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Progress in Proton Therapy
Top news stories. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Survivor Spotlight: Leska Cipolla
Breast Cancer
Pregnant with her oldest son, Leska Cipolla found out that she was BRCA positive, which meant she had a higher risk of developing breast cancer. With a family history of breast cancer (her mom and two sisters), and being a nurse herself, Leska was proactive in her healthcare.
Survivor Spotlight: Barry Showalter
Prostate Cancer
Barry Showalter explored other options before choosing proton therapy for high-risk prostate cancer. Barry Showalter is a 10-year prostate cancer survivor who encourages others to not worry if they are diagnosed with prostate cancer and to look into proton therapy for their treatment.
Teen Patient Continues Cheerleading Through Proton Therapy Treatments
Pediatric Cancer
Mya Thibodeau is a 15-year-old young woman passionate about cheerleading and exercise. It was a shock in December 2023, when Mya was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She feared her cheerleading days would have to end.
Survivor Spotlight: Abbie (Dunn) Few
Brain Cancer
In April, Abbie (Dunn) Few and her husband Mike celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary. The anniversary is more than a celebration of marriage for Abbie and her family. It’s a reminder that Abbie is thriving and moving forward after a brain cancer diagnosis in 2013.
Proton Alumni Spotlight: Drew Rogers
Head and Neck Cancer
Drew Rogers recently returned from Germany where he coached a world-class team of USA athletes in various distances at the 17th World Dragon Boat Racing Championships.
Anastasia Spiecker - Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivor
Hodgkin Lymphoma
“Any time whatever I am facing in life starts to feel challenging, I remember where I’ve been and what I’ve been through. It reminds me of how strong I really am and how I’ve been guided and blessed even in the darkest times in my life,” said Anastasia Spiecker.
Survivor Spotlight: David Bruyn
Gastrointestinal Cancer
David Bruyn has been through a lot. Following two strokes and brain surgery, he faced another challenge when a hemorrhagic brain stem stroke impacted his ability to swallow, leading to the installation of a feeding tube.
Survivor Spotlight: Denise Hawks
Sarcoma
Denise was diagnosed with a spinal chordoma in 2017. Chordomas are an extremely rare type of sarcoma (cancer) that occurs in the bone, with fewer than 300 people diagnosed annually in the United States.
Survivor Spotlight: Toni Renna
Lung Cancer
Toni Renna and her husband Ronald live in The Villages in Central Florida. They are surrounded by friends and a supportive community. It was the fortune of having a friend who had treated his prostate cancer with proton therapy at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute that would change Toni’s own battle with lung cancer.
Progress is Personal
Stories from Cancer Survivors. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Survivor Spotlight: Leska Cipolla
Breast Cancer
Pregnant with her oldest son, Leska Cipolla found out that she was BRCA positive, which meant she had a higher risk of developing breast cancer. With a family history of breast cancer (her mom and two sisters), and being a nurse herself, Leska was proactive in her healthcare.
Survivor Spotlight: Barry Showalter
Prostate Cancer
Barry Showalter explored other options before choosing proton therapy for high-risk prostate cancer. Barry Showalter is a 10-year prostate cancer survivor who encourages others to not worry if they are diagnosed with prostate cancer and to look into proton therapy for their treatment.
Teen Patient Continues Cheerleading Through Proton Therapy Treatments
Pediatric Cancer
Mya Thibodeau is a 15-year-old young woman passionate about cheerleading and exercise. It was a shock in December 2023, when Mya was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She feared her cheerleading days would have to end.
Survivor Spotlight: Abbie (Dunn) Few
Brain Cancer
In April, Abbie (Dunn) Few and her husband Mike celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary. The anniversary is more than a celebration of marriage for Abbie and her family. It’s a reminder that Abbie is thriving and moving forward after a brain cancer diagnosis in 2013.
Proton Alumni Spotlight: Drew Rogers
Head and Neck Cancer
Drew Rogers recently returned from Germany where he coached a world-class team of USA athletes in various distances at the 17th World Dragon Boat Racing Championships.
Anastasia Spiecker - Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivor
Hodgkin Lymphoma
“Any time whatever I am facing in life starts to feel challenging, I remember where I’ve been and what I’ve been through. It reminds me of how strong I really am and how I’ve been guided and blessed even in the darkest times in my life,” said Anastasia Spiecker.
Survivor Spotlight: David Bruyn
Gastrointestinal Cancer
David Bruyn has been through a lot. Following two strokes and brain surgery, he faced another challenge when a hemorrhagic brain stem stroke impacted his ability to swallow, leading to the installation of a feeding tube.
Survivor Spotlight: Denise Hawks
Sarcoma
Denise was diagnosed with a spinal chordoma in 2017. Chordomas are an extremely rare type of sarcoma (cancer) that occurs in the bone, with fewer than 300 people diagnosed annually in the United States.
Survivor Spotlight: Toni Renna
Lung Cancer
Toni Renna and her husband Ronald live in The Villages in Central Florida. They are surrounded by friends and a supportive community. It was the fortune of having a friend who had treated his prostate cancer with proton therapy at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute that would change Toni’s own battle with lung cancer.
Interviews
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See More Patient Stories & Testimonials
Want to know what it's like to be a patient at the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute?
View StoriesThe Villages Prostate Cancer Conference by Your Prostate Cancer Help
Saturday, November 08, 2025 @ 8AM - 5PM
Location: The Brownwood Hotel & Spa, 3003 Brownwood Blvd., Wildwood, FL 32163
Have questions about the latest in prostate cancer and treatment options? Block your calendar and register for this FREE prostate cancer conference organized by Your Prostate Cancer Help, held annually in The Villages, FL. Representatives from the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute will be there to share research and answer questions about proton therapy for prostate cancer. Register for this free conference at: https://yourprostatecancer.help/2025/06/11/free-conference-saturday-nov-8th-in-florida-register-now/.
For More Info: Contact Christina Mershell at (904) 831-4034 or education@floridaproton.org.
Cancer Resource Navigation Event – UF Health Jacksonville
Thursday, November 13, 2025 @ 10AM - 1PM
Location: UF Health Jacksonville Clinical Center, Main Lobby, 655 West 8th Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
Stop by to find out more about what UF Health Proton Therapy Institute has to offer as we join the UF Health Jacksonville cancer team at the next Cancer Resource Navigation Event. The oncology departments will be available to answer your questions, as well as representatives from programs providing social and emotional support. Additional community organizations including the local American Cancer Society office will be there with information for cancer survivors and caregivers.
For More Info: Contact Christina at (904) 831-4034 or education@floridaproton.org.
People of Proton Therapy
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