Patient Voices: Michelle Prescott

Overview

Michelle Prescott, a mother of five based in Conroe, Texas, wasn’t one to visit the doctor for minor health issues, but one afternoon in December 2019, something was off. Prescott’s husband found her lying on the couch, her neck and shoulder wracked with excruciating pain.

He rushed her to the emergency room at Memorial Hermann. Thanks to Memorial Hermann’s partnership with Texas Oncology, Prescott was able to be seen by Texas Oncology providers, including Andrew A. Jackson, M.D., a Woodlands-based physician specializing in hematology and medical oncology.

“Dr. Jackson walks into my room, plops down on the end of my bed, and just starts talking to my husband like he’s known us all of our lives,” said Prescott during an in-person interview with Texas Oncology. “I had never had a doctor just treat me — not as an illness, not a disease — but talk to me about me, and that made all the difference in the world.”

Prescott’s diagnosis

Dr. Jackson conducted diagnostic scans and performed bone marrow and lymph node biopsies. On December 30, 2019, Prescott was officially diagnosed with stage 4B Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a cancer of the white blood cells,” said Dr. Jackson. “The B lymphocyte usually occurs in the lymph nodes, most commonly in patients who are in their 20s and 30s, with a second population who are older, 50 plus.”

Stage 4B is the most advanced stage of this cancer, indicating it has spread beyond the lymph nodes to at least one organ, such as the lungs, liver, or bone marrow. If left untreated, the disease can progress and lead to serious complications, including organ damage, increased susceptibility to infections due to a weakened immune system, and reduced chances of survival.

Unexpected news

Just five weeks after Prescott’s diagnosis, she received even more devastating news — this time, not about herself, but her fourth child, Alex. He had been diagnosed with stage 2B Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the third person in Prescott’s family to be diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “That was a real kick in the chest,” Prescott shares. “I felt like it [the cancer] was personally coming after my family.”

After learning about Alex’s diagnosis, Prescott knew that he had to see Dr. Jackson, too. She told her son to gather all his health records and said, “We’re going to Dr. Jackson.” “Putting your life in somebody else’s hands is one thing. Putting the life of your child in someone else’s hands is a whole other thing. And he [Dr. Jackson] has just been the absolute best.”

Patient experience at Texas Oncology

Texas Oncology offers comprehensive care for all types of lymphoma, including Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and provides access to clinical trials featuring immunotherapy and novel therapies.

“Here at Texas Oncology, we have a particular emphasis on providing the highest quality of care for patients in their community close to their home,” explained Dr. Jackson.

Prescott arrived with several questions. “Dr. Jackson answered every question I had and then came up with more answers to questions that I hadn’t even thought of,” Prescott said. “I realized then I was in the right place with the right doctor, and I had no question in my mind that I was going to be better.”

She soon began receiving brentuximab vedotin, a chemotherapy medication designed to selectively destroy cancer cells that express CD30, a protein found on the surface of certain lymphoma cells.

In addition to expert-led treatment close to home, Prescott received compassionate, patient-centered care tailored to her individual needs. “These nurses were just phenomenal,” she said. “I mean, they couldn't do enough for you. It was, ‘Could we get you a blanket? Can we get you a drink? Would you like a snack? And so, I just started referring to them as my ‘bartenders.’"

The nursing team also adjusted medications and consulted with Prescott about how long she should take them, ensuring her care was both responsive and collaborative.

Life after treatment

For nearly six years, Prescott and Alex have been cancer-free. Today, Prescott cherishes time with her family, enjoys trips to San Antonio, and proudly cheers on her grandson at T-ball games.

“Having the right doctor, the right team, the right ‘bartenders’ makes all the difference in the world. Cancer tried to take me. It tried to take two of my children, and we all beat it,” shared Prescott. “At this juncture, there’s nothing I can’t take on.”

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.