After losing his close friend and pastor to colorectal cancer in 2020, the 46-year-old Atlanta resident feared he might be diagnosed with cancer one day himself.
In September 2024, Alicia Turner of Decatur began experiencing unusual symptoms, including dark urine and itching all over her body. She visited her primary care physician, Dr. Shetal Patel, at Perimeter North Medical Associates. When Dr. Patel entered the exam room, she immediately noticed Alicia’s eyes looked yellow and she was jaundiced.
Tommy Blackburn’s journey started in the summer of 2018. The McDonough resident began having “weird” stomach pains, leg cramps and restless leg symptoms.
Bill joined Northside’s TIL program in summer 2024, one of few nationwide. After Dr. Eddie Abdalla performed robotic surgery to harvest his tumor, he underwent chemotherapy, a TIL-cell infusion and interleukin-2 therapy. Despite setbacks, Bill said the treatment gave him hope and a clear understanding of his cancer fight.
I was nervous about what would happen next, but Dr. Abdalla’s passion and compassion allowed me to regain my confidence and faith. Dr. Abdalla and his staff made an effort to get to know me personally... They wanted to know how I was doing medically and personally. They always had encouraging words.
Two years after my diagnosis (“This is great news!”), my prognosis is reasonably good. The post-surgery pathology report said the excised tumor had clean margins, which meant the surgeon got it all. And the 34 lymph nodes he removed were cancer-free. More great news.
Eighteen months after completing pancreatic cancer therapy with Dr. Eddie Abdalla and Dr. Malini Sur, Linda’s follow-up scan revealed a small lung lesion. A biopsy later confirmed metastatic cancer, and she received radiation and immunotherapy. Through all, Linda remained positive and grateful for Northside’s early detection and advanced treatment.