September is Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month. For Valley residents, a blood cancer diagnosis once meant a long drive for care. It meant an even longer stay away from home and a treatment plan developed elsewhere, far from the people who love you most.
Not anymore.
Nancy Veatch found world-class care has come at City of Hope Phoenix, part of one of the nation’s largest and most advanced cancer organizations.
A Diagnosis, A Decision, A Team
In August 2022, Veatch was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and soon learned that her diagnosis also included the added complexity of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma.
Veatch had already researched where she wanted to be treated before her diagnosis was even confirmed. On the day she found out, she picked up the phone and called the City of Hope Cancer Center Phoenix. "They told me, 'Don't you want to wait a day? You just got diagnosed,'" Veatch remembers. "I said, 'No, I don't have time to waste.'"
Within a week, she had a full care team in place, and soon after, she began a six-month immunotherapy treatment; grateful for a modern option that let her avoid traditional chemotherapy altogether.
Bringing Research and Treatment to Paradise
At City of Hope Cancer Center Phoenix, Dr. Tibor Kovacsovics has spent more than decades researching and treating blood cancer, and he's candid about how far the field has progressed.
"It's a field that has dramatically changed over the past 30 years, thanks to clinical research and, even, basic research," says Dr. Kovacsovics, chief of hematology at the Phoenix campus. "The prognosis and the outcome have significantly improved across probably all diagnoses."
Blood cancers require a different toolkit than other cancers, including specialized medications, cellular therapies, and often a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. City of Hope has performed more than 20,000 such transplants nationwide since 1976, a legacy of experience the Phoenix campus now draws on directly.
Why "Close to Home" Matters
Ask any caregiver who has driven a loved one hours away for treatment, and they'll tell you that distance matters. Long drives take a toll on families, disrupt work and school schedules, and add stress to a situation that can seem overwhelming.
That's the gap Dr. Kovacsovics and his team are working to close for Arizona families.
His message to Paradise Valley families facing a blood cancer diagnosis is clear: "We want patients to know they don't have to drive across the Valley for world-class care. They can receive modern treatment, access clinical trials, and get transplant services right here."
A Third Act, Lived Fully
Veatch's own path back to feeling like herself ran through nutrition, hydration, sleep, time outdoors, and movement — starting with a stationary bike she'd owned before her diagnosis. Meditation led to yoga, yoga led to cycling, and a first goal of ten minutes “in the saddle eventually” turned into something much bigger.
She thinks of her life in chapters: childhood and college, then parenthood, and career. “I sort of see this part of my life as my third act," she says. “I feel like I've been given a chance because I'm still here. And, so my motto is ‘here for it.’”
Along the way, she's had plenty to celebrate, including a memorable afternoon rounding the bases at a City of Hope Home Run for Life event, where local survivors are honored on the field at a Major League Baseball spring training game. It's one highlight among many in her third act, and one she's spending in service to others. As a City of Hope Cancer Fighters Ambassador, Veatch volunteers online, helping fellow patients build the same healthy habits that carried her through treatment.
Hope, Delivered Locally
With a world-class team bringing leading-edge cellular therapies to the Paradise Valley area, the throughline remains unchanged: blood cancer care no longer requires leaving home to find hope.
Ask Nancy Veatch what carries a family through a diagnosis like hers. "I hope that you reach out to those around you, and find hope," she says. "Because at the end of the day, it's the thing that carries us through."
To learn more, visit cityofhope.org/phoenix