Giving Back After Double Cancer Diagnosis

In 1999, Susan Miller was living the life she’d always dreamed of, raising 2 little girls ages 2 and 3, with her loving husband, Steve.

But after a routine self-check, she found a lump in her breast. That was the day everything changed. Scans showed a mass in her breast and another on her lung. With no family history and no real warning signs, her diagnosis came as a complete shock: stage 4 breast cancer.

Susan began care at another local hospital. However, as her case proved more complex, a family member recommended The University of Kansas Cancer Center as a regional and national leader in cancer care. She immediately connected with a team of specialists who created an action plan.

In the right hands

Susan’s comprehensive care team moved swiftly to establish an aggressive treatment plan. Through this process, her doctors made a critical discovery: the mass in her lungs was not due to the breast cancer spreading. It was a separate, non-small cell lung cancer.

Doctors restaged her at stage 2B triple-negative breast cancer, a serious but more responsive type of cancer.

The team proceeded with targeted treatments for both types of cancer, utilizing a specialized approach best for Susan. She underwent a lobectomy on her lung followed by radiation, as well as chemotherapy and a double mastectomy for the breast.

As a leading provider of advanced medical care in the county, Susan was able to receive lifesaving care just miles from her home, adding to her comfort.

After a harrowing year of surgeries and treatments, Susan started regaining her strength and was encouraged by normal results from regular scans.

“I truly believe [The University of Kansas Cancer Center] is the best in the Midwest,” Susan said. “The unmatched expertise, compassionate nature and willingness to walk alongside me during the hardest time of my life, just incredible.”

Today, Susan celebrates 25 years of cancer remission. She has been there for every milestone in her daughters’ lives. Now ages 28 and 30, her girls have grown into strong women, shaped in no small part by their mother who fought hard to be here.

The care she received has inspired her to pay it forward.

Susan gives back by being an advocate for high-quality cancer care and donates generously to help ensure excellent care is available for others. "The University of Kansas Cancer Center is doing such great work: the research, the advancements, the National Cancer Center comprehensive designation. This is a great place and a great cause. I’m proud to be a survivor and to give to the health system that gave me my life back.”