When Bel Stealy of McGregor was diagnosed with stage 4 small cell carcinoma which spread to the liver; the outlook was devastating. Upon receiving her diagnosis at another local healthcare facility, she was told hospice care was the recommended path forward.
But Bel wasn’t going down without a fight. Refusing to accept hospice as her only option, she reached out to Riverwood’s Oncology for a second opinion.
“I would have traveled anywhere for the right care,” she said. “The fact that it was close to home was a blessing.”
Soon after arriving at Riverwood and consulting with Dr. Philip, Bel faced another roadblock. Internal bleeding caused by the cancer left her hospitalized for much of April, creating a significant hurdle as she prepared to begin treatment.
Bel’s condition made treatment especially difficult. Her hemoglobin levels were too low for chemotherapy, and although her care team worked tirelessly to improve them, time was running short. She had to make a life-altering decision:
“I could take a chance on chemotherapy and probably die,” she recalled. “Or I could go home and definitely die.”
Bel decided to take the chance.
After her first chemotherapy treatment, the internal bleeding stopped. After her second treatment, a PET scan showed a remarkable response to treatment.
Today, Bel remains deeply grateful for the team that fought beside her, even when the odds seemed impossible.
“My team at Riverwood never gave up on me,” she said. “They were the angels of mercy who carried me through the darkest moments, and now here I am. I made it.”