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An Officer and a Cancer Survivor

Kelly AmbroseWhen Kelly Ambrose was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in January 2010, only two things were in her control: her attitude and where to get treatment.

Ambrose, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army National Guard, had always been a highly driven person, self-confident and approaching everything she did with military precision. The diagnosis “swiftly threw me into an unknown, terrifying darkness,” she says.

“Maybe because of my work as an attorney and an Army officer, I soon found myself researching all I could in regard to my diagnosis, my treatments and the options available to me for a better survival rate,” she said. “I had many questions for my initial consult with a surgeon, but our first conversation left me frustrated and confused, so I sought suggestions from a dear friend, who recommended I contact the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.”

From day one, her experience at Wake Forest Baptist was, according to Ambrose, completely different.

“The medical team works in a truly interdisciplinary manner, and right from the start, everyone involved in my care—and there were many—treated me with respect and focused on my care, not just my diagnosis. I was pleasantly surprised that all were familiar with my past history, which kept me from having to tell ‘my story’ over and over again. They answered all my questions without rushing me through.”

Because she feels so fortunate to have received extraordinary care at Wake Forest Baptist, Ambrose has included the Comprehensive Cancer Center in her estate plans.

“No one should ever settle for less than the very best care available,” she says, “and I am confident that my financial contributions will help ensure that new and better treatments and highly personalized care are available to everyone who faces the challenges that I have faced.”

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