Winter WONDERLAND
The Sunshine Division
4K Community Fun Run
4k4 Community
Reach the Beach Oregon
American Lung Association
Ride the Rapids
Maupin Chamber of Commerce
Tour de cure
American Diabetes Association
Beers & Gears
ALS Northwest
The Sunshine Division
4k4 Community
American Lung Association
Maupin Chamber of Commerce
American Diabetes Association
ALS Northwest
Patient Story #1:
“Sasha” continued to experience gastrointestinal complications six weeks after giving birth. In her thirties and with no known family history of colorectal cancer, her physician was surprised to find a 4-centimeter cancerous tumor in her colon.
Sasha was offered the chance to participate in an immunotherapy clinical trial. Providence Medical Director of Radiation Oncology Kristina Young, M.D., Ph.D., leads an investigator-initiated Phase II clinical trial testing galunisertib, an experimental immunotherapy for people with colorectal cancer.Â
Sasha took galunisertib every day for two week before starting radiation and chemotherapy. When it came time for surgery, she had completed four weeks of immunotherapy concurrent with six weeks of chemoradiation and experiences few side effects.
This treatment significantly reduced the size of Sasha’s tumor allowing her to recover and better care for her family. This past year, a second colonoscopy revealed she was disease-free.
Patient Story #2:Â
You don’t meet someone like Jeff very often. Amid a cancer journey that spans more than 20 years, he exudes a contagious zest for life.
Jeff learned he had neuroendocrine cancer. More than 30 tumors were spread throughout his digestive tract, causing agonizing spasms. Bat as scary and painful as Jeff’s diagnosis was, he had access to multiple leading-edge treatment options at Providence Cancer Institute.
Half or the tumors were removed by surgery. The remaining tumors reduced in size after chemoembolization and radioembolization – targeted therapies that inject chemotherapy drugs and glass radiation beads into the blood stream near the tumors. Monthly injections alleviate the side effects of living with a partial digestive system.
On Dec. 6, 2022, an annual check-up revealed that cancer has spread to his bones and is inoperable. “Up to this point in my cancer journey, I kind of knew what to expect. Now, I don’t know anything.”
But Jeff is not giving up hope.
Patient Story #3:
In 2007, Mark Williams learned he had 14 tumors in his lungs and esophagus. His doctor told him he had stage IV melanoma and would not live more than a year.
Mark and his family refused to accept this devastating timeline and sought a second opinion from Brendan Curti, M.D., at Providence Cancer Institute. At the time, Dr. Curti was in the early stages of researching an alternative cancer treatment involving Interleukin 2.
Interleukin 2 is an aggressive form of immunotherapy, a treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to destroy cancer cells. It can treat some types of cancer very successfully, but it can also make patients very sick. Mark relied upon his family and his Providence care team to ease debilitating side effects.
Mark is celebrating 15 years since his diagnosis, and he continues to share his story with other patients undergoing cancer treatment.
“We like to say that in our community, no one fights alone. That’s what I do…speak with folks in the cancer community and try to keep them positive.”
Patient Story #4:
Kyle, husband and father of two young boys, discovered he had thymoma, which is cancer of the thymus. An aggresive tumor in his chest was nearly the size of a grapefruit. Kyle’s treatment involved surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Still, the cancer returned four times, showing up in his spine, lungs and chest.
Two years ago, Kyle learned about a clincial trial at Providence Cancer Institute Franz Clinic for individuals with advanced solid tumors. As part of a Phase 1 trial, Kyle was treated with a new immunotherapy drug called Lorigerlimab. Today, Kyle’s scans show minimal scarring but no signs of cancer!
“One of my main goals is I did not want to be remembered by stories or in photos. I wanted my children to feel me, touch me, know me and hear my voice.”
Thanks to this philanthropy-supported clinical trial, Kyle’s wish was granted.
PROVIDENCE TAX ID: 93-1231494Â
PLEASE MAIL CHECKS TO:
COPYRIGHT @ 2024 HOOD TO COAST
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
TERMS OF USE
