30 May 2019

Cadet's resiliency helps in battle against cancer

Parker Hammond was in the best shape of his life. The Air Force Academy cadet had recently completed a challenging global obstacle race and rebounded after a string of sports injuries ended his Falcon football career. But cancer doesn’t discriminate. During his junior year, Hammond found a lump on his testicle.

9 May 2019

National Nurses Week: Capt. Stephanie Smiddy

A cancer diagnosis can leave patients reeling, frightened and uncertain of the future, especially when it is an aggressive form of cancer or one that doesn’t respond to traditional treatments. This is the state many patients are in when the first meet Capt. Stephanie Smiddy, the infection control and immunization officer-in-charge assigned to the 180th Fighter Wing, Ohio Air National Guard.

7 Feb 2019

My cancer is not my crutch

“I’ll never forget the day the doctor came into the waiting room, looked through the window of my soul and said, ‘you have cancer’. Four days later I was on the surgery table so he could save my life.” Those are the three words that Master Sgt. Christofer Galbadores, 821st Contingency Response Support Squadron security forces training and logistics superintendent at Travis Air Force Base, California, thought he would never hear.

15 Nov 2018

Resilient Airman lives each day as a blessing

Diagnosed with cancer twice and having undergone a major heart surgery has not slowed down retired Master Sgt. Daryl McFadden one bit. On the contrary, it has been his daily reminder to be thankful and to live life to the fullest.

5 Oct 2018

David Grant Medical Center tests advanced cancer treatment

The Y-90 radioembolization is an advanced and minimally invasive method utilized for this disease by delivering millions of tiny radioactive beads inside the blood vessels that feed a tumor. The high dose of targeted radiation prospectively kills the tumor while sparing normal tissue. This was the first time the treatment was performed at David Grant Medical Center.

20 Sep 2018

DGMC doctors perform first Air Force Y-90 cancer treatment

Two Air Force interventional radiologist at the Travis Air Force Base, California, perform the first Air Force-only liver cancer treatment on a patient with Y-90 radioembolization Sept. 7.

6 Sep 2018

Airman defeats cancer, prepares for deployment

Imagine waking up to a typical day, only to find out your entire life was about to change after one simple doctor’s appointment. For Staff Sgt. Danielle Galich, 40th Airlift Squadron C-130J Super Hercules loadmaster, this became a reality upon learning she was diagnosed with breast cancer at 34 years old in September 2016.

13 Mar 2018

Focusing on open doors and new beginnings

Since her diagnosis with multiple myeloma in 2014, Kimberly Branche, 944th Fighter Wing human resource technician, has used the experience to recognize and act on new opportunities while helping other cancer survivors shift toward the positive possibilities in their own lives.

10 Jan 2018

Living with an attitude of gratitude – An Airman’s story of resiliency (Part 3)

“I already got my running blade,” said an enthusiastic Maj. Stephanie Proellochs (PRE’-locks). After only taking her first steps in November, Proellochs, a U.S. Air Force Medical Service Corps (MSC) Officer and recent amputee, was already thinking of how she would be able to run and eventually snowboard with her family.

27 Dec 2017

Embracing the uncharted life as an amputee – An Airman’s story of resiliency (Part 2)

Maj. Stephanie Proellochs (PRE’-locks), a recent amputee, gazes up at the rock climbing wall at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center’s physical therapy center in Bethesda, Maryland. She recalled the time she witnessed a Service member who had lost his arm effortlessly climb his way to the top.