Cancer Interviews – Details, episodes & analysis

At age four, Hope Nightingale complained of severe pain in her legs.  At first, her parents thought she was just being a hypochondriac.  That changed when she fell off her scooter and broke the distal femur in her left leg.  The following year, 2011, this led to a diagnosis of Stage II osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer.  After a regimen of neoadjuvant chemotherapy featuring cisplatin and doxorubicin, Hope underwent a surgical procedure, a vascularized fibula transplant.  Her left femur was removed, and her right fibula was inserted in its place.  Confined to a wheelchair and then crutches at such a young age, Hope underwent extensive physiotherapy rehabilitation so that she could relearn how to walk despite her left leg being 2cm shorter than her right leg.  Hope has survived and is training to compete in a half marathon!

Hope says as a four-year-old she was often accused of overreacting to just about everything.  So, when she complained of pain in her legs, her parents did not take the complaints seriously.  That changed when she fell off her scooter, couldn't get up and her parents discovered she had broken her left leg.  She had her distal femur x-rayed.  That led to a biopsy, and, at age five, a diagnosis of Stage II osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer.

Treatment was to begin with neoadjuvant chemotherapy aimed at shrinking the tumor.  Hope said unlike many people, outside of hair loss, she suffered few nasty side effects.

Next was a vascularized fibula transplant.  The cancerous left distal femur was removed and was replaced by her right fibula.  A result of this surgery was the loss of both her quadricep muscles.

Hope returned to school, but in a wheelchair with casts on both legs.  This did not go unnoticed by her classmates, most of whom wanted to know what happened.  Hope says her diagnosis was not a blessing, but she felt blessed that her diagnosis took place at such a young age, when she was unable to process it in full.  She said physically, it was tough being in a wheelchair, but emotionally it was tougher because at recess, she wanted to join her friends, running around and playing.  Hope said it was amazing that sometimes her chums would halt their activities and gather around her to include her in their fun. 

Hope eventually got out of the wheelchair and was on crutches, but that, too, was frustrating because she wanted to be ambulatory, like her friends.

At this time, Hope Nightingale had to relearn how to walk, which involved extensive physiotherapy rehabilitation.  As if that were not tough enough, the surgery left her left leg 2cm shorter than her right leg.  She went to a specialist who gave her a wedge to put in her left shoe, removing the discrepancy in the length of her legs.

These days, Hope leads an active lifestyle.  She enjoys going to the beach near her hometown of Cape Town and to the mountains and vineyards outside of town.  Not only is she walking, but Hope is training to run a half marathon.

Additional Resources:

Support Group:

Cancer Association of South Africa  https://www.cansa.org.za

When Jess began to feel pain in her right leg in 2020, she thought it was sciatica.  When extreme pain radiated to her lower back, a physical therapist thought she had a bulging disc.  However, her condition worsened, she went in for an MRI, and it revealed a tumor originally thought to be on her spinal cord.  Further tests indicated the tumor was inside her spinal cord and a diagnosis of myxopapillary ependymoma, a rare cancer.  The tumor was surgically removed, but her post-treatment life was very difficult.  There were prolonged instances in which she could not move her legs, which brought her to tears not only from the pain, but the chilling thought of the rest of her being spent in bed or on the couch.  Jess went through all sorts of medications from morphine to medical marijuana, but medical savior was a spinal cord stimulator.  It has enabled her to maximize her movements with little or no pain.

In 2020, Jess led an active lifestyle.  It included soccer and other activities with two young sons.  But she started experiencing pain in her right leg.  She thought it was sciatica but believed it would go away.  When it didn't, and pain radiated to her lower back, she saw a physical therapist, who thought Jess had a bulging disc.  One night at home, Jess fell and said one of her sons looked her in the eye and told her she needed to see a doctor.

Jess underwent an MRI.  It indicated she had a tumor on or near her spinal cord.  Doctors were initially baffled because they could not pinpoint the tumor's location, but additional tests showed the tumor was inside her spinal cord.  A surgical procedure to remove the tumor was completed successfully.  It was after the procedure when Jess was regaining consciousness in her hospital that she was informed she had Stage II myxopapillary ependymoma, a rare cancer.  Ten days after surgery, Jess underwent a spinal tap at the location of the tumor to determine whether any tumor cells had been left behind.  Thankfully, the results were clear and have remained clear ever since.

However, many challenges awaited Jess.  There were instances in which she was immobilized, having to remain in bed.  She felt pain from head to toe.  Certain fabrics rubbing against caused pain.  As did extreme temperatures or the wind.  She was prescribed opioids, which she said did nothing to alleviate the pain.  She was given morphine.  Eventually doctors prescribed pregabalin and duloxetine, medications which were able to reduce the pain.  Jess also tried medical marijuana, which reduced the pain.

The biggest development in her recovery was her working with a specialist in New Hampshire who performs spinal cord stimulator procedures. Jess completed a trial with a stimulator and when using it, much of her pain was gone and she regained much of her mobility.

Jess says her spinal cord will never be the same and neither will she, but she is grateful for the mobility she has.  She adds that since October 2025, she has been sober from alcohol and cannabis.

Additional Resources:

Support Groups:

The CERN Foundation: https://www.cern-foundation.org

walk.talk.connect: https://walktalkconnect.org

Book:

ReConnected: Stories from Spinal Cord Tumor & Dawn Standera, available on Amazon

https://www.youtube.com/@reconnected-SCTtumorstories

In 2021, Brian Vesall noticed some pain in one of his testicles when getting in his car.  He sought medical attention, which led to his getting an ultrasound.  After briefly looking at the scan, a urologist confirmed to Brian that he had Stage 2A testicular cancer.  He underwent an orchiectomy to remove the cancerous testicle, followed by an aggressive chemotherapy regimen of bleomycin, etopiside and cisplatin.  But he wasn't done.  Brian also underwent an additional surgical procedure to remove approximately 30 lymph nodes.  As daunting as his treatment was, Brian chose to address it with a sense of humor, which he still has after achieving survivorship and advocating for other men diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Brian's cancer journey began when he felt pain in a testicle as he was getting in his car.  Upon further inspection, he noticed a "hard spot on one side."  He immediately went to see his primary physician, who sent him to a urologist.  The urologist called for an ultrasound and only minutes after seeing its results told Brian he had Stage 2A testicular cancer.  The diagnosis was confirmed with Alpha-Fetaprotein and BHCG, or, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin tests, whose results were far above the normal range.

Addressing his cancerous testicle meant just one remedy, an orchiectomy, surgery that would remove the testicle.  Diagnosed on September 27, 2021, Brian had the procedure done just three days later.  He was told to avoid any lifting and really, just about any type of strenuous physical activity.

In November 2021, the surgery was followed by three rounds of BEP chemotherapy, which stood for bleomycin, etopiside and cisplatin.  Brian said he suffered the usual side effects, including cognitive issues, fatigue and hair loss. 

In addition, Brian Vesall had to undergo an additional surgical procedure known as RPLND, or Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection in June 2022, to remove approximately 30 lymph nodes

Brian's health is pretty much back to normal, but a byproduct of his treatment regimen is that he suffers from retrograde ejaculation, meaning that semen travels backward into the bladder during orgasm instead of exiting the penis.

By way of advice, Brian Vesall says if you experience the symptoms of testicular cancer, you should act right away, and at all times, be your own advocate

Additional Resources:

Support Groups:

Man Up To Cancer: https://www.manuptocancer.org

The Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation: https://www.testicularcancerawarenessfoundation.org

Brian's Speech at TCAF's San Diego Conference:

https://www.testicularcancerawarenessfoundation.org/blog/tcc-2024-vesall

Brian's Appearance on the TCAF "It Takes Balls" podcast:

https://www.testicularcancerawarenessfoundation.org/blog/brian-vesall-it-takes-balls-podcast-guest

Marcel D'Allende was in outstanding health, an avid hiker in the mountains overlooking her hometown of Cape Town, South Africa.  However, in October 2021, she began to experience shortness of breath and extreme fatigue.  That led to a diagnosis of Stage IV non-small cell adenocarcinoma, or lung cancer.  Determined not to let cancer define her, she underwent a treatment regimen of radiotherapy, then chemotherapy with carboplatin and pemetrexed, and immunotherapy with durvalumab.  In September 2022, a PET scan revealed Marcel was cancer-free.  It took a little while for her to get back up to speed, but has returned to an active lifestyle, and every weekend, you can find her hiking the mountains.

Marcel thought she was in terrific health, but in the fall of 2021, suddenly she found herself out of breath on a recurring basis.  Her difficulty with breathing became so acute that shortly after beginning a weekend hike with friends, she had no choice but to turn around and return to the base of the mountain.  Things worsened when she had frequent coughing spells.

She was seen by her general practitioner, who recommended she see a pulmonologist.  The pulmonologist called for a CT scan, which revealed a tumor on a lung, and a diagnosis of Stage IV lung cancer in January 2022. 

Marcel, who during her adult life smoked cigarettes off and on, immediately thought of her father, who passed away from lung cancer in 2000.  She was afraid she would suffer the same fate.  However, her doctor said that her father's fate didn't have to be hers because of major advances in medicines and technologies in the past twenty years. 

She was determined to not let her life be defined by cancer, saying at all times, one on a cancer journey must have hope.  At the same time, she says one can be hopeful without being delusional. 

Her diagnosis was difficult enough, but she soon felt the sting of the stigma that often accompanies a lung cancer diagnosis.  When informing friends about her diagnosis, many of them told her should not have smoked.

Marcel's treatment begins with six weeks of radiotherapy treatment, which she thought wasn't so difficult.

Next was six cycles of chemotherapy, specifically carboplatin and pemetrexed.  The worst side effects she experienced were nausea and fatigue.

Then, Marcel's oncologist introduced her to a newly-approved form of immunotherapy called durvalumab.  It is usually prescribed for a duration of twelve months, but she was taken off the immunotherapy at the nine-month mark because spots were detected on her lung.  The spots cleared in March.

In September, Marcel D'Allende underwent a PET scan that showed she was cancer-free, which she has been to this day.

She had to start slowly, but Marcel's health is back to normal, and she has returned to her weekend home, hiking trails outside Cape Town.

Additional Resources:

Support Group:

Cancer Association of South Africa  https://www.cansa.org.za

Marcel's Written Account of her Cancer Journey:

https://cansa.org.za/breaking-the-silence-around-lung-cancer/

In November 2019, Margo Wickersham noticed blood in her urine.  Three months later, she was diagnosed with two types of bladder cancer.  After an aggressive chemotherapy regimen, she underwent a radical cystectomy and a hysterectomy in June 2020, resulting in the removal of her bladder, uterus and ovaries, all this during the quarantine phase of the COVID pandemic.   Ever since, Margo has been cancer-free, but she had to get fitted with a stoma bag and had to learn how to manage it.  The bag is an annoyance, but she considers it a small price to pay in order to stay alive.

When Margo first noticed blood in her urine, she sought medical attention, thinking she had a urinary tract infection.  It turned out she didn't have a UTI, but she still thought something was wrong.  She underwent a cystoscopy, which captured a photo of a cauliflower-shaped tumor in her bladder.  Next up was a biopsy, which indicated she had Stage One bladder cancer.  Her urologist prescribed BCG immunotherapy.

Margo sought a second opinion and her doctor ruled out BCG, because further probing turned up a second type of bladder cancer, plasmacytoid, and said it could not be addressed with BCG.  He called for an aggressive chemotherapy regimen.  He also said in addition to a radical cystectomy, which would remove Margo's bladder, he said a hysterectomy would be necessary, a procedure that would remove her uterus and ovaries.

Both were performed in June 2020.  Because that was during the quarantine phase of the COVID pandemic, neither Margo's husband nor members of her family could visit her.

After the procedures, Margo was cancer-free.  However, her life would never be the same after she had to wear a stoma bag into which her urine would go.  Sometimes the bag leaks when filled beyond its capacity.  She accepts this as her new normal and says she can deal with it, but has to think ahead in terms of access to a bathroom.

By way of advice, Margo says one's primary emotion should be that of hope and not stress.

Additional Resources:

Support Group:

Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network  https://www.bcan.org

Margo's Book, available on Amazon and Kindle:  Gratitude in the Storm – When Not Dying Is Enough to Keep Fighting

Margo's merchandise line: www.ThriverSurvivor.shop, with a portion of the revenue going to the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, to fund bladder cancer research

When she began experiencing severe bruising and fatigue and turning pale in late 2013, Casey Kang sought medical attention.  This led to a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.  She was placed on an aggressive, 18-month chemotherapy regimen, which included doxorubicin and methotrexate.  Casey relapsed three times during which she was placed on an experimental immunotherapy.  All told, she spent 168 days in a hospital, but Casey achieved survivorship.  She is now a coach who helps women diagnosed with cancer through the physical, mental and emotional challenges that occur after treatment.

When Casey Kang experienced various aches and pains at the end of 2013, she thought they were tied to holiday- or work-related stress.  She sought medical attention, was prescribed ten days of antibiotics, and was told to return in two weeks.  During the ten days, things got worse.  She was stricken with extreme fatigue, bruising, vision issues and her turning pale.  While this went on, she continued to go to work.  She underwent blood tests, and they revealed she had leukemia.  Even before the test results came back, her care team called for a bone marrow transplant, so sure were they that she had cancer.

Casey said her cancer was subsequently diagnosed as acute lymphoblastic leukemia.  Because of its aggressive nature, she was put on an aggressive, 18-month chemotherapy regimen.  It included doxorubicin and methotrexate.  She experienced two relapses and was prescribed an experimental immunotherapy.

Multiple hospital stays totaled 168 days.  During that time, Casey learned how mentally tough she was and is.  As much as she disliked the time in the hospital, she was sure to create a routine that would get her through the day.  Casey used the hospital floor's exercise bike and walked laps around the floors, with 17 laps equaling a mile.

Despite a grueling journey, Casey Kang achieved survivorship.  She is active on social media, as she works tirelessly to aid woman diagnosed with cancer to make them physically, mentally and emotionally strong when dealing with life after treatment.  As for herself, she says her overall is better than it was before her diagnosis.

Additional Resources:

Casey's Website:

https://www.thehappierhustle.com

Casey's Free Guide:

https://casey-head.mykajabi.com/free-guide

Stacy Martin says genetic testing saved her life.   The testing indicated she had the CDH1 mutation.  The mutation gave her an 80 percent chance of getting gastric cancer and a 60 percent chance of breast cancer.  She opted for a prophylactic total gastrectomy to remove her stomach and addressed the possibility of breast cancer with a bilateral mastectomy.  Without a stomach, Stacy has had to change the way she eats, requiring food every two hours, and having to completely chew everything she eats.  Despite this live-changing surgery, Stacy is leading a healthy and happy life.

Unlike most people with cancer, Stacy's diagnosis was not preceded by symptoms.  Her mother had already been diagnosed with Stage IV uterin cancer.  That prompted Stacy and her siblings to undergo a genetic panel test.  It revealed Stacy had the CDH1 mutation, which meant she an 80 percent chance of getting gastric cancer and a 60 percent chance of breast cancer. 

She had three options but chose to be proactive with a prophylactic total gastrectomy in 2019, a procedure that removed her stomach.  It was after the surgery that pathology revealed Stacy had gastric cancer in her removed stomach. 

After successfully addressing the possibility of stomach cancer, she did the same with breast cancer with a bilateral mastectomy in 2020.

Stacy Martin said the toughest part of her cancer experience wasn't the treatment, but what she dealt with upon its completion.  She said she had to learn how to eat, and that without a stomach, she had to eat every two hours.  While she took snacks with her wherever she went, she had to alternate between snacks and something more substantial, making sure she got enough protein and carbohydrates.  Anything she ate had to be completely chewed because she no longer had the gastric juices in her stomach that break down food.  The only thing she can't eat are raw oysters because she says they are impossible to chew.

Stacy says genetic testing saved her life but admits it is not for everybody because the decision to go forth with such testing is a deeply personal decision because some people don't want to know what the tests could reveal.

Despite her cancer journey, Stacy lives a happy life.  She resumed her passion of hiking near her home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and consumption of nuts resulted in her establishing Seahorse Snacks, which she operates out of her home.

Additional Resources:

Seahorse Snacks: https://www.seahorsesnacks.com

No Stomach For Cancer: https://www.nostomachforcancer.org

In 2019, Jonathan Gegerson sought medical attention went he felt a lump on the right side of his neck.  After a couple of scans and a biopsy, he was diagnosed with salivary duct carcinoma, a rare form of head and neck cancer.  Jonathan survived, but not before enduring 67 sessions of radiation, 12 cycles of chemotherapy (carboplatin, taxol, herceptin) and seven surgeries.  He still undergoes a targeted therapy on a monthly basis, and the surgery has affected his speech and his diet, but Jonathan has resumed an active lifestyle that includes skiing and hiking.

Jonathan Gegerson thought his health was outstanding.  He was an active skier and liked to hike up Colorado's 14ers (mountains whose peaks exceed 14,000 feet), but was perplexed when he discovered a lump on the right side of his neck.

He did not waste any time seeking medical attention and went to his primary care physician.  She conducted a physical examination and asked if Jonathan had recently undergone a root canal or some dental procedure that could result in an infection.  When he said no, the doctor sent Jonathan to an oncologist, who called for a CT scan, a PET scan and a biopsy.  That's when he was diagnosed with head and neck cancer, even though at the time doctors could not specify what type of head and neck cancer.

His doctor in Colorado said Jonathan would need to undergo surgery, followed by radiation treatment and chemotherapy.  When Jonathan learned his care team had no experience with dealing with his type of cancer, he sought a second opinion from MD Anderson in Houston, Texas.  The doctors at MD Anderson suggested the same regimen, but Jonathan switched to them because they had experience dealing with salivary duct carcinoma.

His care team told him his treatment would result in a tightening of his face and would affect his speech, in addition to his ability to chew and swallow.

The chemotherapy regimen included carboplatin, taxol and herceptin.  He said the chemo left him weak and tired, especially two days after each round of treatment.  This, he said, was very frustrating because he was accustomed to being active.  During this time, the best he could do was go on short walks.

When Jonathan experienced a recurrence, he was placed on a targeted therapy of kadcyla and herceptin.  He eventually achieved survivorship but must continue to be on a monthly targeted therapy of unhertu and herceptin.

Jonathan Gegerson says his health is approximately 75 percent of what it was before his diagnosis, but he feels he blessed that he is living, is back to hiking and skiing, and hopes to continue skiing until he is 90 years old.

Additional Resources:

Jonathan's Book: "Perspective C," available on Amazon and Kindle  https://a.co/d/4iW9BQ6

It took two chemotherapy regimens, but Luke Mutter survived a rare form of bile duct cancer.  A CT scan found a 14cm tumor in his liver.  At that time, his care team told him he had cancer, but it could not identify the type of cancer.  He was put on a systemic chemotherapy cocktail of folfirinox and oxaplatin, which attempt to kill the tumor.  When that didn't work, Luke learned he was a candidate for a hepatic artery infusion, which included chemo far stronger than his first regimen.  Luke has achieved survivorship and is very thankful to be to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Considering he was eventually diagnosed with bile duct cancer, his journey in an unlikely place.  His feet.  He saw a doctor thinking that as an active runner, he had plantar fascilitis.  Walking was very painful, as was laying down on his stomach.  That is what led to a CT scan, revealing a 14cm tumor in his liver. 

Luke saw an oncologist and was told he had cancer, but the doctor could not identify what type of cancer.  Nonetheless, the doctor said Luke needed to go on a regimen of systemic chemotherapy, which would affect his entire body, a regimen that sought to kill the tumor.  The cocktail consisted of oxaliplatin and folfirinox.  He received a dosage every two weeks for 18 months.

The tumor withstood the chemo, and Luke went to another hospital, where he qualified for a surgical procedure to install a hepatic artery infusion pump.  It directed chemotherapy just to the liver at a dose 300 times stronger than the systemic chemotherapy. 

Luke Mutter achieved survivorship and is thrilled to be back at work as a sales consultant.  He also considers a major blessing that after chemotherapy he can taste food, resume exercising and the ability to make his family and friends laugh.

By way of advice, he said during his journey, as much as he could, he decided to take charge, by controlling his mindset, exercise, diet and sleep, or as he like to call the group his MEDS.  Luke also serves as a mentor to those diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma.

Additional Resources:

Support Group:

The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation  https://www.cholangiocarcinomafoundation.org

It was a stressful journey, but Linda Trummer survived Stage IV mantle cell lymphoma.  In 2015, she went to her primary care physician after discovering a lump on her jaw line.  That led to a diagnosis of a slow-moving blood cancer, MALtoma.  However, further tests revealed a lump under her left arm and the diagnosis was upgraded to Stage IV mantle cell lymphoma, a rare form of blood cancer.  She underwent R-Hyper-CVAD, a multi-faceted chemotherapy regimen and just two months later was declared to have No Evidence of Disease.  Linda still suffers from the many side effects of her regimen, but is happy to be alive, especially when her prognosis indicated she would only live for another 18 to 24 months.

Linda was close to 60 years of age when she first noticed a lump on her jaw line.  She initially attributed it to her getting old, but when one day she saw the lump was growing, she sought medical attention.  A PET scan showed that she had MALT lymphoma, also known as MALtoma, a cancer associated with the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue.  Linda switched oncologists and the second oncologist called for additional tests.  They revealed a lump under her left arm, and she was diagnosed with Stage IV mantle cell lymphoma.

Linda was placed on a chemotherapy regimen which included rituximab, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, dexamethasone and cytarabine.  That was followed by six lumbar punctures of methotextrate.

Through it all, Linda Tremmer was an active patient.  She sought to help other cancer patients on her floor by setting up an arts class.  She also wrote poetry and with the aid of a cousin in Oregon, the poetry was set to music, which was played for the patients, who enjoyed getting care from a fellow cancer patient.

Linda's regimen led to her being declared NED after two months, but she needed to stay on it and suffered from numerous side effects.  She was placed on medication for depression and PTSD, although she says the latter rarely presents a problem.  When she was diagnosed, Linda was told she would live another 18 to 24 months, and prepared to die.  She sought palliative care and was placed in home hospice.  She completed her will, set up cremation and wrote farewell letters to dear friends.  But when she got to the 24-month mark, she realized she was still very much alive and started concentrating on living and not dying, which she said was much tougher than it sounds.

These days, Linda is happy to be alive, enjoys living with her three dogs and two cats, and advocates for cancer patients through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and has a support group on Facebook.

By way of advice, she says anyone diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma should make sure they find an oncologist who knows how to treat mantle cell, which is much easier today than it was in 2015.

Additional Resources:

Support Group:

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society  https://www.lls.org