Carla Schutte is grateful for medical advances leading to more chances.

The Armstrong resident has been a patient at BC Cancer 鈥� 琉璃神社 and the Vernon satellite cancer centre since 2014. She has adrenal cortical carcinoma 鈥� a rare form of adrenal cancer.

For four years, Schutte underwent numerous surgeries and chemotherapy treatments, but tumours continued to grow and spread, including to her peritoneum and brain.

Dr. Edward Hardy, Schutte鈥檚 oncologist in Vernon, remained determined. Schutte鈥檚 cancer has a specific mutation that is not often seen in adrenocortical carcinoma. Hardy stayed up-to-date on the latest research and in 2018 found a new, global clinical trial studying this mutation.

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing. Every time you think there鈥檚 nothing more they can do, there鈥檚 another advance that comes around and that gives you chances,鈥� said Schutte.

In another stroke of good fortune (or a reflection of 琉璃神社鈥檚 research capabilities), BC Cancer鈥檚 Dr. Susan Ellard was running this very trial in 琉璃神社, just an hour away from Schutte鈥檚 home. Donor support helps bring more clinical trials to BC Cancer鈥檚 regional centres 鈥� making these life-saving treatments more accessible to patients in every corner of the province.

Ellard鈥檚 calming and reassuring presence helped assuage some of Schutte鈥檚 concerns.

鈥淭here are some people you meet, and you know they are in the right field; Dr. Ellard is one of those people,鈥� she said.

During the height of her treatment, Schutte was at the 琉璃神社 clinic nearly every week and the personal connections made with her doctors and nurses made all the difference in her experience. Both the big and the seemingly small things make a difference for those facing cancer, said Schutte. From accessing life-saving treatments to a simple, friendly hello.

鈥淭hey know how to take care of you, they really do,鈥� she said. Her treatment on the trial is currently on hold, but she is touched her former nurses still recognize her and stop by to say hello.

Today, Schutte鈥檚 cancer is stable. She has 鈥済raduated鈥� to CT scans every three months, instead of every six weeks. Her grandchildren keep her busy and she鈥檚 thankful for the time she has to spend with them.

The BC Cancer Foundation is fundraising for a new world-class systemic therapy suite in 琉璃神社 that will increase the centre鈥檚 capacity to deliver treatments by 40 per cent and bring more innovative, life-saving clinical trials to the Interior.

Learn more about supporting the BC Cancer Foundation鈥檚 work in the Interior .

World Cancer Day, Saturday, Feb. 4, is the global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).

On Feb. 4, millions of people around the world will unite to move closer to a world where no one dies from preventable cancer or suffers unnecessarily. A place where everyone has access to the cancer care they need. World Cancer Day 2023 marks the second year of the three-year 鈥楥lose the care gap鈥� campaign centred on the issue of equity.

roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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