Stage IV oral cancer survivor: How MD Anderson helped me reclaim my faith
As an International Coaching Federation Master Certified Coach, National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching-certified coach and behavioral science expert, I’m normally someone that other people come to when they don’t know what to do. So, you’d think I’d be one of the last people on Earth to suffer a crisis of faith.
You’d be wrong.
Because when I was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity in July...

Cancer survivor summits highest point in contiguous U.S.
I started mountaineering during my time in the Air Force in my 20s. I love being outdoors and going places that most people aren’t able to...
5 changes MD Anderson made to improve the patient and caregiver experience this past year
At MD Anderson, we are committed to exceptional patient care and research each day. That drive to care for patients and their families goes...
Proton therapy saved my ability to taste during treatment for tongue cancer
For Carlos Morera, the only symptom of oral cancer was a small lump beneath his jaw when shaving.
With a history of cancer, he knew that a swollen lymph node or a painless lump in the neck was among the most common symptoms of oral cancer.
“My first reaction was fear,” says Carlos. “I had undergone surgery for thyroid cancer the year before and was told the cancer was gone.”
His ENT told him not to worry but recommended...

Finding perspective during oropharyngeal cancer treatment
Judd Woehrle has always been a firm believer in listening to your own body when something feels off. When he noticed a painless swollen gland...
Squamous cell carcinoma survivor thankful he chose proton therapy
A routine dentist visit prompted a series of tests that led to Jay Rusovich’s squamous cell carcinoma diagnosis in early 2023.
“My...
Pleiomorphic sarcoma survivor: MD Anderson gave me back my life
When I was diagnosed with an aggressive soft-tissue cancer called undifferentiated pleiomorphic sarcoma at age 74, the tumor in my flank was...
Chief of staff and husband ‘feel very fortunate’ after throat cancer diagnosis
Fatima Sheriff has been MD Anderson’s chief of staff since September 2018 and a health care professional for more than 25 years. But the Canadian...
Squamous cell carcinoma survivor grateful for proton therapy
After a spearfishing trip, I noticed an unusual earache. When spearfishing, it is typical to dive down 50 to 60 feet in the water to fish,...
Four-time cancer survivor: Why I’m glad I went to MD Anderson
I am probably the luckiest unlucky person you will ever meet. I was diagnosed with four different types of cancer between 2016 and 2020. And...