Celebrate Life

Tulsa cancer survivor celebrated five-year treatment milestone at annual CTCA “Celebrate Life” event.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America made a donation to the Arbor Day Foundation to celebrate Betty Jones’ five-year treatment milestone.

Celebrating every moment since her cancer diagnosis, Betty Jones, of Tulsa, Okla., was among more than 190 cancer survivors who celebrated their five-year milestone since their first treatment at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Southwestern Regional Medical Center. The celebrants were honored at the hospital’s annual “Celebrate Life” event Sept. 18 in Tulsa.
“This year’s event theme was ‘Looking Forward,’ a reminder of all of the significant milestones our patients anticipate and desire to participate in, as well as looking forward to reaching their five-year cancer anniversary,” said Richard Haldeman, president and chief executive officer of the Tulsa hospital. “We are honored to be able to share this meaningful milestone with our patients.”
Jones, a before- and after-school program team member with Owasso Public Schools, was diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer while living in Amarillo, Tex. A local doctor suggested she check out CTCA. “When I walked in the door at CTCA in Tulsa, I felt a comforting and peaceful feeling,” said Jones. “I received TomoTherapy® and chemotherapy, but I also received hope, love and compassion.”
She is happy to report she is symptom free now. “I credit CTCA with giving me a chance at life and for the energy to work with the pre-K through fifth graders I oversee at the school and summer camps.”
Jones is looking forward to many more years with her grandchildren and grateful to have been around so far for two of their weddings. The 74-year-old’s advice for others on a cancer journey, “Fight for yourself and seek God.”
At the regional “Celebrate Life” event at the Tulsa hospital, the names of celebrants were added to gold metal leaves on the “Survivor Tree” which hangs in the hospital’s lobby. Following the outdoor ceremony with a tree planting and dove release, the five-year survivors and their caregivers participated in “Hope Rounds.” During this special time, celebrants received commemorative lapel pins – one for themselves and one to share in an encouraging way as a symbolic transfer of hope to patients currently undergoing treatment inside the hospital.

About Cancer Treatment Centers of America®

Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla., is a national network of five hospitals that serves adult patients who are fighting cancer. CTCA® offers an integrative approach to care that combines advancements in genomic testing and precision cancer treatment, surgery, radiation, immunotherapy and chemotherapy, with evidence-based complementary therapies that support patients physically and emotionally, enhancing their quality of life while reducing side effects both during and after treatment. CTCA serves patients from around the world at its hospitals in Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Tulsa. Consistently rated among U.S. hospitals that deliver the highest quality of care and patient experience, CTCA provides patients and their families with comprehensive information about their treatment options and encourages their active participation in treatment decisions. For more information, visit cancercenter.com, Facebook.com/cancercenter and Twitter.com/cancercenter.