Husband and wife tackle life and cancer side by side

Love and loyalty in times of sickness and health is a vow many couples make when they become married. For John and Lynda Hall, who have been married for 35 years, this promise became a testament of their love for one another.

In 2012, John noticed some swelling underneath his chin and made an appointment to get it checked out with Lynda. After some testing, he was told that he had cancer of the pharynx, a section of the throat behind the mouth and above the esophagus. The couple immediately sprang into action and started looking for the right care team with the right plan.

“We spoke to seven different physicians at different hospitals before we decided I was going to get my care at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center,” John says. “We sought out a lot of opinions, but we knew we were headed to the right place.”

Providers at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center’s Cancer Center and Dental Center worked together to come up with a plan that was tailored to John’s unique case.

Throughout his journey – involving chemotherapy and radiation treatments as well as specialized oral health care – his wife Lynda stayed at his side. Within the year, specialists successfully treated John’s cancer, and the couple went back to enjoying life in retirement. And then the worst happened: Lynda was diagnosed with endometrial cancer last year.

“I was fortunate in that my cousin had just completed treatment for endometrial cancer, so I knew already what kind of symptoms to look for,” Lynda says. “When I learned about my cancer diagnosis and that I was being referred to Advocate Illinois Masonic, I knew that God was going to take care of me.”

Lynda underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment and has now been cancer free for five months. As partners in love and fellow cancer survivors, the Halls are looking forward to living life to the fullest.

“If there’s any message we can pass on to others facing cancer, it’s to have hope,” John and Lynda say. “We are so blessed to receive such compassionate care from the cancer team at Advocate Illinois Masonic. This hospital has heart and compassion, and any patient seeking cancer care is in good hands there.”