Emily Winfield

When she was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer, Emily Winfield was told that she would be lucky to live two more years. Emily was 42 and the mother of two young boys. Three years later, she is tumor free and full of hope. Emily has found her ideal teammate in Dr. Heinz-Josef Lenz. In addition to cutting-edge treatment, his approach has included lifestyle changes, which gives Emily a sense that he is looking at her as a person, not just looking at an endgame. She also describes her nurse practitioner, Taline Khoukaz, and the entire team as loving, positive, and welcoming. “The atmosphere is not at all what I expected from a cancer hospital,” she explains, “At USC there is always a feeling of hope. There are no promises, but there is a sense that if this doesn’t work, then we’ll try something else.” Taking everything one step at a time is important, according to Emily, “because treatment is constantly evolving, and you never know what’s going to happen next month.” By participating in the ORIEN study, Emily is contributing to research that drives the evolution of treatment for patients like her. Dr. Lenz was able to match Emily to a specific treatment based on the genetics of her tumor, an approach known as precision medicine. ORIEN Total Cancer Care is a research project working to improve precision medicine using data from cancer patients at USC and across the nation. Any USC patient can sign up for ORIEN. When the study started at USC, Emily was the very first patient to join. She agreed to let researchers study her DNA, course of treatment, and other information about her. The information that she provides will help doctors develop new treatments and choose the most effective plan for similar patients in the future. She decided to participate in research because she wanted to do everything she could to help other patients. Emily’s story has included many challenges. However, she believes in appreciating the positives that come from each experience, including the fact that her diagnosis has enhanced many of her relationships. “You get to understand the way that people feel about you and the way that you have affected people in your life, and that in itself is such a huge gift,” she remarks. Her family has learned to support each other in new ways due to the anxiety preceding scans, and her kids have developed empathy in a different way due to her cancer. “I was always afraid I was going to ruin everyone’s lives by getting sick,” she explains, “But it can also make my kids better, more rounded human beings.” Finally, Emily wants all patients to know that there is hope. She believes that as the experience of living with cancer is demystified, the fear surrounding it will lessen. “The idea that you can live allows people to live,” she reveals, “When you’re not terrified of dying, it becomes easier to heal.” Emily is happy to offer advice and support to new patients. If you would like to be put in touch with Emily, please contact us.