Cancer and Clinical Services Patient Stories

Everything you never knew you needed

“During some of the hardest, darkest times of your life, The James gives you the best-case scenario,” says Allison Kays, who traveled from her home in Huntington, West Virginia, for care at the OSUCCC – James when her acute myeloid leukemia (AML) returned following initial remission.

“I knew I might need a stem cell transplant in the future, and my local oncologist mentioned Ohio State as one of the best resources nearby,” she says. “My dad had actually completed a medical fellowship there years earlier, so I felt confident in my choice.”

Allison spent more than six months in Columbus, first in in-patient care at the OSUCCC – James for her transplant process, and then for outpatient follow-up care and recovery while she stayed in a rented home nearby.

“I was so relieved to find out that I could have a family member stay with me in my hospital room 100% of the time,” she says. “When my mom was with me, anytime someone checked on me, they also checked on her well-being. They understood that she was going through something too.

“Throughout my entire time at The James, everyone was so accommodating. I was in isolation with pretty strict visitation guidelines, but my care team kept me connected and helped so much with family communication. They made sure I received every phone call, and even when my family couldn’t come to my private room, they arranged safe meetings for us in the visiting room on the isolation floor.”

Even after Allison was approved for outpatient treatment, her care team, including hematologist Ayman Saad, MB/BCH, continued to protect Allison’s well-being and outlook. “They understood how important it was for me to get back to my husband and kids, to my normal life, even if it was just for a short time. Because my home is two and a half hours from Columbus, it wasn’t just a quick trip that I could squeeze between appointments, lab work, transfusions and more,” Allison says. “They knew my health was fragile, but also appreciated that I needed my family, so they worked out a plan to give me that important time at home while still keeping me safe. That really helped my spirit.”

Another crucial blessing that Allison didn’t anticipate before she arrived at The James was the support she received from Ohio State’s team of social workers.

"A social worker visited me within two days of my first treatment and started researching available grants that I might qualify for that would help with medical expenses,” she explains. “They just needed a signed waiver from me, and then they handled all the applications.”

Allison's first grant of $7,500 covered co-pays, and she qualified for others after that. “A social worker would just show up in my room with a smile on her face, and she’d tell me, ‘Good news; we found more money!’

“I just felt so cared for at The James,” Allison says. “I had massage therapy. There was art therapy, aromatherapy and so much more. They’ve thought of everything – even the things you never knew you needed – so I could just focus on staying alive."