Patient Stories

The Blood Cancer Healing Center is a beacon for those facing this journey, offering comprehensive, compassionate care that extends far beyond traditional treatment.

At the Blood Cancer Healing Center, we treat the whole person, not just the disease. Our state-of-the-art facility is designed with patient comfort and well-being in mind, providing a warm, welcoming environment where individuals can find a community of healing and support. We offer a multidisciplinary approach to care, where providers across specialties come together to develop personalized treatment plans that address the unique needs of each patient. All of this happens under one roof, and patients see direct benefits from the new standards being set at the Blood Cancer Healing Center, including:

• Advanced and unique treatment options
• Higher survival rates–up to 33% higher than the national average for acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
• Lower recurrence rates
• Better quality of life
• Calming experience for inpatients and outpatients
• Easy coordination and access
• More time spent at home

Our team of hematologists, oncologists, nurses, and other specialists work collaboratively so patients can receive the most advanced and effective care available. We offer cutting-edge therapies, including CAR T-cell therapy and stem cell transplantation, as well as a dedicated clinical trials space. These trials lead to breakthrough treatments, giving patients access to new therapies.  

But our commitment to care extends far beyond medical interventions.

We understand that a blood cancer diagnosis affects not only the body but also the mind and spirit. That's why we prioritize supportive and wellness services, including nutritional counseling, mental health support, Oncology Primary Care, lifestyle medicine guidance, and integrative health therapies like massage therapy and acupuncture. Our goal is to empower patients to take an active role in their healing journey, providing them with the tools and resources they need to thrive.

The stories that follow are from patients who are part of the Blood Cancer Healing Center community, and who are a testament to bravery and hope in the face of a blood cancer diagnosis.

Julie Hyland's Story: Triumph Over a Double Diagnosis

Meet Julie

She’s in remission from brain cancer and Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and spending more time with her five children, five grandchildren and friends.

Julie’s Care Journey

 “I was very scared.” 

Julie was in treatment for brain cancer when she found out she had also developed Acute Myeloid Leukemia. After a difficult inpatient stay of seven to 10 days, followed by three series of chemotherapy and a serious bout of pneumonia, she recovered with the help of her doctors and extended care team.

“The care I received from my team was incredible. It was more than I expected. They were so encouraging. They just gave me a feeling that they knew what they were doing, they were going to help me, and I was going to get through it. And I did. I’m very proud of that.”

 Julie’s Blood Cancer Healing Center

“If I could describe the Blood Cancer Healing Center it would be BEAUTIFUL.”

Julie will visit the Blood Cancer Healing Center every four months for a checkup and blood work, utilizing the oncology primary care and onsite lab services regularly.

William Johnson's Story: A Journey of Personalized Care and Empowerment

Meet William

William is a husband, father, and grandfather who believes “family is the best thing in the world you can do.” He brings his family together through cookouts, regular gatherings, and even reunions that bring people from as far as Memphis, Minnesota, Florida, and California. 

William’s Care Journey

Two years ago, William came to Dr. Byrd and his team because he wanted the best care for his Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia diagnosis and wasn’t comfortable in the hospital system where he was originally treated. 

The diagnosis came during a 40-day hospital stay for COVID in 2020, when his primary doctor thought something must be compromising his immune system and allowing the COVID to take such a severe toll on William’s health.

In partnership with his care team, he arrived at a treatment plan. He says, “Here they listen, they wait and see and make suggestions to you to see what you feel comfortable with. So they get you a plan together and you work at it together.” William’s care plan requires that he take 2 pills by mouth every day. It’s an innovative therapy that he expects to continue for the rest of his life.

William’s Blood Cancer Healing Center

“The new building is fantastic. It’s somewhere you can feel relaxed, at ease, and able to talk to someone and tell them what your problem is and what you’re feeling.” 

William will visit the center for regular monitoring of his ongoing treatment. He values the way “the facilities, the people and just the atmosphere, they pay attention to you as a person–not as a patient, but as a person.”

Vince Richardson's Story: Early Detection and Innovative Therapy

Meet Vince

Vince is a former university athletic director, high school teacher, and football coach. He’s a survivor of multiple myeloma since 2013.

Vince’s Care Journey

While he was living in Florida, Vince had given himself what he thought was a strained muscle lifting weights at the gym. He was sleeping every night on two 40-pound bags of ice for the pain, but planned to push through. When he finally decided to get a professional opinion, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, and the doctor told him that if he had waited just six weeks more, he would have been beyond treatment.

“I’m not even thinking about cancer because I came in there like a lion. I went in like a lion and I left like a lamb.” 

Dr. Edward Faber, hematologist oncologist, had been coordinating with physicians from another hospital system on Vince’s care, when Vince made the decision to be seen at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center full time. 

“I knew Dr. Faber was my guy,” he says.

Vince was the first patient in the region to receive the innovative allogeneic CAR-T treatment for multiple myeloma. After coming home from his hospital stay, he was able to return to house chores such as vacuuming. In contrast, after his previous stem cell transplant, he had felt severely ill and required inpatient care for 16 days.

Vince’s Blood Cancer Healing Center

“Beautiful. Very bright. I love it.”

Vince believes the new center is so welcoming, it will brighten the patient’s day and help the patient’s family as well. For his own monthly visits, Vince looks forward to saving time having everything and everyone in one place.

Rick Webster's Story: The Power of Clinical Trials and Hope

Meet Rick

Rick completed treatment for acute leukemia and is now participating in a clinical trial to reduce his chances of the cancer recurring.

 Born and raised in Bellevue Kentucky, Rick currently lives in Newport.

Rick’s Care Journey

 Just 14 months after having open heart surgery, Rick received a late-night call from his doctor that he had acute leukemia and needed to go directly to the ER. 

“The rest is history. UC saved my life.” 

After chemotherapy, he had a stem cell transplant from a donor in Germany. The donor’s stem cells were collected and flown to Cincinnati, where Rick received them later that same week.

He credits his care team with his recovery: “I got to know the medical team and every single one of them became my friends. They’re very dedicated to their work and to their patients. And you can tell that they’re not just doing a job. They’re saving lives.”

Now Rick is helping to save lives too, as a participant in a clinical trial.

“One of the biggest reasons outside of the medical team here that I’m standing here still breathing is because of trials that were done 10, 20, 30 years ago. Trials are well worth it, not just for you but for the future too. Someone who is scared about trials, I’m proof it’s not scary. It could potentially save your life. It’s saving mine.”

Rick’s Blood Cancer Healing Center

“If I could describe the Blood Cancer Healing Center in one word, it would be comfort.”

Rick looks forward to how much more convenient the Blood Cancer Healing Center will make his care experience. Beyond onsite parking and having everything under one roof, he is excited to see everyone from his medical team, which he is less likely to do when they’re across multiple buildings.

The Blood Cancer Healing Center: A Beacon of Hope and Healing

The stories of Julie, William, Vince, and Rick highlight the life-changing care at the Blood Cancer Healing Center. Each patient’s journey through blood cancer treatment is filled with hope, strength, and the unwavering support of a dedicated medical team. The center’s approach to treating blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma involves advanced therapies and comprehensive support services.

Learn more about the Blood Cancer Healing Center here.