Each cancer patient's journey is deeply personal, yet one truth remains constant: Hope can flourish even in the face of the most challenging diagnoses. The courage to seek the best possible care, no matter how far it may take you, can lead to remarkable outcomes and renewed purpose. This is especially true for patients like Dolly Chua, whose determination to fight for her life would take her halfway around the world and ultimately transform her perspective on what truly matters.
Chua said she has always followed her heart. Born in Taiwan, she met the man she would marry at a singing contest in 1972 and followed him to his native Philippines. She forfeited her Taiwanese passport, and the couple settled down as a large, blended family, with each having five children of their own from previous marriages.
“My husband was very handsome. He was not rich, but we were very rich in love,” she said. The couple would have 50 years together before he passed away at age 91.
A Suspicious Lump
In 2019, Chua was taking a shower when she noticed a lump in her breast. Having not done many self-examinations before, she said she became concerned and immediately scheduled time with her doctor. A mammogram and ultrasound confirmed her worst fear: cancer.
She knew she wanted to take quick action and find the very best treatment she could, no matter where in the world it might be. There was limited access to the newest treatments and protocols in the Philippines, so she began doing her own research. Her insurance agency employee daughter in Makati did her own online research and time and again City of Hope came up as one of the top places for cancer care.
As it happens, her other daughter is a dentist living in Los Angeles and knew about City of Hope’s stellar reputation. On compassionate grounds, the Philippine Embassy granted her a temporary visa to travel to America within three days. Her destination: the City of Hope, Duarte campus.
The Center for International Medicine to the Rescue
Chua reached out to City of Hope through the Center for International Medicine, the gateway to our lifesaving cures for patients and families from abroad. She was connected with Roxanna Man, R.N., B.S.N., M.H.A., and Michael Chu in International Patient Services at the center, who helped to arrange her travel and appointments with City of Hope physicians on our Duarte campus.
Upon arrival, she became a patient of breast surgeon Veronica Jones, M.D., with the use of an interpreter to discuss her diagnosis and treatment options. During her initial exam and consult, it was also discovered that Chua not only had a tumor in her breast, but also in her thyroid. Cancer times two. With this latest diagnosis, Chua was also referred to radiation oncologist Scott Glaser, M.D.
It was recommended that Chua have the tumors removed during one surgical procedure, an idea she wasn’t initially too keen on.
“It wasn’t the standard practice in the Philippines, but my care team at City of Hope earned my trust and convinced me,” she said. “They encouraged me to take the most efficient approach to treat my cancer.”
On the day of her surgery, Chua was not alone. Man and Chu stayed by her side, offering comfort and helping to translate when needed.
“I was so grateful to them,” Chua said. “I was very emotionally fragile, but they made me feel more at ease. It was a blessing to have them with me.”
Following her procedure, Chua remained in Los Angeles to recover with her daughter. She also expanded her City of Hope care team to manage other symptoms she was experiencing. Joanne Mortimer, M.D., joined as her breast cancer oncologist, and endocrinologist Ping Wang, M.D., stepped in to manage the diabetes she contracted during the course of her treatment, not an uncommon occurrence in cancer patients.
A New Perspective
Despite the challenges she’s faced — including cancer, the loss of her beloved husband in 2021 and three bouts of COVID-19, Chua said today she is feeling “wonderful,” and she is so thankful to City of Hope and our Center for International Medicine.
“I feel very strong now, and I stay happy and positive,” she said. “This experience has refocused me. I don’t fill up my time working as much as I used to, and I do things that make me happy: Traveling, playing mahjong and spending time with friends and family, my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren.”
Chua said choosing City of Hope and flying halfway across the world was the best choice for her.
“I feel I was a very good patient,” she said. “I listened to what my doctors told me, followed their instructions and put my trust and faith in them. I have a very high regard and loyalty toward City of Hope as the place that saved my life.”
Inspired by the care and compassion she received, Chua said she plans to pay that experience forward.
“I will follow my heart when I see people who need help,” she said. “If I encounter others who are facing cancer, I will share my experience with them, advice based on what I’ve learned, and of course highly recommend City of Hope for their treatment if they can make it work. I will continue to run my business, but I will not be burdened by it. I am committed to living my life to the fullest and I’m ready to help others, and ready to give back to City of Hope in any way I can. Thank you to everyone.”