At the age of 51 Christina Hall, a mother and teacher from Alexandria, Louisiana, had been experiencing excessive pain and bleeding. Knowing this was not normal for her, she contacted her primary care physician for a second time with her concerns. Having undergone a biopsy just six months prior with no definitive results, Christina continued to pursue a second opinion and scheduled an appointment with her OBGYN.

After some testing, Christina’s OBGYN determined she had uterine cancer and would need to undergo a full hysterectomy. Her OBGYN then referred her to Dr. Anthony Evans, a gynecologic oncologist at Woman’s Hospital.

“When I first received my diagnosis, I was devastated,” said Christina. “But as soon as I met Dr. Evans, I was immediately comforted by his knowledge…” He took the time to explain everything to her, something Christina deeply appreciated.

After the surgery, Dr. Evans contacted Christina to inform her that she also had clear cell ovarian cancer, something that was found through routine testing after her hysterectomy. With this diagnosis, she needed to start chemotherapy as soon as she was strong enough.

The moment she stepped into Woman’s, she felt reassured because everyone knew her name and her story. It made something horrible a little bit better and she knew she was “in the perfect place to go through this experience.” With the help of cancer navigators and social workers at Woman’s, Christina’s cancer brought her family closer together and made them stronger.

The Woman’s cancer navigators and social workers help eliminate barriers for patients throughout their cancer journey. From diagnosis to survivorship, they work with patients to obtain resources and support needed during treatment. They also take time to sit with patients’ families, specifically children, to help them understand the challenges patients face during their treatment. Your support ensures services like these are available to patients like Christina. Visit womans.org/donate to make an impact.