Because they believed in me, they caught my cancer before it moved to stage three
Sydney Shelton became a patient of the Bronson Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Oncology program in 2020 when she was 22 years old. At the time, Sydney was pregnant and extremely tired all the time. This didn't seem unordinary for someone who was pregnant, however she decided to ask her doctor about it anyways. Her primary doctor ran some tests and discovered enlarged lymph nodes. Sydney was referred to Bronson Ear, Nose & Throat for further evaluation. Dr. Cecilia Prophit diagnosed Sydney with Hodgkin lymphoma, and they scheduled surgery right away. She had surgery to remove the cancerous lymph nodes in her neck three months after her son was born.
She was referred to the AYA Program to receive her treatment after surgery. Dr. Carla Schwalm became her primary doctor at Bronson Pediatrics Oncology & Hematology Specialists in Kalamazoo. Sydney had three chemotherapy sessions, one treatment per week for 8-10 hours a day.
“The support I received at Bronson was great. The doctors and nurses made sure I was taken care of. I would come in at 8 a.m. and be there all day. I had a private room. My nurse, Michelle Ackerman, brought me snacks, beverages and a warm blanket to help me feel comfortable each time.”
Her Bronson care team understood what a physically and mentally draining time this was for Sydney and her family. They did everything they could to ensure she had the best experience during this difficult time. During her time in the AYA program, Sydney met with the Bronson social worker, Julie Cooper-McNinch, who helped her receive a private grant to assist her with paying for groceries.
After her treatment, Sydney was put on a watch list, which meant she had regular checkups to see if any cancer came back.
About a year later in 2021, she began feeling pain and swelling in her lymph nodes again. She had a second surgery to remove four lymph nodes. Thankfully, none of them were cancerous. Dr. Schwalm kept her on the watch list.
“It was very helpful having Bronson MyChart to keep track of my appointments and be able to see my results as soon as they were ready.”
In 2022, Sydney felt bumps on her neck and got it checked out right away. Dr. Schwam and Sydney discussed the options available to her and decided it was best to remove the lymph nodes. Again, she received good news that none of them were cancerous.
At one of her next regular checkups, the doctor discovered another enlarged lymph node. Sydney had stage two nodular lymphocystis predominant Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare type of lymphoma that grows slowly. She had to have her fourth surgery to remove the cancer.
After surgery, Sydney received three chemotherapy treatments to make sure the cancer was gone. She has been in remission since March 2023. Every three months she continues to go in for routine checkups, for a chest x-ray or a CT scan, and blood tests to ensure she is still cancer free.
“I am thankful for the support system I have at home and at Bronson,” shared Sydney. “I was surrounded by people who lifted me up and helped me stay positive.”
