Not everyone has the ability to look on the bright side, to find joy even in the most unlikely times. But Mary Gregg-Kimbrel is one of those people. With positivity, support, and the most contagious laugh, Mary fought back against a grave cancer diagnosis and found the lifeline she needed at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers (RMCC).
Mary first noticed that something wasn’t quite right when her appetite started to fade. She was unusually tired and soon began vomiting first thing in the morning. Although she felt fine the rest of the day and continued her work as a nurse, Mary’s curious symptoms nagged at her.
“At age 62, I knew I wasn’t pregnant but felt like I had morning sickness. Barring some great miracle—after all, my name is Mary and I’m married to a man named Joseph,” Mary joked, “I needed to get to the bottom of it.”
A colonoscopy revealed that Mary had tumors throughout her intestines, which doctors suspected were due to a rare cancer called neuroendocrine tumor (NET). NET, which involves the abnormal growth of special endocrine and nervous system cells, can affect the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and pancreas. NET often grows slowly and rarely causes symptoms early on. That’s why the disease is usually found in more advanced stages, when it’s difficult to treat.
That was the case for Mary.
“I was diagnosed with Stage 4 NET cancer and learned it was primarily located in my pancreas,” the Albuquerque resident explained. “It’s the same cancer that Steve Jobs and Aretha Franklin died from.”
Facing the difficult diagnosis, Mary was anxious to meet with a respected cancer surgeon who had just begun practicing nearby. However, she left the appointment devastated.
“Instead of given a treatment plan, I was told to get my affairs in order,” she said. “I was prescribed marijuana and told I would eventually move onto morphine to control the pain. It was grim.”
“To be honest, I didn’t think a second opinion would change anything. Cancer was my new normal and I was focused on living with it,” said Mary. “I am so thankful she convinced me. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
Mary and her husband traveled to Colorado and met with Dr. Liu. After examination and testing, Dr. Liu found that Mary’s cancer not only affected her pancreas, liver, and surrounding tissues, but had already blocked 85% of her portal vein – the main vein that carries blood to the liver from the digestive organs. Her situation was critical.
Thankfully, instead of offering a drug to mask the problem and eventual symptoms, Dr. Liu explained a drug that could provide a solution. He recommended that Mary begin chemotherapy with a promising drug originally approved for brain cancer, which had also shown some success in treating NET. If the cancer shrunk, he would then surgically remove it.
“For the first time in a long time I had hope in my heart,” said Mary. “It was such a relief to hear he had a plan and we were fighting. I was elated.”
Mary began the chemotherapy, which she took in pill form, and saw Dr. Liu for evaluation every month.
“I lost my hair but not my hope,” she said of that time. “I had been healthy my entire life until this point. As a trained nurse, it was hard for me to be the one who needed help. But Dr. Liu and his entire staff were amazing.”
After nine months of chemotherapy, Mary was thrilled to learn that her tumors had shrunk enough for removal. Dr. Liu began assembling his team for the highly complex surgery.
In a 10-hour operation at RMCC, Dr. Liu removed Mary’s spleen, gall bladder, part of her liver, and the large majority of her pancreas. He also resected her portal vein, taking out the portion affected by cancer and attaching the healthy areas.
“To say my surgery was genius is an understatement. I was told by my doctors in Albuquerque that it simply couldn’t be done, but here I am,” said Mary.
Mary’s groundbreaking surgery was nine years ago. Instead of waiting for cancer to end her life, she fought back with the help of Dr. Liu.
“Dr. Liu doesn’t just specialize in neuroendocrine cancer, he specializes in each patient,” explained Mary. “Each and every person with NET is unique. The cancer affects everyone differently, requiring personalized treatment. Dr. Liu focused on my specific needs and was with me every step of the way.”
Dr. Liu co-founded a non-profit organization called the Healing NET Foundation. Through it, he helps other providers diagnose and better treat people with the disease. He also emphasizes the benefits of whole patient care and empowers patients to achieve greater wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit.
Mary is a clear example of those benefits.
This past June, Dr. Liu conducted a second surgery to remove slow-growing NET from Mary’s spine and one of her arteries. One hour after the surgery, Mary was up and walking. A week later she was strolling the local botanical gardens. And within a few months, Mary was playing pickleball three times a week, walking the track daily and, most importantly, appreciating every moment.
Mary’s story inspires us all to tackle each day with the same positivity.
“I look at the wrinkles on my face and am so blessed to have them. It means I have the gift of growing older,” the 73-year-old said. “My life is not hampered in any way because of cancer. I’m so grateful for my incredible care.”