Elizabeth Seely is ready to share her cancer story. Here’s why.
The mammograms were part of her regular care. She felt perfectly fine. But on that summer day in 2018, a radiologist with a keen eye caught something buried deep, and a biopsy would reveal what Elizabeth Seely had held in the back of her mind since her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 46.
“Two days later, I was sitting in a meeting and my phone rang, and the nurse practitioner asked, ‘Can you talk?’” says Seely, MHA, FACHE, chief administrative officer for The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Hospital Division.
And that really kind of rocked my world.”
Seely doesn’t like to talk about herself. Not usually. She’d rather share stories from her work overseeing six hospitals, or from her lengthy volunteer career in Girl Scouts, or from the church where she met her husband and sings in the choir. She’s a voice built for harmony, more concerned with blending and complementing than soaking up the spotlight.
But she’s making an exception for this story.
There are two reasons.
Promoting cancer research and early detection
On June 25, she’ll be honored by Ohio Cancer Research during the independent statewide organization’s annual fundraiser, A Capital Valentine (which is usually in February, but organizers delayed it until the event could be held safely in person.) It’s a cause she believes in deeply.
Ohio Cancer Research provides seed money to researchers, including some at Ohio State, who pursue new and bold ideas to treat and prevent cancer. Previous honorees are prominent business and civic leaders in central Ohio, and they insisted that Seely be next. Though the recognition made her uncomfortable, she had a good reason to accept — she wants to encourage others to attend the event and learn about the impact of cancer research.
“Every honoree is different, but for most, their first reaction is reluctance,” says Bill Boggess, executive director of Ohio Cancer Research. “Elizabeth is smart enough to know it isn’t about her. It is, but it’s about cancer. It’s about making an impact.”
Cancer research, of course, leads to evidence-based treatments that lead to better patient outcomes. Another thing that makes cancer more manageable? Early detection.
That’s the second reason Seely is telling her own cancer story, and why now feels like an especially important time to do it.
Fear and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 led many to cancel their primary care appointments and skip their regular cancer screenings. Seely wants to shout from the rooftops that some things shouldn’t be put off, even in a pandemic. Knowing is far better than the alternative, and she knows as well as anyone that spotting cancer early is the best path to successful treatment.
Her mother’s story had underscored that. By the time her breast cancer was detected, it had spread into her lymph nodes and required aggressive chemotherapy. While she survived, and recently celebrated her 80th birthday, her experience led Seely to be diligent in her cancer screenings — which led to that mammogram in the summer of 2018.
Healing through treatment and support
A doctor did the biopsy that day, at the Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center, after a radiologist (“the unsung heroes behind the scenes,” Seely calls them) caught that tiny spot on the ultrasound. Seely experienced this before with a previous biopsy that came back benign, so she wasn’t overly concerned until the phone rang two days later.
Then she wondered what she was going to tell her three children. And her mother.
“That was the hardest part,” Seely says. “I knew it would affect her. You never want your children to suffer.”
Seely’s friends and colleagues know her as a person who manages a situation. Longtime friend Karen Sharp, director of Health System Informatics for the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, recalls Seely once plowing through a Chicago snowstorm to get to their daughters’ field hockey tournament.
“It was 5 degrees below and blowing snow all over the road,” Sharp says. “I remember feeling bad when we stopped and she got out to pump gas in the storm. But she had it under control. We were getting to Chicago. She gets it done, and we just powered through.”
Cancer, in a way, was no different. Seely shared her news with her colleagues and pressed ahead with four weeks of radiation treatment at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). She also underwent two surgeries under the care of surgical oncologist William Farrar, MD, the medical director of the Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center and the CEO of the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute.
Colleagues remember Seely taking on the challenge quietly. She was so adept at keeping that part of her life separate that those around her could almost forget it was happening.
“When I reflect back, it just makes me want to tear up,” says Mary Howard, DNP, RN, executive director of The Ohio State University East Hospital. “I get goosebumps. She was just such — I hate to use the word trooper, but with her Girl Scouts background it might fit. She went through a rough time, but the whole world wouldn’t know about it.”
Seely found herself surrounded by support — calls from friends, piles of cards from well-wishers, home-cooked meals from co-workers. At first the attention made her uncomfortable, but she grew to treasure that kindness, embracing it as a gift that she’d pay forward when she could.
And so here’s one way she’s paying forward.
Three years later, Seely is a grateful cancer survivor with a story to tell. So why not take the time to share that journey of hope, generosity and diligence — of the utter importance of regular cancer screenings and the life-changing power of cancer research — if it might mean helping someone else?
“Letting people do things for me was hard at first to accept,” she says, “but now I want to try to do that for others.”
If she can accomplish that, if she can get someone to schedule their cancer screening, then maybe a little bit of time in that uncomfortable spotlight will be worth it.
Learn more about Ohio Cancer Research and A Capital Valentine by visiting ohiocancer.org.
If you’ve been avoiding the doctor’s office during the past year, now’s the time to get your medical care back on track.
A community determined to end cancer
Elizabeth Seely is also active in another prominent local cancer research fundraiser, Pelotonia, a three-day experience that includes a weekend of cycling, entertainment and volunteerism. Through its first 12 years, Pelotonia has raised more than $217 million for cancer research at the OSUCCC – James. Seely has ridden her bike three times in Pelotonia, including a 100-mile ride, and has committed to a personal challenge for the fundraiser in 2021. Learn more about the event, its impact and how you can get involved.