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Family Finds Lifesaving Care with UT Health Physicians
In 2006, Terri and Steve Edlund faced every parent’s worst nightmare. The couple’s 4-year-old daughter, Stephanie, was ill.
Their pediatrician called with blood test results and instructed them to take Stephanie to the Emergency Room at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital.
During her initial 14-day stay at the hospital, Stephanie was diagnosed with leukemia. “We were not prepared for how difficult it would be or how long it would take to cure her leukemia,” said Terri Edlund.
At that time, Santa Rosa was staffed with UT Health San Antonio physicians. “This was our introduction to UT Health,” she said. “The care that Stephanie received was second to none; they treated her like she was their daughter. While many people suggested we take her out of town for treatment, we didn’t know a lot, but we felt immediate connections to the UT Health doctors leading her team. We were confident in their expertise and felt their love and commitment to our daughter.”
“There were many hospital stays, procedures, blood transfusions and clinic visits. It took over two years of ongoing chemotherapy to cure her leukemia. The decision to keep her in San Antonio and have UT Health doctors treat her was the very best decision that we made. To receive medical care in your home city, sleep in your own bed, and be surrounded by family and friends as you deal with the most difficult situation in your life is invaluable,” Edlund said.
Stephanie just turned 21. She is doing well and finishing up her prerequisites at Texas State University in San Marcos. “Stephanie plans on applying to UT Health’s School of Nursing next summer. We are very proud of her,” she said.
Terri and Steve Edlund are loyal supporters of UT Health. In 2014, the Stephanie Edlund Distinguished Professorship in Pediatric Cancer Research was established through generous gifts from multiple donors who wished to honor Stephanie and all children with cancer. The endowment supports investigators dedicated to pediatric cancer research and the mission of the Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute – to advance scientific knowledge relevant to childhood cancer and to accelerate the translation of knowledge into novel therapies.
The holder of the professorship is Gregory J. Aune, MD, who also is the Greehey Distinguished University Chair for Cancer Survivorship in Children. Dr. Aune is a physician-researcher whose career in pediatric cancer spans over 30 years. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma at age 16. His experience initiated a path toward a research and clinical career aimed at developing less toxic chemotherapy regimens. As a long-term survivor, he underwent openheart surgery at age 35 due to damage by cancer therapies.
Terri Edlund said Stephanie’s illness was not the end of the family’s experience with UT Health physicians. “In 2019, I learned I had a very large tumor on my liver. My doctor scheduled me to see an oncologist. It was a Friday afternoon, and this oncologist scheduled a biopsy for Monday. We initially decided after we knew more, we’d contact UT Health.
“I was fairly calm, but Steve was not. Within hours of returning home, Steve contacted Dr. Bill Henrich and sent him my MRI results. Bill called immediately and strongly recommended that we come to UT Health. I was at UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center for a meeting with Dr. Francisco Cigarroa and his team on Monday morning.
“Confidence and expertise filled the room. It was a night-and-day experience from the Friday office visit we had just had. I left the Mays Cancer Center with a plan and complete relief. Again, we were in the hands of UT Health doctors, and they did not disappoint,” she said.
Terri Edlund was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer and underwent a 16-hour liver surgery by Dr. Cigarroa and his team. “None of this was easy, but the kindness and love shown to me was consistent at every level. It had been 13 years since Stephanie’s diagnosis, a whole different group of medical professionals and still the compassion was there. How do you teach that?
I don’t know how you teach that, but UT Health has it embedded in who they are, combined with their medical expertise is world-class care – right here in San Antonio, Texas.”
She remains in treatment at the Mays Cancer Center. “The quality of care and expertise that is UT Health San Antonio is second to none! You do not need to leave our city to find care, you should start with UT Health. Our community is so fortunate to have this institution in our city. Our family feels deeply indebted to UT Health and will be forever grateful.”
In fiscal year 2022, Dr. Aune used funds from the Stephanie Edlund Distinguished Professorship in Pediatric Cancer Research for day-to-day needs of his laboratory, which is focused on developing new non-toxic drugs for pediatric cancer and lessening long-term cardiovascular toxicity in long-term survivors. He also used these funds to facilitate his many national leadership activities focused on advancing pediatric cancer research, highlighting survivorship issues, and continuing to raise awareness for pediatric cancer patients, survivors and their families. The endowment is crucial to Dr. Aune’s ability to build a national network of physicians and researchers with the goal of helping current cancer patients and survivors.
How Do Endowments Grow?
Examples are based on 4% annual growth.
If you have questions or comments about this report, please contact:
Anamaria Repetti
Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Chief Development Officer
Designated Endowment Executive
Phone: (210) 450-7106
Email: repetti@uthscsa.edu
Mary H. Spears, MLIS Senior Manager of Administration and Endowments
Phone: (210) 567-3076
Email: spearsmh@uthscsa.edu
UT Health San Antonio
7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC 7835 San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900 makelivesbetter.uthscsa.edu
