Tag: cancer patient

Darion’s Story

Darion and his daughter, mentioned in Darion's Story, take a seflie.

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Darion’s Story of Hope Transcript:

My diagnosis with cancer was a big shock cause actually I was preparing to go on a cruise. So, I went on and went to this health club and they did a lab work on me. And they took three samples, and the first two came out really good. Then that third one, my doctor just said, “Your white blood cells are going off the chart here. We need to go and look at this further.” And that was pretty much when that happened with the cancer.

The young lady that I took to my 1978 prom, we were at Texas Oncology and we kept staring at each other, but not staring at each other cause we kinda knew who we were, but we didn’t know. And come find out, that was my friend, Ms. Eunice Baker. She introduced me to the Cancer Care, and it was so many other areas of that–that– that really just reached out with me.

Cancer Care has a Perry Mason, it’s in the body of Ms. Tamika. And she would sit back there and just dissect everything. She’d say, “Mr. Fields let me see your bills and this right here.” And it comes up that she navigated this whole system to where they actually found faults, the insurance. And I was actually almost like paying three policies.

She said, “Well this needs to be taken care of immediately. He’s not being able to get his insurance. He’s not being able to get prescriptions. And he has a daughter that is not covered because of the, you know, the neglect of what’s going on here.” But she was really great and looking at what I was going through personally with finances, something that I could get and have that would be affordable.

Everybody is friendly, and the first thing they say is, “How are you doing Mr. Fields? How was that weekend, or how was the holiday?” There was a couple of times I had to say I was pretty much homeless, and they went to bat. I mean, they came up and got me shelter and lots of things like that. I mean, things that you don’t even think about asking, they seemed like well, we need to check because if he–does he have food? Is he okay? What’s going on with his doctors? Are you staying in contact?

I really think it’s more than medicine when you’re on the road to recovering from cancer, and Cancer Care is a big part of that.

Hope, in my opinion, is when you have a great family, and I call Cancer Care my family.

Transcribed by: Christina R.

Jess and Mike’s Story

Jess and Mike pose at the end of the video "Jess and Mike's Story."

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Jess and Mike’s Story of Hope Transcript:

Mike

Life before Jessica’s diagnosis was very free for us in that we enjoyed traveling and planning where we’re going next. We had just come back from a trip from Ireland.

Jessica

I thought I hurt my back. My back pain continued to get worse. I went and saw a physical therapist. So, he did the scan, and it was showing a tumor was crushing my vertebrae. During those scans, I was trying to get up off of the scan bed to get repositioned, and I didn’t know at the time, but something snapped, and my vertebrae broke, and I couldn’t walk.

Mike

You know, as a husband, watching your wife go through this is very difficult. You know, you see her go from a full-time active nurse, rambunctious, and ready to go on trips to just very physically unable. And, you know, it’s hard.

Jessica

We lost a lot of our, at the time, close friends because they didn’t know what to say, they didn’t understand it. So, it was easier to kinda step back than be involved in the tough, hard discussions. But I remember someone, she was a nurse navigator, and she reached out to me, and she ended up letting me know about a young adult support group. And that’s where that I started finding out more programs and about Cancer Care Services and what they were doing for cancer patients and survivors.

The main experience I think of is when we went to the retreat in April of 2021. We just got so much enjoyment out of it and it kinda made you forget about a lot of the doctor’s appointments and things at that time. You just kinda go to experience new things and enjoy yourself.

Mike

Jessica was just finally starting to get to where, you know, we were going on walks again and stuff. We go to this retreat, and they split ya into different groups. And it’s okay, you know, we’re gonna go ahead and climb this 30-foot pole first. Let’s just get this day going. In my mind–well both of our minds, we were like this will be good to at least get, at minimum, a few steps in and kinda figure out like hey, see where my limits are, you know.

So, I go up first. I am waiting on the platform for her, and she starts. I’m watching, and I’m like, oh that’s cool she’s starting to go up, and then, then, she gets to the top of the pole. And I lost it. It’s just– from going from a person I’ve had to place in the shower to being able to climb this thing and go across and do all this. I mean, it was one the greatest moments of my life that I got to experience was watching her do it.

Jessica

Cancer Care Services represents exactly what their name says. I’ve met some very wonderful people. It’s not even just a working relationship, I mean, there’s a friendship that’s came out of it. They truly do care about their client.

Mike

That’s more of a blessing than I think some people could even ever realize. It’s just being there and caring. So, keep doing what you’re doing. Thank you.

Transcribed by: Christina R.

Ashley’s Story

Ashley's story tells of her experience with cancer.

Stories of Hope: Ashley’s Story

I guess I will start the story of my cancer journey at the beginning. It was about a year ago, in September. I was the healthiest I have ever been – going to the gym every day, eating right, doing all the good stuff. One night while I was cooking dinner, I noticed a knot about the size of a ping pong ball by my collar bone and mentioned it to my fiancé. He could see it too. I made a telehealth doctor appointment and was told it was most likely allergies and to take Zyrtec.

It didn’t go away, so I went to urgent care and then my primary care doctor, who both also told me it was allergies. I had a regular OB/Gyn checkup appointment, and since three doctors had already told me it was just allergies, I had to work up the courage to mention the knot to the doctor. She sent off blood work that came back ‘funky’ and connected me to a surgeon. This led to a biopsy and referral to an oncologist, who diagnosed and staged my cancer as Stage 2 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, bulky.

Ashley and Cory with their dogs.
Ashley and Cory with their dogs.

I was angry and scared after my diagnosis. I asked myself why I had wasted my time trying to be healthy and what good had I done by eating right instead of eating what I wanted. I thought I was a good person and wondered what I had done wrong to deserve cancer. I also was surprised at all the buildup before treatment actually started. I thought that treatment would start right after diagnosis, but I had a lot to learn. I had no idea what a ‘port’ was or how chemo might affect my fertility.

Finally, chemo started, and I waited to get really sick. I wasn’t – just really tired. It wasn’t all that bad but did get worse as it went on. I wish they had told me not to eat my favorite foods during treatment because now I don’t want to even see them anymore. There were bad side effects to the steroids, and I had radiation after the chemo. We were also house hunting during all this and had to decide whether to keep looking for a house. We decided to keep pushing forward and figure it out as we went rather than let cancer end my world.

“We decided to keep pushing forward and figure it out as we went rather than let cancer end my world.”

After treatment, my scans showed me to be cancer-free – no evidence of disease in my body. The doctors don’t say ‘cancer-free’ or ‘cured’ because it can come back, but I call myself ‘cancer-free.’ It seems like much longer than a year ago this all started, and I have felt out of control. I felt like a burden and was in a really dark place.

I can’t really say I am grateful for having cancer, but I am grateful for all I have learned and all the support I have received. I always had the same nurses for my treatments, and they were great. I have also had the support of Cancer Care Services. They were always warm and welcoming.

Even though most of the Cancer Care programs and activities had to be virtual due to Covid, I was able to participate in support groups and activities with people in my own age group (most of the people I met at treatment were 20, 30, 40 years older than me). Cancer Care made the Zoom meetings so much fun, and we were able to do outside yoga face-to-face and a painting class.

My fiancé did some of the things with me, and he appreciated being able to spend the time together. I know how much the support I received helped me, and now I want to use what I have learned to help others – especially people in my age group because there aren’t many of us.

I am grateful to be healthy again and to look at myself in the mirror and see me. I am the same person, but I do think more about what I think of myself instead of what others may think of me. I didn’t believe I would ever be in a place like this – where I would want to help others without feeling sorry for myself or angry, but I am! I want to give other people grace now that I can.

Transcribed by Jane Melms from Ashley’s video interview in September 2021.

You can support cancer survivors like Ashley through our monthly giving club- The Hope Collective – for just $25 a month! As a Hope Collective member, you ensure that everyone gets the help they deserve today.

Camp Gold 2022: Healing and Girl Power!

Camp Gold 2022 participants pose by the lake.

Young adult cancer patients and survivors had so much fun in the sun at Camp Gold 2022! This year was magical and full of girl power!

What is Camp Gold?

Camp Gold is an AYA (Young Adult & Adolescent) retreat hosted by Rutledge Cancer Foundation and Cancer Care Services at YMCA Camp Carter. Camp Gold promotes healing through camp activities like the challenge course, meditation, and games. The campers often forge new and lasting friendships so that no one has to cope with cancer alone.

Meet our Camp Gold 2022 participants:

Toni in the lake at Camp Gold 2022.
Toni in the lake at Camp Gold 2022.

Toni soaked in everything Camp Gold! She did it all and saw it all. Toni candidly shared her cancer journey with her peers and bonded with the soon-to-be tight-knit group. Toni made it about halfway through the challenge course during her first attempt, but she wasn’t ready to stop there. On just her second attempt, Toni climbed to the top of the tower! Toni had chemo treatment the week before and surgery to remove a very large tumor in February, so this feat was a tremendous victory celebrated by all!

Tiara and Vanessa posing with their canoe paddles at Camp Gold 2022.
Tiara and Vanessa posing with their canoe paddles.

Tiara, a cancer patient, and her friend Vanessa were the dynamic duo at Camp Gold! Vanessa accompanies Tiara to her appointments, so she cherished the opportunity to learn more about her friend and ways to support her. The honest conversations from the campers helped Tiara feel comfortable opening up during group time. Everyone had the chance to support and be supported by others who had been touched by cancer. Vanessa and Tiara also tried their first s’more at camp! How tasty!

That’s a Wrap!

We are so proud of the girls for embracing the fun and challenges of Camp Gold, but more importantly, each other. Thank you to all the donors, volunteers, and staff for making this retreat possible! Because of your generous hearts, young adult cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers now have incredible friendships and memories.

Donate today to keep the care coming for those impacted by cancer.
Get help today if you or a loved one has been impacted by cancer.

Arvella’s Story

Arvella and Casey, Arvella's husband mentioned in Arvella's Story, take a selfie during Casey's chemo treatment.

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Arvella’s Story of Hope Transcript:

Casey Hill is the love of my life. We’ve been married for 31 years. Life was awesome. The last son was getting out of college. We thought we get to travel, we get to live, we get to do what we wanna do now. That semester he was to graduate, we found out Casey had cancer, and it totally flipped everything upside down in our lives.

I noticed him trying to get up he was gripping his chest and could barely move. So, we go to the emergency room, and the doctor comes out after they run the CT and says, “Well, the malignant tumor that is in your husband’s spine. We’re gonna go ahead and get him admitted and have oncology come down.” And I said, “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. We’re just in the emergency room for chest pain.” But it wasn’t a chest pain problem at all, it was the pain that was radiating from the malignant tumor that was in his spine. And we had no idea.

My struggle was trying to find someone to talk to and trying to find some help for my family. You feel desolate. You feel alone when you are having to deal with being a caregiver and everything that’s around it. So, when a person is diagnosed with cancer, their fight is with cancer. But the people who care for them, their fight is everything around the cancer. And it is difficult.

When my husband was diagnosed with cancer, about three months later, my sister was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. And she passed away in June of 2013. During that weekend, because she died on my granddaughter’s birthday, then I had to go into I gotta drive my husband to Little Rock for a stem cell transplant. As well as plan funeral services, as well as still try to celebrate my grandbaby and make her smile. It was tough.

There’s a lady, Carlene King, and I called her, and I said, “Carlene, I don’t wanna do this. It’s too much for one human being,” and she said, “You can do this.” She said, “I’ve seen you fight through some things in this life that this is nothing. You and God got this.” The strength of listening to someone say, ‘You can do this’ helped. And I know I can get that here at Cancer Care Services.

Transcribed by: Christina R.

Caro’s Story

Caro poses for the video camera at Cancer Care Services during Caro's Story.

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Caro’s Story of Hope Transcript:

My mother was the executive director for 32 years. And I started in junior high– I started coming to Cancer Care and her office was in Peter Smith, in a closet. What I remember most is her talking about paying bills for patients and arranging transportation and medicines and things like that. It was a very hands-on thing. She would be absolutely blown away with the immense organization that it is today.

My best friend from Rockport called me and she said, “Oh my gosh, you’ve got to go get a mammogram.” She said, “I’ve just been diagnosed with breast cancer, and you have to go right now.” Lo and behold, I had breast cancer.

I volunteered all my life. My mother did as well. I’ve always thought about ‘Oh those people that I am volunteering for, we’re gonna help those people.’ Well, all of the sudden, I was one of ‘those people.’ I remember having lunch with Deanna and Melanie and they said, “Well, how are you doing?” and I said, “Oh man, I am great. I’m just having– I’m good– I’m finished. I feel great. [crying] I am just horrible.” Anyway, Deanna whipped out her card and she said, “We have people that can help.”

You know, they just connect– they connect people to other agencies and I know what they can do. There are so many nonprofits in the community, and this is one that really and truly helps people.

Transcribed by: Christina R.

Day’s Story

Day's Story

Stories of Hope: Day’s Story

I’ve been teaching for over 30 years and love what I do. I love the energy from students, the challenges teens bring, and the resilience they have when faced with challenges. Their examples actually helped me through a challenge that came my way in 2014 – my diagnosis of cancer.

The words “you’ve got cancer” are not words anyone wants to hear. From the initial disbelief to the tests to the plan of treatment to the resulting effects of surgery, chemo, radiation…cancer wants to strip you of everything you are and have.

From the obvious (does my insurance cover this); to the scary (will I survive); from the practical (how will I continue to pay my bills); to the emotional (am I going to lose my hair?); to the past (my mother didn’t survive this disease); to the future (I have so many things I still want to do)… each part of the cancer journey taught me about my own strengths and weaknesses, and taught me the importance of examples that have been set for me.

I had the example of my mother, who never complained publicly even when she was in pain. I had the example of my dad, who dropped everything to be with her throughout her journey. I had the example of friends who made phone calls, sent cards, and more. I had the example of doctors who were there night and day. I had the example of people who were there behind the curtains just in case.

And I had my students. I had students who gave me grace when I was trying to work 3 days after chemo. I had students who told me my head looked GOOD bald (I still prefer the shaved look, actually!) I had students who shared their stories of family cancer experiences and let me know they cared. I had teenage boys who sent me teenage boy jokes on chemo day that made me laugh (yes, laugh. They WERE naughty, but you can’t help but laugh).

And then there are the organizations that are there to support you such as Cuisine for Healing, the Texas Oncology network, and Cancer Care Services. Cancer Care Services has been a lifeline for friends going through this, for programs for youth, and for ongoing assistance for those who struggle. I have participated in National Cancer Survivors Day – a huge party designed to get people’s minds off the reality of cancer and on the reality of LIVING.

It was someone at Cancer Care Services who explained to me that one-day past diagnosis, I was and am a survivor. The journey ahead wasn’t going to be pleasant (she explained) but it didn’t matter; I was a survivor. I know that I can pick up the phone today and ask for help, and they will be there in whatever way they can. Cancer Care Services helps you deal with cancer, they offer care, and they provide or locate services for all who ask.

If you look at the Cancer Care Services calendar, there is everything; faith activities, massages, survivor resources, kid and youth resources, cooking, movies; camps for children and youth, you name it; there is support.

A final thought. While I was walking the halls after radiation (day after day after day after day) I had the opportunity to be blessed by artwork created by students from a local school. This year I had an opportunity to support that aspect of the Cancer Care Services’ program by bidding on and winning two pieces of artwork that had personal and special meaning to me in my life journey.

Those pieces will grace my walls at school as a daily reminder of Cancer Care and the people who care. There is beauty even in cancer; I learned life is a bit more precious when you know you’ve got examples and support in place, and when you get up each day a survivor.

Makeup and Memories

Chroma Services client

From the Desk of…

Michael Sturns and Meredith Villachica

 Chroma Services
www.chromaservicestexas.com

Being in the salon business allows us to talk with and get to know so many great people. Each person has a different story, different successes, and different challenges. Over time, many clients come to feel like old friends, people we’ve known to weather life’s ups and downs.

Oftentimes, we get the privilege of helping them look their best as they celebrate milestones, like holidays, graduations, or marriages, for instance. But sometimes, it’s the greater gift that we get to help them when they’re feeling down, as they come to the salon not always feeling like their best. So great is it that something as simple as a haircut or new makeup can make someone feel so special on the inside as well as the outside.

But you know it and we know it: fighting cancer can lead to days when you feel more than just down.

We don’t claim to be able to make everything better, but our amazing team of Hair Stylists and Makeup Artists do what we can to transform feelings of depression, lethargy, anxiety, and self-doubt into moments of beauty, confidence, and encouragement.

How do we do this? When a client walks through our doors, we see the person, not the patient, and we proceed to pamper them through a beautiful makeover inside our one-of-a-kind Mobile Salon. With love in our hearts, our service to each client is totally personalized and nothing is left out! We call this the “Chroma Experience”!

Every three months, we have the opportunity to provide MAKEUP & MEMORIES for Cancer Care Services’ clients. Just recently, as part of their very special Valentine’s Dinner (2/09/19). It was the fourth time we’ve come out to a Cancer Care event and each time we are touched by and grateful for the opportunity to interact with each person there. We leave always wanting to come back and do more – and we plan to.

We are 100% committed to our partnership with Cancer Care Services and we certainly share the mission of the agency, doing as much as we can to reduce the impact of cancer in our community, by coming together and changing lives, one moment at a time.

Our motivation to do this began almost a decade ago. It is the story of a particular client that our co-owner, Meredith Villachica-Hood, has serviced for many years, during which time, Meredith had witnessed her difficult battle with cancer. Although her strength and beauty continued to be remarkable, year after year, she continued to grow back and then lose her hair all over again, during multiple years of chemotherapy.

This inspired Meredith – and in turn, all of us at Chroma Services – to do whatever we could to turn the unfortunate circumstance of losing hair, due to cancer, into an agenda that any person battling or overcoming cancer may come through our doors and walk out with their head held high…we want to make sure each person sees themselves to be just as beautiful as we see them!

We work with hospitals, nurses, doctors, and caregivers. Our shared goal is to make the traumatic experience of hair loss due to cancer and treatment not one of despair, but something liberating – so that each courageous soul can walk down the street with their head held high!

A percentage of every service done at Chroma Services is donated quarterly to a Cancer Charity or Non-Profit Organization. Together, we will eliminate Cancer!