Surgery: 1,095 Real Stories
1,095 stories match surgery. 777 of them mention chemotherapy.
Breast Cancer: Bianca’s Patient Story
Bianca Winkler was 38, self-employed, and raising 2 young daughters when a routine gynecologic exam found an abnormality in her breast. Mammography followed, but the biopsy still did not give a clear answer. At the end of 2012, breast-conserving surgery…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Nicole’s Survivor Story
Nicole Bissinger was 44 when she described Paget carcinoma of the breast diagnosed in 2009. The first sign was a small wound on her right nipple. For about 1.5 years, it was treated as eczema with cortisone before a biopsy finally showed Paget carcinoma…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Henriette’s Survivor Story
Henriette Schiller was 44 when she described rectal cancer diagnosed 5 years earlier. For several months before diagnosis, she noticed that her stamina was lower. Then she developed digestive problems, pain while sitting, and blood in her stool. Her partner…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Gerda’s Patient Story
Gerda Martin was 73 when she reflected on breast cancer diagnosed in 2008. She first noticed a change during a sauna visit: her nipple was pulling inward. She went to her gynecologist, and further testing led to the diagnosis. Surgery removed her right…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Iris’s Survivor Story
Iris Ludwig was 30 when breast cancer was diagnosed in 2001. Because she worked in a medical field, she already knew what many cancer treatments could involve, yet the diagnosis still left her feeling unable to react. Chemotherapy began before…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Sonja’s Survivor Story
Sonja Novotny was 58 when rectal cancer was found during a preventive colonoscopy recommended by her daughter, who worked in healthcare. Until then, Sonja had not noticed warning signs, so the diagnosis came as a complete surprise. She appreciated that her…
Read this storyStage IV Breast Cancer: Manuela’s Patient Story
Manuela Weber was 63 when she described living with metastatic breast cancer. Her first breast cancer was diagnosed in 2000 after a lump led to mammography and biopsy. Cancer was found in both breasts, but no lymph node involvement was described. Both breasts…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Eva’s Patient Story
Eva Manz was 39 and living with her partner when she looked back on 2 breast cancer diagnoses. She was first diagnosed at 31. At that time, her left breast was removed and reconstructed at the same operation. The loss of the breast affected her deeply, even…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Anna’s Patient Story
Anna Rusch was 71 when she described living with colon cancer and a permanent end stoma. About 3 years earlier, she noticed blood in her stool and went to a doctor, who first thought hemorrhoids were the cause. Only after a friend urged her to seek another…
Read this storyBRCA1 Breast Cancer: Alina’s Survivor Story
Alina Schiller was 30 when she shared life after early-stage breast cancer. She found a lump while changing clothes and went to a gynecologist, who referred her to a breast center. Biopsy confirmed breast cancer in 2018, and BRCA1 testing found a mutation at…
Read this storyBRCA1 Breast Cancer: Julia’s Patient Story
Julia Bring was 28 when she described breast cancer that began just 2 months after her wedding. She and her husband had been planning for a child when mammography and biopsy led to the diagnosis in August 2010. Because she was only 25, her doctors…
Read this storyStage II Colorectal Cancer: Paul’s Survivor Story
Paul Reinauer was 73 when he reflected on colon cancer diagnosed at age 54. For a long time, he noticed blood in his stool and thought it might be hemorrhoids. When he finally saw a doctor, a tissue sample led to the diagnosis of bowel cancer. The news…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Dagmar’s Patient Story
Dagmar Schiffer was 51 when she found a lump in her breast in 2011. Because her mother had also had breast cancer, she quickly saw her gynecologist. Breast cancer was diagnosed, and Dagmar had breast-conserving surgery with removal of affected lymph nodes…
Read this storyTriple-Negative Breast Cancer: Doris’s Survivor Story
Doris Teller was 58, divorced, and living on her own when she described treatment for triple-negative breast cancer. Her mammogram had been normal, but about 3 months later she felt a hard area in her breast. When the lump grew, her gynecologist ordered a…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Gerlinde’s Survivor Story
Gerlinde Zeigert was 59, in a long-term partnership, and a former teacher and principal when she described life after hereditary colorectal cancer. Because her brother and a cousin had developed colorectal cancer early, she had already been advised to attend…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Susanna’s Patient Story
Susanna Zier was 66 and a widow with 4 adult children when colorectal cancer was found. Ten years earlier, bowel symptoms had led to a colonoscopy that found and removed a polyp. In the years that followed, she faced several other illnesses and many…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Sylvia’s Survivor Story
Sylvia Herrmann had lived with ulcerative colitis since youth, so symptoms such as diarrhea were already part of daily life. At 39, the diarrhea became uncontrollable and led her to seek medical help. Colon cancer was found at a relatively early stage…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Lotte’s Survivor Story
Lotte Buchs was 72 and retired when she shared the story of a cancer diagnosed 10 years earlier. Blood in the stool over a longer period finally led her to a doctor, who performed a rectal examination and sent her directly to hospital. She was diagnosed with…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Matthias’s Survivor Story
Matthias Mitternich was 65 and 7 years past colon cancer treatment when he reflected on his experience. His first clue was a reddish change in his stool, which he initially blamed on eating beetroot. When the change continued despite diet adjustments, he saw…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Amalia’s Survivor Story
Amalia Spatz was 71 when rectal cancer entered a life already shaped by widowhood, family, and work behind her. She first noticed growing weakness and exhaustion and thought a medication might be the cause. After she was taken to hospital, many tests were…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Leon’s Patient Story
Leon Gerspacher was 20 when fatigue and digestive problems led to colonoscopy and CT scans that found rectal cancer. He was a science student and living with his girlfriend, and the diagnosis quickly changed his plans. Initial treatment used radiation therapy…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Heather’s Patient Story
Heather Williams was 48 when months of unexplained symptoms finally led to a Stage IV colorectal cancer diagnosis on 30 January 2023. She had been dealing with anemia, a persistent cough, and abdominal pain. Earlier explanations focused on asthma and anemia…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Ingrid’s Survivor Story
Ingrid Weis was 52, married, and raising 3 children when rectal cancer was found. Her first sign was blood in the toilet, which she initially thought might be hemorrhoids. Colonoscopy instead showed a tumor in the rectum. After further testing, treatment…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Jordan’s Patient Story
Jordan McConahay was 28 when stomach pain sent her to a walk-in clinic after only 2 days of symptoms. She expected something minor. Instead, testing found a mass in her colon, and the cancer had already spread to her liver and lungs. Her colon was nearly…
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