Stephani Allison
“Cancer interrupts your life. Instantly everything comes to a stop. You don’t plan long-term anymore, just minute-to-minute. Things that were important before mean nothing.”
Stephani Allison, MD, an anesthesiologist with Delaware Anesthesia Associates at Beebe Medical Center, was diagnosed with breast cancer in June of 2005. When she discovered a pea size lump on her breast, she immediately contacted her doctor for tests.
“The second I saw the ultra-sound, I knew I was in trouble,” she says. The confirmation came a few days later. “As much as I expected the news, I can’t explain how frightening and devastating it is to hear the word ‘cancer,’” she says.
Because of her age (she was 48 at the time of diagnosis) and the type of cancer, her doctors recommended aggressive treatment that included surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. She says it was the biggest challenge of her life, in particular the side effects of chemotherapy.
She was fortunate to having a caring spouse and friends, who provided emotional support. One of her friends, who accompanied her on a doctor’s appointment, picked up a brochure about The Wellness Community-Delaware and gave it to her.
“I saw that The Wellness Community offered a journaling class, so I decided to try it. It was a tremendous experience. Beth Joslow, who led the class, is a breast cancer survivor who has taught creative writing, and she is also a psychotherapist. She helped me take my emotions and put them on a page. We wrote about everything, not just cancer. It helped me heal without dwelling on the subject.”
The best thing about The Wellness Community, says Stephani, is that the organization provides support not only to the person with cancer but to caring family and friends as well.
Now six months out of treatment and doing well, Stephani has returned to work in the operating room as an anesthesiologist. She says now she recognizes the vulnerability and fear she sees in patients who are coming out of surgery for cancer. “I always felt I was a compassionate and caring physician, but being diagnosed with cancer yourself brings a whole new level. I don’t always share my story but I always tell them about The Wellness Community.”
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