In 2001, Marnie Rose, M.D., a first-year pediatric resident at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer. Despite a courageous fight throughout treatment at MD Anderson, she died the following year. Since 2003, the Dr. Marnie Rose Foundation and its annual Run for the Rose 5K have honored Marnie's memory, raising $4.75 million for brain cancer research and drug development at MD Anderson as well as pediatric health initiatives at Children's Memorial Hermann. Following her own recent diagnosis of breast cancer, Lanie Rose, Marnie's mother, reflects on MD Anderson, the Glioblastoma Moon Shot and her daughter's legacy.
Fall 2015 : Cancer-free for 50 years
Cancer-free for 50 years
John Tucker of Anderson, S.C. was 15 when he first came to MD Anderson in 1965. At that time, the institution had been in operation for 21 years, and teenage John could barely comprehend his diagnosis.
John Tucker of Anderson, S.C. was 15 when he first came to MD Anderson in 1965. At that time, the institution had been in operation for 21 years, and teenage John could barely comprehend his diagnosis.
"When you're young, cancer is cancer," he says. "You don't think about what type of cancer it is or what stage it's in, cancer is cancer. It's fierce and it's deadly. And I had cancer."
The baseball player had been having trouble throwing a ball. After finding a lump underneath his armpit, John's doctors immediately recommended he go to MD Anderson. John recalls that even 50 years ago, MD Anderson was the premier cancer hospital in the nation.
"It was a rapid chain of events," he says. "Two weeks after the biopsy came back I had surgery, and two weeks after that I was home."
'Cancer used to be the end. It's not anymore.'
John was diagnosed with desmoid fibromatosis, a rare form of sarcoma that occurs in about two to four people per million per year nationwide. His right arm and shoulder were amputated to prevent the cancer from spreading. Since then, John's focus has been on what he gained rather than what he lost.
"Life is precious. You can't dwell on the negative," he says. "You've got to have faith. Every problem is an opportunity to do something positive."
Today at 65, John is MD Anderson's fourth longest survivor. He's lived a full life: raising a happy family; serving his community and state as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives for six terms; receiving the state's highest order, the Order of the Palmetto; and counseling fellow cancer survivors and amputees.
John celebrated his 50th year of being cancer-free in September, returning to MD Anderson for the first time in 35 years during the institution's annual Survivorship Conference.
"Simply put, MD Anderson gave me my life," says John. "I'm living proof of life 50 years after a cancer diagnosis, thanks to MD Anderson. It's a wonderful place."
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iPromise
Cancer survivor Estela Avery is a San Antonio native, a former nurse, an avid fundraiser and executive director of the San Antonio River Foundation. She supports MD Anderson's orbital oncology/ophthalmic plastic surgery program in recognition of Bita Esmaeli, M.D., professor, Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery. Here, she reflects on her cancer experience and the importance of giving.
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Rosemary Herron is a 14-year breast cancer survivor and longtime Pink Ribbon Volunteer at
MD Anderson's Nellie B. Connally Breast Center. She also volunteers at MD Anderson in Sugar Land. In 2012, she received the Painter Award for outstanding contributions to the Anderson Network support group, now known as myCancerConnection. Though her breast cancer returned two months later, she continued volunteering throughout treatment. Rosemary and her husband Don, recently contributed $25,000 to support a HER2 vaccine research program, Injecting Hope. The program is led by Elizabeth Mittendorf, M.D., associate professor, Breast Surgical Oncology.
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Last May, Jerry Vilmont's Iowa City, Iowa doctors diagnosed him with stage IV bladder cancer and gave him less than six months to live.
Long-term loyalty
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Rogers Award honors esteemed educator
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Catherine and Ben Ivy were married only five years before cancer uprooted their entire world.
Fishing for answers
When Jeff Reid found out his brother, Matt, had been diagnosed with appendiceal cancer, his initial thought was, "Why not just remove the appendix?" He learned it's not that simple.
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Ronald DePinho, M.D. has been named to Modern Healthcare's 2015 list of Top 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare.
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