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Relentless tobacco fighter. High school homecoming queen.
Studious college freshman.
Lizeth Garcia’s first 18 years have been filled with special achievements.
Now, she can add one more to the list:
Cancer survivor.
Acute myeloid leukemia—a cancer of the myeloid line of white blood cells—wasn’t on the agenda last Fall when Garcia packed up her academic achievements at Marshalltown High School and headed off to study at The University of Iowa.
She was a pre-med student who wanted to help other people. At her age and station in life, illness was something to be studied, not experienced.
Lizeth’s health began to unravel when her ankles became swollen and bruises mysteriously appeared on her legs. She ended up visiting Anne Sullivan, MD, a family physician at the UI Family Care Center within University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
Blood tests led to a visit with UI hematologist Thomas Carter, MD, and a bone marrow biopsy performed March 8, 2007, by physician assistant Kevin Heckman, PA-C. Both are affiliated with the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at UI.
“Three hours after the biopsy, Dr. Gingrich (leukemia and bone marrow transplant specialist Roger Gingrich, MD) called to say I needed to be hospitalized right away for three or four weeks for treatment of acute leukemia.”
The medical bombshell forced Lizeth to drop out of school. She cancelled plans for a Spring Break trip to the Mall of America. Every ounce of her energy would be needed to get well.
With input from her parents, Lizeth elected to undergo treatment as part of a national clinical trial for patients with acute leukemia.
Lizeth’s parents—Martha and Moises Garcia, immigrated from Mexico two decades ago and have become well-known in Marshalltown.
In fact, Lizeth’s health crisis engaged the entire community. Dozens of letters flooded her hospital room. A community fund-raiser helped the family with medical expenses. “We owe so many people our sincerest ‘thank you,’” says Lizeth.
Fortunately, she can also thank the cancer specialists at UI. Her leukemia is in remission following chemotherapy that continues through this Fall.
Not an ounce of worry enters Lizeth’s conversation. Instead, she exudes a bouncy kind of infectious energy. She talks enthusiastically about her nurses and doctors, her prospects for recovery, and her plans to resume studying at The University of Iowa.
Meanwhile, the news is encouraging. Gingrich says Lizeth’s participation in the clinical trial afforded the discovery of a rare chromosomal abnormality that suggests a good prognosis. “Hopefully, a bone marrow transplant will not be needed,” he says.
George Weiner, MD, director of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, is similarly enthused. He gladly gave Garcia one of the pens that Iowa Governor Chet Culver had used to sign a $1 state tobacco tax increase. Proponents hope the increase will prevent Iowa youth from starting to smoke and save the lives of adult smokers who quit.
Garcia would have attended the signing as well—she earned the invitation as a member of the Just Eliminate Lies campaign—but was hospitalized at the time.
“It was hard to miss that event after all the work we did,” Lizeth says.
With resolve and continued good care, however, Lizeth hopes to finish college and begin her medical school studies, possibly in oncology or pediatrics.
“Maybe both,” she says. “Pediatric oncology would be a great field.”
For questions about cancer, call the Cancer Information Center at 800-237-1225.
For information about the clinical services available through the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center:
For consultation or referral, physicians should contact UI Consult.
—Michael Sondergard
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