Facing a cervical cancer diagnosis during pregnancy
“We were totally blown away,” Misty Wiggs says of finding out she was pregnant with her third child in April 2015.
For 12 years, Misty and her husband had thought that they couldn’t conceive any children. They’d adopted their first daughter in 2007. Six years later, Misty unexpectedly became pregnant with their second child. Still, it surprised the couple when another pregnancy test came back positive nearly two years later.
Hodgkin lymphoma survivor adjusts to life after cancer
After a cancer diagnosis, many patients wait anxiously to hear the words “no evidence of disease.” But as Kimberly Hill has learned, the start...
Prostate cancer, leukemia won’t stop this marathoner
Hardly anything can get in the way of John Kosmatka’s passion for running. Even after he underwent prostate cancer surgery in March 2015,...
3 myths about oncology nurses
In 1998, I became a labor and delivery nurse and loved it. I loved seeing the joy on new parents’ faces and holding the newborns.
But after one of my colleagues left labor and delivery to work at MD Anderson, I decided to follow her lead. Though I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy working with cancer patients as much as I enjoyed working with new parents and babies, I soon took a job at MD Anderson’s Texas Medical Center Campus.
Well...
HER-2+ breast cancer survivor: Why I chose MD Anderson
Growing up in Texas, living in Houston and having several family members who’d battled cancer, I was very aware of MD Anderson and its reputation...
Stem cell transplant survivor: Happy 6th birthday to me!
What an exciting year this has been! On April 17, 2017, I celebrated my 62nd birthday. About a month later, I celebrated my 6th. Confused?...
Mother’s cancer, clinical trial enable daughter to address BRCA1 mutation
When April Schweigert’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and then two years later ovarian cancer, her doctors suspected that this...
How a Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis changed my career path
I’ve known my whole life that I wanted to be a doctor, just like my father. So when I got into medical school, I was thrilled to start down...
Cervical cancer survivor: How a trachelectomy saved my unborn child
My son Gavin recently turned 13. My husband and I call him our miracle baby, but I don’t think he fully understands why. When he was little...
Despite setback, breast cancer survivor nears end of treatment
As Rebecca Stedman has learned firsthand, breast cancer treatment doesn’t always go as planned. That’s why she’s glad that she started her...
B-cell lymphoma caregiver: Why I use my experience to help other families
I’ve known people who’ve been through cancer treatment before, but until my dad was diagnosed with stage IV B-cell lymphoma — a type of non-Hodgkin...
Ovarian cancer patient finds success with immunotherapy clinical trial
When Dianne Simpson rang the bell at MD Anderson on April 10 to signify the end of her high-grade serous ovarian cancer treatment, she considered...
Surviving a skull base tumor
In March 2014, I tried to connect a boat trailer to my minivan, ploughed head-first into the closed tailgate and really hurt my neck....
How we’re improving parathyroid cancer care
Until recently, decades passed with little progress in improving the survival rates of parathyroid cancer patients. But our specialized, multidisciplinary...
After lung cancer, survivor is grateful for Cancer Prevention Center
During the last 16 years, Dian Snowden has sought treatment at MD Anderson for numerous health issues, including thyroid cancer screening...
Colorectal cancer prepares athlete for “The Amazing Race”
Kurt Gibson knows life is an amazing race. During his last semester of college, the 22-year-old ultimate Frisbee player began to notice that...
Cervical cancer survivor becomes a mother, thanks to fertility-sparing treatment
After being diagnosed with stage IB cervical cancer in October 2012, Allison Pozzi consulted four different specialists near her San Francisco...
My first mammogram: What I learned
When I turned 40 and it was time to schedule my first mammogram, I was hesitant to do so. I’ve heard many frightening stories about how painful...
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...
Kidney cancer caregiver: Advice for appreciating life with cancer
My dad was initially diagnosed with stage II kidney cancer in January 2002. But the tumor in his kidney was contained, and surgery successfully...
Breast cancer survivor: Why I participated in three clinical trials
I am the only person in my family who has survived cancer. My mother died of leukemia when I was 29, my father and stepfather died of stomach...
Cervical cancer symptoms and risk factors: What to watch for
Each year, more than 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer. And though it most often occurs in women over age 40, younger women...