Caitlin Whyte (Host): Welcome to In Their Words, where we bring you real stories of resilience, healing, and hope told by the people who've lived them. In this episode, we're honored to introduce you to Tammy Siler, a grateful patient, cancer survivor, and an incredible source of strength and inspiration.

Tammy's journey with cancer began more than 38 years ago, and through every twist and turn, she has met each moment with courage and gratitude. You may not have heard her voice, but Tammy was in the room during our last episode, the doctor Q and A session, quietly supporting others and taking it all in.

Today, it's her turn to speak. Tammy shares how far she's come, what keeps her going, and how gratitude has played a life-changing role in her journey. She continues to receive care at UPMC Memorial, and her story reminds us all of the power of perseverance and perspective. This is Tammy Siler's story, In Her Words.

Tammy Siler: Hello, my name is Tammy Siler. I'm here to share my 37 year journey with being a cancer survivor slash patient. In December of 2022, at the height of COVID, I was brought to the hospital, diagnosed with ovarian cancer, stage three. That following September, I posted this on Facebook and I'd like to share it with you.

When you think you can't, you can remember this. In the past 18 months, I have had three fist size tumors, cancerous tumors removed from my abdomen, had an ostomy bag for eight months, 18 chemo treatments each eight hours long, seven CAT scans, three barium enemas. Numerous blood work, lost count, ostomy reversal surgery four different times. I have had a nose tube, which nurses call an NG tube. This is extremely painful. Five Colonoscopy stretches, stretch procedures. Four of those were within four days within four weeks. Clear fluid diet for a total of five weeks. Within that five week period, numerous enemas, laxatives, extreme acute constipation for 17 days. Not to mention the loss of my hair twice. Now, starting chemo again in July. Lost my hair for the third time in my life. All of this within 18 months. So you can get through anything when you have faith, positive attitude, strong will, and persevere forward.

I am a four-time cancer survivor. Been fighting this for over 37 years. Stay positive, faithful, and strong. Hugs and prayers to all of you out there fighting this terrible disease. Cancer is not a death sentence. You can survive and life is great. December 13th, 2022 is my two year anniversary of starting this fourth journey in my life with cancer.

I have been challenged with cancer for 37 years. I have asked God that day after the doctor gave me my diagnosis of ovarian cancer, stage three, for the opportunity to share with others that are challenged with this, to help them see that with positive attitudes, strong faith that you can overcome all adversity and find the good.

I am not the same person I was two years ago. I have changed dramatically spiritually, emotionally, and physically for the better. My heart is filled with much joy to know there have been so many special friends, acquaintances that have been supporting me and following me through my morning positive quotes, sharing their positive quotes and challenges with me and the power of their prayers, and knowing that my positive has been contagious. I have been said to be relentlessly positive. I am so very blessed to have a loving, supporting, caring husband, family, and friends to be on this journey with me. Praise be to God, I'm doing amazingly well, and so very thankful for your continuing prayers and support. My journey continues, but I am a warrior, not a victim.

First, mother's Day after I was out of my chemotherapy, but my son made me this card. Mom, this was quite a challenging year. It has been amazing to watch you not just cope with the adversity in your life, but to take it head on and conquer it with joy and grace. You are an incredible woman. I am proud and thankful to have you as my mother. I love you and you are awesome, Derek. That made me realize what I was doing. I did not know until I read this. I was taking that adversity and challenged in finding the good in it. So he really brought that point to my heart.

My third treatment, within three years, I started on June 14th of this year, 2023. Now, two days prior, I had just won the Miss Senior PA pageant. I had won second place. I had also won the Ambassador Award. The pageant is to show that senior women are the pillars of our community. We have a lot to offer. You had to have a talent, you had to have a philosophy of life.

It was like a light bulb went off on my head. Motivational speaker. So what I put together was my story and my journey, and it goes like this. I come out in the hospital gown, underneath the hospital gown, I have this beautiful red dress, floral shoes. The hospital gown is hiding the red dress, the MC is saying, here's Tammy Siler. Her scars tell a story of when life tried to break her and failed. I could walk in in my bare feet and my hospital gown and I say life did try to break me and failed two and a half years ago. I did not think I'd had the opportunity to be here today. Due to the fact I was rushed to the hospital with extreme abdominal cramping.

Once to the hospital, the doctor did an x-ray and a CAT scan. Looked at me with huge eyes and said, we need to get you to the emergency room stat. Your colon is about to burst. Eight and a half hours later, I woke in a cold stark hospital room. As I'm looking down at my incision, that looks like a zipper.

The doctor walks into the room, he looks at me and he says, I have just removed three fist sized tumors from your abdomen and diagnoses me with ovarian cancer stage three. Now, this was not the first time I heard the word cancer, but now my fourth time in 35 years. As he's telling me this, I remain calm and peaceful, not quite understanding why. The doctor notices, looks at me and he says, Psalms 91:1.

That's a great verse. When the doctor left the room, I pulled the Bible from the nightstand. I read Psalms 91:1. I say of the Lord, you are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. May we rest in the shadows of the Lord. This verse the doctor gave me, gave me great hope. I then slid down into my bed and I prayed to God, and I asked him to give me the opportunity to share with others, to give back, to help those in this time, so that I can move forward and teach them all I know about being a four-time cancer survivor.

After that, I picked up my phone. The first thing I saw astonishing enough, was a positive quote and that quote, read, you have survived so much this far. What makes you think you won't survive this? Astonished and amazed by what I've just heard and what I've just read. I sent that to five of my friends.

In reply, they said, thank you. I needed that today. And they sent it to five of their friends. Seeing how the power of positive words were contagious to this day, over two and a half years later, I'm putting out every morning faithfully, now, I reach 70 people every day. I am not a victim. I'm a relentless, positive warrior.

You are not on this journey alone. Being positive, faithful, and strong will pull a warrior out of you too. God does not heal you to go back into the world. He heals you to set you apart. You are a chosen vessel to live in and to use. May God help be with you and take care of you. God bless you. Every day is a beautiful gift.

Enjoy yours till the fullest. This was two days after I found out that my cancer had come back. I had been challenged with cancer since my early twenties. I've had all of the female cancers; 22, I had started with cervical cancer, 28 I had uterine, 34 I had breast. And then at 57, I had ovarian cancer stage three. Sincere, heartfelt thanks to my amazing husband, great family, friends, and acquaintances for your thoughts and prayers. I went 23 years in remission from breast cancer to ovarian cancer in December of 2023; 23 years was a very long time for remission. I, at that point, had a 60% chance of recurrence, which it went 23 years.

Trust, believe, be strong. Prayers are answered. Miracles do happen. October of 2022 was my last treatment. Miracles do happen.

December of 2020, when I came into the emergency room, the first doctor I met, I have never met in my life. Dr. Sachs had been on duty. He was the doctor on duty for that night. Amazing man. He is no longer with this practice. He's moved to Virginia. I miss him dearly. Him and Dr. Willis actually saved my life.

When Dr. Sachs did the x-ray and the CAT scan, told me that my colon was about to burst, that I needed to get to the emergency stat, it changed my life. He saved my life, and I just want to give a huge shout out to him. If it would not for being for him at the right time at the right place, I wouldn't be talking to you today.

Same with Dr. Willis. So the team at UPMC has been amazing. Everyone over there. Uh, nothing but the excellent top grade care. Top grade every minute of my stay, and I was in the hospital for nine days afterwards. All the nurses were overworked because of the height of COVID, so there was not a lot of staffing, but the girls that were there gave it their all, and I appreciate all that they did.

Then coming over to the Hillman Cancer Center, same thing. The nurses, the staff, they're always pleasant. They're always caring, they're always making sure that my needs are met. And not just mine, but everybody here. There's the sweet, sweet lady Pamela Jenkins. She's a volunteer. She's in on Wednesdays.

She's the sweetest lady you ever want to meet. She helps out, takes a tray of snacks around. God bless her for doing that. She's just been amazing and she's just the sweetest lady you ever want to talk to. I don't know how old she is, but she's just adorable. And I just thank God for putting the people in my path that I needed them as I need them.

Because that's what it's all about. That's strong faith and being positive and trusting in God. He's got plans for you. And me being a four time cancer survivor over 37 years now, I'm like, okay, I'm still waiting to know what his plan is, but I see it playing out now and it's to be able to help others and to share this positive and just know that you can get through this and you will, just stay positive.

I would absolutely encourage them to come to Hillman. This has been the best facility I have been in through the course of my journey. The care, the facility itself is all open windows, bright cheery. You have a beautiful patio with beautiful scenery. The nurses are all compassionate and caring, and it's just a top notch facility. I am very blessed to only live 15 minutes from here, so it's just been a great experience. And I must say, people say, it's weird when I say this, but the night before treatment, I'm all excited because I'm going in for treatment because I know that I'm counting down.

And it's going to be closer to my end of treatment. But then again, it's like, oh, I'm going to miss all these ladies here. But I do come in once a month and I do see them because I have to get my blood work checked. I have to get my port flushed. So I do see them still on a monthly basis, but not every 21 days, you know, all the time.

So, but yes, I would absolutely recommend Hillman. It's such a, a topnotch facility.

Host: Tammy Siler's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, faith, and the deep impact of compassionate care. As she shared, UPMC Memorial and Hillman Cancer Center have been more than just places of treatment. They have been a source of strength with incredible doctors, unwavering support, and lifelong friendships that have carried her through.

It's where healing happens inside and out from surviving cancer to becoming a pageant winner, Tammy's journey reminds us all, survival is just the beginning. She's not only survived, she's thriving. Thank you for joining us on In their words.

Until next time, may you carry Tammy's story with you as a reminder of the hope that lives in every challenge and the strength we find when we face it together.