Lori Konst finds strength in ‘family’ at Brant Community Cancer Clinic

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Family and friends are the fuel that Lori Konst draws on to remain positive while she undergoes cancer treatment, and now she includes her fellow patients and the staff in the Brant Community Cancer Clinic (BCCC) at the Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS) as members of her extended support system.

Grateful Patient Lori Konst — From left: Oncologist Dr. Bryan Lee, RN Sherrie Hawkins, RN Yvonne McLaren, Lori Konst, Lori’s son Luke MacDonald, RN Melanie Scott and RN Amy Welsh.

“It’s like a family there,” said Lori. “And the patients in the Cancer Care Clinic are concerned about each other.”

Lori attends the Cancer Clinic every other week to receive chemotherapy for Stage 4 rectal cancer that has metastasized to her liver and lungs.

She received her diagnosis from Dr. Harry Liaconis in 2015 after a routine colonoscopy and was referred to Dr. Bryan Lee in the Brant Community Cancer Clinic at the Brantford General to begin chemotherapy before the end of the same week of her diagnosis.

Things moved quickly, but once she began her treatment, Lori said she and her husband Brian were able to take a breather and absorb what was happening.

The Brant Community Cancer Clinic at the Brantford General offers medical oncology, chemotherapy, and radiation follow-up visits.

Lori experiences some side effects from her treatment, and names fatigue as one of the main problems, but she gains strength from the support
of her loving family, and the professional and compassionate care she receives at the Brantford General.

Brian explained that while under the care of Dr. Lee, they determined Lori’s chemotherapy was to be aimed at reducing the size of the tumour. During surgery a few months later, the rectal tumour was removed along with 40 per cent of Lori’s liver and also some of the surrounding normal tissue, which is known as “margins.”

Lori said she received the same customized chemotherapy formulation for about 18 months after her surgery, but during a regular CT scan, it was discovered the formulation was no longer working and her cancer returned.

Computerized tomography, or CT scans, are an important part of Lori’s cancer treatment. Her torso is scanned in the Diagnostic Imaging Department at the Brantford General every three months to monitor the status of her tumours.

With this new information, Dr. Lee determined it was time to change the formulation of Lori’s chemotherapy.

Andrew Shi is one of the pharmacists who works on-site at the Brantford General in the Brant Community Cancer Clinic and prepares treatment specifically for each patient each day, based on their blood work results when they arrive to receive their treatment. He prepared a new formulation for Lori’s treatment using Dr. Lee’s direction.

The new chemotherapy showed positive results for about a year before it was determined it too was no longer effective. Now Lori receives a third line of chemotherapy, which she refers to as “Plan C.”

“As we understand it, this is the third line of chemotherapy that is available for us,” said Brian, indicating this new treatment is not a cure.

Each time she arrives for treatment, Lori spends roughly four hours in the Brant Community Cancer Clinic having blood work done, meeting with Dr. Lee and receiving her chemotherapy treatment, and she has nothing but positive things to say about everyone she encounters in the Cancer Clinic.

“Dr. Liaconis and Dr. Lee are dear to my heart,” said Lori. “And Anna Sylvester, the Cancer Clinic Unit Clerk, is an amazing, gentle spirit.”

She’s also become close with Registered Nurse Yvonne McLaren.

The many volunteers who work in the Cancer Clinic are also an important part of the positive atmosphere in the clinic noted by Lori and Brian.

“They all somehow take the edge off all of the seriousness you’re going through,” said Lori, who exhibits a very positive attitude about life herself. “They want you to feel as normal as possible, and that’s important.”

Lori said the community is extremely fortunate to have the Cancer Clinic at the Brantford General, with such a caring and compassionate staff.

“They make you feel like you’re uniquely important, and the only one who is there,” she said.

As Lori and Brian know first-hand, when crisis or illness impacts you or a loved one, the Brant Community Healthcare System is here to offer you exceptional healthcare in your time of need.

Your involvement, through a donation of any size, will allow the BCHS Foundation to purchase patient equipment not funded by the Ministry of Health
and Long-Term Care, provide essential resources to maintain the exceptional level of compassionate patient care, and invest in new and innovative technology.

To make a donation, visit the BCHS Foundation website at bchsysfoundation.org or call 519-751-5510.

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For more information on how you can make a donation or offer your support to the 12 Days of Giving campaign, please contact the BCHS Foundation at 519-751-5510 or by email at foundation@bchsys.org

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