Susan Lamar - “His Diagnosis Made Me A Survivor”

Susan Lamar, Rocky Mount, NC

Susan Lamar of Rocky Mount, N.C., says that her brother’s cancer diagnosis has made her a survivor.

When Lamar found out that her brother, Page Keel, had pancreatic cancer in August 2006, she spent all night researching on the Internet. The next day, she asked for a CAT scan, which revealed that she also had pancreatic cancer.  Before the CAT scan, Lamar had blamed her subtle symptoms, such as rapid weight loss, on her rigorous travel schedule as the North Carolina state director of AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), a pre-college program in 200 NC secondary schools.

Lamar’s team of Lineberger oncologists included Dr. Hong Jin Kim, Dr. Joel Tepper, and Dr. Richard Goldberg.  The oncologists worked closely with Dr. Dan Crocker in Rocky Mount who had diagnosed her.

Because the doctors caught her cancer early, she was one of the 10 percent of patients eligible to undergo a Whipple operation. The complex operation is one of the only effective treatments currently available to cure pancreatic cancer. However, because pancreatic cancer spreads quickly, it was imperative that she receive the surgery immediately.

On Sept. 6, 2006, Dr. Kim performed Whipple’s operation on Lamar. “The Lineberger Center was able to move fast,” she said. The surgery involved removing the diseased part of Lamar’s pancreas, half of her stomach, her gallbladder, 12 inches of her intestines and then sewing the remains back together to create a new digestive tract.

Following Lamar’s two-week hospital stay in Chapel Hill, she began a slow recovery from the Whipple surgery. She said that learning to eat and re-gaining weight were her biggest challenges. Further treatment was needed due to lymph node involvement. In the fall, she started chemotherapy. She was able to manage side effects well with the help of her team of doctors. She had to live in Chapel Hill during January and February of 2007 for radiation and chemotherapy. Her treatments did not end until 9 months after her diagnosis. Currently the only medication needed is artificial enzymes to assist in the digestion of food.

Lamar said that her team of doctors, family, friends and church encouraged her through the difficult times. Many prayers were offered. One friend even set up a food brigade and an Internet blog, which served as a forum for her to post updates of her condition and receive encouragement from others.

Unfortunately, Lamar’s brother was not eligible for the Whipple operation and passed away two months after diagnosis. Lamar said that if her brother had not have been diagnosed, she may have never discovered her own cancer. Usually the symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer do not present themselves until the disease is advanced.

One of Lamar’s sisters died of lung cancer this summer. Her husband, Wardlaw, currently is in treatment for a rare blood cancer, Multiple Myeloma. Due to the occurrences of cancer in her family, Lamar and 26 surviving family members have been involved in genetic studies at the Mayo Clinic, John Hopkins, and Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center.

In June 2007, Dr. Goldberg informed Lamar that tests revealed she had N.E.D. meaning no evidence of disease. That same day, the Lamars found a poodle without a home, adopted him as their own, and named him Ned in celebration.

“Cancer is not a death sentence. For many people it’s a chronic disease that you must learn to live with,” said Lamar. She said she is grateful that her doctors will be keeping a close watch on her for any signs of recurrence of cancer.

Lamar said that as a survivor, she leads a richer and fuller life. The little things that caused stress now seem unimportant. Along with her new perspective, she also has regained her energy and strength. Now she is able to lift her two three-year-old granddaughters, who bring her enormous joy, she said.

Currently Lamar and her husband serve on the board of visitors for Lineberger. “I am so honored to be on the board....We’ll do anything we can to help the Lineberger Center,” she said.

Read article in Rocky Mount Telegram about Susan.