Like so many people, Pam’s life has been touched by cancer on several occasions. So when she was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer, it was important to her that she have an active voice in her own care.
Pam visited cancer centers across the country, but in the end she felt most comfortable with Kendrith Rowland, MD, and the staff at Carle Cancer Center, who treated her not as a pincushion, but as the most important member of the care team.
Since completing treatment, Pam recognizes how her fight against cancer has changed her. It forced her out of the fast lane of living and helped her value each day. Early on, she became involved in a support group where she heard others say “Cancer was a gift.” While she had a hard time believing it at the time, she now realizes she has come out of her experience a better person.
As a member of both the Women’s Room support group and a general evening support group at Carle Cancer Center, Pam shared her experience and insight. And even though she recently moved away from Illinois, the lessons she learned as both a patient and a survivor are something she will always take with her.