Photos: Springfield Museums celebrate Dr. Seuss’ 120th birthday, see masslive.com
Better Health D |
OSCARS 2024: A preview of tonight’s ceremony and nominees, D7 GLOBAL COMEBACK: How the film academy found its footing, D9
| SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 2024
Cancer risk on the rise...
so are the
Cures
Wellness Center for deand attacking cancer. They’re of the modalities that are have better drugs to support will sap your energy and drag Dena Hall, 50, and tecting the deadly growth. what saved Hall’s life. increasingly leading to the patients now,” said the doctor. you down,” she said. A team with Baystate Sur“A lot of cancers can be successful treatment of some Doctors are also discoverDoctors and surgeons at a banker in gical Oncology removed the cured. We can achieve better forms of cancer. “Melanoma ing they can target a broader Baystate Health are not only lump, and while it was small outcomes if cancer is detected can be super deadly, but many expanse of genes to improve breaking new ground in the Easthampton, and contained, Hall’s doctor earlier. It’s important that we people are now being cured, cancer treatment. treatment of cancer. There is has something recommended chemotherapy pursue those screenings. We even if they have a stage four “One of the best feelings also a philosophical shift in and radiation at the D’Amour are finding better ways to en- melanoma, for example, you can have as a physician the way they approach and to celebrate this Center for Cancer Care to hance those tests,” said Elias. because of the effectiveness is when there is something tailor care for the person, not sure the cancer didn’t Immunotherapy is just one of these treatments. We also new that comes out and you the patient. spring. She has make return. can tell your patients, ‘Guess “We’re transitioning from Hall had 16 chemotherapy what? Now we have a new treating the disease to treating A team with Baystate Surgical Oncology option for you.’ We’re saying the person and focusing on been cancer-free infusions over a 20-week period and 21 sessions of how the treatment is going to removed the lump, and while it was small that a lot more frequently,” for a year. radiation. said Elias. affect them in their everyday By Staasi Heropoulos
Special To The Republican
“They don’t use the word remission, but it’s truly in my rearview mirror. It’s far enough behind me that I’m comfortable having this conversation,” she said. “I had a lumpectomy and my cancer was fully removed.” Hall, a married mother of two who lives in Westfield, gets a mammography every August. The annual check-up is usually uneventful - but the news was not so good in August of 2022. “You go in for a routine mammogram and it’s anything but routine,” said Hall, who is executive vice president, chief retail banking and marketing officer at bankESB. “You go through that long process of finding something, having a biopsy, you wait and then you get the call that says, ‘You have breast cancer. That’s really scary,’” she said. Hall credits Baystate Breast
“The nurses, technicians and clinicians were wonderful,” said Hall. “I came out of this experience with new friends, which sounds crazy. You spend so much time with them and they just become an extension of your family.”
Increasing risks and rewards
and contained, Hall’s doctor recommended Getting screened chemotherapy and radiation at the D’Amour Cancer diagnosis and care Center for Cancer Care to make sure may begin with screenings and treatment, but Hall said the cancer didn’t return. diet and exercise helped for-
There is an increasing number of success stories like Hall’s, said Dr. Rawad Elias, chief of Hematology Oncology and medical director of cancer services at Baystate Health. “The bad news is cancer incidence is increasing. The good news is we’re much better at treating it,” he said. Alcohol and tobacco continue to be major causes of cancer, sparked by smoking and excessive drinking, said Elias. While pollution also causes cancer, said the doctor, there are also many forms of the disease related to genetics. Regular and recurring Above: Dena Hall and her family. (PHOTO COURTESY OF BAYSTATE HEALTH) screenings are key in finding
life. We don’t want them to be miserable. We still use established and traditional regimens, but we modify these approaches, trying to make them easier on the patients,” tify her body for the grueling said Elias. rounds of chemotherapy “It’s not going to be a walk and infusions of radiation in the park, but as long as she would have to endure. you’re a physician, you’re A healthy lifestyle, positive reminding your patients, this outlook and support from should not be a torturous her “village” of coworkers, experience,” he continued. friends and family all helped Hall said she lived the best on her heroic journey. life possible during her treat“My body responded really ments, and there was nothing well. My company was amaz- more important than staying ing. I worked remotely for the positive. most part because I did not “I went into this with the want to be exposed to COVID attitude, ‘I’m young and I or any infections that could want to be here for a very long prevent me from having my time,’” she said. “It would chemotherapy every week,” have been a very different exsaid Hall, who has two chilperience if I went into it with dren, a 16-year-old son and a negative attitude thinking, 14-year-old daughter. ‘this is not going to work.’” “I didn’t miss a baseball “Nothing about it is ever game or a dance competigreat,” continued Hall. “But tion,” she said. “I kept my for me, it was the best outdaily routine. The more active come there could have been.” you are, the less the chemo