Generosity Eases Stress During Lengthy Cancer Battle

Early in his senior year at South Hardin High School in Eldora, Christopher Skyles began feeling sluggish. As his co-workers at the local Hy-Vee noticed the color in his face had drained, he found it more and more difficult to make his daily bike ride to school. Assuming it was just a virus, he treated his symptoms with over-the-counter cold medication.

After experiencing an episode at work where he nearly fainted while performing his checker duties, he decided it was time to see the doctor. His mom made him an appointment and the diagnosis confirmed his hunch: A pesky virus that should pass with a couple days of rest. 

Christopher took the doctor’s advice, but his symptoms were unrelenting. After four days, he returned to the doctor barely able to stand. A battery of lab tests indicated something was seriously wrong—he either had cancer or the suspected virus had worsened significantly. The recommendation was that Christopher be transferred by ambulance to a larger medical center. He chose Mary Greeley Medical Center.

Getting Some Answers

His examination at Mary Greeley confirmed a diagnosis of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). While the diagnosis was daunting for an 18-year-old, it provided the answers Christopher and his family were seeking. With a fighter’s spirit, Christopher began his cancer journey.

That journey included a 108-day stay on the Oncology unit at Mary Greeley that involved an intense regimen of chemotherapy. While his treatment was grueling, Christopher says the care team did everything they could to make him comfortable—to include engaging in hijinks from time to time.

“My nurses were always there for me when I needed somebody to talk to or hang out with because when you're sitting in a hospital room for three months, it gets pretty lonely,” says Christopher, who lists multiple Nerf gun fights, riding his “Huffy Green Machine” adult-sized trike through the halls, and staff coming in on their days off to watch movies with him as some of his fondest memories from his stay. “They were always there for me, always ready to have fun. They became real, true friends. They were so incredibly kind and generous with their time.”

Christopher also provided a spark to staff. Michelle Reichert, MSN, RN, CNL, OCN, provided care to Christopher as a member of the Oncology unit team during his initial stay and today assists him in her new position as a Cancer Care Navigator in the Cancer Resource Center. Michelle says that while there are regularly patients with extended stays on the Oncology unit, Christopher was unique in that he was younger than most.

“We developed a special relationship with him,” Michelle says. “There were a number of our nurses who kind of felt like an extra mom to him.”

That special relationship proved pivotal as Christopher faced the monumental challenge of completing his senior year of high school while also battling his cancer.

“We did all we could to encourage him and keep him motivated,” Michelle says. That extra support ensured Christopher graduated with his class. “Even when he didn’t feel good, we needed to help him find the energy to stay on course with graduating. It was a situation where we were all in it together because we cared for him so much.” 

Essential Support

In addition to the compassionate care delivered on the unit, Christopher was helped by the counseling services delivered by clinical psychologist Dr. Gene Glass, PsyD, in the William R. Bliss Cancer Resource Center. During the difficult cancer battle, Christopher was also dealing with several other stressors in his life, including a friend’s attempted suicide and the death of another friend’s father.

Having someone to talk with proved invaluable.

“You can’t put into words what it means to have somebody there to listen to you,” Christopher says of the service. “He was able to give suggestions on how I could improve myself, but also how I could deal with the things that were happening around me. It helped me out tremendously.”

After his inpatient discharge, Michelle continued to serve Christopher as his Navigator in the Cancer Resource Center.

“I stayed up to date with his treatment plan and was just there as someone he could talk to as he continued his outpatient treatment,” Michelle says. “With him living a distance away from Ames, there was a lot of juggling he needed to do to get to his treatment. Also, as such a young man in the workforce, there was a financial strain on him.”

Michelle says Christopher was a perfect candidate to benefit from the Dr. Joe Rhoades Cancer Compassion Fund. The fund, supported by private gifts to the Mary Greeley Foundation, offers gas cards and other assistance to those facing financial challenges that have the potential to impact their ability to receive needed treatment.

To help him keep on schedule with his regular outpatient treatments—which require close to 100 miles on the road to and from each appointment—he has received a handful of gas cards, easing his dollar-stretching while he focused on gaining strength and continuing to get better.

“It means a lot,” Christopher says. “I am working and making around $10 an hour. It is hard enough to keep up with my bills and groceries and stuff like that, not even considering the gas to get to and from appointments. Just having that little extra bit of gas money helps more than I can even say.”

Looking to the Future

Christopher is past the induction and consolidation chemotherapy stages and completing maintenance therapy where he continues to receive treatment on a regular basis to prevent a recurrence. He continues to work at Hy-Vee and is set to complete his final treatments at the end of 2022. While the journey has been long, he says he is grateful for all the help he has had along the way.

“There were so many who helped me,” Christopher says. “Having that company that grew into friendship helped to build a bond with the nurses and everyone else. They helped me see that my diagnosis was not a burden, it was more of an opening to a new chapter in my life.”

Michelle says that bond will long be remembered by all those who had the good fortune to work with and meet Christopher.

“Christopher was a really great patient to take care of,” Michelle says. “He was always laughing and joking with the staff, even when he didn't feel good. He formed many great relationships with the staff and with other patients on the unit. He brought a lot of life to the unit and we really loved taking care of him.”