Two-time breast cancer survivor is grateful for treatment innovations
When Suzanne Callahan first came to MD Anderson in 1997, she was a terrified 38-year-old mother with stage IIIB breast cancer in her left breast. Now, 20 years later, she’s a confident grandmother and two-time survivor.
“I wanted to do everything I could to extend my life,” Suzanne says. Her mother died of breast cancer in 1985 at age 68. So when she received her own diagnosis that first time, Suzanne knew every year with her boys...
Happier despite esophageal cancer treatment
At first, Richard “Ricky” Harveston couldn’t swallow his hamburger bites. Then, he struggled to drink his milk, and what he managed to get...
Young desmoid tumor survivor gets life back with 17-hour surgery
On the back of Alicia Bennett’s favorite T-shirt is her design of a tree with the words, “Go out on a limb.”
The shirt honors the 17...
Breast reconstruction is body image miracle for U.S. Army Major
Sarah Rykowski is a chief prosecutor in the U.S. Army. In 2013, while stationed in Seoul, South Korea, she discovered a lump close to her armpit during a breast self-exam.
As the daughter of a registered nurse, Sarah knew she should see a doctor at her next post in Oklahoma. There, a mammogram and biopsy revealed early-stage invasive ductal carcinoma, a form of breast cancer. It begins in the milk ducts and can spread through the...
Lung cancer survivor gets surgical cure after 19 years
At age 27, Nadine Beech was a picture of health and notably, a non-smoker. So when she was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer in 1997...
Surgery gives two-time survivor new life
With a family history of colon cancer, Brian Folloder has been getting regular colonoscopies since he turned 35. But in 2009, when he was...
Less invasive surgery gets a triathlete back on track
When triathlete Maria Lea De Jesus was diagnosed with early stage cervical cancer in 2014 after a routine Pap test, she feared being sidelined...
Do women with dense breasts need extra cancer screenings?
Recent news headlines suggest women with dense breast tissue need specialty care and exams to detect breast cancer.
But Therese Bevers...
A cancer survivor's guide to sun safety
The summer sun is shining. But as you head outdoors to enjoy it, be mindful. More than two million Americans will be diagnosed this year with...
Q&A: How cancer caregivers can get better sleep
Sleep is essential to life.
But restless nights are all too common for cancer caregivers, who may be experiencing stress or caring...