In Their Own Words

Over the last eight years, Claribel Dare has experienced highs and lows. But, as the 71-year-old retired school teacher and church organist understands, the music of life goes on. In 2003, Claribel’s days were filled with teaching, playing the organ every Sunday, and spending time with her family. She had started a new exercise program and was feeling good. That’s why she was surprised when her doctor discovered a tumor on one of her ovaries.

Five years ago, the road of 21-year-old Gina Grande's life stretched before her. Born at Good Samaritan Hospital, she had grown up in San Jose and attended local schools. Gina lived at home, along with her twin, Jill, their parents and brothers. She was working as a beautician and studying communications at San Jose State University. Life was good. Then, cancer brought everything to a screeching halt.

"To say I was shocked when I learned I had cancer would be a radical understatement," says Leslie Hagen, who was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer nearly two years ago. As a result, Leslie entered a physical, emotional and spiritual roller coaster ride that today has transformed her view of life and how to live it to the fullest.

When a Good Samaritan Hospital recovery room nurse, Mark Youngblood RN, 55, got up early to go to the gym before work, he was feeling different than he ever had before, but he told himself everything was OK. And his wife Linda, also a nurse, agreed. As Mark began getting on his workout clothes, he wasn’t able to use his left hand to put on his sock. The arm felt numb all the way up to the elbow and he couldn’t control it. He and Linda decided he had simply slept on his hand wrong.

“It never entered my mind for one moment that I wasn’t going to beat this thing.” Sales director Geoffrey Marks depends on his voice to take him through many presentations and speaking engagements. But, the 57-year-old San Jose resident never dreamed his throat and voice would be major players in another important event – one that could have cost him his life.

"I've struggled with weight my whole life. Now, since the surgery, to be in restaurants, airplanes and even amusement parks with no problem … to buy clothes in regular department stores … to go on dates or be out in public and have people notice me with an appreciative glance … it’s an amazing feeling."

As a young man and a glazier for his family’s glass business, Jim Maggiore spent hours with knees on concrete. He carried framed panes of glass up stairs and ladders, climbing, twisting and turning. Fast forward a few decades and Jim’s hips and knees had paid the price. Now in his mid-50s and vice president of Royal Glass Company, Jim was spending more time in the office, but excruciating pain had become his constant companion.

In her early fifties, Toledo, Washington resident Marnel Groebner led an active life and thought she was in good health–except for nagging low back pain. Then, she suddenly began feeling pain in her lower abdomen so severe she couldn’t stand up straight. Thinking it was appendicitis, the emergency room doctor ordered a CT scan. That’s when a 9 centimeter mass was detected on her right ovary.

“Dr. Cabebe had a definite plan, which involved attacking the cancer with everything possible. That’s what I wanted.” In the fall of 2010, Dana Stevens was looking forward to the season ahead–the holidays, then Valentine’s Day and, just a few days later, her 40th birthday. Little did she know she was on the brink of an incredibly difficult journey. Not only was it to affect her immediate plans, it would profoundly change her life.

For nearly 30 years, Bev Myers has been a South Bay icon for senior fitness and exercise. So, last year, when the 76-year-old began suffering right hip pain so bad she couldn’t teach her usual seven dance aerobics classes a week, she couldn’t believe it.

Andrew’s procedure was done using da Vinci robotic-assisted techniques. At age 40, Andrew Stearns is busy. He has a thriving practice as an attorney and director of Bustamante O’Hara Gagliasso. He’s Dad to Max and Chloe, making the rounds of soccer games and parent-teacher conferences. Hiking, gardening and social life fill the remaining hours. And now he is a survivor of prostate cancer.

When George Haskin felt the pain in his back, he knew it was a kidney stone–like the one he had before. What George did not know was that he also had an advanced stage of a very rare form of appendix cancer called pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP). A CT scan done in the hospital emergency room showed there were multiple tumors in his abdomen.

Mrs. O’Connor was the mother of a toddler when she received her diagnosis of acute leukemia. Treated at Good Sam for more than a year, she said in remarks to an audience of community members, employees and physicians, “I never felt like I was just another patient. I always felt there was time for me and room for my family.” In remission for seven years, Mrs. O’Connor now has a second daughter and an appreciation for the care and compassion she received at Good Sam.

Recovery Experience from Da Vinci Prostatectomy. It has now been 10 weeks since my prostate surgery and I couldn’t be happier to know I am cancer free. I have regained most of my erectile functions and would put my recovery at about 92% after a short ten weeks. I was up and feeling well just 60 hours after the operation. The catheter was in place for 10 days but once it was removed I felt great except for my incontinence, which to this day is the last area of concern.