Munster resident Leslie Darrow had a lot to celebrate in 2018. She was married in September, her daughter graduated from high school and she was diagnosed with cancer. Yes, she celebrated her diagnosis of invasive HER-2 Stage II breast cancer with a pink party held for her Hartsfield Village work family.
“When it comes to a breast cancer diagnosis, the power of positivity is huge,” says Darrow, who serves as vice president Post-Acute Services for Community Healthcare System. “There is a lot to celebrate because we caught this early and I have a lot of support.”
“The level of care I have received from Community Healthcare System throughout my journey has been exceptional from my Radiologist Mary Nicholson, MD, my oncologist Mohamad Kassar, MD, general surgeon Nabil Shabeeb, MD, and plastic surgeon David Robinson, MD, to the nurse practitioners, nurses, clinicians and radiology technicians at my side every step of the way,” she says.
A mammogram led to an ultrasound which led to a biopsy which led to her diagnosis on June 30 at the Women’s Diagnostic Center in Munster. The biopsy was completed same day as the mammogram and the results came in within 24 hours. The diagnosis was invasive Stage II breast cancer.
“Regardless of how we do a biopsy at the Women’s Diagnostic Center, we get the majority of the results the next day,” says Mary Nicholson, MD, medical director of breast imaging services for Community Healthcare System who performs breast MRI, ultrasound and stereotactic core biopsies. “The sooner we get the results, the sooner our patients get to treatment.”
“Pinpointing breast cancer swiftly and sooner is part of our commitment to early detection and accurate diagnosis,” Nicholson says. “Everything we do is designed to decrease waiting and decrease anxiety.”
Just three weeks after diagnosis, Darrow’s treatment began with a bilateral mastectomy. Chemotherapy followed shortly after. She says her treatment came full circle when she realized that it was rooted in local cancer research.
Darrow’s chemotherapy regimen included drugs that weren’t available some 15 years ago. One of those drugs the Community Cancer Research Foundation in Munster offered access to as part of a national clinical trial. The trial was stopped early due to positive results, leading to FDA approval of those drugs that are now routine targeted therapy for HER2 positive cancer.
“The fact that my local healthcare system was a part of this study that made this drug available to me 10 to 12 years later is amazing,” Darrow says.
Through the Community Cancer Research Foundation’s efforts, patients have access to clinical research trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and major research cooperatives worldwide. The three hospitals of Community Healthcare System offer patient access to research for prevention and/or treatment for not only breast cancer, but lung, ovarian, colon cancers, lymphoma, adult leukemia and multiple myeloma as well.
For more about oncology care and services offered at the hospitals of Community Healthcare System, visit COMHS.org/services/cancer-care.
