Rolanda Henry was living on the island of Anguilla when she started feeling sick, in early 2022. "I had a cold and cough that hung on for months. My nose was bleeding, and I was feeling really drained." Her husband and sister encouraged her to go to the local hospital. "They ran some blood tests, and then would not let me leave," she says. "I was terrified." The doctors told her they suspected multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, but they couldn't test for it or treat it there. "I needed to be rushed to the US for care."
Luckily for Rolanda, her sisters live in the Boston area. “I arrived in Boston on July 7, 2022. By 9 a.m. the next day, I was at BMC. I saw so many doctors, and they tested me for everything.” Oncologist Dr. Adam Lerner delivered the news: Rolanda had multiple myeloma.
Unfortunately, Rolanda had a rare complication of myeloma that required immediate treatment. While she was getting ready for this treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU), Rolanda had a heart attack and seizure, but the ICU team immediately resuscitated her. She was also diagnosed with active pneumonia, which added to her acute illness. Her complex care was closely followed by the myeloma team. "I was so overwhelmed, I cried like I never cried in my entire life," she says. "But I knew everything would be OK. I had teams of doctors visiting me every day trying to get me better as fast as possible so I could start cancer treatment. I also had my faith in God and people all over the world praying for me."
Finally, Rolanda was discharged on July 22 and was able to begin outpatient cancer treatment. Because she was still very ill, starting full chemotherapy treatment was challenging. Her team called on the expertise of hematologist Dr. Raphael Szalat, who recommended slowly increasing the intensity of the treatment followed by a stem cell transplant. “I decided that seemed like the best option, so I started that process in November.”
Rolanda says it’s been a long journey, but in May 2023, she got the good news that her cancer is in remission. She has returned to her job as an accountant, and is also back to enjoying her hobbies of crafting and sewing.
"My experience at BMC has been second to none. Every provider I have met is so kind, and they really care about how I am doing. That has made me feel so much better."