Circle of Hope

October brings cold weather, colorful leaves, and the start of flu season. If you have cancer, getting the flu may lead to more serious health problems. Read this Q&A to learn more about the flu, the flu shot, and other ways to prevent sickness.

Sarah was 32 years old and 14 weeks along in her third pregnancy—this time a baby boy. Everything was normal until one day she found a lump in her breast. Sarah had a mammogram and ultrasound-guided biopsy. The tests confirmed the lump was breast cancer. Referred to Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, Sarah traveled from her home in Nevada, leaving her one- and three-year-old behind. Her medical family at HCI included an obstetrician from the University of Utah who specializes in high-risk pregnancy. Limited to certain treatments in order to keep the baby safe, the team decided to shrink the tumor with chemotherapy.

When Jon and Karen Huntsman made the first $10 million gift to establish a cancer institute at the University of Utah in 1995, the gift did not mark the beginning of their philanthropic efforts. Long before, they were committing resources—sometimes beyond their means—to support those who needed an extra lift. Through all of those years, Karen stood by Jon’s side with unwavering support. She was the unsung hero as he decided to make the eradication of cancer his life’s philanthropic work.

In college Alison Argyle registered for Be The Match, the international bone marrow registry. She forgot about it until one day five years later when she got a call saying she was a match for a woman with acute myelogenous leukemia.

The Cancer Patient Education Network has recognized Donna Branson with the organization’s Distinguished Service Award. Branson is director of Patient and Public Education at Huntsman Cancer Institute.

September is Blood Cancer Awareness month. A diagnosis of blood cancer occurs roughly every 3 minutes in the United States. This type of cancer affects millions of families and individuals.

Twenty years ago, on September 13, 1999, the G. Mitchell Morris Cancer Learning Center at Huntsman Cancer Institute opened. Since then, the Cancer Learning Center has answered nearly a quarter-million cancer-related questions from its clients—patients, caregivers, and the general public.

YWCA Utah presented Deanna Kepka, PhD, MPH, with an Outstanding Achievement Award in Health and Medicine. Kepka is a Huntsman Cancer Institute investigator, assistant professor at the University of Utah College of Nursing, and adjunct assistant professor at the U of U Department of Population Health Sciences. Kepka studies effective strategies for vaccination uptake against human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers