Cynthia is a wife, a mother of four and grandmother of 11. She has worked hard all of her life to ensure that her family was cared for and had everything they needed. Cindy suffered a heart attack in 2005 and underwent a quintuple bypass surgery. She returned to work briefly but had to medically retire in 2006. Over the course of several years, she developed some health issues and at a routine doctor's visit in March 2016, her primary physician determined that she might have anemia. Because of her constant fatigue, her doctor recommended a blood transfusion to alleviate her weakened state. Several days after the transfusion, Cindy she was back to herself, full of energy and looking forward to visiting with her children and grandchildren.
Shortly after her transfusion, she fell back into another fatigued state. Further tests revealed that the anemia and fatigue she had been experiencing was due to Multiple Myeloma. This diagnosis was a shock to the family, since there was no family history of the disease or any major symptoms other than being tired. Currently, she is being seen at UCSF and taking a chemotherapy treatment called Ninlaro, which is also a drug funded by Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Cindy started taking Ninlaro in July, 2016 and within a few treatments, there was a decrease in her cancer cells by 50% What an encouragement to Cindy and her family!
In December 2016, we learned that in addition to her Multiple Myeloma, she has uterine cancer. She had surgery to remove the cancer cells in January 2017, but because it is high-risk cancer, other chemotherapy treatments in addition to Ninlaro have been highly suggested from her oncologist. While she is still considering her options in handling this disease, she continues her fight against Multiple Myeloma and because these diagnoses do not deter her from making the most of the God-given attributes which still continue to be at the forefront of her life, she continually displays a positive attitude and sense of humor. She is a hero to so many, especially her family.