Local Chemotherapy Patient Gets Golden Party To Celebrate Milestone
By Stephanie Stahl
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Penn Medicine recently celebrated the milestone of a chemotherapy patient and we were there for all the festivities.
It's become a tradition of sorts for this New Jersey family. Instead of letting chemotherapy be a difficult ordeal for their beloved mother, daughter and wife, the family made parties.
We first told you about this family four years ago, when they began their tradition.
Debbie Hemmes, a chemotherapy patient at Penn Medicine says, "It's amazing especially when I was told it was stage four and then it had gone to the brain and now nothings in the brain and it's non active right now"
It's been four years since she was first diagnosed with advanced lung cancer and after years on chemotherapy at Penn Medicine, Debbie's daughters, Kelly and Karen, figured they'd make the best of a bad situation.
For her 50th chemotherapy treatment, Hemmes is getting a golden party. That's right a party, flush with balloons, streamers and cakes. She gets the works. She is the party girl and the party planner.
Her daughter, Kelly McCollister said, "Never once in 50 chemo sessions has she sat by herself, always thrown a party for her."
There have been many different themes and we were invited to one of Debbie's very first chemo parties. The party her family called, Fun in the Sun.
Karen Hemmes, another of Debbie's daughters said, "If it wasn't for these parties I don't think she'd be walking with a smile on her face."
Yes, Hemmes has even been able to see the birth of a new grand-daughter, who was all decked out for the 50 party.
Penn Medicine oncologist, Dr. Charu Aggarwal says, "she's doing great and it's really i think the positive attitude that's keeping her going in addition to everything else."
Debbie's oncologist says chemo is no longer something to dread.
Dr. Charu says, "Not only are we able to control their disease, but really let the patients do what they want to do."
Debbie was able to go back to work. And when they are at the hospital, she and her family share their positive spirit, hitting the halls of the chemo unit to share sweets with other cancer patients and Debbie's story of beating the odds.
"My doctor has basically called me her miracle child," laughed Debbie.
Now with her cancer well managed, Debbie might be able to get more advanced treatments with immunotherapy, so she can watch her grandchildren grow up.