When I was diagnosed with uterine sarcoma, behind all of the distress about treatment was an overwhelming feeling of disbelief that I was about to become infertile at age 28. But being able to retrieve and freeze my eggs before chemotherapy gave me back a little bit of the control I felt was lacking.
“Our perspective was to enjoy life no matter the circumstances. You find joy. Sometimes you have to search under the rug and in the closet, but there’s something to be happy about every day.”
The POWER Program (Personal Optimism with Exercise Recovery) gives a personalized exercise plan for cancer patients based on diagnosis, treatment type and phase, and fitness goals. For Farley Eskelson, it also gave him the chance to get back to the activities he loves.
Rebecca Ward went to the dentist for a routine check-up and ended up with a startling diagnosis: oral cancer. After that initial shock, Rebecca went through cancer treatment and became an advocate for oral cancer awareness.
Each year, more than 1,000 adolescents and young adults (AYAs) in Utah are diagnosed with cancer. For many of these young people, a cancer diagnosis is their first real medical issue. This was the case for Marina Pimentel, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, at age 26. Marina worked with an AYA patient navigator to help her manage the complexities of cancer treatment and care.
Christina Ratcliff enrolled in HCI's Total Cancer Care study, a partnership among patients, health care providers, and researchers to help accelerate cancer research and improve patient care.
Tommy Tanzer, a resident of Park City, Utah, received three negative prostate biopsies over the course of three years, but he and his doctors still suspected he may have cancer. Tommy then had an MRI-guided biopsy at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI), hoping there would be a more accurate result. Unfortunately, this biopsy did detect cancer. Fortunately, it was found early enough to treat.
"One thing is for sure: cancer will affect your life... and the only way we're going to find a cure is by supporting research."
Tom Kursar and his wife, Lissy Coley, are used to working with each other as co-leaders of a research group in the Department of Biology at the University of Utah. So when Tom was diagnosed with pancreas cancer, the couple faced the disease together.
Just three weeks after their wedding in 2007, newlyweds Dan and Melanie Hedlund were in for some startling news—Dan had osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.
After Emma Houston learned she had breast cancer, the first thing she did was go shopping to buy red three-inch high heels. The shoes became as much a hallmark of her cancer journey as her humor and positive outlook.
Support groups and special retreats are helpful for many people with cancer. Merica Hale found a healing place to relax and meet women diagnosed with breast cancer who could offer each other support.
After being diagnosed and treated for ovarian cancer, obstetrician Janice Byrne was determined to make a difference for others facing the same disease. Now, she advocates to increase education and awareness about ovarian cancer and provide support to newly diagnosed patients.
When I was a teenager, the HPV vaccine did not exist. I wish it had; I would have been grateful for its protection. And I have news for you, HPV. You messed with the wrong woman.
In the short time between Ken Selden’s cancer diagnosis and the end of his treatment, he and his wife, Julieann, went through a lifetime’s worth of grief, fear, pain, hope, and joy. In return, they’ve earned a lifetime’s worth of wisdom. After what the young couple call the worst trial they’ve ever faced, Julieann and Ken say they now live a more purposeful life.
Growing up in Roseville, California, Olympic gold medalist Summer Sanders spent every waking hour playing and training outside in the water—usually without sunscreen. “I associated sunscreen with vacation, not training,” Sanders says. Then, in 2014, she was diagnosed with melanoma. No one can say for sure what caused Sanders’ melanoma, but she thinks her frequent exposure to the sun was a contributing factor.
Taryn Palmer lost her father to stage IV colorectal cancer. As she and her family tried to find some way to reconcile their grief with celebrating his life, Taryn discovered Dress in Blue Day, a way to increase awareness about colon cancer risk and encourage early screening. She talks about what Dress in Blue Day has meant to her and her family as they honor their father and fight back against this devastating disease.
When Kiera Jorgensen was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 19, she fought not only sarcoma, but also a deadly mystery that had loomed over her family for generations. Now years out of treatment, Kiera has answers and is conducting research to help families like hers better understand a rare genetic mutation.
If you watch the CBS TV show The Amazing Race, you may recognize me as the winner of Season 24. But before I even began that incredible challenge, I had already endured another challenge—testicular cancer.
Chad Wright knows he is fortunate when it comes to his experience with pancreas cancer. Most pancreas cancer is diagnosed at a much less treatable, much less curable stage. And that is exactly why he wants to share his story.