Survivor Stories

Deanna Toifel Deanna Toifel

By Liesel Schmidt

Sometimes, life doesn’t always observe the best timing. So was the case for Deanna Toifel, who received a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on March 31, 2014. The next day, April 1st, was when she began telling family and friends the news—and, being April Fools’ Day, they all thought she was playing a cruel joke. The cruel thing, however, was Toifel’s prognosis. “Once they caught it, I was told I had only two or three days to live,” says the hairstylist, who has continued to live her life—and “make the world a more beautiful place, one head at a time”—for many more than those days.

In fact, she has been cancer free for eight years. Even after such a dire forecast was presented to her, Toifel took away some very extraordinary perspectives. “This doesn’t mean the end of the world or your life,” she says. “This is something beautiful that only a few select chosen ones get to experience. Cancer filters out people in your life you don’t need but in return brings people into your life you had no clue you needed. I also learned how important it is to never stop smiling.” Toifel is a volunteer with Baller Dream Foundation and is an active member of Camp Bluebird. “That, and my faith, has been my saving grace through this journey,” she says. “We all speak the same language, and we just get each other.”

By Liesel Schmidt

With a family history of cancer, Theresa Yost’s diagnosis of stage four Hodgkin’s lymphoma in early 2020 wasn’t completely surprised—but completely devastated. Not that she hadn’t known something was wrong. A registered nurse, she looked after her health and sought her doctor’s care when she noticed some worrisome symptoms. But it took unexplained weight loss and extreme weakness to shine a light on what was actually the cause, and Yost was naturally shattered by the news.

Still, she did her research and met the challenges of treatment head on. “My inspiration to keep fighting was—and still is—my family and friends,” says Yost. “After seven months of treatment, my first scan was clear! I still had to complete the whole regimen, but I actually looked forward to each treatment. It meant I was I step closer to remission! I don’t think I ever experienced the ‘why me’ phase, though I definitely experienced grief and acceptance, and I still do. So far, my scans have all been clear of any evidence of cancer. I’m in remission! When I received the news, I was elated! I realize it’s not a ‘cure,’ and I will continue to be monitored; but this is my life, and I am so thankful for it. I know that, with God and the love and support of my family and friends, this will all pass. My advice to all that are dealing with cancer is to never give up!”