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The Power of a Second Opinion: Karen Possehl's Story

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by Department of Surgery | November 30, 2018
The power of a second opinion: Karen Possehl's story

Karen Possehl was diagnosed with cancer in November 2016. At the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, her doctor told her that the type of cancer she had was inoperable and wouldn't respond to radiation or chemotherapy. He expected her to live only a few more months.

Shocked by this grim news, Karen and her family decided to get a second opinion before giving up. They began searching outside their home state for a hospital that would give Karen a fighting chance. Their searches brought them to UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital.

Using a state-of-the-art scan, Dr. Richard Schulick arrived at a different diagnosis—a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. Working with his team at UCHealth's Pancreas and Biliary Cancer Multidisciplinary Clinic, Dr. Schulick formulated a treatment plan for Karen.

The treatment requirements were extensive, but two years later, Karen is in great health and is enjoying an excellent quality of life. For more of her story, watch the video below.