Loralee Klein

Three years ago, Loralee Klein was diagnosed with stomach cancer. She found out that her doctors could not cure her, but they could treat her. And three rounds of chemotherapy later, Loralee says her Roswell Park Cancer Institute doctors are really making her feel better.

"I really didn’t know what to expect when I was diagnosed," says Loralee. "I didn’t expect my cancer to become a chronic disease, but that’s just what is has become." Loralee’s on a clinical trial that requires her and her husband Brian to visit Roswell Park every two weeks. It’s a pretty easy regimen for her after everything else she has been through. "My first clinical trial was kinda rough. But this new one has been easy. They keep improving the care so I keep on coming back. I encourage all cancer patients to seek out the most current treatment options, I'm still here because Roswell keeps making new strides. I love the care team at Roswell, they really go out of their way to make you feel the best you can."

But the most important piece for Loralee has been the realization that God brought her to Roswell Park and has kept her well so that she can help spread the importance of faith in dealing with a cancer diagnosis . "I was never alone. God was with me, Brian was with me, my family, my church and my doctors were with me. Having cancer was not the end for me but rather a beginning," says Loralee. "I appreciate life so much more now and take nothing for granted."

For this Tonawanda couple, the holidays are a time for reflection on their 40 years together, and an appreciation for the wonderful care given to them by the doctors and nurses at Roswell Park. Their message of hope to others: "Faith is the glue that holds all of us together. Have faith in your family, your doctors and most of all God. He has a plan for all of us. All we need to do is give ourselves over to him and he will keep us strong."