Kathy never expected to spend New Year’s Eve in an emergency room. When stomach pain sent her to the hospital on December 31, 2024, she assumed it might be something routine. Instead, doctors delivered news that would change everything: stage IV cancer. She was severely anemic and required immediate blood transfusions. The diagnosis was shocking, especially because she had experienced very few symptoms leading up to that moment.
From their home in Central Florida, Kathy and her husband James had access to numerous cancer centers. When further testing revealed that Kathy’s cancer had a specific genetic mutation, one that just two years ago had no targeted treatment available, they learned they needed a clinical trial designed for this exact mutation. The challenge was timing. The trial was between treatment arms and going through the regulatory process to reopen for the next phase. Kathy had received only two chemotherapy treatments at her local facility and couldn’t have a third without being disqualified from the trial. With just two weeks to find a cancer center that was ready to accept her into the trial, the window of opportunity was incredibly small.
James immersed himself in research, making call after call to major cancer centers across the country. Dozens of facilities had the trial listed, but most weren’t ready to open the next trial arm, some had stopped the trial entirely, and others said it would be another month, which would’ve made Kathy ineligible.
Then they called Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana – located more than 11 hours from their Florida home.
“When we connected with Mary Bird Perkins, everything changed,” Kathy said. “The door didn’t just open, it swung wide open. The team was responsive, welcoming, and deeply committed to helping us move forward. They did everything in their power to facilitate the opening of the trial so I could enroll without missing a single treatment.” Research coordinator Lynne LeBlanc took their call and immediately went to work. She navigated the regulatory requirements to get the trial opened and running at Mary Bird Perkins. Meanwhile, Dr. Victor Lin, clinical research medical director, coordinated closely with Kathy’s local oncologist in Florida to ensure seamless care.
“We made dozens of calls to other cancer centers, “James said. “But then we were fortunate enough to come across Mary Bird Perkins and the rest, as they say, is history. They made it happen for us and we’re so grateful. Kathy didn’t even skip a day.” Living in Florida while receiving care in Baton Rouge required significant planning and flexibility. Sometimes, Kathy and James drove the 11-and-a-half-hour journey. Sometimes, they flew in for appointments and blood work. The Mary Bird Perkins team understood the realities of their situation and went above and beyond to accommodate their travel needs.
“Every time I called Lynne, she answered her phone or she called you right back. She was on top of it. She got the stuff we needed. And Dr. Lin was like that too,” James said. “We’ve been to national institutes…. There’s something to be said about Mary Bird. They were amazing. First class.”
What stood out most to Kathy was the level of personal care. Phone calls were answered promptly, questions were addressed thoughtfully, and Dr. Lin spent meaningful time with them at every visit while involving them in treatment decisions. He even visited Kathy in the infusion center, something that made a lasting impression. Infusion nurse Sabrina Glasgow became another crucial part of Kathy’s care team.
“She followed my case closely, remembered the details and made it clear that she truly cared not just about the treatment, but about me as a person,” Kathy said. The team at Mary Bird Perkins celebrated every milestone alongside Kathy and James. When good test results came in, they did happy dances together – a detail that they still remember fondly.
The collaboration between Mary Bird Perkins and Kathy’s care team in Florida made it possible for her to begin the clinical trial in Baton Rouge and eventually transition back to Florida for ongoing treatment in a way that was sustainable for the long term. That level of coordination, James said, made all the difference. Mary Bird Perkins’ ongoing collaboration with other leading cancer care organizations ensures that patients like Kathy have access to the latest therapies, while receiving compassionate, personalized support throughout their journey.
Because of the remarkable response Kathy has had to the trial drug, everything has changed. When she was first diagnosed, surgery wasn’t an option. Today, she is preparing to move forward with specialized surgery in April, something that just a few months ago, seemed impossible.
“This journey has shown me how powerful hope can be when it’s backed by science and how meaningful compassionate care is when the stakes are high,” Kathy said. “I am deeply grateful to my husband for his unwavering advocacy, and to the teams who believed in me and worked together. What this experience has given me is not just treatment – it’s hope. And hope means everything.”
For more information about Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, including clinical trial opportunities and treatment options, please visit marybird.org.
