Patient Stories

When Spencer Swann fell ill with pneumonia after his 39th birthday, he found he had stage 3 multiple myeloma. With the care of his wife Anna, his support system, and his team at Simmons Cancer Center, he is now in remission. After undergoing an autologous stem cell transplant, the first outpatient transplant at our Cancer Care Outpatient Building, Spencer was given a “second birthday.”

A sudden wave of pain and alarming symptoms brought Clinton Adger's active lifestyle to an abrupt halt. Clinton went to a local emergency department with unexplained back and shoulder pain. Symptoms quickly escalated. Within weeks, he couldn’t move his legs and needed a wheelchair to get around.

For Mark Feighner, it wasn't just one doctor or one nurse who made a difference in his care at UT Southwestern after he was diagnosed with two different cancers and underwent a bone marrow transplant. He had a whole team of experts involved. Seven years after his transplant, he has his health back.

Julie Walsh could barely walk when she arrived at UT Southwestern in 2016. She had survived lymphoma nearly two decades earlier but sustained cardiovascular damage that had worsened over time. She found answers from Vlad Zaha, M.D., Ph.D., Medical Director of UTSW's Cardio-Oncology Program.

In 2014, Maria Hernandez was diagnosed with carcinoid tumors. A few years later, when she developed a condition known as neuroendocrine tumor, she was referred to UT Southwestern. Her specialized treatment is known as theranostics, which uses precision medicine to detect where the cancer is and then treat it with a therapeutic isotope.

AJ Aguirre went to the ED with lower back pain and found out he had a grapefruit-sized lymph node in his abdomen, resulting in a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. After six rounds of chemotherapy and 20 sessions of radiation, he is now three years in remission and has a new outlook on life.

From eastern Louisiana, Dawn Averett was told she only had 3 months to live when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2019, two decades after her battle with breast cancer. She was referred to UT Southwestern and drove 5 hours each way to receive treatment.

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis in Mississippi, DeLisa Johnigarn was told she would only have two years left to live. She then decided to come to UTSW to be near her children, and her care team and treatment at Simmons Cancer Center have led the road to her recovery.

Breast cancer survivor Janeye Pritchard was originally diagnosed after her first-ever mammogram at age 46. She encourages others to not wait to get their mammogram. Thankful for her care team at UT Southwestern Simmons Cancer Center, Janeye says they gave her a sense of “peace and calm, and I knew I was going to be okay.”

Catherine Spencer felt like a healthy 33 year old until she was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer. After a lumpectomy, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy, she is now getting back to doing the things she loves, thanks to her care at UT Southwestern Simmons Cancer Center.

Brianna Hinojosa-Smith was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer after discovering a mass. She received 16 weeks of chemotherapy and had seven surgeries at UT Southwestern. Now an 8-year survivor, she encourages others to seek medical attention if something feels wrong with their body.

Stephanie Davis was diagnosed with stage 3 HER2-positive breast cancer and received chemotherapy and radiation at UT Southwestern. After 5 years of remission, her cancer returned as metastatic breast cancer. She continues treatment and remains positive, urging others to get regular mammograms.

Angela Sells, a breast cancer survivor, chose UT Southwestern for its cutting-edge treatments and research. Diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer, Angela received targeted antibody therapy that cleared her scans within months. Her treatment has added years to her life, allowing her to enjoy time with her grandchildren.

Taffie Lynn Butters was diagnosed with stage 2b ductal carcinoma after a self-exam revealed irregularities. She underwent a mastectomy and received chemotherapy and radiation at UT Southwestern. Now cancer-free, Taffie has embraced a new outlook on life, focusing on joy and spending time with loved ones.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer at age 38, Darshana Pattni followed a friend’s suggestion to come to UTSW where she felt “hope.” After chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, radiation, and DIEP flap surgery, she is now 5 years cancer-free.