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CAMILLE MOSES: HIGH-ENERGY WARRIOR

Enthusiastic Inspiration To Other Patients

Written By Tony Subia
October 21, 2019

Diagnosed: March 2012
Status: 7 Year Survivor. No Chemo Since July 2013

“I had always been active, reasonably healthy, and visited my family physician regularly for check-ups” Camille said. ” But in early 2012 I began feeling depressed, fatigued, and a general feeling of malaise.” Camille said. ” Since the symptoms were relatively minor, I brushed them off.”

But the symptoms became more intense and soon accompanied by some intense pain beneath her breast area. She became more concerned and paid a couple of visits to urgent care trying to source the symptoms. Since she received no definitive answers, she visited a local emergency room where they ordered a CT scan.

Camille waited anxiously for the scan results. Finally the doctor came into the room with a concerned look on his face and told Camille the scan showed spots on her pancreas, liver, and lungs. “In that moment”, she said “I couldn’t believe what he said. I immediately had past visions of my mother dying from pancreatic cancer when I was 24.”

The doctor suggested she be admitted to a hospital for further testing and biopsies to confirm a final diagnosis. Later that day she was admitted to a local hospital that had a comprehensive cancer center where she spent the next seven days being monitored and subjected to a myriad of tests.

“After what seemed like an eternity, an entire team of doctors and nurses came to my room” said Camille. “I immediately knew that meant bad news. I was overwhelmed with fear when they gave me the diagnosis. I had pancreatic cancer. Crying in disbelief, I was almost certain I had little time to live.”

She was sent to have a chemo port inserted and then waited for a visit from the pancreatic cancer oncologist on staff to discuss the prognosis and a suggested plan of action. When the oncologist visited with Camille, he told her that the cancer was detected too late. Although she could elect to take chemotherapy, it likely would not work and she would probably not live past a few months.

She was not going to accept that prognosis and immediately started the search for a second opinion. She was fortunate to get an appointment at the UM/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami hospital. Upon meeting with the new oncologist and his team and after reading all of Camille’s tests he gave his final diagnosis. Stage 4 Metastasized Pancreatic Cancer.

“Some how”, Camille said, “”although devastated, I had a good feeling about this team. They told the severity of my situation would make treatment very difficult, but they were going to give me the best chance possible.”

Camille continued. “This gave me renewed optimism. Although my oncologist was brutally honest about the prognosis, he gave me visions of realistic hope. That with an intense regimen of chemotherapy, he felt confident that it could prolong my life. He gave me a glimmer of light on an otherwise very dark period.”

After a grueling 17 months of intense treatment, her last treatment was in July of 2013. Today, Camille has no sign of cancer and has survived for more than 7 years. She is so grateful to be alive and so committed to helping other patients cope with the same ordeal. She intends to dedicate her life’s mission to spreading awareness about this brutal disease and fundraising to help medical research discover life-extending treatments and eventually prevention and a cure.

Camille Moses has since appeared on local and national television news broadcasts including “Good Morning America” and has been profiled in many published articles. She has made several videos that gives other patients encouragement and the will to fight. She has also lobbied Congress to increase funding for pancreatic cancer research.

“I am so thankful that I can help other patients.” said Camille.

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