The impact of comprehensive, compassionate care and the hope of cutting-edge cancer research at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey can be conveyed in numerous ways by numerous people – doctors, nurses, scientists – but the best champions to share these incredible stories of courage, survival and determination are the patients themselves. We invite you to learn more about their inspirational journeys.
More Than a Shark Bite Never did 27-year-old Keosha Doyle think that a tiny bump on her arm would develop into a rare sarcoma. In treating the 'whole patient,' experts at Rutgers Cancer Institute managed her cancer and so much more.
A Trans-Atlantic Match After being diagnosed with a high-risk form of acute myeloid leukemia, doctors at the Rutgers Cancer Institute quickly realized that Lael McGrath would need a stem cell transplant. Since none of Lael's family members were a match, she was registered with Be The Match. Through that National Marrow Donor Program, her ideal match was located in Germany - half a world away.
Improving the Odds for Pancreatic Cancer When Patricia Brown needed surgery for her pancreatic cancer, she turned to experts at both Rutgers Cancer Institute and Saint Barnabas Medical Center, enabling her to receive precision care while remaining close to her Orange, New Jersey home.
Finding Solutions When Andrea Marcus learned she had stage 2 breast cancer, this busy, working mother wanted to get it behind her quickly. Experts at Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health worked together to find an individualized treatment approach for Marcus, which included a clinical trial.
Telemedicine: Putting Patients First Just as easy as video chatting with his grandchildren, Lance Mallinson underwent care for lung cancer at Robert Wood Johnson University Hamilton and Rutgers Cancer Institute using Telemedicine.
Getting it 'Just Right' A drastic, unexplained change in health had Ruth Hansen seeking answers. When diagnosed with a condition known as Cushing's syndrome, she found expertise in this rare tumor type at Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health.
Saving Grace When Grace Eline was diagnosed with a brain tumor, teams at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center joined forces on her unique care to get this fourth grader back to being just a kid again.
An Ironman’s New Lease on Life At 85 Kelly Marx stared down liver cancer compounded by some complex cardiac issues that required surgical finesse. He found his medical ‘dreamteam’ at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Saint Barnabas Medical Center.
'Out of the Box' Care Close to Home When diagnosed with advanced stage endometrial cancer, Irma Lopez came to the Gynecologic Oncology Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute. What she wasn’t expecting was an ‘out of the box’ approach by members of the Phase 1/Investigational Therapeutics Program who found a clinical trial just right for her.
'Super-Cells' to the Rescue When Dave Rodney's B-cell lymphoma didn't respond to standard treatments, it seemed he was out of options. But doctors at Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health joined forces to offer the recently approved CAR T-cell therapy, re-engineering the patient's own cells in a laboratory to attack his cancer.
A Full Measure of Life A rare form of appendix cancer left Allan Schwer wondering about next steps. Some research about a complex surgical procedure offered only at a handful of centers around the country led him to Rutgers Cancer Institute and a new chapter in life.
An Eye on the Future A retired firefighter, Jim Gritschke is used to tough battles. When faced with stage 4 kidney cancer, he found an arsenal of resources at Rutgers Cancer Institute to meet this challenge head on.
Healing a Healer What happens when the doctor becomes the patient? Facing a rare, aggressive blood cancer, Dr. Douglas Krohn turned to an experienced bone marrow transplant team at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey to get him back on track.
A Deeper Understanding A diagnosis involving a second adrenal tumor for Hemabahen Parikh initially led to some confusion, but after consulting with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey's Endocrine/Neuroendocrine Tumor Program, things became very clear.
Hiding from Cancer No More An unusual presentation with a breast lump had Tina Baines seeking expert opinion as to whether she had cancer. This busy mother of five found answers at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.
Inside A New Melanoma Immunotherapy Trial A virus associated with the common cold might not be what one thinks of when treating melanoma. At Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, an immunotherapy clinical trial using this approach is helping Nick Vojnyk enjoy life once again.
Combatting Cancer on Many Fronts Treating stage 4 cancer is challenging, often requiring multiple modalities. For Christine Hearn, it meant finding a care team with expertise in all of them. She found that care at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.
Munson's Story More than 20 years ago Munson McLeod underwent a successful stem cell transplant to conquer his non-Hodgkin lymphoma by a caring, dedicated team at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. He and his family reflect on their journey.
