Eric Petermann, D.C. Dr. Petermann utilizes the Activator Method, a specific, low force technique that realigns the spine to restore proper joint function. Experience gentle and effective relief for: •Headaches •Lower back pain •Neck pain •Automobile injuries •Work-related injuries •Sports injuries 25 years practice experience Former Activator Method instructor New patients welcome 602- 224-0004 | fuhrchiropracticclinic@gmail.com | fuhrchiropractic.com 3714 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix AZ 85018 your ARcadia Realtor.com 602.463.3359 4501 E. Calle Del Norte H i L L A R Y 2045 E. Bethany Home Rd. $898,000 $1,195,000 GURLEY GURLEY Reduced 1/2 acre Page 20 May 2016 By Katie Mayer Mesa resident Kristina Anderson was 25 years old when she went in for a routine Pap test and her doctor noticed something wasn’t right. Her abdomen felt hard, so she was given a pregnancy test. When that came out negative, doctors did an ultrasound. And from that test, they discovered a large cyst on Anderson’s ovary, which they removed and biopsied. As a young woman, the chance of something serious was low, but the results were devastating – Anderson had a rare form of ovarian cancer. Once her insurance agreed to cover her treatment, Anderson’s doctors sprung into action, administering an aggressive cancer treatment plan. Anderson sprung into action, too, but in a different way. She decided to compete in the Miss Arizona pageant. “I didn’t want the cancer to take away who I was,” Anderson said. “I did [the Miss Arizona pageant] as a distraction as I was going through treatment.” She added, “I was able to shop for a dress and focus on something else like preparing for the pageant, instead of focusing on the cancer.” That decision not only helped Anderson find strength, but it also empowered women around the country and world. Today, Anderson is a survivor and one of the volunteers at Scottsdale-based nonprofit Colleen’s Dream Foundation. The foundation, named in honor of Arcadia resident Colleen Drury who lost her life to the disease in 2013, funds ovarian cancer research with the primary goal of developing an accurate and accessible early detection test. Drury’s daughter Nicole Cundiff and her husband, former NFL player William “Billy” Cundiff, formed the foundation in 2012 thanks in part to an NFL program that encouraged players to start nonprofit organizations. “At the time, my mom had ovarian cancer and we were thinking of everything – from helping children to wounded veterans – and one day we woke up and said, ‘These are really worthy causes, but we need to do something for ovarian cancer,” Nicole said. “People don’t know enough about the symptoms, but we speak the language of the doctors and we know about the disease.” She added, “It was the perfect timing. Around that time, they told my mom there was not much else they could do for her.” Drury was diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer in 2007. Back then, there were only two gynecologic oncologists in the Valley. Obtaining the best treatment available was difficult and wait lists were long, Nicole said. But thanks to Nicole’s friend who was doing her gynecology rotation for medical school, Drury was able to find a leading physician at the University of Arizona and obtain treatment that allowed her to live for more than five years. While five years may not sound like a long time, the greatest tragedy of ovarian cancer is that generally by the time doctors discover the disease, it is often too late to help the patient. With no early detection screenings in existence, patients are often diagnosed at advanced stages and less than 50 percent of women will survive five years, according to Colleen’s Dream Foundation. Because the symptoms can be vague or give the appearance of other conditions, women and their doctors often attribute the signs to other causes. “When we started this, we really wanted to do it right,” Nicole said. “So we went to Johns Hopkins and sat with their lead oncologist and said, ‘Where can we make the biggest impact?’” The oncologist told them that if there was a model like the Pap smear test – where the cancer could be detected early – it would save many lives. Today, Colleen’s Dream Foundation funds research at 15 centers around the country in specific early detection research. Grants of $5,000 to $70,000 are given to young investigators, since senior level researchers often receive the bulk of the funding. Daughters honor mother’s memory with Colleen’s Dream Colleen Drury, surrounded by her daughters, who are committed to finding a cure for ovarian cancer in memory of their mom.
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