Taysha Gibbs spent 27 years in the military, where she met her husband Josh. After being diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, Taysha faced her toughest battle yet.
Driven by her unwavering love for her two children, she faced her cancer diagnoses with courage and resilience, transforming her struggle into a remarkable story of survival and hope.
Today, Taysha is not only thriving but has also started a foundation dedicated to supporting other cancer survivors.
Learn more about Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center: https://ow.ly/QvlY50U38Hu
Join us in celebrating Team Member Appreciation Week at Ochsner as we shine a spotlight on Nikki Williams, a dedicated medical assistant at St. Tammany Cancer Center – A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center. Nikki’s unwavering commitment to patient care truly embodies the values that make Ochsner special.
Through her daily routine of morning prayers and heartfelt interactions, Nikki demonstrates the remarkable impact one person can make in their community. Her story is a testament to resilience, dedication, and the power of compassionate healthcare.
Let's recognize and appreciate all medical assistants like Nikki and our outstanding team members for their passion and purpose in advancing our healthcare mission.
Surviving Breast Cancer to Honor Her Late Son’s Legacy
When Monica Mullooly was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer, she found the strength to persevere from the memory of her beloved son, Ross, and his cancer journey.
“I saw him fight for every moment, so I don’t have a choice. I have to fight.”
She also found strength from the compassionate care she received at Ochsner Cancer Center – Baton Rouge.
Visit ochsner.org/services/cancer-care to learn more about cancer care at Ochsner.
How Elizabeth Beat Cancer with Her Daughter by Her Side
Just 11 months after suddenly and unexpectedly losing her husband, Elizabeth Turner was diagnosed with breast cancer. Although the process was far from easy, she never quit fighting.
With the help of her care team at St. Tammany Cancer Center - A Campus of Ochsner Medical and her daughter Isla by her side, she beat the disease.
Learn more about the importance of routine cancer screenings, and the types of screenings available at Ochsner: https://www.ochsner.org/services/cancer-care/cancer-screenings
#CancerAwarenessMonth #BreastCancerAwareness
Renew & Revive: Styling Confidence Post Chemo
📣 Baton Rouge! Join us Tuesday, Oct. 1 from 5 - 7 p.m. for a styling workshop for post-chemo patients at Ochsner Medical Complex - The Grove!
Rachel Eggie Gibbs of EGGIE Salon Studio will provide styling tips, post-chemo hair education and a haircut.
This event is open to all post-treatment cancer survivors.
Sign up for a cut and styling session at https://forms.gle/XEMAR111VgYLTxqL6.
Together with EGGIE Salon Studio, Ochsner Cancer Institute in Baton Rouge offers a Post Chemo Hair Growth Program for women as they regrow their hair after receiving chemotherapy.
Learn more about the program in this video.
Dr. Florence Wright, radiation oncologist at St. Tammany Cancer Center – A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center, shares the importance of prostate cancer screenings.
While prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in American men, it can often be treated successfully, especially if it is caught in its early stages.
#ProstateCancerAwarenessMonth #OchsnerCancer
How CAR T Cell Therapy Offered New Hope for Two Patients
CAR T cell therapy, a personalized form of immunotherapy that genetically modifies a patient's T cells to attack cancer cells, is being used to treat some types of blood cancer.
Andy Wisdom and Donnie Ray Stafford were the first adult patients in Louisiana to receive the treatment.
It has been effective for many patients. Some have seen significant remission rates after not responding to standard cancer treatments.
Learn more about this treatment that has been called a "game changer," and the hope it offered Andy and Donnie Ray.
Visit https://www.ochsner.org/services/non-hodgkin-lymphoma to learn more about lymphoma care at Ochsner.
#BloodCancerAwarenessMonth #LeukemiaAndLymphomaAwarenessMonth #CarTCellTherapy
Together with EGGIE Salon Studio, Ochsner Cancer Institute in Baton Rouge recently launched the Post Chemo Hair Growth Program, offering personalized and tailored experiences for women as they regrow their hair after receiving chemotherapy.
By offering six haircuts and styling appointments every six weeks, the goal is to empower program participants throughout their hair regrowth journey, making sure they feel as confident as possible.
To apply for the program, visit https://forms.office.com/r/D5aQykF4j5
To learn more about Ochsner’s expert cancer care offerings in Baton Rouge, visit https://www.ochsner.org/services/cancer-care
Lifesaving Robotic Surgery: A Day in the Life with Susan Gunn, MD
Aug. 1 is World Lung Cancer Day, a day dedicated to raising awarness about the disease.
Lung cancer is the No. 1 cause of cancer death in both men and women.
As the largest lung cancer program in the region, Ochsner Health offers the latest, most advanced diagnostic and treatment options. Ochsner was the first hospital in Louisiana to offer robotic-assisted bronchoscopy for biopsy of the lung.
Ochsner also offers a single-event anesthesia program, which is designed to diagnose and treat lung cancer on the same day. This helps patients avoid weeks of diagnostic tests followed by treatments.
"If just like for colonoscopies and mammography, if these patients are getting screened then we are finding earlier lung cancers and we're getting them cured and really decreasing their chance of dying from lung cancer," said Susan Gunn, MD, a pulmonologist at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Follow Dr. Gunn on a day in the operating room as she utilizes advanced robotic technology that allows doctors to biopsy abnormalities with minimal risk.
To learn more about lung cancer care at Ochsner, visit: https://www.ochsner.org/services/lung-cancer-multi-disciplinary-program
To learn more about Dr. Gunn, visit https://www.ochsner.org/doctors/susan-gunn
Daniel Johnson, MD, is a medical oncologist and immunotherapy clinical investigator at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Immunotherapy helps cancer patients by giving their immune system a boost, significantly increasing their odds of battling cancer.
Dr. Johnson believes in sharing information about this therapy, reminding people that they can still find hope. He takes great joy in seeing patients reclaim their lives through these advanced treatments.
“It is an amazing feeling when you can get someone’s life back with these newer treatments.," he said.
Learn more about Dr. Johnson: https://www.ochsner.org/doctors/daniel-johnson
Andy Wisdom and Donnie Ray Stafford were the first adult patients in Louisiana to receive CAR T cell therapy — an innovative, personalized form of immunotherapy treatment that harnesses a patient's immune system to target and destroy cancer cells.
The success of CAR T cell therapy is promising, with significant remission rates observed in patients who have not responded to standard cancer treatments.
"We often do hear about the term game changer," said Ochsner oncologist Andrew Dalovisio, MD. "A lot of these patients, once their cancers had relapsed, we were talking to them about palliative therapies, treatments that may but them a year or two of life. Often that was not great quality of life — even circumstances where we’re talking about hospice.
"And now we have a therapy where we’re actually talking about cure. And so it’s pretty amazing to see that progression."
Visit https://www.ochsner.org/services/cancer-care/cancer-services to learn more.
William Varuso was told he had six to eight months to live after being diagnosed with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. He traveled to MD Anderson Cancer Center for a second opinion and was given hope in the form of immunotherapy.
Dr. Nizar Tannir of MD Anderson Cancer Center referred him to Dr. Marc Matrana at Ochsner to continue his treatments and manage his care. Since beginning treatment, all of his tumors have reduced significantly and he has renewed hope for the future.
June is #NationalCancerSurvivorsMonth. This month we recognize the more than 18 million cancer survivors in the United States and the work being done to improve the lives of all survivors and their caregivers.
Ochsner Health partnered with world-renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2023 to create Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center. This partnership provides patients in the region access to cancer treatments that are among the most advanced in the nation.
Learn more about Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center: https://www.ochsner.org/services/cancer-care/cancer-services
