Print The Mayo Clinic experience and patient stories Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care like they've never experienced. See the stories of satisfied Mayo Clinic patients. 5 lessons learned from 20 years of living with, through and beyond ovarian cancerCynthia Weiss at work at Mayo Clinic. I was 33 when I first began experiencing aches and pains that led me to the doctor. It was 2003. I was never married, never pregnant, generally healthy and living life to the fullest. I didn’t expect a cancer diagnosis. The doctor told me I had stage 4 gynecologic cancer. Cervical or ovarian cancer? They couldn't be 100% sure, as medical technology was not as advanced back then. Tests seemed to… Trust and timing: How a bone marrow transplant gave a man extra birthdays to celebrate"I started writing my first book at the age of two. It's gonna be published at the age of four. Not bad for a little kid, huh?" But Dean Weitenhagen isn't a child prodigy with a five-year plan. He is a 70-year-old commercial real estate broker with a new lease on life — and a new "birthday" he celebrates — thanks to a lifesaving stem cell transplant for acute myeloid leukemia. Dean's new birthday, and his… Team approach helps farmer beat lymphomaShortly before Thanksgiving 2021, Jerry Haines, a part-time farmer and retired butter and cheesemaker, was helping another farmer with fall chores. He felt good but noticed an odd lump on his upper arm. "It wasn't too big — only about the size of a hickory nut. I thought that something bit me," says the 81-year-old Arcadia, Wisconsin, resident. "Over the next few days, it got bigger. Then I found a lump in my armpit too."… Reclaiming strength and independence after rare cancer diagnosis The year was 2019. Alexa Lofaro was in her happy place, inside Nassau Veteran's Memorial Collesium in Uniondale, New York, watching the New York Islanders play hockey. As she made her way to her seat, another fan’s words caught her off-guard. “As I walked by him, he said, ‘Get home safely,’” Alexa says. “He thought I was drunk. I wasn’t drunk.” Instead, Alexa’s slow, cautious walk down the arena stairs was to compensate for the… More adventures thanks to advanced cancer care, robotic surgeryStacy Weisensel and her husband Joshua had a goal: to take their daughters to as many national parks as possible. But in the summer of 2021, while trying to enjoy the breathtaking views of Yellowstone National Park with her family, Stacy was distracted by a nagging pain in her esophagus. Over the next few months, Stacy’s symptoms grew worse and ultimately led to a frightening diagnosis — stomach cancer. A life-changing diagnosis In July 2021,… 'My life is in the right hands.' Surgery gives California woman hope after cancer diagnosisVishakha Majithia and her husband Thomas had started to envision their lives after retirement — visiting family in India, traveling around the world, and seeing their only son complete his oncology fellowship and start a family. But those plans quickly changed in mid-2018 when Vishakha received frightening news. She had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer — the tumor was considered inoperable. While the diagnosis came as a shock, it explained the seemingly unexplained symptoms Vishakha… 2-for-1 surgery: Hernia repair and prostate cancer removalBruce Simones has worn many hats in his life and likes to be busy. He's been a student, father, nurse, business owner, mentor, friend, grandfather and volunteer. Today, the 74-year-old La Crosse, Wisconsin, retiree fills his days playing golf, spending time with his family and hiking his active dogs in the Hixton Forest. He also volunteers at a warming shelter for people who are homeless and delivers furniture to families in need with a nonprofit… An emotional proposition for cancer survivorAs a five-year survivor of anaplastic pancreatic cancer, Jim Smith belongs to a small group of people to have reached the important milestone. In the years since receiving the life-threatening diagnosis and ensuing lifesaving treatment at Mayo Clinic, the trauma has begun to fade into memory. Jim, a medical doctor and married father of two grown daughters, lives in Omaha, Nebraska, and works at Creighton University School of Medicine. He has finally begun to ponder… Mayo Clinic Connect brings together 2 women with leukemia, 46 years apartEditor's note: The Mayo Clinic Connect volunteer mentor featured in this story has asked that her Connect handle — @LoriBMT — be used in place of her name. In 2019, 65-year-old @LoriBMT sat in a Mayo Clinic lab area awaiting her turn for blood work. She had been in the hospital for more than six weeks following a bone marrow transplant. @LoriBMT is a positive person, but after weeks of feeling tired and week, she… Pagination Patient Stories PrevPrevious Page Go to page 11 Go to page 22 Locations, travel and lodgingMayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states. For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below: Mayo Clinic's campus in Arizona Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida Mayo Clinic's campus in Minnesota Mayo Clinic Health System Mayo Clinic Healthcare, located in London Costs and insuranceMayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people. In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need. Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic. Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card. More information about billing and insurance: Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota Mayo Clinic Health System By Mayo Clinic Staff Request an appointment Doctors & departments Dec. 07, 2022 Print Living with cancer? Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Cancer support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, a patient community. Cancer Discussions Anyone have experience with gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)? 77 Replies Tue, Nov 12, 2024 chevron-right Peritoneal Cancer: Anyone else? 82 Replies Tue, Nov 12, 2024 chevron-right Anyone have cancer with unknown primary? 155 Replies Sun, Nov 10, 2024 chevron-right See more discussions Related Absolute risk Adjuvant therapy for cancer Atypical cells: Are they cancer? Biopsy procedures Cancer blood tests Cancer diagnosis: 11 tips for coping Cancer pain: Relief is possible Cancer risk: What the numbers mean Cancer surgery Cancer survival rate Cancer survivors: Care for your body after treatment Cancer survivors: Late effects of cancer treatment Cancer survivors: Managing your emotions after cancer treatment Cancer treatment myths Cancer-related diarrhea Cancer-related fatigue Chemotherapy side effects: A cause of heart disease? Curcumin: Can it slow cancer growth? Eating during cancer treatment: Tips to make food tastier Heart cancer: Is there such a thing? High-dose vitamin C: Can it kill cancer cells? How cancer spreads Image-guided needle biopsy Infographic: Cancer Clinical Trials Offer Many Benefits Low blood counts Monoclonal antibody drugs Mort Crim and Cancer Mouth sores caused by cancer treatment: How to cope Myths about cancer causes No appetite? How to get nutrition during cancer treatment PICC line placement Punch biopsy Relative risk Self-Image During Cancer Small cell, large cell cancer: What this means Tumor vs. cyst: What's the difference? What does cancer look like? When cancer returns: How to cope with cancer recurrence Show more related content Associated Procedures Biological therapy for cancer Bone marrow transplant Bone scan Cancer treatment Chemotherapy Complete blood count (CBC) CT scan Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) MRI Needle biopsy Palliative care Radiation therapy Ultrasound X-ray Show more associated procedures News from Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic Minute: Health screenings in underserved populations Oct. 14, 2024, 03:23 p.m. CDT Profiling health in extraterrestrial space travel Sept. 04, 2024, 02:30 p.m. CDT ARPA-H lends award to project to develop precision surgical tools for cancer care Aug. 13, 2024, 09:00 p.m. CDT Supporting your child's development after a cancer diagnosis Aug. 04, 2024, 11:00 a.m. CDT Tomorrow's Cure: How personalized vaccines combat cancer July 24, 2024, 12:00 p.m. CDT Caring for your psychological needs as an adolescent or young adult cancer survivor July 21, 2024, 11:00 a.m. CDT Mayo Clinic study uncovers genetic cancer risks in 550 patients July 17, 2024, 02:30 p.m. CDT Tomorrow's Cure: How nuclear medicine helps cancer patients July 17, 2024, 11:00 a.m. CDT Can you prevent cancer with lifestyle changes? July 12, 2024, 03:12 p.m. CDT Tomorrow's Cure: How DNA guides cancer detection July 10, 2024, 12:46 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Preventing cancer for future generations of Black families June 17, 2024, 03:00 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Coping with cancer-related fatigue June 13, 2024, 04:09 p.m. CDT Ultra-clean rooms are shaping the next generation of biotherapeutics June 04, 2024, 01:00 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center to highlight key studies at ASCO 2024 May 30, 2024, 10:36 p.m. CDT Clinical trials: A significant part of cancer care May 19, 2024, 11:00 a.m. CDT Mayo researchers invented a new class of AI to improve cancer research and treatments March 11, 2024, 02:55 p.m. CDT World Cancer Day: Making a commitment to close the cancer care gap Feb. 04, 2024, 12:00 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Closing the gaps in cancer care Feb. 02, 2024, 05:30 p.m. CDT Highlights of Mayo Clinic research advancements in 2023 Jan. 01, 2024, 03:00 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center highlights research advances in 2023 Dec. 21, 2023, 10:19 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: The right way to talk with someone who has cancer Dec. 18, 2023, 05:30 p.m. CDT Unleashing viruses aimed at killing cancer Nov. 25, 2023, 12:00 p.m. CDT Telehealth's lasting impact on cancer care delivery Nov. 22, 2023, 02:05 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic and Oxford Nanopore announce collaboration to advance precision medicine for cancer and genetic disorders Oct. 19, 2023, 02:07 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Q&A: How to manage dry mouth during cancer care Sept. 15, 2023, 01:30 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Q and A: Tips for cancer patients to stay safe in the summer Aug. 02, 2023, 02:00 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Is there a connection between ultraprocessed food and cancer? July 25, 2023, 03:00 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Plant-based diet is encouraged for patients with cancer July 11, 2023, 03:45 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic researchers pioneer AI method to predict how cells are organized in disease microenvironments June 23, 2023, 03:00 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic expert addresses cancer disparities during Black Family Cancer Awareness Week June 19, 2023, 05:33 p.m. CDT Is a cancer clinical trial right for me? June 16, 2023, 01:00 p.m. CDT Science Saturday: Pharmacists play key role in clinical research June 03, 2023, 11:00 a.m. CDT Nucleus RadioPharma to open manufacturing facility in Rochester, Minnesota May 09, 2023, 03:08 p.m. CDT Science Saturday: Study suggests chromosomal errors may hinder some aggressive tumors April 22, 2023, 11:00 a.m. CDT Science Saturday: Igniting the interest of young cancer researchers April 01, 2023, 11:00 a.m. CDT 9 common questions about genetic testing for cancer Feb. 06, 2023, 03:00 p.m. CDT World Cancer Day wish from a Mayo Clinic oncologist Feb. 03, 2023, 03:00 p.m. CDT As cancer deaths decline, access to care remains a challenge in some communities Feb. 02, 2023, 05:30 p.m. CDT Science Saturday: MayoComplete next-generation sequencing -- Transforming comprehensive cancer care Jan. 07, 2023, 12:00 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Q and A: Coping with cancer and the holidays Dec. 26, 2022, 02:00 p.m. CDT Show more news from Mayo Clinic Products & Services A Book: Live Younger Longer A Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book Assortment of Pill Aids from Mayo Clinic Store Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition Show more products and services from Mayo Clinic CancerSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsCare atMayoClinic CON-20370569 Patient Care & Health Information Diseases & Conditions Cancer