Tracy Wilson’s lifelong dream came true when she became a mother. Holding her newborn baby girl, Madi, Tracy envisioned a future full of bliss.
“I felt fortunate to be able to think about all life’s experiences that I was about to have with my new daughter,” Tracy says.
But at Madi’s first birthday party, Tracy says she began to experience some pain in her hip and pelvic bone. That pain grew so severe that after four months, Tracy could no longer walk up and down the stairs and she needed help sitting down. Worst of all, she couldn’t carry her daughter. After many doctor appointments, Tracy decided it was time for a second opinion.
An MRI revealed a mass that was eventually diagnosed as non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
“At the time of my diagnosis, I just remember looking at Madi and thinking about the possibility of not being there for her, and not being able to raise her and watch her grow and be a mom to her, and that was a difficult and upsetting moment,” Tracy recalls. “I had to be determined to fight hard and beat it to be there for her.”
When researching where to go for her treatment, Tracy knew she wanted to be somewhere where her care team truly listened to her and where doctors were using the latest, leading-edge therapies. Those motivations led her to Bruce Peterson, MD, an oncologist and expert at the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota.
Peterson recommended Tracy undergo four months of chemotherapy followed by four weeks of radiation.
“I never had to worry or second guess that someone would be there for me, whenever I needed them,” Tracy says of Peterson and her care team.
After months of grueling but effective treatment, Tracy went into remission and was thrilled to refocus her life on her growing daughter.
Tracy’s time with her doctors didn’t end when her treatment did. She connected with M Health Fairview oncologist Anne Blaes, MD, who introduced her to cancer survivorship and living healthily long after treatment.
“Blaes opened up my world to cancer survivorship and what it means to live as a cancer survivor,” Tracy says.
Blaes’ research at the Masonic Cancer Center focuses on helping those diagnosed with cancer thrive in the years after their treatment. For Tracy, that support was critical and allowed her to focus on being the best mom possible for Madi.
Several years later, Tracy’s dentist found a mass in her jaw during a routine visit. She underwent a biopsy and was told to expect results about two weeks later. The biopsy was sent to M Health Fairview for testing. Tracy immediately called Blaes to inform her of the biopsy. Rather than having to wait two weeks for the results, Tracy got the results from Blaes just a few days later.
“She told me, ‘I knew that you were anxious and you didn’t want to wait for this news. So I want to let you know that, the biopsy results came back benign,’” Tracy recalls. “Having this incredible team of people who care and see you as a person makes a difference in your well-being.”
Tracy’s gratitude extends beyond her care team, to the donors who support the research and care that allowed her to live such a full life as a mother and wife.
“My experience and my outcome would have been a lot different 40 years ago,” she says. “And I have research to thank for that, and people who have a passion for discovery.”
In 2016, Tracy married her husband, Dave, and on the 15th anniversary of Tracy’s remission in 2021, her family traveled to Maui, Hawaii to celebrate.
“We had a big celebration at sunset on the beach, and we had a special bottle of wine that we had been saving,” Tracy says. “That’s a really special memory.”
Madi is now 20 years old and halfway through college. She says she and her mom are “best friends” and that their bond is unbreakable.
“I can’t imagine what my life would have looked like. It would have been very different, and I don’t know what I would do without her,” Madi says. “I’m very grateful that she’s here with me today and has been here through my whole life growing up.”