A year in the life of Jimmy Carter

“I’ve benefited from better detection technology and treatments that didn’t exist only a few years ago...

I didn’t have to leave Georgia to get these advanced treatments because Winship, as Georgia’s only National Cancer Institute designated cancer center, has been on the front lines of breakthroughs.” —President Carter

The treatments that former President Jimmy Carter refers to included minimally invasive surgery, stereotactic radiation, and a brand new immunotherapy drug. It’s been barely a year since Winship doctors removed a tumor on the President’s liver and found four additional tumors on his brain.

As cancer survivors know, a lot can happen in a year.

Molecular testing done on the liver tumor led to a diagnosis of metastatic melanoma. President Carter shared that information with the world via a packed press conference at The Carter Center on August 20, 2015. He also told the assembled media that his doctors had recommended an advanced radiation treatment that would target the brain tumors, and an immunotherapy drug recently approved for treating metastatic melanoma.

After revealing his cancer diagnosis and treatment plan, President Carter shared his progress by giving regular updates to his Sunday school class in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. In December, he told his church class that a recent brain scan showed no sign of cancer. In early March, he told them he no longer needed immunotherapy treatments.

The open and candid way in which President Carter has shared his experience has brought public attention and awareness to the progress being made in cancer treatment. Winship scientists and doctors are proud to be doing the research leading to better treatments and grateful that President Carter has acknowledged their role in this decades-long effort.

In recognition of scientific progress and the role Winship has played in advancing cancer research and treatment, President Carter videotaped a message that was played at the Winship Gala held on April 30th. To see the full video, go to winshipcancer. emory.edu/magazine W