Cancer Stories from
St. Elizabeth Healthcare Patients
Cancer Care Stories
Angela Graham
Angela Graham felt fine, but her bloodwork found unusually high levels of pancreatic enzymes. That discovery led to an unexpected cancer diagnosis, followed by a lifesaving, multi-step treatment from a comprehensive team of St. Elizabeth providers.
Thomas Hopkins
Like many, Tom Hopkins put off going to the doctor. When his symptoms finally forced him into the emergency department, he learned he had pancreatic cancer. His year-long cancer battle wasn’t easy. But with support from a multi-disciplinary team at St. Elizabeth and his family, Tom is back to living the life he loves.
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For more information, please contact your oncologist or the Cancer Care Center at (859) 301-4000.
Natalie Ruppert
Natalie Ruppert did not let a breast cancer diagnosis slow down her commitment to helping others. Learn how seeking treatment at St. Elizabeth enabled her to recover without missing a beat.
Doug Doty
Staying active and positive — and seeking care from the exceptional cancer care team at St. Elizabeth Healthcare — helped Doug Doty overcome a recent pancreatic cancer diagnosis to return to the hobbies he loves.
Tim Mefford
Faith, family and access to a phenomenal care team close to home helped make Tim Mefford’s cancer journey feel less isolating. Read why he’s grateful he sought treatment at St. Elizabeth.
Stephenie Gardner
Stephenie Gardner leaned on supportive, compassionate care at St. Elizabeth during her breast cancer treatment. The professionalism and kindness of her multidisciplinary care team was a bright spot during a dark time, she says.
Amanda Laws
Perfect pearly whites. Dazzling brown eyes. Curly blond hair. Sometimes it’s easy to spot the things we’ve inherited from our relatives. Family ties to cancer aren’t always so obvious. Learn how genetic counseling helped Amanda Laws discover her cancer risk and may well have been lifesaving.
Marsha Hall
Marsha Hall faced news no one wants to hear: the abdominal lump she noticed was a rare and invasive form of cancer. Fortunately, at St. Elizabeth, she found a skilled Surgical Oncologist who promptly removed her tumor — allowing her to regain a life that’s cancer-free.
Cathy Reising
As the Cancer Registry Manager and Survey Consultant for the Commission on Cancer at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Cathy is familiar with cancer patients and their stories. Despite her position and knowledge of the importance of cancer screenings, Cathy had never had a colonoscopy until the age of 56. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of her life.
Breast Cancer Care Stories
Alison Fredstrom
Before she was even old enough to have her first mammogram, Alison discovered a lump and learned that she had breast cancer.
Kelly Garrett
For Kelly Garrett, a diagnosis of breast cancer was frightening enough. Just when she thought she was beating it, she learned that she was experiencing heart failure as a result of her treatment. Then a heart specialist helped her beat that, too.
Cathy “Chick” Halloran
When Cathy “Chick” Halloran found a lump in her breast, she trusted St. Elizabeth.
Stacey Hodge
When Stacey discovered a lump, she wondered if she’d see her 4-month-old daughter grow up.
Kristy Jones
Learn more about Kristy Jones, a local teacher whose breast cancer was discovered from her mammogram in the St. Elizabeth Mobile Mammography Unit.
April Troxel
When 37-year-old April Troxel found a lump in her breast in January 2021, her first thought was disbelief — and her second thought was, “how are we going to pay for this?”
Beyond the Beam: Personal Stories of Personalized Care
Melissa Davis
“When you hear you have cancer, the first thing you think is, ‘How could this happen to me?’”
A stage 4 ovarian cancer diagnosis hadn’t even crossed Melissa’s mind until that moment. Nine months later, she was declared cancer free.
Linda Lawrence
Linda Lawrence, a 5-year cancer survivor, shares her cancer journey.
Mari Torgerson
Mari Torgerson was by her husband’s side during his cancer journey until the very end. She said that the entire time she and her family felt that St. Elizabeth was right there every step of the way.
Stacey Wills
Stacey Wills honors her mother’s brave battle with cancer and shares about the excellent care she received at St. Elizabeth.
