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Victors Stories: Patient Stories

Juli and Lisa

Juli had been diagnosed with malignant fibrous histiocytoma, a form of sarcoma, and was undergoing treatment for it at another hospital. As weeks passed, however, it became apparent that what was being done to help her was not working.

Accompanying Juli to her treatments was her daughter, Lisa, who also cared for her on occasion during her illness. Based on Juli's lack of response to the treatment, Lisa wanted to see what alternatives were available that might work better for her mother. Since Juli was between appointments with her doctor, Lisa thought it would be a good time to gather information on options that she could talk over with the doctor on her mother's next visit.

While searching the Internet, Lisa came across the U-M Cancer AnswerLine™ web site. While browsing it, she found she could e-mail them questions or ask for information on any subject dealing with cancer. So she sent them an e-mail asking if there were alternative chemotherapies or medications for her mother's cancer. Within an hour, Lisa got an answer. "I was impressed," said Lisa. "They were very timely, which is important when you're dealing with cancer. We were at a crossroads, and we needed information."

And it wasn't just general, form letter-type information. "I really thought I would get stock answers," said Lisa. "But the Cancer AnswerLine™ has the right people there to answer your particular questions."

That's one of the things that makes the U-M Cancer AnswerLine™ so special -- the people who man the Web site and phone lines are oncology nurses. So they are familiar with cancer. They know what people with cancer go through, what treatments are out there, and what support services are available. And it's all done in a caring, compassionate, and personal manner.

"The answers the nurse provided me with were complete and thorough," said Lisa. "They also sent me online links to look at additional information they thought might be of interest. What they gave me allowed me to form questions for my mother's oncologist as to what other options were out there, what further care was available, etc. I felt very reassured."

Juli's next visit to the oncologist gave both her and Lisa hope that a new direction in her treatment would have a positive outcome. As it turned out, Juli "turned a corner," and they began to see her tumor shrinking. That was followed by radiation, which was ultimately followed by the news that Juli was in remission. As she still is today."

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