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.
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
Terry Johnson of Cedar Rapids is a retired factory worker and served our country in the Vietnam War. He’s also a former smoker, having smoked a pack a day for 34 years before he kicked the habit in 2001. Based
JoAnn Nachtman has been without a working clothes dryer for three years. St. Luke’s Cancer Services’ Angel Tree program helped her pay for repairs and install a handrail on the steps leading to her front door. “The outlet to my
At just 31 years old, and in the middle of planning her wedding, breast cancer was the last thing on Katie DeBower’s mind. But as the big day was approaching, she felt a lump, and knowing her family history, she
In July 2019, 38-year-old Zach Douglas of Cedar Rapids, IA underwent a CT scan. In the months prior, he had been experiencing various symptoms. Abdominal pain, blood in his stools and he had been running a fever for weeks on
Steve Miller, age 71, of Cedar Rapids has been a mild smoker since his days in the army. He explains he has generally felt healthy for most of his life, but learned otherwise when he underwent a preventative screening. “I
