Survivors of Cancer, Inc. Patient Profile: Nancy Quinn

Winston Churchill once said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a difference,” and it sure makes a difference in the life of North Wildwood resident Nancy Quinn.
While Nancy’s battle with ovarian cancer hasn’t been an easy one, her optimistic outlook on life has surely made her the winner.
Nancy’s fight started back in 2014 at age 61. Prior to her diagnosis, she worked for a credit reporting agency, dealing with large banks and traveling often. She loved every minute of what she did – but then one day had to give it all up.
One evening, Nancy and her husband of 10 years, George, were out on the town having some drinks. Afterward, they decided to stop for a quick bite at McDonald’s. Nancy suddenly fell ill, with stomach issues keeping her up all night… but George was fine. “I figured it had to be food poisoning from something I ate,” Nancy says. But the sick feeling didn’t go away.
After about a month of not feeling well, Nancy finally decided to see a doctor. Going in with the thought that she had food poisoning or a parasite, she had no idea about the journey that lay ahead. Since Nancy’s regular doctor was unavailable, she agreed to see a nurse practitioner. When the nurse practitioner walked into the room, Nancy couldn’t help but think, “How old (or young) is this girl?!” Although a fresh graduate of 2013, this nurse practitioner was about to change Nancy’s life.
After a thorough exam, the nurse practitioner agreed that Nancy must have food poisoning, but she was concerned about some things she felt in Nancy’s abdomen. She decided to send Nancy for an MRI. A few days later, when Nancy called for the results of the MRI, the receptionist told her the doctor would like to talk to her in person. “I thought to myself, they probably just want another copay out of me,” shares Nancy, brushing off the thought that anything was seriously wrong. But when Nancy’s doctor broke the news to her, she quickly realized she was mistaken…
Nancy’s doctor diagnosed her with metastatic ovarian cancer – meaning the cancer had spread to other parts of the body – and a fine needle aspiration was necessary to further diagnosis her condition. “I was scared to death, and I was mostly worried about telling by children and grandchildren,” Nancy explains. She went home and immediately called Fox Chase Cancer Center, and went to see a doctor there the next morning. This doctor diagnosed her with stage three ovarian cancer.
Nancy underwent surgery to remove 14 tumors, and there were still two others that doctors couldn’t get to – one along the colon and one along the bowels. Because of this, Nancy’s diagnosis increased to stage four.
But along this dark journey came a glimmer of light when Nancy’s doctor at Fox Chase suggested a clinical trial at Columbia University that the hospital was a part of. The trial involved Nancy receiving a number of drugs every few weeks during chemotherapy treatments, and eventually led to the one drug Nancy now receives every three weeks during chemotherapy – Avastin. Nancy explains that this drug is an inhibitor, and stops the blood flow to the tumors on her colon and bowels that the doctors were unable to remove.
“They say I’m a poster child for it since I have very few side effects,” she says. “Those two tumors haven’t grown one centimeter since 2014, so it’s working.”
Although she is living with cancer, Nancy considers herself one of the lucky ones. “I was very fortunate to find this clinical trial so early in my diagnosis,” she shares. Her journey continues, but with it she brings her positive spirit. She is still in treatment (and is convinced she will be forever) and has had some medical complications along the way, but all in all she says she feels good.
“It’s all about who you surround yourself with,” says Nancy, sharing that she has a strong support system adding to her optimism. Her children and grandchildren have been by her and her husband’s sides through her entire battle, and her doctors and nurses have given her plenty of hope and faith. Nancy even has her own little “army” of fighters – her, her brother who is fighting kidney cancer, and her sister who is fighting breast cancer. “All you can do is laugh,” she says. “My sister and I even have a box of hats we pass along to each other when we lose hair!”
Survivors of Cancer, Inc. (S.O.C.s ) has also contributed to Nancy’s optimistic outlook. “You really can’t feel sorry for yourself when you’re around them,” she exclaims. “They are a happy group of people giving hope.”
S.O.C.s mission is to raise funds, through various events, to aid and assist in the fight against the devastating disease of cancer and donate all monies collected to Cape May County cancer patients in treatment. All S.O.C.s members are either cancer survivors or have been touched by cancer in some way.
“Everyone the Wildwoods knows of S.O.C.s. They do a lot of fundraisers and other wonderful things throughout the year, many of which I’ve taken part in before I was diagnosed. But I truly didn’t know what they were about until it was my turn,” shares Nancy. She reflects on S.O.C.s’ sense of community by recalling how members showed up at her door the day after she was diagnosed. They gave her a bracelet and told her that anything she needed, they would be there. “At that time I hadn’t told many people, so I don’t even know how they knew.”
Nancy graciously declined much of the help S.O.C.s offered because she felt as though others needed it more. But during her clinical trial, they did send her a check to cover her tolls and gas, and told her she could not say no! Additionally, around Christmas, they sent her a card with a note which read, “Do something nice for yourself, especially this time of year when you’re busy worrying about everyone else.” Nancy went and got a well-deserved massage. “It’s those little things they do that really make them a unique, personal group,” Nancy says.
This year, S.O.C.s is celebrating its 16th anniversary helping the community fight against cancer. The organization recently held its 16th Annual Summer Fundraiser at the Bolero Resort in Wildwood on Aug. 12, 2017, one of two big fundraising events held annually. The local community and businesses came out in full force to support S.O.C.s, with an overwhelming total of approximately 600 people in attendance. Per tradition, Jerry Boyle, Entertainment Chairman of S.O.C.s, served as Master of Ceremonies, introducing many local entertainers who have helped support the organization in years past. S.O.C.s committee members would like to thank all who attended, and many others who donated to the cause, for helping them help others in Cape May County who are diagnosed with cancer and undergoing treatment.
The second large fundraising event S.O.C.s holds annually is the “Welcome to Summer” Beef and Beverage at Flip Flipz Bar & Grill in North Wildwood, which was held on May 20, 2017 this year with an outcome of about 350 people.
Smaller fundraisers hosted by S.O.C.s this year include “Sundaes for S.O.C.s” hosted by Lizzy’s Ice Cream in North Wildwood on Sept. 24, the “Welcome Fall Soup and Sandwich Fundraiser” hosted by Anglesea Pub in North Wildwood Oct. 22-27 and Oct. 29-Nov. 3, and a bus trip to New York on Nov. 8 to see “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” on Broadway.
S.O.C.s continues to work tirelessly in innovating new fundraising concepts year round, and spreading word of its mission. The committee states that their main goal is to spread awareness so that those who need help know that S.O.C.s can be a resource.
“Surround yourself with happy people,” is Nancy’s advice for others battling cancer. For her, while she doesn’t always accept monetary help from S.O.C.s, she welcomes with open arms their hope, support and joyful spirits while she continues to fight, and win.