Ovarian Cancer Survivor Jacquelyn Dinkelacker of Cary
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 – Jacquelyn Dinkelacker returned to Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Midwestern Regional Medical Center (Midwestern) in suburban Chicago today to celebrate her more than five years as an ovarian cancer survivor. Dinkelacker 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 her fighting survival.
Dinkelacker, 78 of Cary, Illinois was diagnosed with ovarian cancer after going into her general practitioner for what she thought was just a nasty case of Bronchitis. Instead, she found that her persistent cough stemmed from excess abdominal fluid that had spread to her lungs, caused by metastatic ovarian cancer. “It didn’t take long for us to realize that we should get a few different medical opinions. I actually got the information for CTCA from a friend who’d been watching a baseball game, saw a commercial and jotted down the phone number with me in mind,” she remembers.
Dinkelacker made an appointment, came in for an evaluation and decided to stay. Her individualized treatment plan consisted of chemotherapy, delivered in fractionated doses, followed by 37 radiation treatments. Her treatment protocol also included nutritional and naturopathic support, mind-body medicine, physical therapy and acupuncture to help her fight the disease on all fronts, manage her treatment side effects and maintain quality of life. “I always felt that I truly came first there. The respectful way the staff treated me made it feel as though my health and wellbeing was very important. That meant a lot to me,” Dinkelacker said.
After being a cancer survivor for more than five years, her advice to other patients is simple, “Get a second opinion. And, continue to live your life! Just remember, you may have cancer but cancer does not have you!”
Dinkelacker has stayed active in her church throughout her cancer battle, serving as a vocal soloist and leading the congregation in hymns for over 50 years now. She also enjoys gardening, a hobby that she and Dr. Williams, her CTCA gynecologic oncologist, have shared throughout her journey; so much so that they’ve swapped seedlings and helped each other’s respective gardens flourish. But, spending time with her nine-year-old granddaughter, Emily, is what she cherishes most.
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.
