Yvonne Mahoney: Pancreatic Cancer Story

Thankfully I Discovered The Right Doctor

Story Written By The Patient, Yvonne Mahoney
March 2022

Diagnosed: March 2015
Status: No sign of active cancer

I am a pancreatic cancer survivor.

On March 14, 2022, it will be 6 years since my cancer surgery. I went into that surgery completely relaxed and confident the outcome would be good, for two reasons: One, it would be months before I knew how deadly pancreatic cancer was. But more importantly, I had the opportunity to have had enough meetings with the surgeon to get to know him and feel very comfortable with him and his medical decisions. Each meeting lasted just a few minutes, it was enough to build confidence.

Unlike any other doctor I had ever interacted with, when he dictated his notes into my record, he did it in front of me so I could be aware of everything he said. Thank you Dr. Douglas B. Evans, Chief of Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Two years later I had to have a tooth extracted, and I was FAR more worried about that, than I had been about the cancer surgery.

My further help I had at home came from my kitty Gabby. Don’t ever underestimate the importance pets can play. Gabby knew something was amiss. We had lived together long enough to be well aware of each other’s personalities and habits. Gabby spent a lot of time just watching me (she still does). She was and is generous in cuddling up.

If you are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, I would like to tell you to think optimistically. Get absorbed in activities, even new ones if possible. Spend time giving thought to your daily routines. Do not waste time thinking about cancer; trust your medical procedures. Above all, praise God and trust in him. Look forward to the day your doctor will announce “your cancer is gone”.