Healing Both Mind and Body

Carla Peer

Carla Peer, retired director of a women’s ministry and doting grandmother of four, had always been proactive about her health. “I didn’t smoke or drink, and I leaned toward a low-fat, plant-based diet,” Carla said.

So Carla was understandably shaken when she was diagnosed with breast cancer following a yearly screening mammogram. “When I found out, I decided to seek treatment at Loyola University Health System,” Carla said. She had a lumpectomy and a lymph node biopsy, which revealed that the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. “I was afraid, but I resolved to recover successfully.”

“My doctors provided both extensive knowledge and compassionate care, and I felt intuitively throughout my treatment that I was meant to be at Loyola,” Carla recalled. She underwent chemotherapy and radiation at the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, enduring the side effects typically associated with aggressive treatment. However, encouraged by her caregivers and her surroundings, Carla gathered newfound strength from holistic care.

At Loyola’s Coleman Foundation Image Renewal Center, Carla received services tailored to her needs, such as acupuncture to stimulate her immune system and beauty treatments safe for cancer patients. “The renewal center was like an oasis in a war zone,” Carla said. “With cancer, there’s the biology of the disease and the biology of the person, and they’re equally important. I believe Loyola is at the forefront of realizing the magnitude of the mind-body connection and treating the whole person.”

After her battle with breast cancer, Carla has a changed perspective on life and now lives every day to the fullest as an avid gardener, golfer and watercolor artist.

Call (888) LUHS-888 to schedule a next-day digital screening mammogram with a Loyola physician near you.