Life was fairly "normal" for Linda Opferman. She had a great boyfriend, a stable job, and overall, was content with the path her life was taking. Shockingly, she found out her employer was going out of business and she would soon lose her job. As anxiety and stress swirled around her, Linda hurried to squeeze in doctor appointments before her good health insurance dissipated. If losing her job wasn't stressful enough, one of her routine doctor appointments led to a serious diagnosis that would forever change her outlook on life. The diagnosis was cervical cancer.
Linda visited her gynecologist, Dr. Werner, for her annual exam. Her diagnosis of cervical cancer stemmed from this appointment and was officially diagnosed on September 25, 2007, a day she will never forget. Fearful of dying, Linda visited her gynecologist again to sort out out her next steps. She was referred to Dr. Robert Edwards, a lead gynecologic oncologist at Magee and investigator at Magee-Womens Research Institute.
 Since her cervical cancer was diagnosed in the early stages, no chemotherapy was needed; however, it was recommended she get a full hysterectomy to prevent the spread of the disease. In months prior to the hysterectomy, Linda made numerous trips for testing. She was extremely nervous because this would be her first-ever hospital stay.
To the right: Linda's cervical cancer diagnosis and hysterectomy didn't stop her from living life to the fullest.
Linda underwent surgery for a hysterectomy on November 13, 2007, about two months after her diagnosis. The hysterectomy was a success and the care she received from Dr. Edwards and his staff absolutely amazed her. After her 90-day check-up, she was officially cancer-free!
“My surgery was delayed by a few hours and I was just blown away at how many of Dr. Edwards’ staff came in to check on me," says Linda. "Not only was Dr. Edwards’ staff amazing in the surgery area, but throughout my five-day stay, they were just awesome."
Linda is eternally grateful for her gynecologist and Dr. Edwards and his staff. She hopes they hear her story as a sign of thanks for saving her life.
Today, Linda has a new job in sales, which she finds stimulating. One major lesson she has learned is not to sweat the small stuff and to live life to its fullest. You never know what is going to happen to you. It only takes a short moment for your life to turn upside down. Only you can control what you can do to resolve it.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIVING: Gynecologic Cancer Research
OUR COMMITMENT TO: Gynecologic Cancers
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