Read inspiring stories of strength, perseverance, and hope from those we’ve had the privilege of caring for at the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center.
Brenda Oehler, 49 of Cedar Rapids, is a stage 2B lobular breast cancer survivor. “My initial reaction to my breast cancer diagnosis was shock and worry,” Oehler said. “The team at the Nassif Community Cancer Center, St. Luke’s Breast and
Cyndy Johnson of Monticello was shocked to find what felt like soreness turned out to be lung cancer. “I didn’t really think of lung cancer going in, I thought somehow or another I bruised my ribs,” Johnson recalled. She went
In April 2021, Nicole Knoll of Cedar Rapids was doing her monthly breast self-check when she felt a hard spot, about the size of a dime. “I immediately realized, this was a shift,” said Knoll. “It was unusual and different,
As if running one marathon in the middle of active cancer treatment isn’t impressive enough, Phil Decker, who was diagnosed with colon cancer in January and is still in active treatment, is planning to do it again – this time
A cancer diagnosis can impact a person’s life in many ways, both during treatment and beyond. Cancer survivors may deal with a wide range of effects as a result of their treatment including stress and anxiety, body image and sexuality
Last summer, Andrew Crockett, 52, noticed a spot on his lower shin had started growing, and went to his primary care provider, Katherine Alatorre, DO, at UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine – Westdale, to have it checked out. He was referred
If you were to think about what a colon cancer patient looks like, you probably would not picture someone like Phil Decker, 46, of Robins. He’s under 50-years-old, in good physical shape, exercises consistently and he’s even run a couple
When Hollie Hare, of Winthrop, was experiencing pain under her right rib and made a visit to her primary care provider, she never expected it would start a chain of events that would lead to a colon cancer diagnosis. “I
Devon Steen of Cedar Rapids didn’t have a significant history of breast cancer in her family, but in late 2018, at the young age of 27, she felt a lump in her breast. After a visit with her primary care
In early 2019, Angela Fitzgerald of Iowa City started feeling “off.” She kept picking up colds and had a hard time kicking them. She initially attributed this to her work environment, as she had recently started a new job at
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