Leah Smith was supposed to be celebrating her 44th birthday. Instead she was having an ultrasound to find out why she was in excruciating pain. She started having pain in her lower back a few months earlier, had no appetite, began to lose weight and always felt tired.
At first, Leah thought her fatigue resulted from the amount of international travel she did as part of her job as the national sales director of the children’s department at Clarks. When the pain didn't subside and her symptoms remained, she visited her family doctor and went for blood work which later returned without a sign of a problem.
But the pain persisted and became so severe the night before Leah’s birthday that she went to the emergency department at the Cobequid Community Health Centre, and on her birthday she had the ultrasound. It showed spots on her lungs.
The next morning, a CT scan revealed a mass at the base of her oesophagus, and she was sent to the Rapid Assessment Unit at the QEII Health Sciences Centre that same day, a Friday. The following Monday an endoscopy showed that she had stage four cancer of the esophageal junction, which is at the base of the oesophagus where it joins the stomach.
“With esophageal cancer you don’t really know you have it until you’re in one of the later stages, which is quite daunting, but I’m a pretty positive person,” says Leah.
“You hope that a new treatment is going to come up, or things are going to get better, or your chemo is going to keep you around for as long as it can.”
Soon after her diagnosis in the spring of 2013, Leah began chemotherapy on an outpatient basis at the QEII’s Cancer Centre at the VG site, under the care of Dr. Nathan Lamond and RN Lynn Shore. Her pain immediately resolved. She recently decided to recognize Dr. Lamond and Lynn by honouring them as Angels in Action.
The Angels in Action program is a way of formally honouring people at the QEII with a gift to the QEII Foundation. The nominated Angel in Action receives acknowledgement of gratitude and a lapel pin to wear proudly throughout the health centre.
“Dr. Lamond and Lynn have been fantastic, so professional, thorough and knowledgeable,” says Leah.
“They fill me in on what is new in research, and it is very reassuring to know that not only are they treating you but they are also looking for new ways that can help. Dr. Lamond and Lynn never cease to amaze me with their level of care and concern. I feel so blessed to have them on my team.”
Dr. Lamond feels honoured to receive this recognition and to wear the lapel pin given to him.
“In medical oncology we have unique opportunities to form close and caring relationships with patients during very difficult times in their lives. This is the most rewarding aspect of my work,” he says.
“At the Cancer Centre we work as consistent physician-nurse teams, which help to provide continuity of care for our patients. In the past year Lynn and I have had the chance to build a very close relationship with Leah. As a team, we have focused on helping her to live well with her cancer.”
Leah started another round of chemotherapy this spring, but luckily, she did not have to go for a treatment on her 45th birthday. This year she had a chance to celebrate with her sister, Kellie, who comes from Prince Edward Island for every chemo treatment – just to be by Leah's side. Leah also gets a lot of support from her father and brothers, Matthew and Jason.
“Barely two years prior to my diagnosis, we lost our mom to cancer, so it has been difficult for our family to face it again, but we take it one day at a time,” says Leah.
“I also have great friends who help me. It has been a learning experience in many ways. You certainly learn to count your blessings and appreciate every day.”
