Cancer Interviews

For Bhavika Taunk, life took a radical turn in 2017 when her four-year-old son, Kabir, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. After a bone marrow transplant, he went on an aggressive chemotherapy regimen for two years. Kabir relapsed twice, but has been in remission since 2020. Bhavika tells the story of how she cared for her son and how she reaches out to other parents of children diagnosed with cancer. Bhavika, her husband and two young sons returned from a Disney cruise in April 2017, and both sons felt sick. While her two-year-old son soon got well, things went from bad to worse for four-year-old Kabir. He complained of bone pain, first in his wrists, then his ankles, to the extent that he could not walk. Then he suffered from intermittent fevers and appetite loss. Kabir was taken to a hospital, where after blood tests, Bhavika was told that a bad virus had settled into her son's bone marrow and that he had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She called her husband with the awful, collapsed on the floor and cried. Bhavika said this was the most life-changing event of her life. She went on to say the degree of helplessness accompanying such a diagnosis is overwhelming. Up until Kabir's diagnosis, she thought she could fix anything in his life that presented a challenge. Bhavika says the biggest lesson with a child's cancer diagnosis is the total lack of control and it is the worst imaginable feeling. Bhavika says when caring for a child with cancer that words are very important. She stresses that she doesn't believe in "hollow encouragement because it is very invalidating to the patient." She says a parent cannot tell their cancer-stricken child that everything is going to be okay. Kabir has been in remission since 2020, but still requires a great deal of attention and medical care. Bhavika Taunk wants very much to come to the aid of parents of a child diagnosed with cancer. She advocates for parents of Facebook and Instagram, while strenuously calling for increased funding for pediatric cancer patients. Additional Resources: Bhavika on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bhavika.v.taunk Bhavika on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btaunk/ Bhavika's small business supporting pediatric cancer: Birdsong Tea – Tea With A Purpose

Marcel D'Allende was in outstanding health, an avid hiker in the mountains overlooking her hometown of Cape Town, South Africa. However, in October 2021, she began to experience shortness of breath and extreme fatigue. That led to a diagnosis of Stage IV non-small cell adenocarcinoma, or lung cancer. Determined not to let cancer define her, she underwent a treatment regimen of radiotherapy, then chemotherapy with carboplatin and pemetrexed, and immunotherapy with durvalumab. In September 2022, a PET scan revealed Marcel was cancer-free. It took a little while for her to get back up to speed, but has returned to an active lifestyle, and every weekend, you can find her hiking the mountains. Marcel thought she was in terrific health, but in the fall of 2021, suddenly she found herself out of breath on a recurring basis. Her difficulty with breathing became so acute that shortly after beginning a weekend hike with friends, she had no choice but to turn around and return to the base of the mountain. Things worsened when she had frequent coughing spells. She was seen by her general practitioner, who recommended she see a pulmonologist. The pulmonologist called for a CT scan, which revealed a tumor on a lung, and a diagnosis of Stage IV lung cancer in January 2022. Marcel, who during her adult life smoked cigarettes off and on, immediately thought of her father, who passed away from lung cancer in 2000. She was afraid she would suffer the same fate. However, her doctor said that her father's fate didn't have to be hers because of major advances in medicines and technologies in the past twenty years. She was determined to not let her life be defined by cancer, saying at all times, one on a cancer journey must have hope. At the same time, she says one can be hopeful without being delusional. Her diagnosis was difficult enough, but she soon felt the sting of the stigma that often accompanies a lung cancer diagnosis. When informing friends about her diagnosis, many of them told her should not have smoked. Marcel's treatment begins with six weeks of radiotherapy treatment, which she thought wasn't so difficult. Next was six cycles of chemotherapy, specifically carboplatin and pemetrexed. The worst side effects she experienced were nausea and fatigue. Then, Marcel's oncologist introduced her to a newly-approved form of immunotherapy called durvalumab. It is usually prescribed for a duration of twelve months, but she was taken off the immunotherapy at the nine-month mark because spots were detected on her lung. The spots cleared in March. In September, Marcel D'Allende underwent a PET scan that showed she was cancer-free, which she has been to this day. She had to start slowly, but Marcel's health is back to normal, and she has returned to her weekend home, hiking trails outside Cape Town. Additional Resources: Support Group: Cancer Association of South Africa https://www.cansa.org.za Marcel's Written Account of her Cancer Journey: https://cansa.org.za/breaking-the-silence-around-lung-cancer/

When she began experiencing severe bruising and fatigue and turning pale in late 2013, Casey Kang sought medical attention. This led to a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She was placed on an aggressive, 18-month chemotherapy regimen, which included doxorubicin and methotrexate. Casey relapsed three times during which she was placed on an experimental immunotherapy. All told, she spent 168 days in a hospital, but Casey achieved survivorship. She is now a coach who helps women diagnosed with cancer through the physical, mental and emotional challenges that occur after treatment. When Casey Kang experienced various aches and pains at the end of 2013, she thought they were tied to holiday- or work-related stress. She sought medical attention, was prescribed ten days of antibiotics, and was told to return in two weeks. During the ten days, things got worse. She was stricken with extreme fatigue, bruising, vision issues and her turning pale. While this went on, she continued to go to work. She underwent blood tests, and they revealed she had leukemia. Even before the test results came back, her care team called for a bone marrow transplant, so sure were they that she had cancer. Casey said her cancer was subsequently diagnosed as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Because of its aggressive nature, she was put on an aggressive, 18-month chemotherapy regimen. It included doxorubicin and methotrexate. She experienced two relapses and was prescribed an experimental immunotherapy. Multiple hospital stays totaled 168 days. During that time, Casey learned how mentally tough she was and is. As much as she disliked the time in the hospital, she was sure to create a routine that would get her through the day. Casey used the hospital floor's exercise bike and walked laps around the floors, with 17 laps equaling a mile. Despite a grueling journey, Casey Kang achieved survivorship. She is active on social media, as she works tirelessly to aid woman diagnosed with cancer to make them physically, mentally and emotionally strong when dealing with life after treatment. As for herself, she says her overall is better than it was before her diagnosis. Additional Resources: Casey's Website: https://www.thehappierhustle.com Casey's Free Guide: https://casey-head.mykajabi.com/free-guide

In 2019, Jonathan Gegerson sought medical attention went he felt a lump on the right side of his neck. After a couple of scans and a biopsy, he was diagnosed with salivary duct carcinoma, a rare form of head and neck cancer. Jonathan survived, but not before enduring 67 sessions of radiation, 12 cycles of chemotherapy (carboplatin, taxol, herceptin) and seven surgeries. He still undergoes a targeted therapy on a monthly basis, and the surgery has affected his speech and his diet, but Jonathan has resumed an active lifestyle that includes skiing and hiking. Jonathan Gegerson thought his health was outstanding. He was an active skier and liked to hike up Colorado's 14ers (mountains whose peaks exceed 14,000 feet), but was perplexed when he discovered a lump on the right side of his neck. He did not waste any time seeking medical attention and went to his primary care physician. She conducted a physical examination and asked if Jonathan had recently undergone a root canal or some dental procedure that could result in an infection. When he said no, the doctor sent Jonathan to an oncologist, who called for a CT scan, a PET scan and a biopsy. That's when he was diagnosed with head and neck cancer, even though at the time doctors could not specify what type of head and neck cancer. His doctor in Colorado said Jonathan would need to undergo surgery, followed by radiation treatment and chemotherapy. When Jonathan learned his care team had no experience with dealing with his type of cancer, he sought a second opinion from MD Anderson in Houston, Texas. The doctors at MD Anderson suggested the same regimen, but Jonathan switched to them because they had experience dealing with salivary duct carcinoma. His care team told him his treatment would result in a tightening of his face and would affect his speech, in addition to his ability to chew and swallow. The chemotherapy regimen included carboplatin, taxol and herceptin. He said the chemo left him weak and tired, especially two days after each round of treatment. This, he said, was very frustrating because he was accustomed to being active. During this time, the best he could do was go on short walks. When Jonathan experienced a recurrence, he was placed on a targeted therapy of kadcyla and herceptin. He eventually achieved survivorship but must continue to be on a monthly targeted therapy of unhertu and herceptin. Jonathan Gegerson says his health is approximately 75 percent of what it was before his diagnosis, but he feels he blessed that he is living, is back to hiking and skiing, and hopes to continue skiing until he is 90 years old. Additional Resources: Jonathan's Book: "Perspective C," available on Amazon and Kindle https://a.co/d/4iW9BQ6

It was a stressful journey, but Linda Trummer survived Stage IV mantle cell lymphoma. In 2015, she went to her primary care physician after discovering a lump on her jaw line. That led to a diagnosis of a slow-moving blood cancer, MALtoma. However, further tests revealed a lump under her left arm and the diagnosis was upgraded to Stage IV mantle cell lymphoma, a rare form of blood cancer. She underwent R-Hyper-CVAD, a multi-faceted chemotherapy regimen and just two months later was declared to have No Evidence of Disease. Linda still suffers from the many side effects of her regimen, but is happy to be alive, especially when her prognosis indicated she would only live for another 18 to 24 months. Linda was close to 60 years of age when she first noticed a lump on her jaw line. She initially attributed it to her getting old, but when one day she saw the lump was growing, she sought medical attention. A PET scan showed that she had MALT lymphoma, also known as MALtoma, a cancer associated with the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. Linda switched oncologists and the second oncologist called for additional tests. They revealed a lump under her left arm, and she was diagnosed with Stage IV mantle cell lymphoma. Linda was placed on a chemotherapy regimen which included rituximab, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, dexamethasone and cytarabine. That was followed by six lumbar punctures of methotextrate. Through it all, Linda Tremmer was an active patient. She sought to help other cancer patients on her floor by setting up an arts class. She also wrote poetry and with the aid of a cousin in Oregon, the poetry was set to music, which was played for the patients, who enjoyed getting care from a fellow cancer patient. Linda's regimen led to her being declared NED after two months, but she needed to stay on it and suffered from numerous side effects. She was placed on medication for depression and PTSD, although she says the latter rarely presents a problem. When she was diagnosed, Linda was told she would live another 18 to 24 months, and prepared to die. She sought palliative care and was placed in home hospice. She completed her will, set up cremation and wrote farewell letters to dear friends. But when she got to the 24-month mark, she realized she was still very much alive and started concentrating on living and not dying, which she said was much tougher than it sounds. These days, Linda is happy to be alive, enjoys living with her three dogs and two cats, and advocates for cancer patients through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and has a support group on Facebook. By way of advice, she says anyone diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma should make sure they find an oncologist who knows how to treat mantle cell, which is much easier today than it was in 2015. Additional Resources: Support Group: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society https://www.lls.org