Cancer and Clinical Services Patient Stories

Born at the right time

Donna “Sue” Jones has had more than one encounter with cancer. After her mother was diagnosed with colon cancer and a surgeon advised Sue and her four sisters and two brothers to get colonoscopies, Sue discovered she too had colon cancer. She was just 49. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation resulted in a cancer-free diagnosis.

Flash forward about a decade. Although a family doctor told Sue an annual pelvic exam and pap smear were no longer required beyond age 60, she says, “I had a premonition that something wasn’t right and made an appointment with my Ob/Gyn.”

An ultrasound detected a growth on her right ovary, and her CA 125 (a blood test often used to detect ovarian cancer that measures the amount of the protein known as cancer antigen 125) was found to be “off the charts.”

Sue was referred to a surgical oncologist near her home in Springfield, Ohio, and he performed surgery to remove a grapefruit-sized tumor, but he did not remove Sue’s uterus due to prior radiation complications.

“The end result was that all of the cancer wasn’t removed,” she says. “I started a series of chemotherapy infusions, but this caused neuropathy. The doctor then tried several other chemo combinations, all without success. Ultimately, a CT scan showed an enlarging pelvic mass.

“My doctor at the time told me to get my affairs together and take a vacation. I never talked to him again.”

As Sue explains, “I was very scared, but determined that I wasn’t ready to die. My husband Steve and I came home and researched every imaginable alternative. After many days of looking at places all over the United States, we eventually came back to The James — only 50 miles from home.”

Sue watched a video with David O’Malley, MD, talking about ovarian cancer. “I felt that he was talking to me personally,” she says.

At her first appointment at the OSUCCC -- James, Sue had many tests and evaluations. It was discovered that she had platinum resistant cancer cells, which did not allow conventional chemo treatments, so following her initial 7½-hour surgery, which was done by Dr. O’Malley and two other surgeons, Sue needed a more innovative approach.

“Dr. O’Malley removed 99% of the cancer, and he was very positive about the outcome, but still cautiously optimistic,” she says. “My cancer was ‘peculiar,’ and that limited my options. However, my cancer cells were sent for lab analysis, and they were able to determine the right immunotherapy treatment for my exact cancer.

“I was born at the right time. This kind of targeted treatment has saved my life,” Sue says, “and Dr. O’Malley was a ‘godsend.’ I can’t say enough good things about him or his personality that overcomes major anxiety in trying times. He just has the utmost concern for the patient, but also involves himself with the family and their worries.”

Sue’s personal immunotherapy plan included 39 treatment cycles over two years, with a few interruptions due to COVID-19 restrictions. “I just placed all my trust in Dr. O’Malley, the others caring for me and this revolutionary treatment,” she says. “I’m now five years in remission. All of my CA 125 screening tests have remained in the low-normal range, and I’m glad to be alive."

“Dr. O’Malley never stopped looking for a solution, and now he calls me a walking miracle. I want to share my story to let other women stay positive and trust that their doctor’s hands are guided by God, who led me through my own journey. I praise Him every day for my extended life.”