Lina was working one day when she began having difficult breathing and became swollen in her abdomen. She went to a hospital in Parker, where they did several scans and tests which revealed a mass in her pelvic area. Her doctor recommended that she see Dr. Daniel Donato for further evaluation and surgery at Rose Medical Center.

Lina had exploratory surgery, which resulted in the removal of the mass, ovaries, and a large portion of her colon. Testing confirmed that she had stage 4 colon cancer that spread to her ovaries. Lina’s next step was to meet with Dr. Alan Feiner to determine her best course of treatment.

“My two daughters went with me to meet with Dr. Feiner,” Lina says. “He was so great because he listened to everything we had to say and really took it to heart.”

Lina then began six months of chemotherapy. She would go in every other week for treatments at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center at Rose.

“I would go in on Mondays and then take a pump home with me,” she says. “My grandson named the pump ‘Silver’ because he thought the noise the pump made sounded like a cat.”

It was moments like these with her grandchild that made Lina appreciate the life she has.

“Having cancer has made me realize that each day is precious,” Lina says, “I try to live every day to the fullest. Enjoying life has become my top priority.”

Lina continues her care with Dr. Feiner and has realized that he truly doesn’t skip a beat. She appreciates how proactive he is with her treatment and regularly goes in for bloodwork and scans.

Today, Lina spends her time with her daughters and their families. She is very busy with dancing, playing poker, and volunteering.

“Cancer brought me back to the basics,” she says. “Life’s not about what you do for a living or how much money you make. It’s about family, friends and doing what you love!”

Lina and her family

The Rose “Surviving Well” Calendar is a 15-month calendar highlighting our cancer services, physicians, and some inspirational stories from our patients. Kathy is our survivor for March, which is Colorectal Cancer Month. Click here to sign up to receive your FREE copy of the calendar.