Stem Cell Transplant Program
Error processing SSI filePatient stories
With their stories of strength, hope and courage, cancer survivors offer inspiration to one another, to their friends and families, and to the doctors and nurses who care for them. Here are some of these stories, shared by patients who have been treated at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center and have received stem cell transplants.
Valeriy Sukach — Good medicine and strong faith to overcome rare blood cancer
Valeriy Sukach is 52 years young with a head full of thick black hair, rosy cheeks and a childlike smile that says “all is right with the world.” And for Sukach, a West Sacramento resident now in remission from stage IV mantle cell lymphoma, life could get better if only he could resume his work as a gardener. But that time will come soon enough. Already, the immigrant from Uzbekistan has beaten the odds against the rare blood cancer that is almost universally fatal.
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Albert Plante — A dogged path to a cure
Albert Plante woke up from surgery to remove an inflamed appendix to a crushing surprise. His surgeon, seeing abnormalities on his pre-op blood tests, sampled his liver during the operation and found what turned out to be stage IV non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
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Brandy Perkins — A benevolent stranger
It began with some shortness of breath and heart palpitations during a trip to San Francisco. Brandy Perkins, 28 at the time, attributed the symptoms to altitude, a reaction to her 6,000-foot descent from her home in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., to the sea-level city by the bay. Doctors uncovered a different reason, and in December 2004 Perkins was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a disease of the blood and bone marrow. A transplant was vital if Perkins was to survive.
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Curtis Richards — A focus on the future
When Curtis Richards was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2002, the news sent his life into a tailspin. He became depressed. He felt hopeless. His mind could not let go of the question that haunts so many patients facing a serious disease – "Why me?" Richards was 26 at the time – young, married, with three children to raise. An avid basketball player, youth sports coach and concert promoter, he was now completely sidelined by a very aggressive cancer.
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