Linda Wells' Story
Bennett Cancer Center was this breast cancer survivor’s “find” for solace and support
When she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2005, Rye, New York resident Linda Wells, was faced with the task of finding a treatment center – fast. After doing a little investigating on her own (and being turned down for an appointment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering), Linda enlisted the help of her concerned sister, who found the Bennett Cancer Center online. “We looked at it together and she said ‘take a look at that atrium’,” recalled Linda, noting the Bennett Cancer Center’s sun-filled space, a signature of the cancer care facility. “I called that very day, and at 2 p.m., I had an appointment. I knew right away that this was where I was going to have my treatment…it really was a find.”
Linda’s treatment at the Bennett Cancer Center included estrogen-blocking medications, a protocol of treatment drugs, surgery, and a full round of radiation. “I’ve been through the full spectrum of treatments!” exclaimed Linda, who told how she came to appreciate the little differences that make the Bennett Cancer Center special. One example is the private treatment rooms where her loved ones could “camp out” for the duration of her drug administrations. Another was that all the nurses knew her by name. While battling her disease, Linda also recalls taking advantage of all the alternative therapies that were offered to her through the Hope in Motion program, including massage therapy, reflexology, reiki and nutrition advice.
Today, Linda happily reports that she is “doing great.” With no new issues that warrant attention, she is on a maintenance program that has her check in regularly with her oncologist at the Bennett Cancer Center. She still comes to the atrium for reiki circles. Linda also gives back as an active and valued volunteer with the Bennett Cancer Center’s “Paint the Town Pink” breast cancer awareness initiative, which runs social and informational programs for what she calls a celebration of “survival and sisterhood.” She also participates in the annual Hope in Motion Walk, Run, and Ride event, which she started with a big group of family and friends during her first year of treatment. “Volunteering and participating is a way to be part of the Bennett Center family,” said Linda. “It’s a way for everyone to do something good for the good of the Center.”
When she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2005, Rye, New York resident Linda Wells, was faced with the task of finding a treatment center – fast. After doing a little investigating on her own (and being turned down for an appointment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering), Linda enlisted the help of her concerned sister, who found the Bennett Cancer Center online. “We looked at it together and she said ‘take a look at that atrium’,” recalled Linda, noting the Bennett Cancer Center’s sun-filled space, a signature of the cancer care facility. “I called that very day, and at 2 p.m., I had an appointment. I knew right away that this was where I was going to have my treatment…it really was a find.”
Linda’s treatment at the Bennett Cancer Center included estrogen-blocking medications, a protocol of treatment drugs, surgery, and a full round of radiation. “I’ve been through the full spectrum of treatments!” exclaimed Linda, who told how she came to appreciate the little differences that make the Bennett Cancer Center special. One example is the private treatment rooms where her loved ones could “camp out” for the duration of her drug administrations. Another was that all the nurses knew her by name. While battling her disease, Linda also recalls taking advantage of all the alternative therapies that were offered to her through the Hope in Motion program, including massage therapy, reflexology, reiki and nutrition advice.
Today, Linda happily reports that she is “doing great.” With no new issues that warrant attention, she is on a maintenance program that has her check in regularly with her oncologist at the Bennett Cancer Center. She still comes to the atrium for reiki circles. Linda also gives back as an active and valued volunteer with the Bennett Cancer Center’s “Paint the Town Pink” breast cancer awareness initiative, which runs social and informational programs for what she calls a celebration of “survival and sisterhood.” She also participates in the annual Hope in Motion Walk, Run, and Ride event, which she started with a big group of family and friends during her first year of treatment. “Volunteering and participating is a way to be part of the Bennett Center family,” said Linda. “It’s a way for everyone to do something good for the good of the Center.”
