Behind the Breakthroughs
The Your Stories Podcast
Hear candid conversations between people conquering cancer – patients, their family and friends, and doctors and researchers working to help us all.
Behind the Breakthroughs
One Discovery. Countless Lives.
Anya Magnuson was a 19-year-old photojournalism student — maintaining a 4.0 GPA and covering healthcare for the homeless in downtown Phoenix — when she was diagnosed with Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD), an extremely rare and incurable type of blood cancer. After three years of unsuccessful treatments, Anya was quickly running out of options. But that changed in 2019.
Conquer Cancer-funded researcher and oncologist, Dr. Jithma Abeykoon, and an extensive team of specialists discovered an unknown genetic mutation that was unresponsive to all the treatment options Anya endured. Working together, Dr. Abeykoon and the rest of Anya’s medical team ultimately identified a non-standard medicine that worked for Anya! This lifesaving approach brought her from a potentially fatal diagnosis to successfully managing her cancer using a single medication with minimal side effects.
In our latest podcast episode, Colleen, Anya’s mother, joins host Dr. Mark Lewis to discuss Anya’s experiences before diagnosis and during treatment. She also offers her own perspectives as the parent of someone conquering cancer and how she and Anya’s father, Jeff, supported their daughter through the turbulence of a rare cancer diagnosis. They're also joined by Dr. Abeykoon, who shares his take on Anya's case and the significant teamwork it took to treat her cancer and save her life.
Conquer Cancer-funded researcher and oncologist, Dr. Jithma Abeykoon, and an extensive team of specialists discovered an unknown genetic mutation that was unresponsive to all the treatment options Anya endured. Working together, Dr. Abeykoon and the rest of Anya’s medical team ultimately identified a non-standard medicine that worked for Anya! This lifesaving approach brought her from a potentially fatal diagnosis to successfully managing her cancer using a single medication with minimal side effects.
In our latest podcast episode, Colleen, Anya’s mother, joins host Dr. Mark Lewis to discuss Anya’s experiences before diagnosis and during treatment. She also offers her own perspectives as the parent of someone conquering cancer and how she and Anya’s father, Jeff, supported their daughter through the turbulence of a rare cancer diagnosis. They're also joined by Dr. Abeykoon, who shares his take on Anya's case and the significant teamwork it took to treat her cancer and save her life.
Your Stories
From Disappointment to Discovery
At just 19 years old, Anya was diagnosed with Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD), an extremely rare and incurable blood cancer. After three years of unsuccessful treatments, Anya was quickly running out of options. In this episode of our Your Stories podcast, Anya’s mother, Colleen, and one of Anya's oncologists, Conquer Cancer-funded researcher Dr. Jithma Abeykoon, discuss the complexities of uncovering her diagnosis, the disappointment of failed treatments, and the relief and surprise that came when they discovered a new treatment option that finally worked.
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Conquer Cancer gave me the leverage and ability to formulate a team and help patients like Anya.