“My mother would say, ‘Whatever you do, do with your might. Things done by halves are never done right,’” Carla recalls. “She wasn’t saying, ‘Be perfect.’ She was saying, ‘If you put the right effort in, you don’t have to worry about the outcome.’”

The Paonessas have always put in a strong effort when it comes to Mayo Clinic. They have poured their energies into service on leadership councils and as hosts of benefactor events. In addition, they have endowed the chair in Student Life & Wellness at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, supported capital expansion projects, and made a special gift toward the production of Ken Burns’ documentary “The Mayo Clinic: Faith – Hope – Science.”

“We think Mayo Clinic does healthcare right,” Russ says. “Everyone says that they put the patients first, but Mayo really does. They are patient with the patients and listen well.”

We think Mayo Clinic does healthcare right. Everyone says that they put the patients first, but Mayo really does.

— Russ Paonessa

One gift that holds special significance for the Paonessas is the naming gift they made in support of the library in the Integrated Education and Research Building at the Mayo Clinic campus in Arizona. Russ and Carla are both lifelong learners who spent lots of time in libraries when they were growing up.

“Mayo is going to stay on the cutting edge of education and be the envy of a lot of healthcare institutions, and they’re not afraid to partner with their students,” Carla says. “They listen to what the students say they want in education.”

Russ and Carla both believe that organizations function at their best when everyone feels their voice is valued. They say that Mayo’s team-focused approach — “they don’t tolerate egos” — reminds them of the successful businesses they helped lead. So too does the organization’s embrace of new technologies.

“Mayo Clinic is undaunted by the future, which is tough to do. In medicine, there’s a lot of doing things because, ‘That’s what the book says to do’ or ‘That’s what our protocols say,’” Carla says. “Mayo’s not afraid of growth and stepping out of traditional patterns.”

The post Russ and Carla Paonessa appeared first on Mayo Clinic Magazine.

He was prescribed antibiotics, but his symptoms worsened. When Craig began to pass blood, his wife insisted that they drive straight to Mayo Clinic in Rochester — about an hour and a half away. There, Mayo Clinic physicians diagnosed him with metastatic urothelial cancer, or bladder cancer, which had spread to his spine.

Craig recalls receiving a phone call late that night from his Mayo Clinic doctor, who asked him if he wanted to just maintain his health for a few years or cure his cancer.

"I said, 'I'd like you to cure it,'" says Craig.

Seeking a Cure

Craig’s father had been a farmer, which was Craig’s dream too. But his father suggested he gain additional skills to supplement his farming income. Following his father's advice and encouragement from his high school welding teacher, Craig pursued his teaching certificate in welding. What he initially thought would be five or six years of teaching turned into a 45-year career developing welding programs at several local schools while also raising cattle and growing soybeans and corn on his 2,000-acre farm. Through his welding programs, he has trained several welders now employed by local manufacturing companies.

After his diagnosis in 2023, Craig took a hiatus from teaching and farming to focus on his cancer treatments at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato, which included chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy.

Metastatic urothelial cancer that has spread beyond the bladder usually is considered incurable and inoperable. However, Craig responded well to chemotherapy and radiation to his spine, which made his oncologist, Jacob Orme, M.D., Ph.D., and urologist, Paras Shah, M.D., consider Craig for a new surgical approach to treatment.

Craig proceeded with the proposed surgery and had his bladder, prostate and 36 lymph nodes removed.

"In Mr. Smith's bladder, we found viable cancer cells that would have led to a relapse. Now, however, he is nearly two years from diagnosis and remains disease-free," says Dr. Shah.

Craig’s positive response to treatment and surgery has spurred a clinical trial testing this aggressive approach in other patients with bladder cancer. Currently, 17 participants are enrolled, and the results so far have been promising.

A Path Forward

Advances in cancer treatment, such as immunotherapy that harnesses the body's immune system to fight cancer and the identification of biomarkers in the blood or urine that show how well a patient is responding to treatment, are helping the physicians select who will benefit most from surgery.

"The impetus for this study is to attack the cancer from multiple approaches, including treatments that cover head to toe and treatments that are directed right at the source tumor," says Stephen Boorjian, M.D., who is the David and Anne Luther Chair of Urology at Mayo Clinic and a lead proponent of the study.

"We want to remove the root of the cancer after we've burned off the leaves," adds Dr. Orme.

A team of researchers, physicians and clinical trials staff expedited the clinical trial through an accelerated pathway called a Rapid Activation Trial. It's part of a larger effort at Mayo Clinic to launch new clinical trials swiftly and effectively.

"Shortening activation timelines allows us to make a difference to more patients and their families," says Michelle Monosmith, Mayo Clinic Office of Clinical Trials operations administrator.

The study is supported by a generous gift by Ronald J. and Carol T. Beerman to Mayo Clinic. Dr. Boorjian and Elisabeth Heath, M.D., chair of Oncology, are prioritizing this effort to achieve more cures for men and women with bladder cancer.

"Our only goal is to help our patients live better and longer," says Dr. Orme.

That's what Craig plans to do as he continues to farm, teach and spend time with his family.

A version of this story was published on Mayo Clinic News Network.

The post Farmer Inspires New Potential Bladder Cancer Treatment appeared first on Mayo Clinic Magazine.

“At 95, I can drive and take care of myself,” Isabelle says. “For that, I’m very grateful to Mayo Clinic.”

Isabelle has had her physicals at Mayo Clinic since 1989, and she’s been a Major Benefactor for even longer. While The Mayo Legacy is celebrating its 35th year, Isabelle has been a benefactor for more than four decades.

Isabelle’s connection with Mayo Clinic began when her husband, Lawrence, a Cincinnati builder and developer, hotel owner, and manufacturer of parts for the space program, was diagnosed with cancer in 1984. Lawrence’s cancer wasn’t curable, Isabelle says, but Mayo Clinic helped him live long enough to get his affairs in order.

“It gave me my husband for two more years,” she says.

The couple spent weeks at a time in Rochester during Lawrence’s treatment, and Isabelle fell in love with the “wonderful atmosphere” of the community. “The people of Rochester are proud of Mayo,” she says. “They realize many people visiting there are either going through the clinic or with someone who is in the clinic.”

Our world has changed, but Mayo stays on course, and I appreciate that. It’s wonderful to have somebody you can trust.

— Isabelle Paul

On a walk down Broadway Avenue one day, Isabelle stopped into Ginny’s Fine Fabrics. It was the start of a decades-long friendship with the store’s owner, Ginny Smith. “She’s one of the most delightful ladies I’ve ever known,” Ginny says. Ever since, nearly all of Isabelle’s clothes, which she designs herself, have been made from Ginny’s fabrics.

Isabelle is one of Ginny’s most loyal — and most elegant — customers. “She discovered me when I was first starting out,” Ginny says. “She's one of the reasons I'm still in business.”

Now, wearing Ginny’s fabrics, Isabelle carries a bit of Rochester, and by extension, Mayo Clinic, with her everywhere.

The Beauty of Service

After Lawrence died in 1987, Isabelle decided to devote her life to serving others.

In 2004, Isabelle was invited to join the Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights of Hospitaller, a Christian charity serving the sick and poor. Since Isabelle started the order’s Florida Commandery chapter in 2011, it has supported local organizations including Boca Helping Hands, HomeSafe and Gateway Community Outreach. For her service to the order, Isabelle was recognized as a Dame Grand Cross, the highest honor bestowed by the charity.

“It makes me very happy to be able to help so many people in so many ways,” Isabelle says.

Isabelle also enjoys making art. While quarantined during the COVID-19 pandemic, she wrote icons of the 12 disciples, which are now hung in the chapel of her church.

Isabelle donated valuable antiques to Mayo Clinic’s historical buildings when she moved from Cincinnati to Boca Raton, Florida. At the Mayo Foundation House, two large jade statues adorn the mantel and two Daum glass vases sit on the desk of Dr. Charlie Mayo, co-founder of Mayo Clinic. The lifesize brass knight that greets visitors to Mayowood was also a gift from Isabelle’s collection.

“I love beautiful things,” she says. “It makes me feel good that someone will also get to enjoy them as much as I have.”

In 2018, Isabelle donated the Mayo Ancestors model statue to Mayo Clinic in Florida. She says her support of Mayo Clinic has never wavered because the health system has always stayed true to its mission.

“The patient comes first. They want excellence, and they’re doing that,” Isabelle says. “Our world has changed, but Mayo stays on course, and I appreciate that. It’s wonderful to have somebody you can trust.”

The post Isabelle Paul appeared first on Mayo Clinic Magazine.

In 2004, after a handful of emergency visits at a local hospital for a serious and locally untreatable heart condition, doctors there sent Ann Marie’s mother, Victoria, to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, a six-hour drive from their home in Morris, Illinois.

Mayo Clinic doctors determined Victoria, then 84, needed an aortic valve replacement. Although her surgery was life-threatening because of her age, it was successful, and she lived for 10 more years.

“What do you do when they save your mother’s life?” Ann Marie says. “I would have given Mayo everything I had for what they did for her.”

That’s when Ann Marie and her husband, Paul Jung, became annual benefactors to Mayo Clinic.

NAVIGATING A NEW CHALLENGE

Two years later, Paul, a high school choral music director, noticed a lump on the left side of his neck. Doctors at a local hospital suspected cancer. Paul and Ann Marie traveled to Mayo Clinic for a second opinion, and Paul was diagnosed with a rare stage 4 base of tongue cancer.

Each doctor visit brought more bad news, but Paul and Ann Marie were buoyed by the perseverance of the Mayo Clinic medical team. “They’re always trying to give you the honest truth,” Ann Marie says, “but they still try to give you hope.”

Paul underwent a complex 12-hour surgery at Mayo Clinic Hospital – Rochester, Saint Marys Campus to remove the cancer, which had spread to the opposite side of his neck — while Ann Marie and Victoria waited. “We were the first ones in that surgical waiting room,” Ann Marie says, “and we were the last ones to leave that night.”

After surgery with Jan Kasperbauer, M.D., and his team, Paul remained at Mayo Clinic for six weeks for a full treatment regimen of chemotherapy and radiation. He also agreed to participate in a clinical trial of a targeted therapy for patients with his type of cancer.

Though participating in such a trial presents little risk, some patients decline because they’re already overwhelmed by cancer treatment, says radiation oncologist Paul Brown, M.D., who treated Paul’s cancer and sees him for annual checkups.

We don’t want to be far from a Mayo facility. I know if I go to a Mayo facility, I’m going to be in good hands.

— Ann Marie Struck, D.D.S.

“He’s an altruistic person, so it’s not a surprise that he was willing to enroll in the study,” Dr. Brown says. “You’re doing it to help people in the future.”

At the end of his treatment, after weeks on a feeding tube, Paul couldn’t swallow well and his vocal cords had limited function. It was a devastating blow for a man whose livelihood was singing. “My heart sank,” Paul says. “I said to myself, ‘I’m in this for the long haul.’”

He worked with a speech pathologist and Mayo Clinic’s vocal music therapist to recover some function. Though his voice remains compromised and his swallowing is limited, Paul continued to teach for five more years before retiring in 2011.

Now, Paul is a deacon for the Roman Catholic Church. “If it wasn’t for Mayo,” he says, “I wouldn’t be able to speak and preach.” Paul also sings publicly once a year, performing a solo of the joyous Easter proclamation the “Exsultet” at his church.

RECOGNIZING IMPACT

Ann Marie and Paul, who own a small vacation property in Northern Illinois, consider Rochester their third home. Both see internal medicine doctors at Mayo Clinic, despite the distance.

The couple is so dedicated to Mayo Clinic, in fact, that they have limited their future retirement locale to the three cities where the health system operates: Rochester, Scottsdale or Jacksonville. “We don’t want to be far from a Mayo facility,” Ann Marie says. “I know if I go to a Mayo facility, I’m going to be in good hands.”

Ann Marie, a retired dentist, and Paul have been thrilled to see Mayo Clinic expand its cancer-fighting arsenal with proton beam therapy, a more precise radiation treatment with less toxicity and fewer side effects. At Mayo Clinic, a large percentage of patients with base of tongue cancer are now treated with proton beam therapy, Dr. Brown says.

“With these newer treatment protocols, patients have a better chance of a better functional outcome,” he says. “I’m so thankful for Paul’s support because Mayo Clinic is continuing to try to improve outcomes for patients with head-neck cancer just like him.”

Now Major Benefactors and members of The Mayo Legacy, Ann Marie and Paul say the three shields of Mayo Clinic — representing Clinical Practice, Education and Research — align with their experiences as patients, Paul’s longtime teaching career, and Ann Marie’s interest in medical research.

“We knew Mayo Clinic was the place for us,” Paul says. “Mayo Clinic has been there for us, and we want to be there for them.”

The post Ann Marie Struck, D.D.S., and Deacon Paul Jung appeared first on Mayo Clinic Magazine.

“I’d never been sick a day in my life. Then in March 2023 my whole body started swelling,” Betti recalls. “Nobody could identify the cause. It was a dark time.”

After Betti was admitted to Mayo Clinic Hospital in Arizona, the answer arrived, in the form of Cushing syndrome.

“Her body was producing too much cortisol,” says Dick Robinson, Betti’s husband. “Her doctors thought the cause was a small tumor in her lung. Her surgeon removed the tumor and a small amount of tissue around it. Everything changed. Betti started feeling better almost overnight.”

While still in the hospital, the Robinsons started discussing a gift in appreciation of Mayo Clinic’s care.

“We wanted to honor the doctors and do something that would help others,” says Dick.

If our gift helps bring in one new researcher who finds one new thing to help people, then it was a huge success.

— Dick Robinson

The Robinsons’ gift helps fund the recruitment of top scientists to Mayo Clinic in Arizona. It honors the team that cared for Betti, which included Staci Beamer, M.D.; Craig Jenkins, D.O.; Laszlo Vaszar, M.D.; and Julia Files, M.D. Mayo Clinic recognizes the Robinsons, who live in Scottsdale, Arizona, as Major Benefactors for their generosity.

“If our gift helps bring in one new researcher who finds one new thing to help people, then it was a huge success,” Dick says.

Recruitment funds like the Robinsons’ gift facilitate life-changing discoveries by helping Mayo Clinic attract top clinicians and scientists and provide them with other support to accelerate their research.

With Betti’s health restored, she and Dick are back to their favorite pastimes: golfing; traveling; watching University of Nebraska football; and spending time with their three sons, three daughters-in-law and eight grandchildren.

The post Dick and Betti Robinson appeared first on Mayo Clinic Magazine.

“That infuriated me,” Pamela says.

Not ready to give up, Pamela decided to reach out to Mayo Clinic in Florida. She filled out a form for Jack to become a patient and hoped for the best. Then the phone rang.

“One of the most important phone calls you get is Mayo Clinic saying, ‘We’ll accept you as a patient,’” Pamela says. “It was life changing.”

Doctors at Mayo Clinic were direct — Jack was very sick — but they gave the Stanfords hope and direction. Jack’s treatment would include chemotherapy and radiation at home in North Carolina, along with regular checkups at Mayo Clinic.

One of the most important phone calls you get is Mayo Clinic saying, 'We’ll accept you as a patient.' It was life changing.

— PAMELA STANFORD

“I received treatment too, from the standpoint that it kept me sane, kept me grounded,” Pamela says. “To know someone had our back, it was great.”

In April 2008, Jack was among the first patients to have surgery in the newly opened Mayo Clinic Hospital in Florida. The cancer surgery was successful, and Jack lived for 10 years after his diagnosis under the care of Mayo Clinic.

Another Diagnosis

During the worst of Jack’s illness, Pamela’s biggest supporter was her sister, Tommye Barie. Tommye, a Florida resident, joined Pamela at Mayo Clinic for Jack’s surgery.

“I knew the caliber of care he was getting,” Tommye says.

Tommye, a certified public accountant, returned to Mayo Clinic in 2014 — this time as a patient. On a friend’s recommendation, she joined the Mayo Clinic Executive Health Program, which provides individualized, comprehensive care to full-time working executives through timely, coordinated access to multidisciplinary providers.

In 2015, Tommye began to experience brief debilitating headaches. She contacted the Executive Health Program, which connected her with a Mayo Clinic headache specialist. A brain scan found a tumor. With Pamela and Jack on hand for support, Tommye had a craniotomy at Mayo Clinic to remove the mass.

“All you can do is turn it over to the experts and pray,” says Pamela, who now trusted Mayo Clinic with two of the most important people in her life. “I knew Jack and Tommye were in the best hands possible.”

Tommye’s surgery confirmed her tumor was a benign hemangioblastoma. She was home from the hospital within three days.

Jack, who had built a successful insurance brokerage and real estate company and was instrumental in the growth of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, passed away in 2017.

Giving Back

Last year, before her appointment, Tommye strolled the Mayo Clinic campus. She found herself engrossed in a display showcasing The Mayo Legacy, a program for patients, staff and benefactors who have included Mayo Clinic in their estate plans. Tommye thought The Mayo Legacy might be an option for her.

When Tommye returned to the Sarasota condominium she and Pamela now call home — their residences are one floor apart — she told her sister about the inspiring benefactor stories she read. As it happens, Pamela had been considering becoming a benefactor herself.

Since Jack’s surgery, Pamela had been inspired by Mayo Clinic’s groundbreaking medical research program. “We wanted to give somewhere that would truly make a difference in people’s lives,” she says.

Tommye says her confidence in Mayo Clinic’s fiscal responsibility made her decision to give an easy one. “It just felt like the right thing to do,” she says.

When the sisters decided, independently, to become benefactors, they felt a weight lift from their shoulders. “We wanted to do something meaningful with what we worked so hard for,” Tommye says.

The post Tommye Barie and Pam Stanford appeared first on Mayo Clinic Magazine.

Celebrating 35 Years of Impact

For 35 years, The Mayo Legacy has powered one of healthcare's most ambitious visions — ensuring that breakthrough treatments, compassionate care and life-saving research continue for generations to come.

As a member of Mayo Clinic's gift planning team, Jess Nelson LeMay connects more than 5,000 generous benefactors with the institution's transformative mission through this recognition program for planned gifts. These future commitments sustain Mayo Clinic's legacy of exceptional patient care, groundbreaking medical research and service to humanity.

After eight years of helping benefactors translate their gratitude into lasting impact, Jess finds her work deeply rewarding. Each conversation reveals not just what inspires their giving, but how Mayo Clinic has fundamentally changed their lives.

As The Mayo Legacy reaches this milestone anniversary, Jess sat down with Mayo Clinic Magazine to explore how planned giving continues to shape the future of healthcare — one meaningful connection at a time.

Tell us about the history of The Mayo Legacy.

The Mayo Legacy honors individuals who support Mayo Clinic's future through planned giving and other future-focused gifts.

At the heart of Mayo Clinic’s history lies the vision of Drs. William J. and Charles H. Mayo. Established in 1990, The Mayo Legacy unites those deeply committed to Mayo Clinic's mission — one inspired by the Mayo brothers' extraordinary act of donating their life savings to establish Mayo Clinic as a nonprofit.

The Mayo Legacy began with a simple but powerful idea: to bring together individuals who wish to support Mayo Clinic’s work in perpetuity.

Future-focused gifts empower Mayo Clinic to pursue groundbreaking research, develop new technologies, and provide compassionate patient care worldwide.

— Jess Nelson LeMay

Mayo Clinic provides the best care to every patient, advances healthcare through research and education, and serves humanity. Every member of The Mayo Legacy plays a role in advancing this mission by supporting the cutting-edge research, innovative treatments and compassionate care that define Mayo Clinic.

How does supporting Mayo Clinic through planned giving ensure that future generations will continue to benefit from groundbreaking medical advancements and compassionate care?

For Mayo Clinic, estate gifts contribute to the long-term sustainability of the institution, providing resources to drive medical innovation, enhance patient care, and support education and research. Through The Mayo Legacy, benefactors weave their own stories into the fabric of Mayo Clinic’s future, knowing their commitment will help shape healthcare for generations to come.

The Mayo Legacy is celebrating 35 years this year. How have you seen the program grow?

The Mayo Legacy has experienced remarkable growth in 35 years, expanding from a small group of founders to a thriving community of over 10,500 members. Today, more than 5,000 living members demonstrate the power of collective impact. This growth reflects a shared commitment to Mayo Clinic's mission and fosters a strong sense of connection among members.

The Mayo Legacy community has witnessed the construction of significant buildings such as the John H. and Jennie D. Birdsall Medical Research Building in Florida for neuroscience research, Mayo Clinic Hospital in Arizona, and the Gonda Building in Rochester, among many others. Members have celebrated breakthroughs like the 1,000th liver transplant and milestones such as the 150th anniversary of Mayo Clinic. The Mayo Legacy has seen the implementation of innovations like the electronic health record at all sites, demonstrating Mayo Clinic’s commitment to advancing healthcare.

Continued giving is crucial to securing Mayo Clinic's future leadership in healthcare. Future-focused gifts empower Mayo Clinic to pursue groundbreaking research, develop new technologies, and provide compassionate patient care worldwide. Benefactor support ensures Mayo Clinic can continue to Cure, Connect and Transform healthcare for years to come.

There are currently more than 5,000 members who have made a commitment to Mayo Clinic and are part of The Mayo Legacy. What would you like to say to those benefactors?

As The Mayo Legacy celebrates its 35th anniversary, we express heartfelt appreciation to every member — past, present and future. Each member’s decision to include Mayo Clinic in their estate plans is a profound expression of trust and hope in Mayo Clinic. The leadership, innovation and compassion that define Mayo Clinic would not be possible without the generosity and vision of The Mayo Legacy’s benefactors.

To those who have made this commitment — thank you. Your foresight and generosity are transforming lives and healing communities. You are the reason Mayo Clinic can continue to strive for excellence, set new standards in medicine, and fulfill its humanitarian mission.

The post Celebrating 35 Years of Impact appeared first on Mayo Clinic Magazine.

Jerry and his husband, Jon Durham, needed a team that knew how to fight. They left their home in Kalamazoo and drove the eight hours to Rochester, Minnesota, where Mayo Clinic’s care team was ready and waiting.

They met Thor Halfdanarson, M.D., an oncologist at Mayo Clinic, who is the former president of the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society. He proposed an aggressive combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Jerry (on the left in the photo) says the assurance and compassion of his multidisciplinary care team gave him hope throughout the process.

The care and communication from Mayo to us was excellent. It’s powerful the way the teams work together. I felt them fighting for Jerry’s life.

— JON DURHAM

“Cancer is scary enough — and then you add COVID on top of that,” says Jerry. “I never saw my care team’s faces because of the masks, but they were able to build trust in other ways. Their confidence, determination and teamwork were phenomenal. The model that Mayo has should be the model that everyone tries to emulate.”

“The care and communication from Mayo to us was excellent,” Jon adds. “I never felt uncomfortable. It’s powerful the way the teams work together. I felt them fighting for Jerry’s life.”

Jerry remains in remission today and is enjoying time in Michigan and California with Jon, as well as hobbies such as sculpting glass art. One of his pieces hangs in Dr. Halfdanarson’s office, a reminder of his success story.

Recently, Jerry and Jon made a generous undesignated planned gift. Undesignated gifts help ensure that Mayo Clinic can invest in critical initiatives quickly and decisively to have a real-time impact on patients’ needs. Jerry and Jon are recognized as members of The Mayo Legacy for including Mayo Clinic in their estate plan.

“We wanted to do something to say thank you,” Jon says. “This is meaningful for us not only because they cured Jerry’s cancer, but also because of the way they brought us through the journey. They listened, they participated, they fought. Our gift is undesignated because we want to help Mayo keep doing what they are doing.”

The post Jerry Harty and Jon Durham appeared first on Mayo Clinic Magazine.

With her plans for her future pushed aside, Brescia's focus was now on her health and hope. It's an unexpected chapter facing an increasing number of adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer.

Brescia's Dream

At 4 years old, it was clear Brescia had a flare for creativity. She readily admits she was never one to miss an opportunity to play dress-up, draw pictures or tell a story. 

"Being creative has always been at the core of what I do," she says. Early on, she developed a love for photography and videography. Brescia's dream was to pursue a career that allowed her to put her creative energy to work. 

After high school, Brescia's passion led her to college to study film and media production. She even traveled to Italy to study abroad. After her Italian adventure, Brescia returned to the U.S. to finish college. First, she went to her doctor for her annual checkup. 

 "I lived a really healthy, balanced lifestyle," says Brescia. "My doctor found swelling on the side of my neck. I hadn't noticed the swelling and didn't have any symptoms." Brescia was sent for an ultrasound followed by a surgical biopsy. 

The Diagnosis

The surgical biopsy revealed Brescia had Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare type of blood cancer. "Being diagnosed with cancer at 20 years old was so scary, and I wouldn't wish that on any 20-year-old," says Brescia. "I think about the young version of me who just found out she had cancer, and I just wish I could give her a hug." 

Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that begins in the lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system. Brescia says the news came as a shock because she felt healthy and had no family history of cancer. "It felt like there was something I could have done to prevent it, but I learned that there's nothing I could have done," says Brescia. 

Navigating Life With Cancer

"When I was going through college and diagnosed with cancer, it was not what I was expecting," says Brescia. "Being a young adult with cancer was very hard and challenging. It is scary and can be very frightening." 

At 20 years old, Brescia falls into a group of patients referred to as adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer. AYA patients are between the ages of 15 and 39. Experts say AYA patients face a distinct set of challenges. 

"One of the reasons this age group is so important is based on their life stage — the things they uniquely face, like body image, disruption in school and work, financial challenges, feeling isolation," says Allison Rosenthal, D.O., with the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

Doctor and Cancer Survivor

Dr. Rosenthal knows firsthand the challenges AYA patients face. "I had leukemia in medical school. There were a lot of missed opportunities in my care to recognize the issues that I might face as a 24-year-old woman," explains Dr. Rosenthal. 

Putting her experience into action, Dr. Rosenthal championed Mayo Clinic's Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program. The program is tailored to meet the unique needs of AYA patients to include medical care, fertility concerns, social and relationship issues, school and work concerns, and the personal and emotional impact of cancer in this age group. 

Brescia underwent about four months of chemotherapy treatment under the care of Dr. Rosenthal. "She did a beautiful job of explaining to me what the process was going to look like and what my treatment plan was going to look like. Because I'm so young, she walked me through the whole process," says Brescia.

Cancer-Free and Focused on the Future

After her cancer treatments, Brescia returned to college and got her degree. She started her own marketing agency providing social media management, videography, photography and brand development with her personal creative touch. She also celebrated her five-year anniversary of being cancer-free. 

"I also have a podcast called the Checkered Jaguar where I get to have incredible conversations with people, share their stories and connect people who may be going through similar challenges that I went through," says Brescia. "We're all in this journey together, and just being open and vulnerable with my journey — as challenging as it may be — I feel like it connects me to people all around the world." 

This article was originally published in Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center Blog. 

The post Navigating Life as a Young Adult With Cancer: Brescia’s Story appeared first on Mayo Clinic Magazine.

Shraddha's Story 

It was November 2022, just a month shy of her 28th birthday. 

Shraddha was wrapping up another day at the medical clinic where she worked as an occupational therapist. Shraddha's job was to help patients regain the ability to perform day-to-day activities following a health challenge like surgery. 

Suddenly that afternoon, Shraddha became the patient who needed help. 

"My co-worker looked at me and said, 'Why is your hand all purple and blue?'" Shraddha says. She admits she had been feeling exceptionally tired as of late but attributed it to a thyroid condition. 

Her co-worker checked Shraddha's vital signs and found her blood oxygen level was dangerously low. "I remember her saying, 'If this is right, you wouldn't even be standing.'" A repeat test showed the same result. "The next thing I remember was we were on our way to the hospital," says Shraddha. 

At the hospital, doctors began looking for the cause of Shraddha's low blood oxygen level. A series of tests traced Shraddha's condition all the way back to the day she was born. 

"When I was born, doctors said I had fatty liver, but they didn't know why so they called it 'undiagnosed,'" says Shraddha. "The doctors thought it wouldn't be a problem because the liver has a tendency to heal itself." It didn't. Shraddha grew up seemingly in perfect health, unaware that her liver disease was silently doing damage to her body. 

A Little Girl With a Big Dream 

Shraddha was born in Mumbai, India, which is often called the "City of Dreams." At a young age, Shraddha had big dreams of her own. She wanted to pursue a career in the medical field that would allow her to help others. 

Every year, Shraddha went to the doctor for her routine physical. Each time she was given a clean bill of health. "I used to do blood tests, but everything always looked good," says Shraddha. Still, the question of what caused her congenital liver condition lingered in her mind. 

"I didn't have a family history of any liver condition. I've never had alcohol in my life," says Shraddha. "There was always a question mark. I needed to find out why this happened to me." 

At 23, Shraddha became the first person in her family to leave India and go to the U.S. to attend college. She studied occupational therapy and got her master's degree at the University of Southern California. After college, Shraddha found her dream job at a medical clinic in California. 

'Less Than a Year to Live'

All was going well until Shraddha began to notice she was unusually tired. "When my sister came to visit, she noticed I got tired after walking short distances. I went to the doctor, and they thought maybe it was my thyroid," recalls Shraddha. 

Then came the day her hands turned purple and her blood oxygen level mysteriously dropped. "My co-worker is a nurse so she got the oximeter and checked and it was 78%," says Shraddha. "And I was like, ‘No, that's not possible because I wouldn't be alive.’" Shraddha's co-worker checked again, looked at the reading and said, "That's it, you have to go to the hospital." 

A series of tests at the hospital revealed shocking results. Shraddha's liver condition had silently led to a more serious condition called hepatopulmonary syndrome.

Hepatopulmonary Syndrome 

Hepatopulmonary syndrome is caused when liver disease shunts blood away from the lungs, preventing the body from getting the appropriate amount of oxygen. Doctors told Shraddha the only way she would survive is with a liver transplant. However, she says she was told her condition was so severe and the risk so high that she would likely not survive a transplant. 

She was denied the transplant and given less than a year to live. 

"I told the doctors, 'That just can't be. I can't have just one year with nothing to bring to this world. I have not served my purpose,’” recalls Shraddha. 

Refusing to give up, Shraddha turned to Mayo Clinic in Arizona. 

"More than 40% of her blood was being shunted away from her lungs. Because of that, she had extremely low oxygen levels in her blood," explains Bashar Aqel, M.D., director of the Transplant Center at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. "Shraddha's case was one of the most severe cases of liver disease and hepatopulmonary syndrome." 

Saving Shraddha 

The liver transplant was Shraddha's only hope for survival. "Without a transplant, this disease was progressive and fatal. We don't like to use this word, but it is a very progressive disease," says Dr. Aqel. "There was no other cure than a liver transplant." 

Dr. Aqel and his multidisciplinary team of experts at Mayo Clinic went to work on a strategy to save Shraddha. The team came up with a plan using a combination of some of the latest cutting-edge technologies in medicine. 

‘Liver in a Box’ 

Transplanting any organ is a race against the clock. Every second the donor organ is outside the body, it begins to break down. Surgeons only have a limited time window to transplant the organ. Due to the complexity of Shraddha's case, Dr. Aqel's team knew they would need extra time. They decided to use one of the latest medical breakthroughs in transplant often referred to as "liver in a box." 

Traditionally, donor organs are kept cold until transplanted. "Liver in a box" uses a warm organ preservation method. The organ is placed in a container that pumps oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood through the liver, simulating conditions in the human body. The innovative perfusion system gives surgeons more time to perform the transplant. 

"Having the ‘liver in a box’ allowed the donor liver to stay healthy while we performed this complex surgery," says Dr. Aqel. 

Currently, this warm perfusion technology is primarily being used for heart, lungs and liver transplants.

Saving Lives With Mobile ECMO 

The next challenge was how to keep Shraddha's blood oxygen levels stable after her transplant. Dr. Aqel's team turned to a device called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO. The device often is used when the lungs aren't working properly. ECMO helps with the appropriate gas exchange that must occur to keep the body's blood oxygen level safe. 

"It helps in getting oxygen into the blood and carbon dioxide out of the blood through the machine," explains Ayan Sen, M.D., medical director of Mayo Clinic's Intensive Care Unit in Arizona. "It helped us while her lungs recovered after her transplant." 

The Mayo team also used one of the newest advancements in ECMO where the device is mobile. 

"The best part of the mobile ECMO was that we do it in a way where she could actually walk around with the machine so that we could continue with her physical therapy, which is so important for the healing process after such a complex surgery," says Dr. Sen. 

Shraddha was in the ICU for nearly two months. With mobile ECMO, she walked nearly every day. 

Dr. Sen says mobile ECMO has proved to be a game-changer in critical cases like Shraddha's. 

"It is technology that has really expanded  what surgeons do when they do heart surgeries and transplants, where now we can do this to save lives at any place that is not a complex environment, like the ICU or the operating rooms," explains Dr. Sen. 

Mobile ECMO has become a lifesaving medical breakthrough for many patients. 

"It has enabled us to raise the bar when it comes to saving people, who, until now, could not have been saved in the absence of this heart-lung machine," says Dr. Sen. 

A team of highly specialized experts escorted Shraddha on her daily walks, meticulously monitoring her vital signs. Each step required Shraddha to muster every bit of strength she had. 

"From the first day, I thought even if it pains me, if it hurts, even if it feels impossible, I still need to put that step forward to do something better today than yesterday," recalls Shraddha.

'Mayo's Mission Is Now My Purpose' 

Almost two years after her harrowing experience, Shraddha is healthy and back at work. She continues her daily walks, only now at the beach, in solitude, reflecting on how her own experience can make her a better healthcare professional. 

"Mayo Clinic doesn't like to say ‘no.’ They set out to achieve the unachievable," says Shraddha. "My goal is to treat patients as they do, making them a priority." 

Shraddha says words of thanks alone are not enough to convey her gratitude.  

"Dr. Aqel and his team achieved something for me that everyone else thought was impossible," says Shraddha. "It was a gift. I will keep the mission of Mayo Clinic in mind when I am serving my patients. My purpose now is to put forward their purpose and help someone else."

This article was originally published in Mayo Clinic News Network. 

The post Harnessing the Power of Innovation and a Patient’s Will to Survive appeared first on Mayo Clinic Magazine.