Cancer Interviews

Cynthia Mitchell has been diagnosed with intraheptic cholangiocarcinoma, a type of bile duct cancer.   Her story is about how she, like many with such a diagnosis, never attained complete survivorship, but is living a rich, fruitful live.   In 2021, she experienced severe heartburn.   When it persisted, she underwent an ultrasound, which revealed a large mass on her liver.   Further tests determin...

Rebecca Esparza is a survivor.   She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and thyroid cancer, and she is still with us, advocating for others diagnosed with cancer.   In 2001, when she appeared bloated, she sought medical attention, thinking the problem was tied to fibroid tumors.   However, she was diagnosed with Stage 2B mixed yolk sac ovarian cancer, a rare form of the disease.   While she was und...

When Celeste Guptill noticed her stomach appearing swollen to an unusual degree, she thought it might be due some sort of gastrointestinal issue.   However, a CT scan showed she a tumor that produced a fluid called mucin, which produced the swelling.   The tumor was surgically removed, which led to a diagnosis of pseduomyxoma peritonei, a rare form of appendix cancer.   She needed a second surgery...

After experiencing gastrointestinal issues in 2022, it took a total of four visits to ERs and an urgent care before a CT scan revealed Sarah Bennett had a mass in her duodenum, near her pancreas.   The mass later led to a diagnosis of a rare cancer, neuroendocrine.   She did not have to undergo a Whipple procedure, but did have to take an oral form of chemotherapy.   That preceded a successful sur...

Jon Brent shares his story of surviving acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a type of blood cancer.   He was diagnosed at age two.   Jon had to undergo an aggressive chemotherapy regimen, which included vincristine, dexamethasone, methotrexate and prednisone; but that wasn't enough, because he also had to face a bone marrow transplant.   Between his diagnosis and his treatment, Jon has been in pain all...

In this Cancer Interviews podcast, Hans Rueffert shares the story of how he survived Stage 3B gastric stomach cancer despite double digit surgeries that resulted in the removal of his stomach, jejenum and esophagus.   Following the surgeries, he had to go on a regimen of chemotherapy and radiation.   Hans, a chef by trade, achieved survivorship, but without a stomach, closely monitors what he eats...

         Hardeep Phull, MD is an oncologist, but he is also a patient advocate.   When conventional forms of immunotherapy and chemotherapy are not effective for a cancer patient, Dr. Phull will advocate for his patients to position them for a clinical trial, if they meet the criteria to qualify for the trial.   Dr. Phull says patient advocacy needs to start with the patient, but there are instanc...

Cancer just will not get the best of Don Helgeson.   A retired member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, he survived malignant melanoma in 1996 and colorectal cancer in 2007.   Just when he thought the disease was in his past, he was diagnosed with Stage 3B prostate cancer in 2020.   He opted to have his prostate removed, but thanks to successful surgery, he achieved survivorship and enjoys exc...

Christine Handy withstood osteomyelitis in her right arm, a lumpectomy, two mastectomies and a MRSA infection en route to surviving HER2+ breast cancer.   It wasn't easy, but her road to survivorship included a 28-round chemotherapy regimen with herceptin and taxol.   She has gone on to resume her career as a runway model, author, film producer and motivational speaker.   In addition to being a ru...

The unstoppable Deb Krier survived Stage IV HER2+ breast cancer, basal cell carcinoma and papillary thyroid cancer, enduring 33 surgeries.   In 2015, Deb Krier of Mapleton, Georgia, went in for a routine mammogram.   She had no idea that would be start of a lengthy cancer journey.   After the procedure, she was asked to return to the clinic.   Although the mammogram did not reveal a lump or a bump...

Vicki Wolf was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 37.   Ductal Carcinoma in SITU was successfully addressed with a lumpectomy.   However, Vicki was diagnosed with the same type of cancer just two years later.   Again, a lumpectomy.   When Vicki was 47, she was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.   She survived that diagnosis but was again diagnosed with this type of breast when she was 58....

In this episode of the @CancerInterviews podcast, host Bruce Morton hears from Melinda Bachini, who survived cholangiocarcinoma, a form of bile duct cancer.   Doctors removed two thirds of her liver, but three months later, the cancer returned, and she was put on a chemotherapy regimen of gemcitabine and cisplatin.   The chemotherapy had terrible side effects, and Melinda fought to get on a clinic...

Kay Kays of Sun City, Arizona survived four diagnoses of pancreatic cancer between 1994 and 2008.   Her specific diagnosis was pancreatic cyst mucinous adenocarcinoma, a rare form of pancreatic cancer.   There was no chemotherapy specifically for pancreatic cancer, but did qualify for a Whipple procedure, a reconstruction of the digestive system, following her first diagnosis.   Her final diagnosi...

KEYWORDS WITH SPACES:           First, Valerie David was diagnosed with Stage 3B Cell Diffuse Large Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.   After surviving that diagnosis, she was diagnosed with Stage 2 Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, a form of breast cancer.   She again achieved survivorship, only to be diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer.   Valerie managed to survive that as well, and inspired by...

In today's Cancer Interview podcast, Joe Bullock shares his story with host Bruce Morton, about how he survived Stage 3b colorectal cancer, a form of colon cancer, after first undergoing a colonoscopy due to irritable bowel syndrome which led to his diagnosis, followed by chemotherapy treatments including Oxyplatin and Xeloda. Joe now works with the Man Up to Cancer support group for men facing a...

In 2017, Amanda Ferraro found herself feeling tired all the time.   When the fatigue persisted, she went to the emergency room.   Doctors told her she had mononucleosis, a diagnosis that she thought made sense.     Amanda lives in Manalapan, New Jersey.   She is a single mom, who works as an advocate for cancer patients.     After being diagnosed with mono, the fatigue wouldn't go away and she had...

Four days after being diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer, Beth Brubaker learned she was pregnant.   An initial diagnosis of Stage Zero Ductal Carcinoma In Situ resulted in a lumpectomy and the second diagnosis required a mastectomy and a chemotherapy regimen of Adriamyicin, Cytoxin and eventually Taxol, Herceptin and Perjeta, Beth Brubaker achieved survivorship and gave birth to a healthy daughter...

In this episode of the Cancer Interviews podcast, Kevin Jerge shares how he survived Oropharyngeal head & neck cancer with modulated radiation therapy and went on to author the book titled Go To Your Happy Place. Eventually, Kevin reached the point everyone diagnosed with cancer seeks, that being his last day of treatment and the hospital's bell-ringing ceremony.   Kevin says when that happens, ev...

Sarcoma is a cancer that originates as a tumor in bones and soft tissues.   It can be spotted in ligaments, muscle, fat and skin, as well as in bones.   Mandy Basson says there are approximately 175 sub-types of sarcoma.   Some are benign, some intermediate, but those that are malignant that in most cases, are particularly aggressive.   Mandy's daughter, Abbie, was 17 in 2009 when she was diagnose...

In today's Cancer Interviews podcast with your host Bruce Morton, we will learn how Anna Tower-Kovesdi survived leukemia, a form of blood cancer with chemotherapy and immunotherapy cancer treatments. If her health pre-diagnosis could be described as 100 percent, Anna says these days is close to 85 percent.    Perhaps not with the old vim and vigor, she can go on walks, go on hikes, get to the gym,...

Harriet Cabelly of West Hempstead, New York had had stomach issues through much of her life.   So, in the fall of 2020, when those issues surfaced, she went in for an endoscopy.   It revealed gastritis, a condition from which she had suffered for years, and because of that, she thought nothing unusual was going on; but in March of 2021, Harriet began to feel weak and dehydrated.   She had difficul...

Pete Hill worked years in the public health in London.   He then became involved in the Alzheimer's Society.   Pete seemed to be in good health in 2021, but in November of that year, he had COVID.   When his bowel habits seemed abnormal, he initially attributed that to COVID; but while he eventually put COVID in his rearview mirror, in 2022, the bowel problems remained.   Then there was blood in h...

        A native of Pennsylvania, Rob Caruano was living and working in New York City in December of 2021 just before Christmas when in the middle of the night he was awakened by an excruciating pain he thought was in his stomach.   The next morning, he went to an urgent care, but because of COVID, the healthcare system was overloaded and the urgent care had people on beds in hallways.   The staff...

In today's Cancer Interviews episode, we learn how Cindy Carter of Germiston, South Africa survived cervical cancer with chemotherapy and Radium radiation therapy.   Not only has she survived a diagnosis of cervical cancer, but she tells host Bruce Morton she has gone on to make it her life's work to help others battling the disease.   While people worldwide have chosen the same path as Cindy, her...

Steffan Tubbs was diagnosed with skin cancer, but he was proactive, and that approach led to early detection and survivorship.   On this edition of the @CancerInterviews podcast, he tells host Bruce Morton he enjoyed a decorated career as a broadcaster and now makes documentaries and films.   He is here to do so because when he noticed an abnormality on his skin and sought medical attention.   Ste...