Pictured: Dale Haller (center) recently visited her medical team at Levine Cancer Institute and shared special thanks to Wendy, Rose, Dr. Naumann, Paula, Leah and Angie (not pictured) for their excellent care.
To support patients like Dale, visit TealHeels.org today!
June 16, 2016 is a day Dale Haller and her husband, Paul, will never forget. Until that day, Dale says she never experienced physical symptoms out of the ordinary. But that Thursday morning, something was different. Her stomach swollen, Dale had gained six pounds overnight. She felt bloated and achy. Shortly after being admitted to the Emergency Room, a CT scan revealed the likely diagnosis. Blood tests confirmed that Dale had stage 3C ovarian cancer that had spread throughout her abdomen. At such an advanced stage, Dale’s cancer will likely be treated for the rest of her life. But today, Dale continues to hold out hope for a miracle.
Even as her diagnosis changed her life in an instant, Dale still counts herself lucky to have been referred so quickly to a team of gynecologic oncology experts at Levine Cancer Institute, led by Dr. R. Wendel Naumann. Highly recognized as one of the best GYN oncologist surgeons in the country, and with over 30 years of experience, Dr. Naumann worked quickly to determine a treatment plan to slow the growth of Dale’s cancer cells. Rounds of chemotherapy and a complete hysterectomy surgery followed. Now in her fourth treatment plan, Dale is currently enrolled in a Phase II clinical trial at Levine Cancer Institute, which is only available to patients, like Dale, because it is funded by philanthropy. This and other advances in ovarian cancer research have renewed Dale’s hope for a healthy future.
The reality of ovarian cancer is tough to face: the disease will effect an estimated 22,500 women this year and will claim the lives of nearly 14,000 women. That is why the hope and awareness survivors, like Dale, raise through events like the Stiletto Sprint and other local advocacy groups are so vital to our cause. And, what makes Levine Cancer Institute so special is not just the leading-edge research that allows patients to undergo novel treatments close to home, but also the compassionate, person-centered care with which Dale, like all patients, has been treated by every Atrium Health teammate she has encountered on her journey. Thousands of donors like Dale continue to advocate for, and contribute to, the Carolinas Ovarian Cancer Fund through events like the Stiletto Sprint to ensure health, hope and healing for all who face this devastating disease. For that, we are grateful.
To learn more about the Stiletto Sprint and get involved as a donor, sprinter, sponsor or volunteer visit TealHeels.org today.
Did you know, according to the American Cancer Society:
- Ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women.
- About 22,530 women will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
- About 13,980 women will die from ovarian cancer.
Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer are often vague, contributing to late-staged diagnoses and a higher mortality rate compared to many cancers. You can make a difference in the lives of women treated for ovarian cancer at Levine Cancer Institute by raising awareness of signs and symptoms and contributing to the Carolinas Ovarian Cancer Fund today.