In December 2022, Camilla Liferidge-Pinckney simply had some recurring stomach pains. After a while, the veteran Dorchester Two District educator went to a Roper St. Francis Healthcare emergency room to have the pains checked out. After an examination, Camilla was informed that she needed to have her gallbladder removed. This made sense to her, given her stomach pains.
However, she did not expect the doctor’s added diagnosis, namely that Camilla’s CT scan showed a spot on her lung. He referred her to a pulmonologist, who performed a biopsy that revealed that Camilla had a rare, carcinoid tumor in her lung. Camilla felt devastated as did her whole family. So, she was understandably worried when she first visited Dr. Elizabeth Kline, the Roper St. Francis surgeon referred by her pulmonologist.
Dr. Kline explained that Camilla’s tumor was at stage 2, but that only through surgery could they learn the best treatment approach.
Camilla had never dealt with something like cancer before. However, she was encouraged after learning of Dr. Kline’s team approach. Camilla knew she had a highly competent, caring team at Roper St. Francis: a surgeon, an oncologist, and a pulmonologist--all working together for her.
Throughout her journey, Camilla meditated and prayed—both with her family and her career family in the Dorchester Two school system. “I prayed that God would place me in the care of the right doctors,” says Camilla. “My prayers were answered when I was referred to Dr. Kline and her team.”
The surgery could not have gone better. A section of Camilla’s lower left lung was removed—and thankfully, the cancer had not spread. Today, Camilla has had no further spots on her lungs and feels good. She’s taking one day at a time and cherishing her time with her husband and twin 33-year-old daughters.
From Dr. Kline’s team of doctors to the nurse navigator who helped her schedule physical therapy after surgery, Camilla says her care at Roper St. Francis was “amazing.” Camilla singled out her nurse navigator, who skillfully guided her through the aftermath of her successful surgery. Her nurse navigator helped her understand the many aspects of recovery, even how to obtain financial support if she needed it.
The whole experience has left Camilla with a new perspective. She now sees her gallbladder issue as a blessing, since without it, she would not have known about the carcinoid tumor in her lung.
“Cancer is life-changing,” Camilla says today. “You think about the end, and it’s a journey that can feel devastating when alone. So having that support from my Roper St. Francis team was vital.”
Thanks to your generosity as a donor, patients like Camilla can get the most advanced treatment and care to fight cancer. Philanthropic support allows us to invest in nurse navigators, who provide information and support to our patients during their cancer diagnosis.