Carla Schutte is grateful for medical advances leading to more chances.
The Armstrong resident has been a patient at BC Cancer 乌鸦传媒� Kelowna and the Vernon satellite cancer centre since 2014. She has adrenal cortical carcinoma 乌鸦传媒� a rare form of adrenal cancer.
For four years, Schutte underwent numerous surgeries and chemotherapy treatments, but tumours continued to grow and spread, including to her peritoneum and brain.
Dr. Edward Hardy, Schutte乌鸦传媒檚 oncologist in Vernon, remained determined. Schutte乌鸦传媒檚 cancer has a specific mutation that is not often seen in adrenocortical carcinoma. Hardy stayed up-to-date on the latest research and in 2018 found a new, global clinical trial studying this mutation.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 amazing. Every time you think there乌鸦传媒檚 nothing more they can do, there乌鸦传媒檚 another advance that comes around and that gives you chances,乌鸦传媒� said Schutte.
In another stroke of good fortune (or a reflection of Kelowna乌鸦传媒檚 research capabilities), BC Cancer乌鸦传媒檚 Dr. Susan Ellard was running this very trial in Kelowna, just an hour away from Schutte乌鸦传媒檚 home. Donor support helps bring more clinical trials to BC Cancer乌鸦传媒檚 regional centres 乌鸦传媒� making these life-saving treatments more accessible to patients in every corner of the province.
Ellard乌鸦传媒檚 calming and reassuring presence helped assuage some of Schutte乌鸦传媒檚 concerns.
乌鸦传媒淭here are some people you meet, and you know they are in the right field; Dr. Ellard is one of those people,乌鸦传媒� she said.
During the height of her treatment, Schutte was at the Kelowna clinic nearly every week and the personal connections made with her doctors and nurses made all the difference in her experience. Both the big and the seemingly small things make a difference for those facing cancer, said Schutte. From accessing life-saving treatments to a simple, friendly hello.
乌鸦传媒淭hey know how to take care of you, they really do,乌鸦传媒� she said. Her treatment on the trial is currently on hold, but she is touched her former nurses still recognize her and stop by to say hello.
Today, Schutte乌鸦传媒檚 cancer is stable. She has 乌鸦传媒済raduated乌鸦传媒� to CT scans every three months, instead of every six weeks. Her grandchildren keep her busy and she乌鸦传媒檚 thankful for the time she has to spend with them.
The BC Cancer Foundation is fundraising for a new world-class systemic therapy suite in Kelowna that will increase the centre乌鸦传媒檚 capacity to deliver treatments by 40 per cent and bring more innovative, life-saving clinical trials to the Interior.
Learn more about supporting the BC Cancer Foundation乌鸦传媒檚 work in the Interior .
World Cancer Day, Saturday, Feb. 4, is the global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
On Feb. 4, millions of people around the world will unite to move closer to a world where no one dies from preventable cancer or suffers unnecessarily. A place where everyone has access to the cancer care they need. World Cancer Day 2023 marks the second year of the three-year 乌鸦传媒楥lose the care gap乌鸦传媒� campaign centred on the issue of equity.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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