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Joy Brooks: The Ending was Just the Beginning

Joy Brooks

“Everyone was so professional. Not one person made me uncomfortable—from the person who came around and asked what I wanted to eat to the people who cleaned. They treated you as a person, not just a patient.”

Joy Brooks
Ovarian Cancer

In the fall of 2014, Joy was scheduled for a routine knee surgery where she emerged with a working knee, along with very concerning imaging scans that indicated possible cancer. In February 2015, Joy was officially diagnosed with stage 4 appendiceal cancer. But the news got worse when four months later, she was told her cancer had spread to her ovaries and there was nothing that could be done. She was put on hospice care.

Joy attempted to process the news, which was not new territory for her as she had previously lost close friends and family to cancer. Shocked, and feeling like all hope was lost, Joy couldn’t help but think of the moments she would miss out on with her children, husband, and grandchildren. Additionally, Joy struggled to find support and information about other treatment options. At the time, she felt it was most practical for her family, and her own emotional health, to come to terms with the prognosis.

Just the Beginning

In early July 2015, Joy’s family hosted a “Kick the Bucket” party to celebrate her life. Everyone—from her grandchildren to her family doctor—came together to commemorate Joy and her journey. Throughout that one weekend, she began handing down her jewelry to her children, celebrated all the holidays that she would miss with her grandchildren, and more.

While Joy focused on spending what she thought were her last moments with loved ones, her family did not give up. They focused on finding a treatment that would give her more time and physician who would give them more hope. This led them to contact Rebecca Wiatrek, M.D., FACS , surgical oncologist at Texas Oncology Surgical Specialists– Austin Central. Within days, Joy was in her office discussing a different potential treatment for her cancer – cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).

HIPEC is a type of cancer treatment in which the surgeon fills the abdominal cavity with heated chemotherapy drugs after the removal of tumors or lesions. The chemotherapy is heated to 103 degrees Fahrenheit and pumped throughout the abdominal cavity ensuring that the drug reaches all areas within the abdomen with the goal of killing any cancer cells that remain after cytoreductive surgery.

A Second Chance

Joy began HIPEC treatment on August 21, 2015, 10 months after her diagnosis and weeks after accepting her initial prognosis. Although the HIPEC treatment was intense, both Joy’s family and the team at Texas Oncology Surgical Specialists–Austin Central ensured she felt supported at every step.

“Dr. Wiatrek is determined,” Joy said. “She liked the challenge, she knew what was needed, and her confidence gave me peace. She never gave up on me and would follow up with me every day.”

Joy is now six years cancer-free and was recently told her cancer is unlikely to come back. After her last follow-up with Dr. Wiatrek, Joy is shifting her mindset from patient to survivor.

“Outcomes like Joy’s are the most rewarding part of my profession,” Dr. Wiatrek said. “It isn’t every day that you get to tell a patient they can go ahead and donate back their hospice care bag since they no longer need it. With HIPEC surgery and treatment, identifying which types of tumors will respond well is just as important as putting in the time and determination with the patient to get through something this challenging.”

Reflecting on her time at Texas Oncology Surgical Specialists– Austin Central, Joy is filled with gratitude for the staff members who helped her feel comfortable and cared for throughout her treatment.

“Everyone was so professional,” Joy said. “Not one person made me uncomfortable—from the person who came around and asked what I wanted to eat to the people who cleaned. They treated you as a person, not just a patient.”

Now, Joy is living her most fulfilling life—spending time with her family, friends, fishing, camping, and treasuring every moment with pure joy.

The information included in this testimonial is based on one patient’s unique experience and is not intended to represent all patient outcomes or expectations.