my sentinel nodes were clear. Our life then was a lot of tough news with some good news in between. This was in early 2020 when the whole world was worried about COVID-19. My husband found out that he lost his job the same day I found that I had a suspicious lump. We worried about finances, and of course, loss of insurance.

Through my husband's hard work, he managed to get me the same medical team to care for me when I transferred to Medi-Cal. He was busy looking for work which took him a whole year, and simultaneously took care of me and the kids. In 2021, my father passed away from heart issues but since he was 8,000 miles away in Malaysia, I was unable to go home due to the cancer treatments and finances. He was always encouraging about that. About two months after he passed, my husband got a job offer. It was bittersweet that I couldn't tell my father about the good news.

My last surgery was the biggest one, it was a double mastectomy with DIEP Flap (a type of breast reconstruction using abdominal tissue to rebuild the breast). To do so, I had a CT scan done and that's when they found another lump in my ovaries. So, I added another doctor to my ever-growing care team, and I thought, maybe this is what's going to kill me, a cancer that's unexpected from my family history. It does have a higher probability due to BRCA2.

I then had an extra surgery which was a total hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus and cervix). It was filled with other hard choices: do I take my uterus out with my ovaries? Do I take both or one of them out? I chose to take them all out. I was tired at this time, and just wanted it to be over with. However, the doctor didn't tell me that I had to take a hormone medicine for the rest of my life due to this or I would suffer from vaginal atrophy (drying and inflammation in the vaginal walls). What a terrible term.

At last, I finished my double mastectomy and reconstruction. It was about the end of two years after I discovered my lump. At this point in time, the hospitals have become my second home but I slowly noticed, that my calendar is starting to clear up from hospital visits. COVID-19 vaccines have been introduced at this point, so my kids’ events were starting to fill my calendar instead. My hair started to grow, silver and permed by 'chemo curls’ — some people get curls after chemo. It reminded me of baby curls, and it felt like I was reborn again. That was the point where I felt maybe I was going to live a naturally long life.

My doctor confirmed that I'm now cancer-free and considered to be a cancer survivor. My 50th birthday has come and gone, and I feel like I don't have a clock ticking in my head anymore. I'm discovering aging and my new body. It's battered, scarred and comes with some complications but it's fine. My mom always told me that I was a late bloomer, I've always thought it was a shame I wouldn’t have time to bloom but now, even with some hesitance, as this is a new mindset for me, I might bloom after all.

 and not of CURE®. This is also not supposed to be intended as medical advice.

After my mom died at 50 years old, I was certain I wasn't going to reach 50. I'm glad I was wrong.

Loving My 50s After Having Breast and Ovarian Cancers

Haniza Zainal Abidin-Schlosser

My veins are very compromised, and Wayne Allen at Maryland Oncology and Hematology in Silver Spring made the blood draws look easy. The atmosphere in the office with patients and colleagues was very pleasant and my arms were not bruised. I have to keep getting my blood drawn, so please God let it be Wayne that does it.

Editor’s Note: This is an essay submitted by Margaret Pakulski for the 2021 Extraordinary Healer Award. 

A patient details how a nurse made her experience with blood draws, which can be difficult due to compromised veins, a much more pleasant one.

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