Robert Burger, MD, Director, Women’s Cancer Center at Fox Chase Cancer Center

Anna Jolly Sadbeck and her husband, Phillip, venture out with their baby to enjoy his first snowfall.

Once in a while, we get the opportunity to share an inspirational story about one of our patients. In this post, I have the pleasure of introducing you to a remarkable young woman, Anna Jolly, who was afraid her journey with cancer would limit her ability to become a mother.

As she shared with us the story of her experience with cervical cancer, Anna Jolly’s baby, Paul Nicholas, was gurgling in the background. While most new mothers would be thrilled to have their first child at 30, Anna is especially thankful. Less than a year after getting married in August 2007, Anna, who was 26, went for a routine gynecologic exam.  She’d just finished her master’s in education and was looking forward to starting a family.

“All of a sudden, every red flag went up,” she recalled.  The diagnosis was high-grade cervical dysplasia. The biopsy results came back positive for squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, stage 1B1.

In her mid-twenties, Anna thought she was going to die.

“The first three oncologists we saw all said I’d need a complete hysterectomy,” she recalled.  “They wouldn’t even discuss any other options.  I had no previous experience with cancer – and I really thought I was dying.”

Anna's surgeon, Mark A. Morgan, MD, FACOG, FACS

A family friend referred Anna to Dr. Mark Morgan, chief of Gynecologic Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center.  “He said if there was a chance to preserve my fertility, Dr. Morgan would do it.”

Dr. Morgan was able to surgically remove Anna’s tumor while preserving her fertility.

Anna and her husband Phillip met with Dr. Morgan in July 2008. “We’re devout believers, and we prayed our hearts out waiting for all the test results to come back,” she recalled.  “When Dr. Morgan came into the office, he seemed calm and positive. He said everything looked very contained.  He believed that a fertility preserving vaginal radical trachelectomy with lymph extraction would take care of the problem and allow us to have children.”

After the surgery, despite having a shortened cervix, Anna was told she should be able to get pregnant, with the baby delivered by caesarean section. Dr. Morgan performed the surgery August 4, 2008. “The next day, I was able to walk out of the hospital. My C-section was more traumatic than this surgery. I recovered well.”

A week later, Anna was told there were no findings of cancer anywhere, and she’d need no further treatment.  After several attempts, Anna and Phillip got pregnant in December 2010 – “the greatest Christmas gift ever.”  She carried her son to full term, and he was born by C-section in August 2011.

“Dr. Morgan is just incredible”

“Dr. Morgan reassured us with his competency from the beginning,” shared Anna. “He felt like family.  And when my son was born, the doctor who delivered him said he almost couldn’t tell that I’d had surgery, Dr. Morgan did such an amazing job. He did in four-and-a-half hours what nobody was willing to do.”

Anna and Phillip plan to have more children to keep Paul company. “The best part of the experience was going for a follow up pap smear to Dr. Morgan’s office with our three-month-old son. Dr. Morgan was overjoyed to see this long awaited baby! And I am overjoyed to be a mother.”

If you have a story to share, please write to us at social@fccc.edu.

Be well, Bob

Robert Burger, MD, Director, Women’s Cancer Center at Fox Chase Cancer Center

Cathy and her husband, James, enjoyed spending time in Ocean City, New Jersey.

Cathy Garry, pictured here in Ocean City, NJ, with her husband, James, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 and began treatment at a community hospital near her home. Just four years later, in 2007, Cathy learned she had a second cancer diagnosis – cervical cancer. Although the cancer initially went into remission, she experienced a recurrence in the fall of 2008.  That is when she and her family sought the medical expertise at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Unfortunately, the cancer was very aggressive and following a courageous and inspirational fight, Cathy passed away in September 2009.

I had the pleasure of getting to know Cathy in 2008 when my colleagues and I treated her for her recurrence. She was a very special woman. Her family believes that those who met Cathy knew what a caring and compassionate individual she was. I couldn’t agree more.

Her family shares, “During her time at Fox Chase Cancer Center she received the best care possible. The staff of doctors and nurses at Fox Chase cannot be described in words. They are the most caring and compassionate professionals that you can deal with during the most difficult and trying time a family can go through. We cannot say enough about the quality of care our mother received while at Fox Chase.”

Her family continues, “Though she is physically is no longer with us, Cathy’s love and kindness continue to live on in all those that knew her.” Cathy’s three children and their spouses established Cathy’s Kids, a non-profit foundation that honors the memory of a loving wife, mother and friend.

The mission of the Cathy’s Kids Foundation is to provide comfort and joy to children currently dealing with the effects of cancer. The organization strongly embraces the idea that HOPE is the best weapon against cancer. Ring a bell? Love Versus Cancer … maybe so!

Cathy was happiest when she was surrounded by her family.

The foundation holds an annual Cathy Garry Memorial Golf Tournament to raise funds to send a family affected by cancer to Walt Disney World. For more information about the foundation or to make a donation, visit www.golfforcathy.com.

Despite three bouts with cancer, she never complained about her own situation or health. Cathy’s focus in life was always the well-being of others. They appreciate your support in keeping her caring and compassionate spirit alive. Cathy would be touched to know that children were being helped in her name.

As always, your support, generosity, and prayers are greatly appreciated!

Be well,

Bob

Watch Cathy’s video here: