Cancer Interviews

Marcel D'Allende was in outstanding health, an avid hiker in the mountains overlooking her hometown of Cape Town, South Africa. However, in October 2021, she began to experience shortness of breath and extreme fatigue. That led to a diagnosis of Stage IV non-small cell adenocarcinoma, or lung cancer. Determined not to let cancer define her, she underwent a treatment regimen of radiotherapy, then chemotherapy with carboplatin and pemetrexed, and immunotherapy with durvalumab. In September 2022, a PET scan revealed Marcel was cancer-free. It took a little while for her to get back up to speed, but has returned to an active lifestyle, and every weekend, you can find her hiking the mountains. Marcel thought she was in terrific health, but in the fall of 2021, suddenly she found herself out of breath on a recurring basis. Her difficulty with breathing became so acute that shortly after beginning a weekend hike with friends, she had no choice but to turn around and return to the base of the mountain. Things worsened when she had frequent coughing spells. She was seen by her general practitioner, who recommended she see a pulmonologist. The pulmonologist called for a CT scan, which revealed a tumor on a lung, and a diagnosis of Stage IV lung cancer in January 2022. Marcel, who during her adult life smoked cigarettes off and on, immediately thought of her father, who passed away from lung cancer in 2000. She was afraid she would suffer the same fate. However, her doctor said that her father's fate didn't have to be hers because of major advances in medicines and technologies in the past twenty years. She was determined to not let her life be defined by cancer, saying at all times, one on a cancer journey must have hope. At the same time, she says one can be hopeful without being delusional. Her diagnosis was difficult enough, but she soon felt the sting of the stigma that often accompanies a lung cancer diagnosis. When informing friends about her diagnosis, many of them told her should not have smoked. Marcel's treatment begins with six weeks of radiotherapy treatment, which she thought wasn't so difficult. Next was six cycles of chemotherapy, specifically carboplatin and pemetrexed. The worst side effects she experienced were nausea and fatigue. Then, Marcel's oncologist introduced her to a newly-approved form of immunotherapy called durvalumab. It is usually prescribed for a duration of twelve months, but she was taken off the immunotherapy at the nine-month mark because spots were detected on her lung. The spots cleared in March. In September, Marcel D'Allende underwent a PET scan that showed she was cancer-free, which she has been to this day. She had to start slowly, but Marcel's health is back to normal, and she has returned to her weekend home, hiking trails outside Cape Town. Additional Resources: Support Group: Cancer Association of South Africa https://www.cansa.org.za Marcel's Written Account of her Cancer Journey: https://cansa.org.za/breaking-the-silence-around-lung-cancer/

In November 2019, Margo Wickersham noticed blood in her urine. Three months later, she was diagnosed with two types of bladder cancer. After an aggressive chemotherapy regimen, she underwent a radical cystectomy and a hysterectomy in June 2020, resulting in the removal of her bladder, uterus and ovaries, all this during the quarantine phase of the COVID pandemic. Ever since, Margo has been cancer-free, but she had to get fitted with a stoma bag and had to learn how to manage it. The bag is an annoyance, but she considers it a small price to pay in order to stay alive. When Margo first noticed blood in her urine, she sought medical attention, thinking she had a urinary tract infection. It turned out she didn't have a UTI, but she still thought something was wrong. She underwent a cystoscopy, which captured a photo of a cauliflower-shaped tumor in her bladder. Next up was a biopsy, which indicated she had Stage One bladder cancer. Her urologist prescribed BCG immunotherapy. Margo sought a second opinion and her doctor ruled out BCG, because further probing turned up a second type of bladder cancer, plasmacytoid, and said it could not be addressed with BCG. He called for an aggressive chemotherapy regimen. He also said in addition to a radical cystectomy, which would remove Margo's bladder, he said a hysterectomy would be necessary, a procedure that would remove her uterus and ovaries. Both were performed in June 2020. Because that was during the quarantine phase of the COVID pandemic, neither Margo's husband nor members of her family could visit her. After the procedures, Margo was cancer-free. However, her life would never be the same after she had to wear a stoma bag into which her urine would go. Sometimes the bag leaks when filled beyond its capacity. She accepts this as her new normal and says she can deal with it, but has to think ahead in terms of access to a bathroom. By way of advice, Margo says one's primary emotion should be that of hope and not stress. Additional Resources: Support Group: Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network https://www.bcan.org Margo's Book, available on Amazon and Kindle: Gratitude in the Storm – When Not Dying Is Enough to Keep Fighting Margo's merchandise line: www.ThriverSurvivor.shop, with a portion of the revenue going to the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, to fund bladder cancer research

When she began experiencing severe bruising and fatigue and turning pale in late 2013, Casey Kang sought medical attention. This led to a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She was placed on an aggressive, 18-month chemotherapy regimen, which included doxorubicin and methotrexate. Casey relapsed three times during which she was placed on an experimental immunotherapy. All told, she spent 168 days in a hospital, but Casey achieved survivorship. She is now a coach who helps women diagnosed with cancer through the physical, mental and emotional challenges that occur after treatment. When Casey Kang experienced various aches and pains at the end of 2013, she thought they were tied to holiday- or work-related stress. She sought medical attention, was prescribed ten days of antibiotics, and was told to return in two weeks. During the ten days, things got worse. She was stricken with extreme fatigue, bruising, vision issues and her turning pale. While this went on, she continued to go to work. She underwent blood tests, and they revealed she had leukemia. Even before the test results came back, her care team called for a bone marrow transplant, so sure were they that she had cancer. Casey said her cancer was subsequently diagnosed as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Because of its aggressive nature, she was put on an aggressive, 18-month chemotherapy regimen. It included doxorubicin and methotrexate. She experienced two relapses and was prescribed an experimental immunotherapy. Multiple hospital stays totaled 168 days. During that time, Casey learned how mentally tough she was and is. As much as she disliked the time in the hospital, she was sure to create a routine that would get her through the day. Casey used the hospital floor's exercise bike and walked laps around the floors, with 17 laps equaling a mile. Despite a grueling journey, Casey Kang achieved survivorship. She is active on social media, as she works tirelessly to aid woman diagnosed with cancer to make them physically, mentally and emotionally strong when dealing with life after treatment. As for herself, she says her overall is better than it was before her diagnosis. Additional Resources: Casey's Website: https://www.thehappierhustle.com Casey's Free Guide: https://casey-head.mykajabi.com/free-guide

Stacy Martin says genetic testing saved her life. The testing indicated she had the CDH1 mutation. The mutation gave her an 80 percent chance of getting gastric cancer and a 60 percent chance of breast cancer. She opted for a prophylactic total gastrectomy to remove her stomach and addressed the possibility of breast cancer with a bilateral mastectomy. Without a stomach, Stacy has had to change the way she eats, requiring food every two hours, and having to completely chew everything she eats. Despite this live-changing surgery, Stacy is leading a healthy and happy life. Unlike most people with cancer, Stacy's diagnosis was not preceded by symptoms. Her mother had already been diagnosed with Stage IV uterin cancer. That prompted Stacy and her siblings to undergo a genetic panel test. It revealed Stacy had the CDH1 mutation, which meant she an 80 percent chance of getting gastric cancer and a 60 percent chance of breast cancer. She had three options but chose to be proactive with a prophylactic total gastrectomy in 2019, a procedure that removed her stomach. It was after the surgery that pathology revealed Stacy had gastric cancer in her removed stomach. After successfully addressing the possibility of stomach cancer, she did the same with breast cancer with a bilateral mastectomy in 2020. Stacy Martin said the toughest part of her cancer experience wasn't the treatment, but what she dealt with upon its completion. She said she had to learn how to eat, and that without a stomach, she had to eat every two hours. While she took snacks with her wherever she went, she had to alternate between snacks and something more substantial, making sure she got enough protein and carbohydrates. Anything she ate had to be completely chewed because she no longer had the gastric juices in her stomach that break down food. The only thing she can't eat are raw oysters because she says they are impossible to chew. Stacy says genetic testing saved her life but admits it is not for everybody because the decision to go forth with such testing is a deeply personal decision because some people don't want to know what the tests could reveal. Despite her cancer journey, Stacy lives a happy life. She resumed her passion of hiking near her home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and consumption of nuts resulted in her establishing Seahorse Snacks, which she operates out of her home. Additional Resources: Seahorse Snacks: https://www.seahorsesnacks.com No Stomach For Cancer: https://www.nostomachforcancer.org

In 2019, Jonathan Gegerson sought medical attention went he felt a lump on the right side of his neck. After a couple of scans and a biopsy, he was diagnosed with salivary duct carcinoma, a rare form of head and neck cancer. Jonathan survived, but not before enduring 67 sessions of radiation, 12 cycles of chemotherapy (carboplatin, taxol, herceptin) and seven surgeries. He still undergoes a targeted therapy on a monthly basis, and the surgery has affected his speech and his diet, but Jonathan has resumed an active lifestyle that includes skiing and hiking. Jonathan Gegerson thought his health was outstanding. He was an active skier and liked to hike up Colorado's 14ers (mountains whose peaks exceed 14,000 feet), but was perplexed when he discovered a lump on the right side of his neck. He did not waste any time seeking medical attention and went to his primary care physician. She conducted a physical examination and asked if Jonathan had recently undergone a root canal or some dental procedure that could result in an infection. When he said no, the doctor sent Jonathan to an oncologist, who called for a CT scan, a PET scan and a biopsy. That's when he was diagnosed with head and neck cancer, even though at the time doctors could not specify what type of head and neck cancer. His doctor in Colorado said Jonathan would need to undergo surgery, followed by radiation treatment and chemotherapy. When Jonathan learned his care team had no experience with dealing with his type of cancer, he sought a second opinion from MD Anderson in Houston, Texas. The doctors at MD Anderson suggested the same regimen, but Jonathan switched to them because they had experience dealing with salivary duct carcinoma. His care team told him his treatment would result in a tightening of his face and would affect his speech, in addition to his ability to chew and swallow. The chemotherapy regimen included carboplatin, taxol and herceptin. He said the chemo left him weak and tired, especially two days after each round of treatment. This, he said, was very frustrating because he was accustomed to being active. During this time, the best he could do was go on short walks. When Jonathan experienced a recurrence, he was placed on a targeted therapy of kadcyla and herceptin. He eventually achieved survivorship but must continue to be on a monthly targeted therapy of unhertu and herceptin. Jonathan Gegerson says his health is approximately 75 percent of what it was before his diagnosis, but he feels he blessed that he is living, is back to hiking and skiing, and hopes to continue skiing until he is 90 years old. Additional Resources: Jonathan's Book: "Perspective C," available on Amazon and Kindle https://a.co/d/4iW9BQ6