The Rita Mahaffey Story
"I can't die! I have a 6-year-old daughter," Rita Mahaffey said to her surgeon nearly 30 years ago.
She remembers the feeling of desperation well. Rita had gone to Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) for a hysterectomy at the age of 36 with symptoms related to endometriosis. "There were no scans or blood tests that would detect ovarian cancer," she says.
When Rita's gynecologist performed the routine surgery, what he saw surprised him. He called the radiation oncologist and medical oncologist at ORMC for consultation. While completely unaware of discussions going on about her, the physicians diagnosed Rita with Stage IIB ovarian cancer - the cancer had begun spreading in her pelvis.
"Being told I had ovarian cancer when I woke was something I never expected," Rita shares with the surprise still lighting her bright eyes. "What will happen to my daughter if I die?" she kept asking herself. Rita was a single mom attempting to raise her adopted daughter and provide financially for them both.
Rita never thought she would have ovarian cancer. "Later when I learned the symptoms of ovarian cancer I realized I did have them," she explains. Rita underwent five weeks of total pelvic radiation and ten months of oral chemotherapy. "I did whatever my medical oncologist asked. I never even varied my chemotherapy pill by 20 minutes." When her physician performed 'a second look,' he found nothing. "My nurse friends brought a bottle of champagne to celebrate my cure. However, I did not feel cured. It was not until I began to feel like myself that the anxiety of its return faded."
Rita's career path continued as a gynecological nurse and eventually led her to MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando where she has worked for the last eight years as the breast care coordinator.
Rita guides women who have recently discovered a lump or received a diagnosis of breast cancer. "When women identify a suspicious lump on their own, I set up appointments for them for a mammogram and surgeon consult. If a physician refers them, then I make appointments with a surgeon, medical oncologist and radiation oncologist. I try to arrange all appointments on the same day. I want every woman to get the attention she needs as quickly as she can get it."
Having battled cancer herself, Rita understands the confusion and chaos the diagnosis alone creates. "I want to do whatever I can to help simplify life for our patients." Though Rita recently turned 65 she has no plans of retiring. "I have found my calling working with patients at MD Anderson - Orlando."