In April 2021, Tara Cox, an elementary school teacher of 25 years, received a call during the middle of the school day that confirmed her worst fears: She had stage 2 breast cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes. As she returned to her classroom to read a book to one of her second grade students, she was in shock. The reality began to set in when her doctor immediately referred her to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. But Cox was concerned about the commute and decided to look for more local treatment options. After doing some research, she decided to begin receiving chemotherapy treatments at Lake Charles Memorial Health System’s Cancer Center. Care closer to home “I was thrilled that I didn’t have to go back and forth to Houston and could receive the exact treatment here at home,” says Cox. After five months of chemotherapy, it was time for a single mastectomy. Shortly after the surgery, Cox began radiation treatments, which consisted of five treatments a week for 30 days. This phase of her treatment was a huge commitment. Choosing to do this locally, at Memorial, meant she could avoid travel to and from the big city. Convenient cancer care Tara Cox was thrilled she was able to receive treatment here at home, thanks to LCMHS’s Cancer Center “I feel like I got the best care at Memorial. It was the highlight of my day when I got to see my doctors and nurses.” —Tara Cox “I feel like I got the best care at Memorial,” Cox recalls. “It was the highlight of my day when I got to see my doctors and nurses. Their personality and good spirits made it possible for me to be positive throughout the process.” Ringing her ‘victory bell’ On February 17, 2022, she rang the “victory bell” to celebrate her win in her cancer journey. She is now in remission and planning to be back in the classroom in the fall of 2022. As a wife and mother of two teenage girls, Cox has spent much of her life caring for her family and her students. Her cancer journey saw the tables turn and allowed her to be cared for by her family and the staff at Memorial—and she’s so grateful for that care. 8 Memorial Medical Milestones • Summer 2022
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