Survivor says doctor saved her life. Together they’re marking National Cancer Survivor Month

• Double interview available for National Cancer Survivor Month this month
• New study reveals major gaps in cancer survivor follow-up care
• B-roll and soundbites available upon request

CHICAGO --- Throat cancer survivor Paula Ruska credits Dr. Laila Gharzai, the radiation oncologist she says saved her life, for providing the holistic care that helped her heal. Gharzai credits Ruska for inspiring her latest study, which aims to improve follow-up care for other survivors.

Both are eager to share their experiences to mark National Cancer Survivor Month, which recognizes and honors the more than 18 million cancer survivors living the in the U.S.

Ruska and Gharzai are available for media interviews. Contact Ben Schamisso at ben.schamisso@northwestern.edu to schedule an interview.

In 2022, at age 68, Chicagoan Paula Ruska was diagnosed with throat cancer. The diagnosis left her terrified and overwhelmed. Surgery would have meant losing part of her tongue, and sorting through medical opinions triggered panic. “I just went into a total shutdown panic mode of fear,” Ruska said.

But meeting Dr. Gharzai changed everything. “She was very knowledgeable and not pushy at all,” said Ruska, who chose seven weeks of chemo-radiation over surgery.

“I had my mask made and went into radiation, horrified, thinking, ‘Oh no, I’m not going to live through this, I’ll die of fright.’ But they played music — I chose Bob Marley — and I just imagined I was at a club. I did that every day, five days a week,” Ruska said.

After treatment, the hardest part came: fatigue, swallowing difficulties and constant fear about recurrence. She says what sustained her was the comprehensive care from Gharzai’s team, including nurses and nutritionists.

Ruska says she felt supported on every level. Even through late-night MyChart messages.

“I’d get an immediate response, and that means so much when you’re dealing with cancer. A fear, a question, treatment, food, anything. Someone was always reading my messages, even when I didn’t have a normal sleep schedule because of the meds to prevent nausea from chemotherapy.”

New survey highlights gaps in cancer survivor care

Hearing stories like Ruska’s led Gharzai to launch a Northwestern Medicine study that surveyed more than 300 head-and-neck cancer survivors. Published recently in the journal Supportive Care in Cancer, the study revealed critical gaps:

• Roughly 15% of surveyed survivors met criteria for current depression
• Less than a third had access to key survivorship resources (mental health support, nutrition guidance etc.)
• Many reported side effects such as lingering dry mouth, swallowing problems and psychological distress
• Almost half preferred one longer clinic visit every six to 12 months to cover everything at once versus shorter, more frequent visits

“People are living longer after cancer, which is wonderful,” said Gharzai, assistant professor of radiation oncology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine physician.

“But throughout the U.S., comprehensive survivorship is rarely offered or even discussed. Our patients with head-and-neck cancers who underwent radiation told us what’s missing for them. Now we can build programs that truly fit their needs,” added Gharzai, who also is a member of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

Gharzai’s team is now expanding the study to other cancer patients, with the goal of designing more comprehensive and patient-centric follow-up care.