Holly Stenger and her wife of 22 years relocated to the Perry Township area four years ago from Canal Winchester, a community in central Ohio. Since settling in, she has enjoyed spending time with friends and her beloved fur babies, embracing her new community and working at Home Depot, where she genuinely enjoys connecting with customers.

But in October 2025, Holly’s world shifted. After a routine physical with her primary care physician, her Pap test results came back abnormal. She was referred to Alton Hallum III, M.D., and Jacqueline Castagno, M.D., FACOG, at Aultman Cancer Center, where the gravity of the situation became real.

They recommended a total hysterectomy, which Holly underwent that month. Soon after, the PET scan confirmed her final diagnosis: Stage 3 endometrial cancer.

Holly’s treatment began with port placement, followed by several rounds of chemotherapy. Once that stage is done, she will undergo five weeks of radiation and two years of immunotherapy.

So far, chemotherapy has been challenging. During her very first treatment, Holly experienced an anaphylactic reaction that required a trip to the Emergency Department. Her care team quickly adjusted her chemotherapy regimen, and she is now able to tolerate the new approach.

Throughout this journey, Holly has found deep gratitude in the people supporting her. She speaks highly of her cancer patient navigator, Tiffany Walter, who seems to know exactly when a gas or grocery gift card will ease the burden – especially since Holly is unable to work during treatment.

She is also thankful for social worker Rachel Elek, whose guidance and steady presence have truly made a difference, connecting her with both community agencies and hospital resources to support her during her cancer journey. In addition, Holly values the seamless coordination of care, the wraparound services and the comfort of seeing familiar, caring faces at each visit.

Reflecting on her experience at Aultman Cancer Center so far, Holly shared, “I am grateful for my care here. I have experienced cancer care at large medical centers in Columbus and saw the difficulties my family members endured just navigating the environment. Here, parking is close and free, and your doctor is just upstairs. I felt I was in the right place from the very first call for my initial appointment – there were no barriers to my care.”