Teresa Wright

Teresa started chemotherapy at the West Cancer Center in Memphis, Tennessee, where she lived at the time. Doctors inserted a port so they could administer her chemo drugs, and nine years later, it’s still there.

“I won’t give it up for anything in the world!” Teresa said, noting that nurses always had a hard time finding a vein. She started a regimen of FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy and targeted radiation, with doctors eventually determining she could have the Whipple procedure, a complex surgery used to treat pancreatic cancer.

After the operation, her margins were clear, meaning no remaining cancer cells were detected in the areas surrounding where the tumor had been. However, Teresa’s surgeon had also removed 20 lymph nodes, two of which were cancerous. As a result, Teresa began adjuvant chemotherapy to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Even though Teresa admits she was crushed to learn that she would have to do more chemo, her oncologist told her,“Let’s just do this to seal the deal.”

Teresa found the post-surgery chemo to be harder on her body than the initial rounds. She had a Gemzar infusion and took Xeloda, an oral chemo drug pill, and found that the latter had some unusual – and unexpected – side effects.

“I learned in recent years that Xeloda can permanently suppress white blood cell counts,” Teresa said. “To this day, mine is usually below normal.”

Teresa also recently learned that people who have the Whipple procedure have a harder time absorbing Vitamin D and calcium, making them more susceptible to bone density loss, fractures and osteoporosis.

She’s also become more involved in the greater pancreatic cancer community in recent years and sees promise in some emerging research areas. She mentioned an off-the-shelf cancer vaccine that stimulates the immune system, helping fight tumors driven by KRAS mutations – which most pancreatic tumors are. Teresa notes that there’s a lot of progress needed in the area of early detection so that doctors have more mainstream methods of detection available, much like mammograms for breast cancer and colonoscopies for colon cancer.

Teresa also hopes to see advancements in terms of how the medical community identifies potential early warning signs of pancreatic cancer and calls for stronger communication among primary care doctors, gastrointestinal specialists and radiologists.

Outside of clinical settings, Teresa finds her own ways to raise awareness.

She created a business card that says, “Pancreatic cancer is the third-deadliest cancer in the United States,” on one side and lists common symptoms on the other. After running it by her oncologist, she began distributing the cards in everyday situations, slipping them into Christmas cards or conversations with strangers at the grocery store who commented on her “Pancreatic Cancer Survivor” T-shirt.

For those facing their own diagnoses, she recommends taking a journal to appointments, or better yet, bringing someone along to take notes.

“You can’t write fast enough; you can’t always remember your questions,” Teresa said. “You need to learn about your labs, your platelets and liver numbers and what the numbers mean. You almost need to become an amateur medical professional to be your own best advocate in this journey.”

She also has some practical advice for those prepping for a Whipple procedure. “Don’t forget a lumbar pillow for the hospital room’s uncomfortable recliner, and your phone charger,” she said. “And arrange help at home ahead of time. You’re not going to feel like going to the mailbox at the end of the driveway, much less cook dinner.” She also warns against lifting anything heavier than a woman’s purse for at least six months after the surgery to avoid hernias.

Teresa has also become more in tune with her faith since her diagnosis.

“I am certain that my faith and a lot of prayers helped me through this” she said.

With her cancer treatment, and, soon after, the COVID-19 pandemic, disrupting day-to-day life for entirely too long, Teresa doesn’t take time for granted. About two years ago, she and her husband moved to the beach, where their biggest worries typically involve hurricanes or spotty cell service – trade-offs she gladly accepts without hesitation.

“It put a pause on the things we could have been doing,” Teresa said, of cancer and COVID-19. “Life is short! Once you’re feeling better, do the things you want to do and see the people you want to see. Don’t put anything off. And celebrate your milestones! I look forward to reaching the ninth anniversary of my diagnosis this summer.”