My name is Stacy Neroland, and I am a military veteran who has been fighting cancer for the past five years. I was diagnosed with small bowel adenocarcinoma in December 2020, and since then my journey through the Tennessee medical system has often felt as though hospice was being presented as my only option.

My treatment began at the VA Hospital, where I experienced repeated misdiagnoses until I ultimately required emergency surgery to remove a large portion of my small intestine. My chemotherapy was not administered in a timely manner, and I later transitioned to Tennessee Oncology, where I finally began receiving chemotherapy and underwent several additional surgeries.

The first chemotherapy regimen was unsuccessful, and by the end of 2021 I developed a bowel obstruction. I was told once again that hospice was my best option. Despite this, I refused to give up—trusting both in myself and in the Lord. I was given another chemotherapy treatment with a low likelihood of success, but by the grace of God it worked, and I was declared cancer-free in the summer of 2022. Shortly afterward, at age 29, I required a hysterectomy.

Since then, I have experienced three recurrences. I underwent radiation therapy, which ultimately resulted in a fistula. Throughout this process, I have often felt as though I was being passed from one hospital to another without meaningful progress. Despite multiple surgeries and treatments, my quality of life continued to decline, though I still believed the doctors were trying to act in my best interest. During this time, opioid medications were frequently prescribed, which caused significant constipation and worsened my discomfort.

After my husband reached a breaking point, we sought care in Ohio at The James Cancer Hospital—and the difference in treatment has been profound. For the first time in a long time, I truly feel that my medical team is committed to helping me fight this disease and reclaim my life.