{"id":8064,"date":"2024-10-13T20:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-13T20:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8064"},"modified":"2024-10-13T20:30:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-13T20:30:00","slug":"one-veterans-remarkable-cancer-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8064","title":{"rendered":"One Veteran\u2019s remarkable cancer journey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2024-10-13T20:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

In 1966, 17-year old Steve Harmon joined the Marine Corps. During his service, he deployed to Vietnam where he led a reconnaissance squad in some of the conflict\u2019s most intense and historic moments. <\/p>\n

\n
<\/a>
Marine Corps Veteran Steve Harmon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

After leaving the Marine Corps, Harmon transitioned into a career in health care, dedicating himself to serving Veterans as an Intensive Care Unit nurse for 35 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cHelping Veterans has always been a big part of my life and nursing in many ways has been a continuation of my duty to serve,\u201d he shared. <\/p>\n

His journey in nursing led him to become the second male nurse at Sioux Falls VA in South Dakota. His nursing career later took him to Hawaii where he worked at a private hospital. After a fulfilling career in nursing, Harmon retired and relocated to Sioux Falls to be closer to family.<\/p>\n

In 2024, he received a diagnosis of bone marrow cancer.<\/p>\n

A rare cancer diagnosis <\/h2>\n

Harmon\u2019s diagnosis was high-risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)<\/a>.\u00a0MDS is a bone marrow disorder that causes low blood cell counts, fatigue, weakness, bleeding and infections, and carries the risk of turning into acute leukemia, a type of blood cancer. As his strength waned in the early days of his diagnosis, he struggled to even lift his head. <\/p>\n

\u201cI was so weak. I felt like I was almost ready to die,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Harmon was able to find care and support through Sioux Falls VA<\/a>. In collaboration with his oncology team, they conducted extensive testing and coordinated genetic testing through a private vendor. The genetic testing showed an IDH2 mutation and he has been on targeted therapy with Enasidenib (an oral IDH2 inhibitor) since then. This targeted therapy has been a breakthrough in his treatment and offered him a new chance at life.<\/p>\n

A path forward<\/h2>\n

\u201cI owe my life to VA. The care I have received has been beyond anything I could have imagined. My oncology team has been incredibly thorough and the new medication I\u2019m on is nothing short of a miracle. I remember when I couldn\u2019t even turn myself over in my hospital bed, but now, thanks to this treatment, I\u2019m living at home, can take a shower and go grocery shopping,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Harmon receives his care from Dr. Daphne Friedman, who is an MDS expert, Hematologist\/Oncologist at Durham VA and National TeleOncology service, and deputy director of VA\u2019s National Oncology Program.<\/p>\n

Despite being located hundreds of miles away, Friedman prescribed and guided Harmon\u2019s therapy and management with the assistance of on-site nurses and nurse practitioners, as well as other remote oncology team members, including nurses and oncology pharmacists.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great to have Dr. Friedman on my side. She has not only been my doctor but also a pillar of support for both me and my daughter. My daughter has been my second set of ears, ensuring that I\u2019m always informed even when I am too ill to communicate. She has attended numerous appointments with me. We started with weekly visits but thanks to the care from Dr. Friedman and my team, I\u2019m now down to monthly check-ins and my daughter can take a step back,\u201d Harmon added.<\/p>\n

Harmon\u2019s journey is a testament to the invaluable collaboration between patients, their caregivers, local VA providers and specialized oncology providers like Friedman with the whole NTO team.<\/p>\n

Learn more about VA\u2019s National Precision Oncology Program<\/a> or watch \u201cPrecision Care<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

VA can support you through a cancer diagnosis with access to genetic testing and multidisciplinary approaches for individualized care.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-health-care"],"yoast_head":"\nOne Veteran\u2019s remarkable cancer journey - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"VA can support you through a cancer diagnosis with access to genetic testing and multidisciplinary approaches for individualized care.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8064\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"One Veteran\u2019s remarkable cancer journey - 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