4 RiversideHealthcare.org A cancer diagnosis can turn life upside down in a moment. For Ericka Esters, a mother of five from Kankakee County, that moment came after months of severe symptoms and uncertainty. What followed was a challenging treatment journey supported by a team she says made all the difference. When answers finally came Esters’ symptoms began with extreme bleeding that often caused her to lose consciousness. Ambulance rides from her home or work became routine. “There was nothing I could do to stop the bleeding,” she says. “It just had to resolve on its own.” Emergency room visits and blood transfusions became part of daily life. Initial concerns pointed to fibroids, but additional testing revealed the true cause: cervical cancer. Compassionate care at Her gynecologist referred her to Summer Dewdney, MD, a gynecologic oncologist from Rush University Medical Center who also sees patients at Riverside Healthcare. Even before a biopsy confirmed the diagnosis, Esters sensed what was coming. “I could already tell that it was cancer,” she says. Finding comfort in unexpected places Walking into Riverside Cancer Institute for the first time felt overwhelming. “Every time I heard the name, I thought, ‘This is really happening,’” Esters recalls. What she found, however, surprised her. “It’s not a sad place to be,” she says. “You would think it would be, but the staff are always positive and caring.” Ericka’s story
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