For Stewart Greenfield, the third time was the charm.  After checking pictures of his bladder in 2016, two doctors told him he didn’t have long to live; a third doctor told him he had Stage IV metastatic bladder cancer, but insisted he needed to be treated.  The cancer had burned a hole in his bladder and attacked lymph nodes from his groin to his neck.  Treatment included a chemotherapy cocktail of cisplatin and gemcidibine, plus qualifying for an immunotherapy, novolumab.  It was a smashing success.  Stewart says his urinary function is normal and he is able to resume his active lifestyle, which includes cycling and scuba diving.

A semi-retired kitchen designer, Stewart Greenfield of Scottsdale, Arizona, thought he was in good health when he went for his annual physical in 2016.  He was an active cyclist and scuba diver.  However, his doctor said his blood work was “inconclusive.”  After a second test was labeled inconclusive, the doctor prescribed antibiotics and called for a third blood test a week later.  The doctor got a similar result and sent Stewart to a urological surgeon.

The surgeon called for Stewart to undergo some scans and upon viewing them, gave Stewart some very bad news.  The surgeon did not mention the word ‘cancer,’ but said Stewart should get his affairs in order.

Stewart went to a second urologist who viewed pictures of Stewart’s bladder, again did not mention the word cancer, but said the condition of the bladder was so advanced, it was too late to treat it.  He had a hole in his bladder and the cancer had attacked lymph nodes from his groin to his neck.

Stewart had an appointment with a third surgeon.  She said he had Stage IV metastatic bladder cancer.  As he attempted to leave, the doctor blocked his path and insisted on treating his diagnosis.  At first he resisted, thinking he had received a death sentence, but he agreed to be treated. 

Stewart was put on a chemotherapy regimen with cisplatin.  The regimen was stepped up with the addition of gemcidibine.  As the regimen had been successful, he qualified for a new immunotherapy, novolumab.

The treatment was a success.  Stewart has normal urinary function and again takes part in cycling and scuba diving.

By way of advice, he urges those diagnosed with bladder cancer to stay positive, never lose hope and “fight the fight.”

Additional Resource:

Support Group:

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

 Noelle Gatlin had to endure a lengthy, multi-step process, but she survived Stage II pancreatic cancer.  A visit to an emergency department revealed a mass near her pancreas. She was transferred to a hospital, where a second CT scan resulted in her diagnosis.  Her care team placed a duodenal stent in Noelle, then a bile duct stent.  She next underwent a 12-infusion chemotherapy regimen with folfirinox.  Then she was ready for a Whipple procedure, a pancreatic duodenectomy, which was a success.  Noelle says because she took care of herself before, during and after treatment, she believes she is now in better health than she was before her diagnosis.

In July 2022, Noelle began to experience symptoms associated with food poisoning.  At an urgent care, she was diagnosed with gastric reflux, but when stomach became distended, her husband urged her to go to an emergency department.  That’s where a CT scan revealed a mass near her pancreas.  She was next transferred to a hospital.  Wanting very much to vomit, but unable to, with the aid of an NG tube, her stomach was pumped.  She underwent another CT scan, then an endoscopy, after which a doctor told her she had Stage II pancreatic cancer. 

A duodenal stent was placed in her small intestine so that food could go around where her tumor had closed off her intestinal tract.  Noelle then had a bile duct stent placed from her liver.  Before she could undergo surgery, she went on a 12-infusion chemotherapy regimen with folfirinox. 

Months later came the Whipple Procedure.  Hers was a pancreatic duodenectomy.  Her gallbladder, the top 20 percent of her pancreas and the first section of her small intestine was removed.

The surgery was a success, and soon Noelle Gatlin returned to her job as a special education teacher in Riverton, Utah.  She followed instructions from care team and already enjoyed an active lifestyle.  This is why she believes her health today is better than it was prior to her diagnosis.

Additional Resources:

The Pancreatic Action Network (PanCAN): https://www.pancan.org

Laurie Adami seemed to have it all.  She was the president of her company, at age 40, she had just had a son and still found time to lead an active lifestyle.  However, in 2003, her health took a turn for the worse.  She felt a lump in her abdomen, experienced frequent, lengthy sinus infections and chronic fatigue.  All this led to a diagnosis of Stage IV Follicular Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.  After six unsuccessful treatment regimens, she achieved complete remission on the seventh try, completing a battle that ran twelve years.

When Laurie initially brought her symptoms to the attention of her family doctor, they were dismissed as, at worst, a hernia, and exhaustion due to her demanding schedule; but Laurie insisted there was nothing ordinary about her symptoms and changed doctors.

She saw a hernia specialist who ordered a CT scan, which revealed a mass the size of a small watermelon on her abdomen.  After a biopsy, Laurie learned she had Stage IV Follicular Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.  At that time, she had no idea of the difficulty and length of the journey awaiting her.

The first of six treatments that failed to overcome her diagnosis was in 2006 and called R-CHOP.  It was a mix of Rituxan plus Cytoxan, Adriamyacin and Prednisone.

Next in 2008 was a clinical trial of Rituxan, along with an HDAC inhibitor.

In 2010, Laurie tried Bendamustin, a medication popular in Eastern Europe.

When that didn’t work, later in the year, she went with Bexxar Radioimmunotherapy.

Of the first six regimens, Laurie had the most success with a pi3 kinase inhibitor called Zydelig.  For five and a half years ending in 2016, it shrunk the tumor without eliminating it.

The tumor returned and for six months ending in September 2017, she tried infusions of Gazvya.

On July 16, 2018, her tumor was still around, but Laurie qualified for a Phase II clinical trial of Yescarta CAR-T therapy.  Some 29 days later, her lymphoma specialist informed her she was in full remission.

Laurie Adami has resumed an active lifestyle, and does plenty of traveling, most of it to public speaking engagements, as she serves as an advocate for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Additional Resources:

Support Group:

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

Nicole Scott and her husband, Keith, worked at the same Ohio hospital.  When Keith noticed abdominal pain in his left side, he thought it was muscle-related because of the physical nature of his job.  The pain radiated to his groin, then what had been random occurrences of the pain became more frequent.

Nicole urged Keith to seek urgent care.  An emergency room doctor called for a CT scan, thinking Keith had at worst, a hernia.  However, the CT scan revealed a mass on Keith’s kidney.  An MRI and partial nephrectomy resulted in a diagnosis of papillary renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney.

Nicole and Keith were shocked by this diagnosis, but after she got over the shock, Nicole assumed the role of Keith’s caregiver.

She said without question, the toughest part of her caregiver experience was the emotional piece.  At first, there was a tremendous amount of fear and depression, as she thought Keith might not survive, but all the while she told herself she was caring for the love of her life, had to put up a positive front and be a source of encouragement for her husband.

Nicole said there was some at-home care involved, but much of her duties consisted of making sure that Keith made it to all of his doctor visits, most notably the successful surgical procedure and post-treatment care.

Caregiving can be a round-the-clock challenge, and Nicole said she came close to suffering from caregiver burnout, but she always did what needed to be done, at all times

realizing hers was a high-stakes task.

By way of advice, Nicole Scott says to anyone suddenly finding themselves in the role of caregiver to take a deep breath and never lose hope.  She says a caregiver needs to take of themselves.  She says it is “not selfish” to ask a friend to pitch in or to make time for some ‘me time,’ as that will make a caregiver a better caregiver.

Additional Resources:

The Kidney Cancer Association: https://www.kidneycancer.org

When Helinka Carr experienced limited rectal bleeding, because it was limited, she never thought her problem could rise to the level of cancer.  She also thought the bleeding might be diverticulitis, which had been suffered by members of her family.  However, at the urging of her doctor, she underwent blood tests and a colonoscopy.  The latter revealed that she had bowel cancer.  Thanks to two surgical procedures, she achieved survivorship but has to wear an ileostomy bag.  She tires easily, but had the energy to start a line of ostomy lingerie for bag-wearing women diagnosed with below-the-belt cancers.

Helinka Carr said when one experienced rectal bleeding for three weeks, that was the standard in the United Kingdom for being a candidate for bowel cancer.  Helinka while noticed bleeding in her rectum and in her stool, it didn’t exist to the degree that aligned with the accepted standard for bowel cancer.  She also said her family had a history of diverticulitis, which also led her to believe that she was not a candidate for bowel cancer.

Nonetheless, her general practitioner urged her to get the bleeding checked out.  After a series of blood tests, Helinka underwent a colonoscopy and bowel cancer was indicated.

Once upon learning of her diagnosis, she immediately refused chemotherapy.  She agreed to a regimen of radiation treatment, combined with her self-styled complimentary hearing.  It took two surgeries, but her tumor was removed.  Helinka detested the radiation therapy, and firmly believes her practicing complimentary healing all by itself could have removed the majority of her tumor.

Despite achieving survivorship, the radiation continued to affect her.  She suffered from pelvic radiation disease, which robbed her of any feeling in her rectum or bladder, creating major problems any time she had to urinate or defecate. 

Helinka’s care team said she would need to be fitted for an ileostomy bag.  At first she was told she would only have to wear it for twelve weeks; but after it was removed, she was incontinent and was told she again would have to wear the bag, this time on a permanent basis.  Helinka has figured out a way to manage the bag, go out and enjoy normal activities and get six to eight hours of sleep each night.

Helinka’s experience inspired her to devise a line of ostomy lingerie.  It is attractive underwear destined for bag-wearing women diagnosed with below-the-belt cancers.

By way of advice, Helinka Carr says regardless of your cancer diagnosis, you need to fiercely advocate for yourself.  That means asking lots of questions, and if your doctor cannot sufficiently answer your questions, to get another doctor.

Additional Resources:

Helinka’s lingerie line: Unspokenrosebud-Etsy

Guy Nakoa has survived two diagnoses of Stage IV breast cancer.  He initially felt a lump in his breast while showering in 2000.  Because it wasn’t causing him and because he didn’t think could not get a type of cancer associated with women, I went more than a decade before he chose to have the lump checked out.  In 2014, he sought medical attention, he was diagnosed and in 2016, he had the lump removed; but in 2020, the cancer returned.  He was hoping it could be removed with chemotherapy and radiation treatment, but over his initial objection, he agreed to a mastectomy of his left breast in 2024.  For the rest of his life, he will need to be on two medications, ibrance and letrozole.  Guy says from time to time he experiences fatigue but is very happy to be alive.

Guy Nakoa is from Wailuku on the island of Maui in Hawaii, but he has worked all over the world as a chef.  He was on a job in Alaska in 2000, when while taking a shower, he was shocked to feel a lump in his left breast.  Guy didn’t tell anyone about it because it wasn’t causing him any pain, and he felt too embarrassed to admit he may have a type of cancer that is generally associated with women. 

He finally decided to have the lump examined in 2014.  His doctor didn’t seem to think there was anything cancerous and told Guy not to worry about it.  Guy was misdiagnosed and he believes that, like he was, his doctor might have had difficulty connecting the lump with cancer because Guy is male.  Guy went to another doctor, and in 2016, he underwent a biopsy, which revealed he had breast cancer. 

Guy Nakoa had the lump removed in 2016.  He underwent a chemotherapy regimen in 2017 and again in 2018.  He says he lost his sense of taste, his anxiety level went “through the roof” and he had a tough time getting to sleep.

The surgery was a success, but in 2020, the cancer returned.  Guy wanted to again treat it with chemotherapy and radiation, but his doctor urged him to get the breast removed.  Guy eventually relented and the mastectomy took place in 2024.

Guy says these days, he can do just about anything he could do before he first felt the lump, but fatigue sometimes sets in, in a way it didn’t prior to his diagnosis.  By way of advice, he is quite adamant that, regardless of what seems irregular, if you notice something, anything abnormal about your health, to immediately seek medical attention.

Additional Resources:

Support Groups:

The Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance  https://www.mbcglobalalliance.org

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

HIS Breast Cancer Awareness  https://www.hisbreastcancer.org

Sheila Romanski is with us today after overcoming two diagnoses of breast cancer and the removal of a tumor in her left shoulder thanks to an autologous stem cell transplant.  She tells the @CancerInterviews podcast her initial of Stage 1A breast cancer in 1996 came after her doctor suggested a routine mammogram at age 36 when at the time mammograms were not performed on women that young.  Radiation treatment successfully addressed that diagnosis, but the following year, the cancer had metastasized to her shoulder.  That brought on the stem cell transplant, plus chemotherapy and more radiation.  All seemed well until 2008 when the breast cancer returned as Stage 4 triple negative infiltrating ductal carcinoma.  Shiela opted for a double mastectomy with reconstruction, which was followed by a second, more aggressive form of chemotherapy.  She has been pronounced NED (No Evidence of Disease), and now enjoys a healthy lifestyle, leading a non-profit that aids cancer victims.

Sheila Romanski advises everyone to do self-examinations for breast cancer.  She admits had she done so, her breast cancer would have been caught sooner.  In 1996, it was rare that 36-year-old women went in for routine mammograms, but Sheila’s doctor suggested such an exam.  Thanks to that suggestion, a 2cm tumor was found.  She underwent a lumpectomy and radiation treatment.

While it appeared cancer was in her rear-view mirror, in 1997, a lump was found in her collar bone area.  That was treated with four chemotherapy treatments and autologous stem cell transplant, a procedure involved her own stem cells.  The chemo and the transplant last four months.

For Sheila, this time in her life was very challenging.  She was no only battling cancer, but she was raising four small children.  However, she says she was able to get through because of support from her friends and her church, and because attending to the needs of her kids took her mind off cancer.

Sheila’s health appeared to be on the right track until 2008 when another routine mammogram revealed micro-calcifications in the same breast as her original diagnosis.  She decided a double mastectomy would be her best option. It would include a procedure called a diep flap, which involves taking skin from other parts of the body.  However, her surgeon said Sheila would have to lose twenty pounds before diep flap could be performed.  It took Shiela ten years to lose the weight and by that time, her surgeon said she no longer performed diep flap.  However, she said she could get Sheila “fixed up” and in 2021, thirteen years after mastectomy, reconstruction was complete.

Sheila Romanski has gone on to found Crystal Roses, a non-profit that seeks to aid those diagnosed with cancer.

Additional Resources:

Support Group:

Crystal Roses  https://www.crystalroseshelps.com

In 2015, Daniel Garza experienced bloating and difficulty completing a bowel movement.  A subsequent digital rectal exam revealed a mass on his sphincter, which led to a diagnosis of anal cancer.  A surgical procedure got rid of the cancer, but it also resulted in his losing half of his sphincter and the temporary presence of a fistula, a tear which was like a second anus.  He underwent a chemotherapy regimen of 5-fluorouracil, followed by radiation treatment, but another major challenge awaited Daniel, as he had to wear an ostomy bag, which he does to this day.  He deals with the bag and has continued his work as an advocate for those with HIV and anal cancer, in addition to being an actor and a comic.

Daniel Garza thought he was in good health until he was plagued by a nasty variety of symptoms.  He experienced bloating, stomach pain, bowel movement blockage and anal bleeding.  The initial conclusion of his doctor was that he had a strangulated intestine tied to a hernia he suffered years earlier.  He prescribed a number of treatments, which did no good.

Daniel went back to the doctor and went through blood tests and a CT scan.  But it was a subsequent digital rectal exam that revealed a mass on his sphincter.  That led to a biopsy and a diagnosis of squamos cell carcinoma of the anus, also known as anal cancer.

The mass was on one side of Daniel’s sphincter.  Surgery removed the cancer but also removed half of his sphincter.  Next up was chemotherapy, a type known as 5-fluorouracil, then radiation treatment and time in a hyperbaric chamber. 

The cancer was gone, the aforementioned fistula healed, but to dispose of the waste in his system, Daniel had to be fitted with an ostomy bag, which he eventually named Tommy.  He went through three ostomy nurses and two types of bags before he felt comfortable managing the bag.

These days, Daniel Garza says he is doing his best to make peace with Tommy.  It hasn’t stopped him from continuing his life as an advocate for those dealing with HIV and anal cancer.  He also travels the world as an actor and a comic.

Additional Resources:

Support Groups:

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

Cheeky Charity: https://www.cheekycharity.org

Former NFL star Rick Upchurch seemed to be in good health, but in 2010, he began to experience night sweats, fatigue and aches and pains.  He saw his doctor, who ordered blood work.  The test results revealed his white blood cell count was very high, and his general practitioner gave him the address of another doctor to see.

Rick and his wife were shocked to learn the doctor they had been told to see was an oncologist.  That doctor called for a bone marrow biopsy, which confirmed Rick had chronic myelogenous leukemia, a rare form of blood cancer that is tied to a genetic mutation called Philadelphia chromosome.

The onocologist prescribed a chemotherapy regimen for Rick, but to some degree he was relieved to learn that it would be a regimen of oral chemotherapy.  The medication was known as tasigna, which also goes by the name of nilotinib.  Rick had to take these pills three times a day, which he still has to do, and will have to do for the rest of his life.

Rick Upchurch’s chemotherapy regimen led to survivorship, but again, he has to take the tasigna three times a day, something he will need to do for the rest of his life.  He has his good days and bad days.

On the bad days, he still experiences the fatigue, night sweats, achy muscles and joints; and he sometimes has diarrhea, as his body has a tough time processing the tasigna.  However, he is grateful to be alive and grateful for the good days, in which he can lift weights, get on the elliptical and go for walks.

Rick and his wife, Donna, also engage in a number of activities that support children with cancer.

Jeff Kallis survived renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer.  When he experienced pain in his lower flank and saw blood in his urine, he sought medical attention.  A CT urogram revealed a stone in his left kidney and a mass in his right kidney.  A biopsy confirmed he had clear cell renal cell carcinoma.  Jeff underwent a radical nephrectomy on his right kidney.  The operation was painful, but a success.  Through exercise and a healthy diet, Jeff says he feels better than he did before his diagnosis.  He shares his story with the @CancerInterviews podcast.

Jeff Kallis was enjoying an active lifestyle in late 2021 when he experienced some nasty symptoms for the first time.  They included pain in his lower flank.  He thought the pain would go away, but it didn’t, and in fairly short order, he saw blood in his urine.  That’s when he sought medical attention.

His primary care physician first sought to rule out kidney stones and the possibility of urinary tract infection.  Tests showed no presence of a UTI, but a CT urogram did reveal a stone in Jeff’s left kidney.  That, he expected.  What he didn’t expect was subsequent news that of a mass in his right kidney.

Jeff’s urologist thought Jeff had kidney cancer but wanted to be sure and ordered a biopsy on the right kidney.  Its results confirmed he had Stage III clear cell renal cell carcinoma. 

He was relieved to know that treatment would not include chemotherapy or radiation treatment.  Immunotherapy was considered and rejected, but Jeff went ahead with a nephrectomy, removing his right kidney.  The operation was painful but considered a success.

Following the procedure, Jeff moved around very slowly, but as the pain subsided, he became more active.  He combined slowly increasing exercise with a healthy Mediterranean diet provided by his wife, who he says is an excellent cook.

Jeff Kallis is cancer free but goes in for checkups every six months.  He says he physically feels as well as he did before his diagnosis but emotionally feels better than he did pre-diagnosis as he concentrates on healthy diet and exercise.

Additional Resources:

Support Group:

Kidney Cancer Association: https://www.kidneycancer.org

Jeff’s Website: https://www.kidneycouch.com

Jeff’s Book: One Kidney – Dealing with Kidney Cancer