03/25/2026
When Glenna McCoy first started feeling unusually tired in March, she assumed it was something minor like a cold, a virus or maybe just stress. As someone who describes herself as active, outgoing and always on the go, the sudden lack of energy felt off, but not alarming at first.
Then her body started sending clearer signals.
“I just didn’t feel like myself,” Glenna recalls. “Weeks went by, and I wasn’t getting better. That’s when I knew something wasn’t right.”
By early April, Glenna noticed her skin beginning to turn yellow. Soon after, family members and coworkers noticed it too. During a scheduled colonoscopy appointment (a routine Glenna keeps up with due to a family history of cancer), her physician immediately raised concern and referred her to a Mercy Health specialist.
Further testing revealed a blockage caused by a growth pressing on Glenna’s bile duct. A stent was placed to relieve the blockage, and a biopsy was taken. Within days, Glenna received life-changing news: she had stage I pancreatic cancer.
“I went from thinking I had a cold to learning I had cancer,” she says. “It was overwhelming, but I also felt relief knowing we finally had answers.”
Glenna was quickly referred to Frances McCarron, MD, a Mercy Health surgeon who specializes in complex gastrointestinal cancers. Dr. McCarron walked Glenna through every detail of the next step: a robotic Whipple procedure, an advanced surgery used to treat pancreatic cancer.
“She explained everything — what would be removed, what would be rerouted, and why,” Glenna says. “I felt informed, prepared and confident in her care.”
The eight-hour surgery was successful. Dr. McCarron removed the tumor, part of the pancreas, the gallbladder, a portion of the small intestine, and more than 20 lymph nodes, all of which tested negative for spread.
Remarkably, Glenna was discharged just five days later.
“They told me most patients stay 7–10 days,” she says with a smile. “I told them, ‘Not me.’”
Following surgery, Glenna began six months of chemotherapy at Mercy Health. Treatments occurred every other week and required perseverance, patience and trust in her care team.
“It wasn’t easy,” Glenna admits. “Chemo is never easy. But they prepared me for what to expect, answered my questions and helped me manage side effects.”
When Glenna experienced a rare reaction during one treatment, her oncologist responded immediately, adjusting her care and keeping her safe.
“They knew exactly what to do,” she says. “That level of experience makes all the difference.”
Glenna completed chemotherapy in December, and today, she remains cancer-free.
Throughout her journey, Glenna says it wasn’t just the advanced treatment that stood out, it was the people.
“The entire Mercy Health team was phenomenal,” she says. “From Dr. McCarron and her staff to the nurses, housekeeping, food services — everyone was kind, knowledgeable and supportive.”
One nurse made a lasting impact by offering encouragement during Glenna’s recovery. “She told me, ‘You’re going to get through this,’” Glenna says. “That positivity matters more than people realize.”
Today, Glenna is back to doing what she loves: working, spending time with her husband, gardening, traveling and helping others through her job in non-emergency medical transportation.
“Cancer changed my perspective,” she says. “I’m retiring earlier. I want to live more, travel more and enjoy every moment.”
Her advice to others? “Listen to your body. Ask questions. Stay positive. And don’t put off care,” Glenna says. “If something feels wrong, get it checked. That decision saved my life.”
Has the compassionate care you or a loved one received at Mercy Health made a lasting impact on your life? Visit the link in the comments to share your story with us.
