Bald is Beautiful
When you first begin chemo, losing your hair can become one of the hardest visual side effects a woman faces. Family and friends come together to try to make Jamie’s journey a little sweeter....
Jamie Gilmore featured in MD Anderson CancerWise
Fighting cancer with hope By Erica Quiroz Although Jamie Gilmore’s cancer has relapsed three times, she’s hoping the fourth time will be the charm to finally beat it. Gilmore was first diagnosed at 14 years old with acinic cell carcinoma (ACC), a rare salivary gland cancer. But her most notable experience with ACC happened when she was 20. She had pain on the left side of her face — the exact spot where she had a mass removed six years earlier — and was scheduled for surgery. A happy surprise “This time the tumor was all around my facial nerves,” Gilmore says. “The surgery was going to be five to six hours for removal of the tumor and then another five to six hours for reconstructive surgery.” As Gilmore’s husband and family waited, the anesthesiologist noticed her hormone levels were elevated. “My mom had me on a lot of natural remedies, and I thought that was why,” she says. “When the anesthesiologist came in and said I was pregnant, I was shocked.” Surgery was postponed, and Gilmore was referred to a high-risk OB-GYN at Texas Woman’s Hospital.”My doctor’s first priority was to ensure the safety of the baby,” Gilmore says. “Six weeks after delivery, I would be able to have the surgery.”Gilmore was induced at 38 weeks and her daughter, Mikala, was born Dec. 4, 2002. “She’s our miracle baby,” Gilmore says. Cancer spreads The following January, she went through a 12-hour surgery to remove the cancer and have reconstructive facial surgery.”I looked horrible afterward,” Gilmore says. “But my doctors did a great job, and I couldn’t believe how well the surgery...
Fighting Cancer with Hope
By Erica Quiroz, MD Anderson staff writer Although Jamie Gilmore’s cancer has relapsed three times, she’s hoping the fourth time will be the charm to finally beat it. Gilmore was first diagnosed at 14 years old with acinic cell carcinoma (ACC), a rare salivary gland cancer. But her most notable experience with ACC happened when she was 20. She had pain on the left side of her face — the exact spot where she had a mass removed six years earlier — and was scheduled for surgery. Read...Jamie’s Hope featured in MD Anderson’s Promise Publication
Jamie hopes for a cure One patient’s rare cancer inspires collective effort Promise – Fall 2012 – By Erica Quiroz Jamie Gilmore is a fighter. In 1996, she was diagnosed with acinic cell carcinoma (ACC), a rare cancer that affects the parotid gland, the largest of the salivary glands. She’s been in remission from it twice. Now, the 30-year-old native Houstonian is in her third bout with ACC. She created Jamie’s Hope for a Cure with her husband, Garrick Glascock, in May to help fund research for targeted therapy at MD Anderson. “My family and I were surprised that there haven’t been any new developments in ACC treatment,” Jamie Gilmore says. “We thought surely something would be different from 15 years ago.” ACC affects an average of 135 people a year and accounts for 6-10% of all salivary gland cancers. To help create awareness, Gilmore and her family promote Jamie’s Hope by selling maroon and white bracelets for $5. They also collect donations through the website jamieshope.org. “The money we raise funds research for other rare forms of cancer and for people who don’t have a standard form of treatment,” Gilmore says. Jamie’s Hope also partnered with the Texas Realtors® Leadership Program (TRL), after Gilmore, who owns a real estate brokerage firm, joined in March. With the TRL’s help, Jamie’s Hope organized an October gala, “Masquerade for a Cure,” at River Oaks Country Club in Houston, with all proceeds benefiting targeted therapy research at MD Anderson. “Each year the TRL decides on a legacy project that will benefit the community,” Gilmore says. “Once they heard my story and what I’ve...Donate Here
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