Chemotherapy: 963 Real Stories
963 stories match chemotherapy. 777 of them mention surgery.
Stage III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Mary’s Survivor Story
Mary, a retired woman living in Ireland, was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer in September 2019. She sought medical help after feeling unusual soreness and discomfort during floor exercises in a yoga class. The diagnosis was especially…
Read this storyStage III Breast Cancer: Carole’s Survivor Story
Carole, 63, is a breast cancer survivor from the United Kingdom. She was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer in 2019 after noticing dimpled skin and a small lump around her breast. She did not have other symptoms, so those visible breast changes were what…
Read this storyStage IV Breast Cancer: Magnolia’s Survivor Story
Magnolia, from Colombia, was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer after noticing a hard breast mass. Her menstrual periods had stopped at age 45, and the symptoms developed over several months before she sought medical care. The diagnosis left her…
Read this storyStage II Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Anne-Marie’s Survivor Story
Anne-Marie was diagnosed with Stage II colon adenocarcinoma in June 2019 after a bowel screening program detected the cancer. The diagnosis came after about 12 months of earlier concerns that had been attributed to other causes. A strong family history of…
Read this storyStage 0 Breast Cancer: Kelly’s Survivor Story
Kelly was 38 when a routine company mammogram led to her Stage 0 breast cancer diagnosis in 2019. A technologist noticed something concerning and advised follow-up testing. Kelly then sought a second opinion with a more experienced doctor before the diagnosis…
Read this storyStage III Breast Cancer: Kathryn’s Survivor Story
Kathryn first noticed swelling between her breasts, changes in breast shape, and irritation in 2019. After seeking medical advice, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. The diagnosis left her frightened, overwhelmed, isolated, and worried about what…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Emma’s Patient Story
Emma, 48, is from Singapore and was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer after pain in her breast and armpit pushed her to seek medical attention. The diagnosis was shocking and brought sadness, fear, nervousness, worry, and a sense of emptiness. She sought…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Carole’s Survivor Story
Carole Motycka, a 44-year-old mother of 4, had no obvious cancer symptoms before an Easter hike in 2016 left her with severe back and shoulder pain. Tests showed Stage IV colorectal cancer that had spread to her liver. Doctors explained that her situation was…
Read this storyBRCA Ovarian Cancer: Dena’s Patient Story
Dena Svoboda was 56 when severe acid reflux led to the discovery of a 25-pound ovarian tumor. She underwent surgery to remove it, followed by chemotherapy. Just over 1 year later, the ovarian cancer returned. During an 8.5-hour operation, surgeons removed…
Read this storyStage I Breast Cancer: Jennifer’s Survivor Story
Jennifer Buckland was 43 when she received chemotherapy for Stage I breast cancer at Cleveland Clinic’s Taussig Cancer Institute. Once a week for 12 weeks, she put on a tight helmet-like cooling cap before treatment began. She wore it for as long as 8 hours…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Anatole’s Survivor Story
Anatole Karpovs was a 37-year-old pediatrician when persistent bloody stools, bowel changes and abdominal pain led him to seek care in April 2013. Blood tests were normal, but scans showed a large tumor in the lower left colon. Colonoscopy and biopsy…
Read this storyStage I Breast Cancer: Deidre’s Survivor Story
Deidre Smith was careful about yearly mammograms, which made her 2015 diagnosis especially shocking. She came to Cleveland Clinic Florida for a second opinion after being told elsewhere that 2 calcifications were benign. On November 23, 2015, just before…
Read this storyWhat It’s Like When Your Dad Has Breast Cancer
This patient was diagnosed with breast cancer about 6 months before her husband, Jeffrey Collins, died from male breast cancer. Her cancer did not have a genetic component. During a difficult period for the family, she was receiving chemotherapy while also…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Jamie’s Patient Story
Jamie Bernard was 32 when she was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in 2015. She was both an MD Anderson employee and a patient, giving her a view of cancer care from two sides. Jamie underwent a mastectomy and received chemotherapy. After treatment, a…
Read this storyStage IV Ovarian Cancer: Janelle’s Patient Story
Janelle Kister faced a Stage IV ovarian cancer diagnosis but chose to move quickly into treatment. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy, then received a stem cell transplant in 2001 as part of a Phase II clinical trial. Her recovery was long, but she was…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Annie’s Patient Story
Annie Schreiber, a 36-year-old mother of 3, first noticed blood in her stool in August 2017 and thought it was probably hemorrhoids. She was young and healthy, and even her first doctor recommended more fiber and water. When symptoms persisted, she was…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Heather’s Survivor Story
Heather Kokinda was diagnosed with breast cancer at 29 while breastfeeding her 5-month-old daughter. She first noticed a lump in the shower and thought it might be a clogged milk duct, but it did not go away despite the usual measures. After the cancer…
Read this storyStage III BRCA2 Breast Cancer: Ashley’s Survivor Story
Ashley was 28 when she was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer in January 2017. At the time, she was nursing her youngest child and initially thought the lump in her right breast was a clogged milk duct. Her biggest concern after diagnosis was how cancer…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Michael’s Patient Story
Michael Johnston was diagnosed with male breast cancer in 2009. His treatment included surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, all within a single calendar year. After going through that intensive period of care, he made a personal commitment to increase…
Read this storyStage III Breast Cancer: Jacquelyn’s Patient Story
Jacquelyn noticed a suspicious change during a breast self-examination and sought medical care. She was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Her doctors recommended mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, and she followed the plan. Although she felt…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Ana’s Survivor Story
Ana, 51, was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer after an unexpected workup. She had no family history of cancer and wanted a second opinion because she felt her first doctor had not given her enough information. She also described noticing blood from the…
Read this storyStage I Breast Cancer: Yanzi’s Patient Story
At age 45, Yanzi received a text notification offering a free mammogram and decided to schedule the screening. She had no symptoms, but the mammogram was abnormal. Further evaluation at a nearby hospital led to a diagnosis of Stage I breast cancer. The…
Read this storyGastric Cancer: Do’s Survivor Story
At age 78, Do Lee faced stomach cancer after already losing his wife of almost 40 years to the same disease. Her cancer had been Stage IV, and watching her treatment initially made Do reluctant to undergo similar care himself. Persistent severe diarrhea…
Read this storyStage IV Breast Cancer: Lindsey’s Patient Story
Lindsey Ballas was balancing work, family and cancer care after being diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. She owned a hair salon and wanted treatment to disrupt her life as little as possible. Her main goal was to keep life close to normal while…
Read this story