NWSF

Terri Penn first noticed a lump on her thigh that seemed to appear suddenly. Terri mentioned the lump on her thigh to a friend, who suggested it might be a fatty tissue deposit known as a lipoma. Still, Terri felt uneasy. Trusting her instincts, she scheduled an appointment with a physician within a week of first noticing the lump. Terri was diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma in March 2025. When Terri received her diagnosis, she was terrified. The news came after four years of rebuilding her...

When Joseph Matthews first noticed a small bump on his right leg, he never imagined it would escalate into a battle with Ewing sarcoma. As the mass grew to the size of a baseball, the physical toll became overwhelming; the area was severely inflamed, his nerves felt shattered, and simple tasks like putting on shoes or walking became nearly impossible. The journey to a diagnosis was fraught with tension and uncertainty. After being told by other doctors that it was merely cellulitis or an...

My name is Steve Holthaus. I am 74 years old, and I live in Grayslake, Illinois. On December 10, 2011—just six days before my 60th birthday—I underwent emergency surgery. Later that day, I was told a tumor had been removed. The next day, I heard the words that would change my life forever: GIST—gastrointestinal stromal tumor. In a matter of hours, I went from feeling healthy and strong to facing the greatest challenge of my life. Over the next seven years, I endured two more major surgeries...