Breast Cancer Survivor Betty Klausing of Antioch
Celebrates Life® At Cancer Treatment Centers of America®
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Joins Fellow Five-Year Cancer Survivors in Tree-Planting Ceremony
Zion, Illinois – June 5, 2009 – Betty Klausing returned to Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Midwestern Regional Medical Center (Midwestern) in suburban Chicago today to celebrate her five years as a breast cancer survivor. Klausing was joined by doctors, hospital administration and the clinical support team in a tree-planting ceremony in her honor. Five doves were released at the conclusion of the event to commemorate each year of her fighting survival.
Klausing, an 80-year-old resident of Antioch, Illinois was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in 2004. Her general practitioner recommended a local oncologist but, on account of living in CTCA at Midwestern’s backyard for almost ten years, she and her family already knew where she would go. After losing her 19 year-old son to a brain tumor twenty years earlier, Klausing was determined not to take any chances.
“The first day I arrived, I saw all the doctors. Within the first few days, I had all my test results and then went in for surgery just a week or so later. Dr. Sanchez [Klausing’s surgical oncologist] even came in to check on me and how I was recovering on New Year’s Eve. I was so impressed,” she remembers.
In addition to surgery, Klausing was prescribed a hormone management drug to lower her estrogen levels and help to prevent recurrence of her hormone receptor positive breast cancer. She also worked closely with a nutritionist, mind-body therapist and the physical therapy team at CTCA to fight the disease on all fronts.
Now, after being a cancer survivor of five years, Klausing’s advice to other patients is simple, “Take care of the cancer as soon as possible and don’t delay. Then, be sure to continue your regular aftercare checkups. I go in every six months,” she said.
Klausing is an active member of the Senior Center in Antioch and supports autism awareness and the American Cancer Society whenever she can. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading and crocheting. Klausing is also eagerly anticipating her first great grand-child’s arrival sometime this summer.
Klausing remarks ‘how sweet it is’ that "I’m still alive and thriving! My spirits are the best they have been in years. I’m just surprised at how fast the time went by – it’s such a good feeling that I’ve lived to 80 years.”
This year, 104 CTCA patients are celebrating their five-year triumph over cancer at CTCA at Midwestern Regional Medical Center. “At Cancer Treatment Centers of America, we surround each patient with a multidisciplinary care team that is designed to meet their individual needs,” said Anne Meisner, president and CEO at CTCA at Midwestern Regional Medical Center. “Our team provides state of the art treatment protocols with fully integrated complementary therapies. We empower our patients to help them take control of their cancer and every patient is treated as though they were a member of our own family. We are so proud of our celebrants and honored to acknowledge and celebrate their journey and continued success,” she added.
About Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) is a national network of hospitals providing a comprehensive, fully integrated approach to cancer treatment. CTCA serves patients with complex cancer from all 50 states at facilities located in suburban Chicago, Philadelphia, Tulsa and suburban Phoenix. Known for delivering the Mother Standard® of care and Patient Empowerment Medicine®, CTCA provides patients with information about cancer and their treatment options so they can control their treatment decisions. For more information about CTCA, go to www.cancercenter.com.
